Flamecraft Review: SUPER CUTE!

[@jonnyk42]

I would love to see a list of the top middle weight friendly Euros Tom was talking about at the end.

[@LeRougeLapin]

Oh yes please!!

[@sincitysir1]

First rat is definitely on there

[@Dyskresiac]

My Little Scythe is incredible. I hate to say it REQUIRES the expansion, but the expansion fixes one of the base game's few "flaws" but at the expense of some added complexity. So gauge your family's ability there. I think even with the expansion it's a step below Flamecraft. But it's still higher than most "Jr" or "Kid" versions of games.

[@nataliejohn4243]

Yes yes yes!

[@hugues-alexandredery8596]

^ That!!!

[@Bllurr1]

Got it for the art, thoroughly enjoyed the gameplay. Gotta have these kinds of lighthearted, cute, friendly games to counterbalance all the horror, monsters, killing, and cutthroat competition of a lot of my collection.

[@graptakular]

I also fell in love with the cuteness and charm of the art but when I saw the names of the people involved I knew as much care was being placed into the rules and mechanisms in play. This is a game I plan to enjoy with family, with the art as an added incentive to get people to the table who may otherwise not be inclined to.

[@pvaughan007]

Thanks for the kind words. Honored to bring this game to your table, and know it is getting played!

[@Mark-jagger]

Wow. Tom certainly hid his enthusiasm for this one until the very end! I honestly thought he was going to give this one a 6 given his earlier comments. Just picked it up so looking forward to bringing it to the table. Solid review again by my favourite review format out there Thanks

[@gamesnstuff657]

Tom is right about not enough medium weight Euro's in the hobby, and part of the issue is that the heavier euros have a very strong fan base so a lot of people are trying to cache in on that, but man the mid weight euro's like Viticulture (Heavier end of Medium) and Wingspan(Lighter end of medium) are my jam. I can actually get them played and they are way fun, whereas heavier euros that I like, i.e. Le Havre, I can't get to the table at all because it is too long. I'm definitely going to keep my eye's on this one. Seems like a blast.

[@revimfadli4666]

Sadly the idea that "Eurogames are complex games" is too popular right now. Wish it's balanced more by "Eurogames can also be relatively simple games(rules-wise) with lots of depth for their low complexity"

[@Piata]

Just look at the comments to this video and even BGG reviews. There's lots of "there's not enough going on here, this isn't complex enough, all appearance no substance" complaints. I played the game and it's very enjoyable. It's perfect for playing with families or people that aren't heavy into boardgames. Not everything needs to be A Feast For Odin.

[@Wylie288]

Yeah. My grandparents are my main gaming group. And they can't handle so many rules. Engine building, worker placement, etc aren't abstract ideas to them. They don't have the years of gaming experience that concept relies on. I just have no euro games. Tiny Epic Dinosaurs is about the only one. I don't see any that both interest me and aren't overly convoluted to the point my grand parents can't play them.

[@BocookGaming]

I'm glad you all liked it! I'm waiting eagerly for my local shop to get it in, I'm just worried I don't have table space for it! 😭

[@caitlinwalraven8656]

Love that the debated "honey" dragon drawn for the demo is named Pan. Literally named 🍞

[@Docnessie]

I played this twice today with my kids. It was great fun and the art is just so cute!😊. I planned to give it to them as a Christmas gift, but was too excited to keep it under wraps that long!

[@cartergreen2309]

Played it 4 or so times so far and am thoroughly impressed. Great theme and art really draws in a good crowd and I feel like it has fun decisions. Big hit with my group

[@Saturn2888]

The kid aspect is the big thing for me. I want my 4 year old to be able to figure out what to do on his own rather than having to ask me which of the 100 actions he can do on a turn. Having only a few choices makes it much easier to play repeatedly without me having to give him a few good options for his build each turn.

[@Piata]

Love Tom appearing cool toward the game and making Mike defend it and then dropping a 9 review. This is also a 9 for me; a gorgeous middleweight game that's good for families.

[@JonReid01]

A live play of this one would be fun to watch.

[@justanerd1138]

Tom is spot on with this one. It is easy to teach and approachable yet the deep gamers at the table can enjoy it too. The best part is the dynamic and changing rewards at different worker placement locations. That really messes with your plans in a fun way. :)

[@mike_heller]

I'm all about that "Spice Tower" promo card

[@Jwlahn]

I love all the detail in the shelves behind the hat wearing merchant. So clever!

