Scythe: Rise of Fenris Expansion Review

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This generation's Catan?

No.

Fuck no.

HELL to the NO.

I liked Fenris better than the Wind Gambit. Something about that seemed wonky to me. Co-op was okay, but the game is much better served with the opportunities taken (or not) between players. And much as I think Scythe is a great overall design, I also think I'm done with it at this point. And so is Stegmaier, apparently.

But speaking of Catan, my girlfriend's son is in college and just started getting into Catan (apparently you're not allowed college entrance if you've never played Catan), so I've played that a few times with them recently. Damn if that game still doesn't hold up really well. Probably helped to not have played it for like 10 years, but still...

SuperflyTNT wrote: This generation's Catan?

No.

Fuck no.

HELL to the NO.

*walks into game store playing area on various Game nights*
Someone is playing Scythe or has their copy at the ready.
*shrugs*
It is this generations Catan.
insert Dark Knight quote here.

It is totally this generation’s Catan. I can’t recall another title since that has had such uptake and proliferation. It’s the only game a lot of folks even own. It doesn’t matter if you like it or not, whether it deserves it or not...it’s had a major impact that has proven to be lasting.

There was a neighborhood get together a couple of weeks ago...it was 14 people who ALL wanted to play Scythe.

Yeah, I am inclined to call this the bes Scythe expansion...and really, it kind of makes the others feel a little superfluous. You can play with them, and on their own they are good...but what Fenris adds is much more rewarding. I still have yet to play with al the factions at once and...I kind of hope I never do. That is just too much Scythe in one sitting.

Catan is a timeless design.

Michael Barnes wrote: It is totally this generation’s Catan.

What? No way. The barrier of entry is just way too high.

I mean I get the point you're trying to make here: it's popular and impactful and has influenced the way people think about games and game design. But you get games that do that popping up every couple of years: Dominion, say or War of the Ring or Pandemic.

But by picking Catan for the comparison you're invoking a whole lot of other baggage about how board gaming became a hobby in its own right and the absolute paradigm shift that was German games vs the legacy of board wargames. Scythe is not epoch-defining on that level, not even close.

(I suspect you know this full well and you're using it to fire debate which is fine and that's why we love you.)

Personally, I think Scythe is okay, but I'm of the opinion that it's too thinly spread in trying to be all things to all gamers. It scratches lots of itches but never really satisfies. Not convinced it'll be anywhere in a year or two.

SCYTHE may persist in some groups , but I see Terraforming Mars played way way more often at cons and it came out around the same time.

ubarose wrote: SCYTHE was the Agricola of 2016. Terraforming Mars was the Scythe of 2017.

In Agricola, starvation comes from lack of food planning. In Scythe, it comes from waiting for the game to end