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Bugs: Recent Topics Paging, Uploading Images & Preview (11 Dec 2020)

Recent Topics paging, uploading images and preview bugs require a patch which has not yet been released.

× Talk about whatever you like related to games that doesn't fit anywhere else.

Recent Hidden Gems?

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09 Jul 2018 10:33 - 09 Jul 2018 10:33 #277160 by charlest
Replied by charlest on topic Recent Hidden Gems?

hotseatgames wrote: I was going to mention Codex, good call Charlie.

I saw a copy of Vengeance at a game store... I'd like to try that one.


Definitely try it before buying it as it's the type of game half this forum would hate and reinforce Uba's distrust in my opinion.

It has some Euro-style stuff going on in the montage phase with action selection and card play that could be a turn off. It totally works for me juxtaposed with the real-time dice rolling combat round and the pacing is a huge turn on in my opinion.
Last edit: 09 Jul 2018 10:33 by charlest.
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09 Jul 2018 11:49 #277165 by Gregarius
Replied by Gregarius on topic Recent Hidden Gems?

charlest wrote: Hypergrid - You've never heard of this and it's not even available in North America, but it's the best modern abstract.

Wow, I never knew you were such a hipster, Charles!
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09 Jul 2018 12:09 #277170 by charlest
Replied by charlest on topic Recent Hidden Gems?

Gregarius wrote:

charlest wrote: Hypergrid - You've never heard of this and it's not even available in North America, but it's the best modern abstract.

Wow, I never knew you were such a hipster, Charles!


Oh man, maybe I am. I didn't mean it to sound like that ("I have it, and you never will"), more that it's criminal that a publisher hasn't picked it up yet. It was available at Essen last year and may be available again this year? Very small run funded by the designer, who's a really interesting Polish guy.

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09 Jul 2018 17:12 #277202 by Colorcrayons
Replied by Colorcrayons on topic Recent Hidden Gems?

charlest wrote:

Gregarius wrote:

charlest wrote: Hypergrid - You've never heard of this and it's not even available in North America, but it's the best modern abstract.

Wow, I never knew you were such a hipster, Charles!


Oh man, maybe I am. I didn't mean it to sound like that ("I have it, and you never will"), more that it's criminal that a publisher hasn't picked it up yet. It was available at Essen last year and may be available again this year? Very small run funded by the designer, who's a really interesting Polish guy.


Best modern abstract, you say?
Other than super trashiest of the trash, I love me some good abstracts.

Best modern abstract is a strong statement, but I'll bite. I've been getting tired of YINSH and Santorini.

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09 Jul 2018 17:25 #277203 by Michael Barnes
Replied by Michael Barnes on topic Recent Hidden Gems?
Ha ha Charlie Game Z’d us!
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09 Jul 2018 18:30 #277207 by charlest
Replied by charlest on topic Recent Hidden Gems?

Colorcrayons wrote:

charlest wrote:

Gregarius wrote:

charlest wrote: Hypergrid - You've never heard of this and it's not even available in North America, but it's the best modern abstract.

Wow, I never knew you were such a hipster, Charles!


Oh man, maybe I am. I didn't mean it to sound like that ("I have it, and you never will"), more that it's criminal that a publisher hasn't picked it up yet. It was available at Essen last year and may be available again this year? Very small run funded by the designer, who's a really interesting Polish guy.


Best modern abstract, you say?
Other than super trashiest of the trash, I love me some good abstracts.

Best modern abstract is a strong statement, but I'll bite. I've been getting tired of YINSH and Santorini.


Santorini is the only other abstract I own. The GIPF games do little for me honestly.

Hypergrid is kind of a trashy abstract. You stack different colored chips on the grid, trying to assemble a row of three of the same color a la Tic-Tac-Toe. The twist is that if you place a chip on a stack that already has at least two chips, you trigger a special power linked to the color of the chip placed.

You can flip nearby stacks, blow up chips, move the chip on top, even take them back to your supply with purple.

Downside with all this chaos is that it's hard to plan in advance and there's a huge possibility of moves to make.

But it feels much more dynamic and wild than an abstract has any right to be.