[@MentalMendel]

Chris saying, "Bread dragon," at the end got me 😂

[@donaldhouf8377]

Mike! Are you gonna give us a Solo Mode for Flamecraft?!

[@davetomasheski9509]

I was surprised he didn't mention it

[@mykeycuento5576]

Whew, I am so glad I pre-ordered this! I regret missing the KS, but I look forward to bringing this to game night everytime!

[@thesolitairegambit2556]

I’ll admit that i’m getting this game for the Cuteness and the Solo mode LOL Whether the Solo mode is good or not, i’m pretty sure it will stay in my collection. I pre ordered the Deluxe Edition and can not wait to say “Dracarys”!

[@Piata]

Solo mode is decent. They give you a base set of cards and shops to start off with and achievements that add new cards or shops for future games. The certainly did more than I thought they would and the AI is very easy to run.

[@thesolitairegambit2556]

@@Piata that’s great to know. Thank you 🙏🤎

[@babulthegreat4834]

@Mike D. Did you try the solo mode?

[@JonathanNation]

We played our first game today & loved it. Am looking forward to adding in the more complex stuff we have too.

[@kumanight]

Still waiting for my pledge, I know it'll be a huge hit with the family. Can't wait to get it!

[@joshuadewaal]

Those wooden meeples are clearly Trogdors!

[@speedandstyletony]

Backed it and got mine last week. The campaign itself was very well run and enjoyable too.

[@jellorelic]

Gotta second the comments about the campaign - In almost a decade of backing projects it was easily one of the best run I've seen. Peter and his crew at Cardboard Alchemy were always a joy to read and interact with and that vibe carried into the community they fostered as well. Easily one of the most all around friendly and pleasant online experiences I've had in a loooong time, almost reminded me of the good old mid-90s days when everyone was just jazzed at the amazing ability to 'Talk to People On The Internet'. Positive feedback loops indeed! I'll be happily tossing a dollar in their coffers just to hang out, help answer questions, and other such things in the comments on future projects.

[@hamakakun]

Tom doesn't look that excited with his 9 score, or maybe he is just tired. have a good rest Tom.😄

[@squared82]

I got to play this game a week or so ago. It’s such a wonderful game. I’m definitely going to pick up a copy of it soon.

[@LegoAssassin098]

I missed the kickstarter, but I pre-ordered it when I saw it. Too adorable.

[@Wonky2]

I heard there's a new game within the same universe coming, called "Flamebound". Anybody got any details? I was late to Flamecraft and missed the Kickstarter campaign and couldn't get any extra stuff or deluxe version, but I love this game and really don't want to miss anything on Flamebound!

[@tomasxfranco]

I think it's really charming. I ended up not getting it because it seemed a tad too simple in the early reviews.

[@calvinjim8829]

We played this last night. It was an instant hit. And being born in the Year of the Dragon, it warmed my heart. Glad it got an excellent rating 😊

[@gomoku6461]

I did not expect Tom’s score at the end but glad he liked it!

[@christianrodriguez1527]

Thanks Dice Tower team, I heard few days ago about this board game and I am going to purchase in the near future after I watched your good review!

[@laurapollock3270]

Would you say this is a good game to play for people who aren’t really into board games? I set up game nights with my parents and sometimes games are just too overwhelming for them to grasp lol.

[@Poiuytrew.Q]

Looking forward to the 2023 Dice Tower Kickstarter with moar artisan dragons!!!

[@Gudsur]

I plan to play it solo only. Can anyone tell me what the replay value is? And if it's worth $99 for the Deluxe over the $39 Standard Edition?

[@171QA]

I played the standard edition and had a blast.

[@savannahcamacho6672]

This was my favorite group of people to watch from Dice Tower. So funny!

[@tomdelany7085]

"At this point you could play Chonkers here" - The phrase that sold a thousand copies of Flamecraft

[@Listan1]

How would everyone compare it in terms of complexity and experience and excellence to Creature Comforts?

[@Piata]

I have both and I would say they have similar vibes and excellence but Flamecraft is a bit more complex. It really ramps up toward the end game where you're getting heaps of resources from every shop visit. Creature Comforts in comparison is fairly consistent in terms of momentum; your options don't explode towards the end.

