Late to discovering this thread.... reconnected with a friend over a game table recently with everything being shut down. We've enjoyed a few games of Mansions of Madness 2nd ed, although not in love with the horror theme. We really enjoy the exploration , searching, expand as you go board. The puzzle solving and app integration are nice touches too. Looking for a similar type co op game, just without the Lovecraft tie-in...

We grew up on Hero Quest and still share very fond memories of those days (I even wrote 2 full campaigns back in the day in addition to playing all the expansions). I was looking at Gloomhaven but it seemed....intense. Thanks for those who have mentioned the lite version - never heard of it before and may have to check that out. Any other suggestions?

I just kind of got back into tabletop gaming late last year. Nothing super new yet but picked up and have been LOVING Robinson Crusoe. Makes a difference with the upgraded tokens and food that looks like food.

Playing mostly solo, usually using 2 characters / Friday. I felt the true solo was a bit too easy - having to balance the morale makes the game much more challenging. I've also really enjoyed using Melodice for some thematic background music.

I have played a few times with friends also and found it really enjoyable. As they were new to the game I focused on managing the rules and telling the story, then just letting them make all the decisions and enjoy the story. We had a really good time each time, even the time we all died horrifically at the same time due to violent wind gusts during a 5 cloud storm....Haha!!!

How is Mage Knight? (Probably a silly question to ask since you're selling it....)

I was looking at that as a possible solo game, but the idea of a solo board game campaign, managing all components, and the length of the games seems a bit daunting. What do you not like about it?

Funny, that's exactly how I explained it to my girl when she saw me playing solo Crusoe - like trying to unlock puzzle (and not die from starvation). I'll have to check out Nemo's War and some of those others mentioned too. Fortunately I've started to get a small group willing to start getting back together safely, as I'm sure we'd all prefer to do. But I have found that I enjoy these solo runs on a random weeknight instead of just mindlessly looking at the TV. Oh yeah, I guess I could always play pinball too...

Deaconblooze Definitely check out RC. Once you get the rhythm of it down it's not terrible to play as every rule makes sense thematically. It is a HARD game to win though, as mentioned. I guess surviving on a cursed island should be.

--Top link with the light blue box and the picture of the beach is the base game. I played like 3 games and I was all in.
--Mystery tales is an expansion with like 8 new scenarios and a horror mode. 5 of them are a campaign I guess - I have it but haven't opened it yet.
--The Treasure Chest is a bunch of extra scenarios, 2 new playable characters, a few new helpers and cards of all types to mix up the game. I bought that too and have interspersed some of the components into the game. Most of the little $4 upgrades you see on different sites are in the treasure chest.

Lastly, I spent a little extra at Top Shelf Gamer and BGG to get the upgraded food and tokens.
https://www.topshelfgamer.com/collections/robinson-crusoe-adventure-on-the-cursed-island
https://boardgamegeekstore.com/search?q=Robinson+Crusoe

I never played the video game, but this looks pretty cool. Thanks for mentioning it!

Glad it's not just me with the rash of buying! I've ended up here after just a couple months, with a few not even pictured. Even though we're playing once a week I feel like we're rushing through some of them. But when I legit watched 15+ hours of KDM videos over the last few days and seriously considered dropping on a $400 board game that no one I know would play with me it was time for a reality check!

At the risk of tempting you guys with one, though, we have had a blast with Camel Up. It's very light and completely silly (betting on camels racing around a pyramid) but man have we had some fun with it, especially with a bit bigger group. Its also not that expensive, which helps. Played again last night with 7, kids and adults, and just about everyone was cheering and laughing the whole time. Named every camel and even have been keeping stats on how many races the camels have won. We've definitely had some good times with it - not even too much liquor required.

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Awesome! Glad you enjoyed!

Kevin D.

Not my work, but sharing something I saw on BGG - cool intersection of pinball and board games. I'm so impressed by some people's ingenuity and handiwork when I see projects like this..