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09 Jul 2018 18:53 - 09 Jul 2018 21:38 #277210 by ubarose
Replied by ubarose on topic Recent Hidden Gems?

charlest wrote: Hypergrid - You've never heard of this and it's not even available in North America, but it's the best modern abstract.

Hypergrid is kind of a trashy abstract. You stack different colored chips on the grid, trying to assemble a row of three of the same color a la Tic-Tac-Toe. The twist is that if you place a chip on a stack that already has at least two chips, you trigger a special power linked to the color of the chip placed.

You can flip nearby stacks, blow up chips, move the chip on top, even take them back to your supply with purple.

Downside with all this chaos is that it's hard to plan in advance and there's a huge possibility of moves to make.

But it feels much more dynamic and wild than an abstract has any right to be.


I played that game. I hated it ;)
Last edit: 09 Jul 2018 21:38 by ubarose.
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09 Jul 2018 21:24 - 09 Jul 2018 21:40 #277218 by Josh Look
Replied by Josh Look on topic Recent Hidden Gems?
You want a hidden gem that’s really new and getting completely overlooked, check out Prowler’s Passage. 2 player area control done right sort of based on road placement from Catan, of all things. How your turn works can be explained in 30 seconds or less, and while the scoring isn’t “kinda weird” as we say, it is involved but adds a ton of depth to an otherwise simple design. I dare say it’s Kniziaesque, but the good kind when he’s on his game.
Last edit: 09 Jul 2018 21:40 by Josh Look.

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11 Jul 2018 01:25 #277281 by ratpfink
Replied by ratpfink on topic Recent Hidden Gems?

Colorcrayons wrote:

charlest wrote:

Gregarius wrote:

charlest wrote: Hypergrid - You've never heard of this and it's not even available in North America, but it's the best modern abstract.

Wow, I never knew you were such a hipster, Charles!


Oh man, maybe I am. I didn't mean it to sound like that ("I have it, and you never will"), more that it's criminal that a publisher hasn't picked it up yet. It was available at Essen last year and may be available again this year? Very small run funded by the designer, who's a really interesting Polish guy.


Best modern abstract, you say?
Other than super trashiest of the trash, I love me some good abstracts.

Best modern abstract is a strong statement, but I'll bite. I've been getting tired of YINSH and Santorini.

Eh, if you want a lot of wild stuff happening with special powers and lots of interesting combos that can develop, then Sleepers is the "best" modern abstract.

Just in the context of this thread(5 years old max), there's so many interesting combinatorial abstracts the past few years: Urbino, Bug, Tak, Tintas, Veletas, Fendo just off the top of my head.
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11 Jul 2018 15:32 #277348 by Michael Barnes
Replied by Michael Barnes on topic Recent Hidden Gems?
While fussing over that Cthulhu statue,
You have slept on the following games-

Grimm Forest- this is one of my favorite games of the year so far. Possibly the best of the year. It’s an old timey Euro, really, but it adds in tons of fairy tale setting stuff. Everybody picks a gathering location secretly. If more than one pig winds up, you split the stuff there. If you are alone you get everything. Then you use those resources (straw, wood, brick) to build houses. There are also fable cards, which add not only some take that and surprise advantages, but they also add monsters like the Big Bad Wolf and the Troll from the 3 Billy Goats Gruff that affect the collection areas. There are also friends, fairy tale folk, that give you ongoing bonuses. 45 minutes, simple, engaging, and lots of fun. Adorable production too. Totally overlooked.

Bunny Kingdom- Richard Garfield’s Acquire, but with take-and-pass drafting. There is no on-board conflict, but drafting well and being able to expand, connect, and develop your bunny fiefs is a fun challenge. There are also a TON of parchment cards, which act as end game bonuses. This is a great game if you like stuff like Acquire, Big Boss, and Rheinlander...and the special bonus cards give you lots of long term strategic options. Bunny setting is fun and charming. 30-45 minutes.

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11 Jul 2018 16:47 #277355 by Space Ghost
Replied by Space Ghost on topic Recent Hidden Gems?
Played a couple of games of Confusion -- the version by Stronghold. Kind of recent if you consider 2011 recent (which I do). It really is just a very nice abstract game. Apparently there is little to no hope of it being reprinted, but if you ever run across this, I would recommend getting it.

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