Board Game of the Month (August 2024) - Marco Polo II: In the Service of the Khan

[@DicingWithDeath]

Thanks for the informative review!!

[@boardgamecourt]

You are very welcome 🤗

[@MrJonnyalpha]

I had an idea for another game to recommend. Rajas of the Ganges by Inka & Markus Brand. Another lovely dice placement game that has so much to do and looks lovely on the table.

[@boardgamecourt]

This is a very good suggestion indeed. We love the system of double track as an end of game trigger (see also Ark Nova). Thank you for the comments!

[@jecabreradc]

Great conversation, greetings from Canada. Looking forward to next month's one. I have and played Marco Polo 1 and agree its great. Thanks for the other recommendations. Gotta get my Marco Polo II to the table soon then!

[@boardgamecourt]

Thank you so much for watching! We need to decide what will be our next game of the month, but we have some time to do so…. :-) What was your game of the last month?

[@jecabreradc]

@@boardgamecourt It would be between Deep Rock Galactic and Suburbia I would say. Both were great experiences. Thanks for asking.

[@boardgamecourt]

@jecabreradc we haven't played either!

[@tkzubaran]

I could listen to you both talk about games in your GREEK (not Spaniard) accent for hours

[@MrJonnyalpha]

I've got the first game, debating whether this one is different enough. Thanks for another fun video.

[@boardgamecourt]

We think they quite similar bar the fact that II is not as punishing. Maybe try to find and play it before committing to a purchase? We only own II :-)

[@bogdanvreja6454]

The game is great and has more interesting core rules than MP1. The big nay is character balance. Some are wildly stronger than others, which becomes obvious after a few plays, especially in a competitive environment, such as BoardGameArena. So if you want to have fair games you need to "fix" it yourself. Either by house ruling the powers or by bidding VPs for character picks.

[@boardgamecourt]

We will be honest: we love this "broken"/unbalanced aspect of the game. And indeed, drafting characters is the way to go!

[@LordVader07]

Hello friends! Unfortunately, the game is no longer available here... Both the first and second parts. It’s a pity because I had it on my radar before, and it was probably the lack of a solo mode that stopped me from buying it. Now I kind of regret it, as I generally like dice-based games... But thanks to you, we’re playing a lot of The White Castle now :)

[@boardgamecourt]

Yes, indeed, White Castle and Marco Polo have many common elements, however Marco Polo II does feel like an older design indeed without this being a bad thing. It gives you a sense of nostalgia!

[@bugscheese]

This game is so good, but you what game is better? The original! You should find a way to try it if you enjoy this one. It is tougher and tighter, but much more satisfying to play. Marco Polo II is fun, but feels looser, more generous, and almost sandboxy comparatively. And, oh yeah, Newton is brilliant fun!

[@boardgamecourt]

Newton is great (Fotios says!) Is it true that the original Marco Polo is more punishing/unforgiving?