Do You REALLY Know What Makes a Board Game PERFECT for You?

[@Oleksii.romanko]

Great checklist! I usually follow a similar approach, at least partially. I’d suggest adding one more consideration: think about who you’ll likely be playing with. Is it a good fit for cozy evenings with your partner, a lively Saturday night with friends, or perhaps a perfect solo experience just for you? Nothing makes a board game feel duller than sitting on the shelf for ages!

[@BoardGameHangover]

That's a great suggestion!

[@RafaelZanolla]

Thank you, I was about to add that. One of the first games I've ever bought after doing my due diligence was Dead of Winter - on paper, it checked all the boxes from this list. In reality, it was an instant dud with my group and it's been sitting on my shelf for close to three years now (and honestly, with Halloween having come and gone again without it hitting the table, it may never do). I'll never make that mistake again, I hope. 😅

[@Oleksii.romanko]

Yeah, that’s holding me from buying Nemesis.

[@klaudiacarlos5023]

Guys, is Arcs review coming up? I refuse to buy this game without hearing your opinion. Great video as always! Greetings from Poland.

[@thesphyrth]

Watching gameplays basically addresses the first 3 points for me. I can see the theme, the mechanics, and how the players pitch the game.

[@multiplemenace]

BGG best player count is my first check

[@iansutton7416]

Good that you acknowledged differences in tastes, and to read beyond a simple 'rating' and take insight from them into how the game plays. Watching gameplay videos is a super suggestion. I don't care whether a youtube personality like a game or not (sorry), I care about whether I will like it, and a playthrough may take longer to watch, but is much more likely to aid my decision. That's not to say good youtubers can't offer insight, and your process for reviews feels decent and fair, aimed at aiding someone else's decision, rather that focusing on trying to persuade people why your opinions are 'correct' (and some other youtubers are like this, letting their egos get rather too carried away on their own self-importance). There is one absolutely fundamental criteria I would add to your list, one that ought to outweigh all the others combined... Will it get played? That might be about whether the game might appeal to your gaming buddies; whether it has got a player count that fits the groups you play in; whether it might fit within the timeframe of your regular gaming sessions; or even fit on the table to game on. If it fails on any of these, you might have a hugely appealing objet d'art, destined to sit on the shelf for eternity. Hence why this criteria ought to be the most important hurdle to overcome.

[@NewAge374]

Excellent additions! I usually skip the reviews and go straight to tutorials and play-throughs to see how turns actually play out throughout the game. That being said, some reviewers do quite well at transmitting the vibe of the game, and propose the ideal player; I feel Shut Up & Sit Down are quite unique in that regard

[@Jescribano1]

One of your best videos yet! Amazing work boys

[@Cheddarific]

I’ve been watching your videos for a while, and you’re getting better and better at making creative content that I enjoy.

[@christopheguyard9780]

Great video !! Thank you. I would add one checkbox for packaging. Some games have mind blowing packaging and really make a difference in how much you can love a game.

[@RafaelZanolla]

As someone who speaks Portuguese as a mother tongue, bought the majority of my games while living in Ireland and now is living in Italy, qll the while having friends who speak varying levels of all three languages, another complication is how language dependent a game is. I found out that even simple rules get lost in translation quite easily when a member of the table is not as well-versed in rules or mechanisms.

[@NewAge374]

Absolutely agree! I live in Spain currently but also want to have board games in English because it's spoken a bit more in my circles. Still I have a game like Wingspan in both languages: base game and Oceania in English, and Asia and Europe in Spanish. This way I can tone down the moderate language dependency for people who don't speak both by playing a game with only a part of the deck

[@RafaelZanolla]

@NewAge374 Now that's a great idea! I wonder how many games one could that for, but it's a nice workaround. Wish you happy gaming!

[@landlboardgames]

Great video! All important things when considering a game. Doing your research helps so much in getting games that you're almost guaranteed to like. Most of the time. I'm glad there are so many reviewers out there to watch and figure things out.

[@thinusconradie4297]

I never, ever, ever, ever actually read the back of the box. I watch reviews like yours. That's how I decide. The trick is to find reviewers you trust. People who share your tastes. That demands trial and error.

[@GregamoNintendo]

Haha great video, loved the Klask moment 😂

[@TheMohawkMatt]

you two are hilarious, keep up the good work!

[@onepingonly1941]

ok you guys are awesome. Your humor is fantastic!

[@leighmastertoun1243]

Another great video!! You guys are amazing! Would love to see a list of games that are good for 5+ people that aren't party games.

[@DanielRodrigues-tp2mk]

I love you guys!! You are getting better and better. Can't stop laughing 😂😂

[@viesturskokarevics2427]

I like to try in real life, like in board game camps. Was interested in Tyrants of the Underdark because of artwork, drow, deckbuilding and area control, tried in board game camp and now I want it.

[@thinusconradie4297]

I actually listend all the way through the sponsor's ad.

[@browe]

I cannot believe I'm actually going to comment regarding a sponsor in the video (likely the one & only time I'll ever do this). I have two pairs of Vessi--summertime ones and winter ones--and really do love them. They are legit, made-in-Canada good stuff that's so useful here in Minnesota, especially in Winter. They look classy, too. I was surprised to see this sponsor segment here on BGH, but I just had to say how they are the real deal.

[@AxaiosGr]

Nice and interesting theme for discussion 👏!

[@Cheddarific]

How do we get to your Discord server?

[@adriang6259]

I sometimes do one more check. "Can I afford it?" I normally see a game and check it out, watch a few reviews then look at the price. I know there's the argument that after enough plays of each game, even the most expensive games are practically free but that doesn't help me when I'm looking at something that's probably 30 % overpriced on the shelf. Sometimes the desire cuts through that, sometimes it doesn't. Ps, so Spy avenue is worth it?

[@enigmaticpizza]

I wish u guys had more viewers :

[@Zilong09]

I mean the answer is no. What someone wants changes.

[@GearDiego23]

Funny how you say "Wessi" and not "Vessi" hahaha

[@thinusconradie4297]

Oh, so it's not just me who found that funny? Great!

[@zenax8]

Labs video. Tā turpināt.

[@MrAxe802]

this video format is a bit cringe... why dont you just sit at a table? A few cuts will do.

[@tylervideos8081]

I very much disagree, and there are a lot of answers to your question. Because someone sitting at a table and talking is what everyone else does? And that it’s very low effort production-wise, no offense to anyone who does it that way. These guys are making fun, light-hearted, entertaining, engaging videos with this format. They are silly, and for those of us that enjoy it, they are doing an excellent job. I think with your critique could have been phrased more constructively and less absolute. “I feel this format is cringe” is a much different comment than “is cringe” as if it’s definitive. I personally despise horror movies, but I don’t say “they suck” because that would be immature.

[@Yv_Seel]

Their energy and production is why I am here. Go to a content creator who has the energy level you want.

[@bryansweeney3077]

Was going to comment the exact opposite. This was so much more entertaining and engaging than a normal board game list video