IKI Review - with Tom Vasel

[@whatboardgame]

Totally agree with this review. Such a great game. Love the choices of strategy required. You simply can’t do it all. And the fire is annoying at first but you realise it is required for the drama and to make you decide to plan for it or risk it all and go big elsewhere. When that pays off, players deserve the luck their inevitable win brings! Tough if a few players try that and one gets unlucky though.

[@spacecentergames]

9:23 I believe those represent a bale of rice 🍚, which is actually pretty thematic.

[@Sebastian-rt9qf]

Great review,. Played it Essen this weekend and bought afterwards. I was just as (almost) excited as Tom. Easy to learn and great on your first play. So all I can say is Higly recommended as well. Also I am a sucker for the Japans theme, but if you aren't still a compelling worker placement/action selection game.

[@zdd9583]

Realy thought this would hit your top 100. The way you look so amazed of the game.

[@albertonavales4796]

Totally. It looks like an overreaction, or just paid comments.

[@Mentat1231]

I noticed that Tom forgot to rate this game on BGG at all. If he would write in the 9/10 that he thinks it deserves, then it would probably be in the list for PubMeeple and I think it would make it into his Top 100.

[@zdd9583]

@@Mentat1231 Played it several times now. It is a realy good game. He probably forgot about it.

[@branboom3342]

It made his list for 2024!

[@pcpandemic3394]

I don't like how the board has everything pointed at the middle: I don't mind having things upside down, but some of my friends do, so with this board they WILL have something upside down no matter what

[@mrbastos]

I had heard that of this one earlier in the year and the person posting it said they were reprinting it so I ordered it immediately after researching the game. I do miss the original art, but looks like production quality is through the roof on this version which is great.

[@robinett74]

I had completely overlooked this game but now I'm really interested in trying it!

[@BrianGreigRWD]

Added this to my shortlist. Looks amazing.

[@stevebratina8249]

Thanks for the review, picked up a copy!

[@wr1120]

I suspect that the food token is a bento box. Uncommon in the west but it still makes perfect sence in Japan.

[@giannisc.5254]

I have the beautiful original and i am going to keep that. This one is pretty but the original is even more so with its unique art. Either way AMAZING game, like Tom says highly recommended !!! I like it so much i might consider picking up this version and keeping both even though it's too much.

[@colmustard21]

The art in the original is so much more appealing to me, but this new edition’s two-player board has me sold on it. But perhaps I’ll make my own cards with the old art.

[@robertcrist124]

I bought the original from someone the day the new one was announced and they cut me a deal to buy their copy instead of the new one; I also bought the new one haha Original art is so beautiful to me. Not sure what I’ll do with both versions but hey whatever

[@DeltathRiylaan]

I'm torn. I like some of the clean clarity of the new one, but I also love the personality of the old board.

[@ts7844]

@@colmustard21omg the new art is infinitely better.

[@meatballmeeple9347]

I have the original and had to get the new version at essen aswell, im just sad I didnt ask the artist to sign my copy :(

[@wishmeheaven]

Which edition is more beautiful..?

[@meatballmeeple9347]

@@wishmeheaven Thats a really difficult question that im not able to answer because I like them both :) . The old Iki has traditional ukiye art that makes the hole board game feel very traditional and beautiful in that way, the new version from sorry we are french is a more modern take with beautiful vibrant colors and i think that artist did a great job there. The new board game has better components also. I guess this didnt help much but its like deciding between burgers and pizzas for me, I need them both depending on mood :)

[@ShogunCharlie]

Wow I just looked at the original and I distinctively remember seeing it demoed at Essen Spiel 2015. I think it was a Japanese company that produced it, so I guess it never got a wide western release until now. As much as I like the look of the new production, I love the Japanese art style of the old one, even if it's not as polished.

[@ts7844]

It’s a funny thing how people think like this. The new art style is INFINITELY better and exactly how the designer of the game wanted to look originally.

[@ShogunCharlie]

@@ts7844 Well it is subjective after all, nothing wrong with preferring either one.

[@Mozgito]

Even I already ordered that game, but Tom you sold me game second time )) Its an amazing game!

