Front Page

Content

Authors

Game Index

Forums

Site Tools

Submissions

About

KK
Kevin Klemme
March 09, 2020
35175 2
Hot
KK
Kevin Klemme
January 27, 2020
20840 0
Hot
KK
Kevin Klemme
August 12, 2019
7430 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
December 19, 2023
3984 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
December 14, 2023
3509 0
Hot

Mycelia Board Game Review

Board Game Reviews
O
oliverkinne
December 12, 2023
2080 0
O
oliverkinne
December 07, 2023
2587 0

River Wild Board Game Review

Board Game Reviews
O
oliverkinne
December 05, 2023
2258 0
O
oliverkinne
November 30, 2023
2501 0
J
Jackwraith
November 29, 2023
3022 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
November 28, 2023
1973 0
S
Spitfireixa
October 24, 2023
3698 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
October 17, 2023
2627 0
O
oliverkinne
October 10, 2023
2463 0
O
oliverkinne
October 09, 2023
2294 0
O
oliverkinne
October 06, 2023
2511 0

Outback Crossing Review

Board Game Reviews
×
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.

Piss Fight - A review of Wiz-War and it's expansions.

More
04 Aug 2015 12:13 #207938 by OldHippy

For 32 years now and over eight editions Wizards have been engaging in magical combat in strange abstract mazes seeking mysterious treasures. 

Read more...
The following user(s) said Thank You: Ska_baron, jeb, Gary Sax, Dr. Mabuse, ChristopherMD, Hex Sinister, Colorcrayons, Feelitmon

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
04 Aug 2015 13:06 #207939 by Feelitmon
Great article about a wonderful game, JonJacob. I think you're 100% correct about the necessity of player elimination in the game and the reasons for that necessity.

One criticism of the game that I do not understand is that "it's random!" one that you allude to. Granted Wiz-War revels in mayhem and excess, but what card game doesn't have that random element? If I'm approaching an enemy wizard who is acting strangely fearless, and I have noticed that they've never had fewer than two cards in their hand, well guess what? I shouldn't be surprised when they "randomly" throw out a counter to my counter to their counterspell! That would be like getting butthurt when I'm playing Texas Hold'em and holy cow, that opponent draws to a straight flush. The randomness!!!

In a game like Wiz-War you definitely delight in creating or watching amazing combinations, but you'd better be playing your opponents too or else you'll continue to be shocked by the chaos and randomness far more than your opponents are. Strange how that can happen...
The following user(s) said Thank You: jeb, OldHippy, Colorcrayons

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
04 Aug 2015 23:25 #207971 by Dr. Mabuse
Yes, JJ, Yes! You nailed everything I really dig about this game. My only complaint I have is that there should be a variant where I can summon Big Man and have him last more than 2 turns. That's some weak game design bullshit right there.
The following user(s) said Thank You: OldHippy

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 00:12 #207974 by Not Sure
Most of the "optional" rules were not optional at all in the older editions.

"Deadly Treasures", wherein you lose if both of your treasures are down on opponent bases is one of those, and I strongly consider it not optional.

There is no reason to play defense without it, and it drastically changes the game. Obviously this game's a little close to my heart, but it's a fine review. I can nitpick for days about versions and changes, but there's no need. It's proven itself fun in many different ways and across a lot of printings and variants.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Dr. Mabuse, OldHippy

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 00:17 #207975 by Not Sure
Also, there must be some sort of in-joke I'm missing, because Big Man has always been a duration=number spell, so you can power that sucker up with whatever your best Energy card is.

Go big, stay big.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 00:40 - 05 Aug 2015 01:03 #207978 by OldHippy
Thanks everyone, this is my first review in a long time and I'm still not sure how to go about writing them. The couple I wrote before kind of sucked and I'm still trying to find my feet. But I'm going to try and go through some of the games I've played a lot and get a little something together for F:AT if I can. I even have a few other ideas that I don't think anyones touched before... shhhhh.

Feelitmon - Great point about playing the players in this... I should have mentioned that but I'm glad you did it. That is a quality I find in most of my favourite games. Thanks for bringing it up.

Doc - It's your copy I've been playing so thanks not only for that but just for being a cool gamer dude in general.