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2633059/pandemic-pinball-machine?mc_cid=d7a4668391&mc_eid=33ae585e6b

Have you tried this out solo? I saw the Watch It Played on YouTube but havent found a ton of reviews. The idea of a hidden competing destiny for each player sounds intriguing, the app integration looks pretty solid, and I like the idea of the evolving skills grid but Id probably end having to do a fair bit of solo time on this one.

Been playing Kingdom Death Monster on Tabletop Simulator recently. I haven't yet talked myself into buying the game because I don't want to have to assemble and paint everything (or pay even more to have someone do it), but oh man is that game good. Also, I'd likely have to play it solo and it seems like a ton to manage if you're solo playing live... Actually, I can't believe I missed out on TTS throughout most of the pandemic. I'd rather play board games in person, of course, but jumping on and having people to play all kinds of games whenever you want is pretty awesome.

In person, though, a friend and I are playing through the Washington Z.C. campaign for Zombicide 2e. It's pretty fun, the different objective cards and the night rules add a lot to the game. I actually did get those minis painted, and it looks pretty good on the table.

Lame33 How did Destinies hold up after playing for awhile?

Cool thanks for the input! I halfheartedly tried to pick it up when it first came out but couldnt get anywhere local. I was going to hold out for the new Descent, but after seeing some gameplay I think Ill give Destinies a shot.

I hear you man. Considering that going out isn't the best option, you'd think that people would be more interested, but it's hard to get anyone else to play. Especially if the game is heavier than Splendor.

I have gotten one friend to play with some consistency, and we have been working through the Washington Z.C. campaign of Zombicide. Otherwise, I just finally discovered Clank! and have been having a blast with that, even with the app in solo mode. I also played the digital version of Gloomhaven (if that counts) and I'm glad I resisted the tabletop version - I think there would be a bit too much going on for me to enjoy it alone.

Over this past weekend I just did Box One, which is an escape room / puzzle type game. I thought it was really enjoyable and had some surprisingly clever elements to it. The best part...it's basically resettable, so now I can give it to someone else and try to get them hooked! I wouldn't have loved it for the price but being able to pass it on helps me feel somewhat better.

Come to New Hampshire, I'm in!

Great call by those who mentioned Dune Imperium! Just got it last night and have enjoyed it quite a bit even solo. Unlike many other solo modes, it feels like there's other players actively working against me and the app adds some extra tips to smooth things out.

jlm33 How is Ix? I got it, but figured I'd learn the base game first.

The "Dire Wolf Gameroom" app just replaces the House Haggal deck, so it streamlines the shuffling and gives little reminders. Honestly, I'm just really impressed by the game's Automa, as it feels more active than most. Last night, I was up 9 to 8 VP and one of the bots stole an alliance token and took the lead. I ended up winning, but stuff like that has happened quite regularly in my few games so far, which I've enjoyed.

It's interesting, for sure. It's got a lot of potential for different games, and I like the app recognition of the board state. My immediate thought was "KDM would be awesome on this." If they add some settlement building to Bad Karmas, it might be worth checking out for me.

Still, I think it might be too much tech for me, since you have a main screen and then most everything else you do (playing cards, choosing actions) seems to be on the phone... not in love with that. I'm not opposed to app assisted games, (I've been waffling on getting Descent: Legends in the Dark) but I think I'll sit out the first couple Teburu games out and see what else comes out for it.

+1 for Splendor and Lost Cities as great two player games. +1000 for Dune: Imperium with Rise of Ix. It's 10/10 for me.

On another note, if you like story-driven games, My Father's Work is pretty interesting. Worker placement with resource management and some other neat little mechanics thrown in. Its app based, which turns some people off, but it makes good use of it as there's branching storylines and your actions really matter. We unlocked one of the eight endings for the first scenario (comes with three). The board state changes throughout the game and I found the "lose almost everything each generation" to be interesting for developing strategies. Also, the components are top notch, and we didn't even use 25% of what comes in the first scenario box.

Downside - there's a fair amount of reading involved and it's Victorian-era English, so bring a thesaurus. It's also a long game, however, we all thought it was worth giving another go sometime.

