Beyond "Good" and "Bad": Expanding the Art of Reviewing Board Games

Summary

The video discusses the challenge of liking popular board games that may not resonate with everyone. It explores how gamers can better understand their preferences by analyzing a game's features objectively rather than relying solely on subjective reviews. The speaker highlights five key elements: complexity, motivation (mechanics vs. theme), interaction, artistry, and strategy. By examining these aspects, players can make more informed decisions. The video also introduces an accompanying web app for rating games based on these criteria, encouraging the community to engage in more structured game discussions.

Takeaways

• 🎯 Kickstarter board games can sometimes fall flat for individuals, even when popular with others.
• 🤔 It’s hard to give an honest response when a game isn't enjoyed but is loved by everyone else.
• 🎲 Identifying what type of games you enjoy comes with time and experience. For example, dice worker placement mechanics can help predict enjoyment.
• 📝 Board Game Geek's top-rated games might not always align with personal preferences, even if they are popular.
• 👀 Reviewers can be helpful in guiding choices, but personal preferences aren't always fully covered by a single reviewer.
• 🔍 Objective metrics for measuring board games, like complexity, exist but are limited. A more comprehensive vocabulary for describing games is needed.
• 🧠 Games can be divided between mechanically-driven (like Wingspan) and thematically-driven (like Redwood) designs, each appealing to different types of players.
• 👥 Games can have varying levels of player interaction, ranging from isolated experiences to highly involved ones.
• 🎨 Artistry in board games can vary from extravagant to minimalist, both having their own unique appeal.
• 📊 Strategy can be based on luck, skill, or a blend of both, and this greatly affects the accessibility and enjoyment of the game.

Q & A

What challenge does the speaker describe when being invited to play a highly praised game?

The speaker describes the challenge of disliking a game that everyone else enjoys, making it difficult to share an honest opinion without feeling isolated.

Why does the speaker find it difficult to determine if a game is right for them, despite popular opinion or reviews?

The speaker struggles with relying on popular opinions or reviews because personal preferences may differ, even when a game is highly praised or considered a top-rated game on platforms like Board Game Geek.

What method does the speaker suggest for finding games that match personal preferences over time?

The speaker suggests that with time and experience, players will learn to recognize the characteristics of games they enjoy, such as specific mechanics like dice worker placement, and to follow reviewers whose tastes align with their own.

What problem did the speaker encounter with their own 'perfect board game formula'?

The speaker's 'perfect board game formula' had two main issues: it wasn't intuitive for people to understand, and the use of a 10-point rating system made it seem subjective, despite the speaker's intention for it to be objective.

What is the widely accepted, objective metric for measuring a quality of board games mentioned by the speaker?

Complexity is the most widely accepted and objective metric for measuring board games, often printed on game boxes to indicate how complex or simple a game is to play.

What are the five elements of game design that the speaker believes can objectively describe a game?

The five elements of game design the speaker identifies are: motivation behind a game's design (mechanics vs. theme), degree of interaction, artistry, strategy (skill vs. luck), and complexity.

How does the speaker distinguish between a game motivated by mechanics and one motivated by theme?

A mechanically motivated game, like Wingspan, focuses more on the gameplay mechanics, while a thematically motivated game, like Redwood, integrates mechanics inspired by its theme, making it harder to re-theme.

What does the speaker identify as an example of a balanced game in terms of mechanics and theme?

The speaker cites the game Barrage as an example of a balanced game, where it is unclear whether the game was motivated more by its mechanics or its theme, as both are well-integrated.

Why did the speaker stop rating games based on their components and shift the focus to artistry?

The speaker realized that rating components didn't work because good components are always seen as a positive. Instead, they shifted focus to artistry, recognizing a spectrum between extravagant and restrained design, both of which appeal to players in different ways.

How does the speaker explain their personal dislike for Wingspan despite acknowledging it as a good game?

The speaker finds Wingspan to be too isolated, lacking enough skill-based strategy for its length, and believes that adding more luck might make the game move faster, which is why the game doesn't appeal to them personally.