Not Sure - I've never played any other edition of this game and you made me realize that I should have made that disclaimer at the beginning of the review. This is a reasonably old game and that deserves to be stated. This review is strictly about the FFG version and nothing more... and there is an in-joke about Big Man going on. Whenever Doc plays him someone (usually me) cancels him right away... occasionally he lasts a turn before being cancelled but he's never really got to use him. None of us have actually it's the curse of big man in our lunch group.
Last edit: 05 Aug 2015 01:03 by OldHippy.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Dr. Mabuse

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 02:23 #207982 by Hex Sinister
What side of the board do you guys think is better for 4 players?

-still a newb

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 09:10 #207997 by Jackwraith
I'd be interested to know everyone's standard "optional" rules. I'm our resident Dr. Orpheus (the title given to the last winner of our semi-regular games of Wiz-War; next one tonight!)


We play with:
Both expansions and all the cards, but we did thin out the number of counters and shields in the deck, such that there are only 1 or 2 of each (we like our games bloody and it tends to get frustrating when you pull off that bouncing lightning bolt through a wall and someone stops it with a shield spell every time...)
Permanent objects that don't need to be maintained (Uncluttered Minds.) So if you make a wall, it's a wall and it remains until someone destroys it and it doesn't take up part of your hand.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 09:30 #208001 by san il defanso
I am also an advocate of using all the optional rules in the back of the rulebook. The only caveat of that is that Bestial Forces does rely on a lot of different card interactions that call upon the other cards in that expansion. Bestial Forces remains woefully underplayed by me (the game has a bad rap among my Texas friends), but the times I have played I have used the FFG setup to get more synergies with the cards. Do you still get some of that when playing with all the cards in one giant brick?

Also, I almost always use the old version of the map tiles (side B?). It has more straightaways and makes the players slightly less mobile, so that it's harder to avoid stuff.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 09:56 #208009 by Jackwraith
We've never run into problems playing with all of the cards. We still get tons of interactions and weird combinations. However, as with the counters and shields, we did take out a couple copies of the Bestial Forces card that lets you look through the deck until you find a creature, since there are only six creatures in the rather large deck. It just took too long. Creatures are a rare (and powerful) enough addition that, when they do turn up, it's exciting and unusual enough to still make it worthwhile, even if it's rarer than it would be while playing with a smaller deck.
The following user(s) said Thank You: san il defanso

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 14:04 - 05 Aug 2015 14:29 #208045 by Almalik
So is this on for the next Trashfest NW? I ain't coming out to play no Mysterium (or whatever the hell the Czech name was)!

Also, nice review JJ!
Last edit: 05 Aug 2015 14:29 by Almalik.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Dr. Mabuse

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 15:29 #208052 by SixpenceGames
I can't believe I've never played this. I've got to get on that!
The following user(s) said Thank You: scrumpyjack

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 16:49 #208058 by Dr. Mabuse
In terms of what board side we prefer, I honestly don't have a preference.

For our main deck, we use the white hand and three random decks. There seems to be a better chance of getting more of the environmental reliant decks ( looking at you Totems) in play, that could be lost in a bigger deck.

I've also played 2-5 player games to equal enjoyment. This game is pretty robust and can be tailored to players' tastes with little to no chance of breaking it. That says a lot to me.
The following user(s) said Thank You: OldHippy

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 17:05 #208059 by Dr. Mabuse

Almalik wrote: So is this on for the next Trashfest NW? I ain't coming out to play no Mysterium (or whatever the hell the Czech name was)!

Also, nice review JJ!


It will be, if you come out next year.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Almalik

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
05 Aug 2015 17:43 - 05 Aug 2015 17:45 #208062 by UniversalHead
Great article that makes me want to get this game out again.

Sorry to be a nitpicking pain, but watch those incorrect apostrophes - "it's" in the title, "combo's", "it’s objectives" and "DoaM’s".

I know, I know, but it drives me nuts and marrs the flow of the reading for me. :)
Last edit: 05 Aug 2015 17:45 by UniversalHead.
The following user(s) said Thank You: ChristopherMD

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Moderators: Gary Sax
Time to create page: 0.259 seconds