[@Listan1]

@@Piata Getting things at every turn makes the game more complex? You gotta work to make all you can muster happen in Creature Comforts at the end, which is a source of its complexity and more so than had things been wide open. I was going to nab Flamecraft in retail version but just saw a video and whoa the cardboard bits appear very cheap and subpar. I don’t know why they went that route. Eek.

[@TalenLee]

No mention of the Spice Tower shop?

[@pvaughan007]

The Spice Tower shop power is soooo good. And the puns in the spices was a lot of bonus fun.

[@wing-faileung3175]

Yeah, just played it last night and I was at one end in a 5p play and it's impossible to engage with the shops at the other end! I gave up trying to use those shops half way through :)

[@eastargamemanufacturing6914]

Thank you for showing. It's clear to help me to learn how to play Falmecraft regularly. :)

[@susanscandles]

Great explanation of game Mike. Thank you. So tempted now to get this game. Like the deluxe pieces.

[@MerrillWhiteKalEl]

So excited to get our copy!

[@sernity230]

I feel like this game is something I could teach my family that doesn’t play a lot of games. I agree that it is a good middle weight game that doesn’t make heavy gamers bored while playing it. The variety is great in the game too.

[@jgruyters]

I've kick-started the deluxe edition, it's arriving next week.

[@Cid_Hi]

I think -cozy- it's the trend, in videogames also.

[@Viragomp]

I agree 100% and it's a nice trend.

[@tabletalk4729]

Was on the edge on this one. But Tom’s recommendation makes me want to give it a try!

[@nicholasblackburn1559]

The rule book was not helpful with clarifying all the different shop abilities. I kept turning to it, and couldn’t quite figure them out. Too new to have clarifications on bgg.

[@Piata]

Really? They have details on pretty much every single card in the back of the book. I had no issues with that.

[@yamixhikari92]

Can someone explain why there are 6 dragon player tokens but the game is for 1-5 people?

[@Wylie288]

There are six different dragons. Each color represents one. 7 actually, you can get the final 7th color in the shop.

[@yamixhikari92]

@@Wylie288 I see. However I still don't understand why would there be more than 5 player tokens in a 5 player game.

[@Phoenixastro]

A couple of the bad puns they were referencing made me giggle as Mike was explaining the gameplay. Obviously, this game was made for me! I should have backed it, but I had just come off a period of heavy Kickstarter spending and I think my wife's patience was wearing thin! Oh well, I'm going to get it someday.

[@BoxOfFear]

Shoutout to everyone who is still waiting for their copy. We’re all in this together, friends.

[@pvaughan007]

Thanks for your patience! Dragons are coming for everyone!

[@usgribbles]

Loved this review. Thank you.

[@unlimitedrabbit]

I can't remember the last game I've seen that was this cute.

[@vonwoolf9963]

I wonder if the deluxe version is worth it. I mean, for a $30 game that you play from time to time, you still have the gorgeous drawings, the price feels right in that regard. But paying an extra $50 to get fancy pieces, while the light/medium gameplay stays the same, I wonder if it's really worth it. Maybe it's those kinds of game where the deluxe version is more for the kids harrassing their parents to buy the cool version?

[@pvaughan007]

The goal was a super adorable and affordable retail version AND a super deluxe version full of thick metal coins, gametrayz, dragon minis and mini toast. You can't go wrong with either!

[@Piata]

I haven't seen the retail version but the deluxe version is gorgeous. I also appreciate the gametrayz and extremely functional storage. It really depends how much play you get out of medium weight games. I see this one getting a lot of use in my family so it's absolutely worth it.

[@rexology_bg]

Personally, I got the deluxe version and slushies for this to be a show piece to run at conventions and game gatherings. I am glad that the gameplay seems to offer exactly what was promised and expect it to be well worth it!

[@rexology_bg]

Plushies, not slushies. Dragons hate slushies.

[@Wylie288]

The insert is the real reason you buy that edition. And yes. For a game like this you use to introduce to new people deluxe components go a very long way. Ive spend probably over $200 on extra stuff for wingspan by this point and don't regret any of it.

[@JasonSmithPsychedelicTherapist]

4 square reviews. Bring back that frame. And bring back Roy as a reviewer. Thanks for listening to my suggestions. 🙏

[@cbubbb]

Could almost be a Knarr expansion

[@Aba19xx]

Taking two heavy euro lovers for Flamecraft review

[@jazzeejax5816]

I really like this game as well, really fun

[@zargos101]

No comment about Tom's shop card????