[@nobbynobbs8182]

This is one of these games that invites to be played by its aesthetics alone

[@TheEscapistartist]

So interesting that this game is getting so much buzz, I have the original game version I purchased from Gen Con.

[@mytaury]

Hi, will you review brazil imperial ? It seems to be a great game to and i'm expected for your opinion ;)

[@AzureRaiden]

It's definitely sounds good. I wonder how hard it'll be to find. Hopefully it's not a one another one of these European Essen games that are impossible to find in the US

[@tah27891]

So far it is

[@anhellusjhaet]

I found it on Amazon!

[@Steve-L]

Someone in my game group kickstarted this years ago, and had us play it. I played it 2-3 times and enjoyed it. It was briefly in my top 100, but got pushed out.

[@Steve-L]

@@ts7844 How did it get pushed out? By playing more games. This is the normal way of things. As we enter the hobby we play more and more games. Numbers will obviously bring about better games. true we will probably find an amazing game early and it will stay a favorite, but I have played probably over 400 games now.

[@tehpickle1250]

Looks like a great game, but the change in art style from the original Ukiyoe aesthetic is a crying shame. It was unique, and totally emblematic of the time period and culture it was trying to recreate. It’s not ugly now, but it gives off much stronger “just like everything else” vibes. Those screen printed meeples are terrific though! I will hold out hope that a third edition will arrive down the line that incorporate the best of both versions. 🙏🏻

[@MalachiTheBowlingGod]

When did they stop doing the 'Dice Tower Box Dump?'

[@shanerion]

I think it was after his daughter got older? If I remember correctly she was the one who would clean up the component dump and reorganize the pieces 😂 I don’t think Tom wants to deal with it by himself

[@rawkyle9385]

@@shanerion legend says it was actually when Sam left. Maybe it was him all these years having to pick up the pieces…

[@JefferyHunt]

I have the original. The board and card art on the original are much better in my opinion. It doesn’t have the player boards however, which are a nice touch in the new edition. Also, the rules weren’t the greatest in the original edition, so I’ll definitely be seeing if there are any compatibility issues between the old edition and the new rulebook.

[@RvLeshrac]

The core problem is, and was, that the original was just impossible to get. There's no reason to bother comparing them, because for anyone who doesn't own it, the original may as well have never existed at all.

[@stevensum2011]

Preorder already!!!!. Point salad 🥗 baby!

[@stevensum2011]

Surprise hit for essen

[@nicolasclarisse]

Ok, now I need the game.

[@hugotavaresgomes9539]

reminds me of flamecraft

[@NemoMangelk]

This was filmed a bit shaky, and some of the close ups were a bit blurry. The game looks interesting at least

[@JoshOBryan]

My favorite thing about these games are that you can't do everything. You have to think about your actions because time is limited.

[@GamingWithGeo]

I still have the original KS version I backed years ago. Great game.

[@antoniussugianto7973]

IKI opo iki?

[@nshaw1299]

It's a reprint? So it's no longer the board game that says ni, now it's the board game that says iki iki iki pateng!

[@borreholic7238]

**Slow clap**

[@PestiferousJoe]

Talk about flying under the radar!

[@mytaury]

IKI arrive chez moi demain!!!!!! 😍😍

[@gelui13]

this was a fiddle overview for me :(

[@mythicdale8757]

Looks terrible compared to the original graphic and art design. Like a fine wine compared to a supermarkets own label. I know this is personal preference of course but I would say that it imbues a completely different atmosphere to the game.

[@andrewv3515]

This edition in no way looks terrible. Different, sure. Considering how hard it is to get the original it's nice to see it is getting reprinted. I'm torn on switching to the new version.

[@robertcrist124]

You aren’t alone in thinking the original art is superior and this version doesn’t connect with the spirit as much. It’s also true new people who never saw the original, don’t like that art, or couldn’t find a copy/afford one will get the chance to play a great game so it’s bitter sweet, but if more people can play the game and have great moments, it’s worth it.

[@betterthanflapjacks]

The art is not terrible at all. You don’t have to like it but I fail to see how anyone would think the art is terrible.