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Definitely curious to hear what you think of it and how your first game plays out. I think there's eight more endings for us to unlock on 'The Cost of Disease' alone. I hope they add a solo mode and support it with new scenarios in the future.

That's great! I'm hoping to get it played again either this weekend or next. I think I'm going to run through the same scenario just to see how the differences play out. Plus, there was so much stuff in the scenario box we didn't even touch on our first run through.

Awesome pic

Man... I wish I could get a group to experience KDM with. I've only played it on TTS and it's amazing, but I can't justify the price for the solo. Especially since I'm not as much into the assembly / hobby part of it. Have a great time with it!

After a ridiculously longtime lurking, playing on TTS, and absorbing a ton of what the internet has to offer on this game, I finally took the plunge and hit the buy button on KDM yesterday. I don't know that I'll ever get it to the table, I don't really have the space, and I'll probably have to solo it... but I'm pretty excited for the ride.

On the other side of the spectrum, if you're looking for another great game for a high player count - Ready Set Bet! is awesome. Had to get myself some upgrades for this one!

Ready Set Bet (resized).jpg

I got the mats made at Inked Gaming, using a file on BGG. The horses I got from this site: https://www.cappelsinc.com/product/plastic-horse-with-jockey/.

Since that pic I slapped a little bit of paint on the jockey jerseys to designate the blue, red, and orange horses, and since then we've been off to the races. (Bad pun intended). The app is fantastic if no one wants to call the race but rolling dice and doing so is almost as fun as betting in my opinion.

Were you P500 on Mr. President? I hadn't heard of it before the YouTube algorithm got me with some videos a couple weeks ago and I had to buy it (still probably be a couple weeks before I see it). It was #1 on the hotness on BGG throughout the weekend; how do you like it so far?

Thanks for responding! This is honestly one of the biggest things that attracted me to the game. I enjoy following politics, and of course I have opinions, but I thought it was a brilliant design choice to make the game non-partisan. It allows the player to fill in the details with his or her own thoughts without detracting from the gameplay or the experience for anyone. I also like the idea of the fact that it's really overwhelming, there are lots of choices, and most things seem to be out of your direct control. Makes me wonder if any real presidents got to the desk and said, "oh man, now where do I start?!?" Even though this is obviously just a game, I wonder if it will change anyone's perspective on how hard the job must be in real life.

I also like the idea of playing it with a group, acting as president and managing the game play while having others act as cabinet members. Could be an interesting way to cut down on the sheer volume of decisions, help lower the barrier of entry, and lead to some interesting conversations and debates throughout the game. Have fun!

Kevin D.

No doubt, I'm all about it. I've been thinking about it non-stop during free time since I heard of it. And, I don't have to wait that much longer for it! I ordered on 6/16 and got a shipping notification that I'll receive it early next week!

Six months (roughly) to finish my degree and I've got a group already lined up to start diving into my 1.6 box... Looking forward to hearing about your campaign to keep me motivated.

+1 for Mr. President. Definitely a unique experience!

Mr President (resized).jpg

Just started two KDM campaigns and pretty sure I'm going all in for Gamblers Chest and the 12 expansions around Black Friday. Was also checking out the Secrets of the Lost Tomb anniversary edition on Gamefound. That should keep us pretty busy.

Oh yeah, and eventually this may show up.... https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/4056660/time-since-the-robinson-crusoe-campaign-started

+1 for narrative games. REALLY enjoyed one playthrough of Nemesis and Final Girl is fun on occasion. Still need to get a play of Western Legends in at some point.

Kevin D.

It IS janky! But its somehow still pretty enjoyable. I grabbed it on a whim from a FLGS while on vacation last year, just based on the box. Looks like they're cleaning up some of the most fiddly parts in the re-release and it will be a good time to get some expansions.

If you like the facts, check out the mobile app called "Wingsong." You can scan most of the cards in the game and it will play the bird's call. There's no call for some of the endangered species, as the app tells you they won't share the call intentionally so people don't use it to try to lure those birds and put them in jeopardy.