[@severngamingnetwork]

Weird; this review didn't quite seem to flow, and it felt like you guys were casting about trying to find things to say about it at moments; very unusual for DT panel reviews! How many times did you get to play it and build your thoughts about the game?

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

Based on the puns alone, I expected Chris to give this game a 10.

[@renatechandler9375]

I love the artwork in this game, a shame that the gameplay looks a bit boring . I was looking forward to this one, but now I don't think I'll get it.

[@UnimatrixOne]

Same here.

[@pvaughan007]

I hope you get a chance to play. The gameplay stands up to the art!

[@renatechandler9375]

@@pvaughan007 Maybe boring is too strong a word. But if I compare it to Honey Buzz then it looks weaker. Maybe good to play with the kids but not for my solo game collection.

[@lilyhsu287]

Please I need this game and they run out of stock 😢

[@Oncus2]

The moment I saw the long board is when I decided I'm not interested. It simply does not seem as a game that's complex enough to warrant that space.

[@nobbynobbs8182]

I almost backed this but didn't. Feeling a bit of regret now

[@josefernandoazcona502]

Same!

[@ChrisLowResDream]

great game❤

[@joshjenson8111]

No

[@lorelielomaloma6569]

The darling art of this game reminds me too much of “Barney” the friendly dino (or dragon?). So much so, I find myself not wanting to ever play this.

[@dddmmm21]

I played this at the DTR... It is a 6 for me... It is nice and cute but it is a bit fiddly for its weight and didn't find the decisions that interesting... At same time, it is a tad heavier than what I would consider a family game... Basically it is a game set to be forgotten and one that would just not get great attention if not for the cute high quality art and production...

[@Briesi]

am i the only one who really hates when players have different number of turns? especially when i dont see any good reason for it.played it once and i liked it except that fact.

[@Gudsur]

Then you probably hate Uno and Dungeons & Dragons with a passion. Why does it bother you if it's part of the game's mechanics?

[@Briesi]

@@Gudsur Well i dont "hate" uno,cause its an irrelevant "game" for me and i would simply never play it again. i never played dungeons and dragons,but isnt that a roleplaying game? how is that comparable? It feels off in this game,cause you dont really have personal power over when the game will end,no matter how hard you try,because you cant aim for that you are the player in whose turn one of two decks run out of cards.so some players will randomly end up with one more turn than the others and one of those will win for sure.

[@Kman5777]

I canceled my preorder copy of the Deluxe version because the gameplay videos seem boring without any gripping finishes or memorable moments. It's too bad as the art and components look amazing, but for $100 before tax, it's too expensive and won't hit my game table enough

[@wilbabilba]

Same. Love the artwork but there just doesn't seem to be much game. I canceled my preorder and got Creature Comforts instead, and I am very happy with that decision.

[@torelaursen4139]

If you take away the cute artwork you are left with an aggressively mediocre game. No game arc, no meaningfull interaction, just forgettable. On a good day a 5 out 10. And not really family friendly. Too many components that are not intuitively interlocked and too complex turns with ressources all over the place.

[@joshjenson8111]

I hated this game Its so boring

[@joshjenson8111]

This game was so boring 3/10 Also so much luck and randomness with what cards and shops come out

[@que-tangclan]

As soon as I see a reviewer say the copy they are reviewing is the exclusive deluxe kickstarter. It tells me I have missed out on the premium experience and I no longer want the boardgame because I can not get the premium experience. I appreciate showing us the components we will get in retail but please stop showing the deluxified version. Enjoy it, use it on your personal instagram account but dont show us when its no longer available.

[@murrrr8288]

The game instructions sound like ProZD parody video on board games....

[@radioactiveali4619]

Completely disagree about overstaying its welcome. I think it needs to be about half as long as it is for a filler game.

[@Piata]

This doesn't fell like a filler game though? I think it's the perfect length and it has a pretty consistent end time given the cards will always run out.

[@davidmarowske4243]

@@Piata yeah this is not a filler game.

[@rpgamerpro9972]

As an adult male, I would feel silly playing this game unless I was playing it with my kids.

[@Gudsur]

Enjoying cute things as a manly man doesn't emasculate you. If you like something that's cute, be it a game or otherwise, why stop yourself from enjoying your time?

[@nickp3177]

As an adult male, if you let this bother you, you really need to get a grip on your comfort in your masculinity.