On the Origin of Species Review - with Tom Vasel

[@christopherleary7934]

I also have the 1st edition and understand the issue with the map. Since my wife and I are casual gamers we just ignore the map all together and allow selecting of any available species for which we have resources. That approach overcomes the dependence on luck of the draw and I don't feel it breaks the game for us but can see how more competitive gamers would dislike our approach. Overall, I quite enjoy the game and happy to keep it in my collection.

[@jimtompkins9946]

I quite enjoyed this, I had no real problems with the map. I agree that some house rules might help. The only real annoyance was they use Latin nomenclature without using common usage names ( my personal based bias). I found it relaxing.

[@sluggo562]

I think the voyage of the beagle expansion for Robinson Crusoe is a little more up my alley, but it's a fun theme. I wish my shelves were big enough for both.

[@tylerquinn7708]

In the 1st ed of the game the maps were one time use. I have the second ed but play with the 1st ed rule.

[@richardmoore1193]

The designers suggest using the 1st edition rule...it is a big improvement.

[@TSLeodagan]

Thanks Tom! I already have the game, first edition picked at Essen 2 or 3 years ago. It looks lik edition you show have little variance. In particular Map is one shot and should be discarded after use in my version. Do you want a copy of the rules I have?

[@tomelinebombadil8325]

Did you put the rules online somewhere?

[@prufrock1977]

I bought this game for its solo variant. I would honestly prefer Zee and/or Mike's opinion of this game just to see that comparison of multiplayer versus solo.

[@ScruffyNerfhurder]

I backed this one and played it once. I agree mostly with Tom. It's ok there's just so many good games out there and I have a shelf of games still in shrink so I can't see it making it to the table more than once in the next year. Looked good but definitely has design issues. Even if a second edition came out I probably wouldn't get it. Would be nice if an expansion came out that fixed all the problems though.

[@brettsmith8490]

Played the game once and had the same issue as Tom with the Map issue and the set collection is just way to much luck involved either you win or lose by your draw.

[@ThymeKeeper]

I like the game, don't love it, but like it well enough. Design and art is good, it's not super complex, I enjoy the historical background, but you are absoluitely correct about that map. One player could even get multiple maps, locking another player out entirely. If I am going to play it again, I need to come up with a good house rule for the map. I don't know if it's a game breaker or not (people throw that around pretty casually), but it's very close.

[@Calistake047]

Tom, can I ask something? You said that the map thing alone would've prevented you from approving the game. Are you saying that a single unbalanced component can have more impact on the whole game experience than, say, unbalanced factions (e.g. Tapestry etc)? I'm genuinely curious to hear your thoughts on this.

[@TSLeodagan]

1st rules are far better. Map is one shot and discarded after use. Origin 3 tiles are not moved but taken when covered and game is much more interactive.

[@richardmoore1193]

It’s a nice family level game, but it definitely can use some house rules...especially with the map.

[@tonygilbert5256]

Thanks, Tom. I think the game looks very attractive, and I might have fallen into the trap of a pretty game equals a good game. For the map card, do you think the game can just be played without them, or perhaps make it that once one person picks it up, that it applies to all players, like a universal ability?

[@TSLeodagan]

1st rules are far better. Map is one shot and discarded after use. Origin 3 tiles are not moved but taken when covered and game is much more interactive.

[@aaronfirewing9196]

Tom, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE COMPONENT DROPS???

[@HVFD310]

I believe they stopped doing them for now so they can focus on creating more and better content. The clean up and reorganizing was taking too much time.

[@aaronfirewing9196]

@@HVFD310 awwww

[@kirkbeiserlynxlakegames768]

Even without the map issue I found the game to be one of my few disappointments this year. Keeping track of your resources on different tiles was kind of dull. Collecting the different colored books was kind of dull. The game is incredibly beautiful and I love the theme but I doubt I will keep it for too long. I will try it out with a few more classes but I don't find it that interesting. One note is that I believe that this game was largely finished when Artana acquired it. They had already done a Spanish crowdfunding and I don't think Artana had many opportunities to change it. They did change the map though.

[@ski6913]

This one was a huge disappointment for me. The “nature guide” artwork is pretty neat but the mechanics are just so uninspired.

[@rat488]

the fact I couldn't even watch the overview the whole way through tells me that this is not a thrilling game...

[@Trae_Lenox]

I disagree with the boring-ness of the game as it progresses. Plus the game is only 30-40 mins. The map is pretty powerful but in my 3 games, the map hasn’t provided a runaway winner, and 1 player had it from the beginning. The scoring cards are fascinating as they change every game and give players different objectives as how to play. Sure the placing cubes option isn’t very exciting, but as more tiles come out and the options to replace tiles exists, the more interesting it becomes. I really enjoyed my 3 plays as it’s crunchy for a 30 min game and I wouldn’t pass it up. Sure it could have some tweaks, but I wouldn’t say it’s required to enjoy the puzzle here.

[@MrLinguist88]

Is it me or is there a huge hype of scientific "travel and research" board games right now??

[@lastburning]

What are the others?

[@PandaOfElastic]

@@lastburning I'm not sure of any others off the top of my head (unless you count Newton, which was a while ago), but Darwin's Journey was just on Kickstarter not that long ago and it has the same theme.

[@A._J_.]

Tom's tie is cool. Game sounds like crap.

[@Trae_Lenox]

It’s not a crap game. Quite crunchy actually.

[@Atlas-FM8]

Looks like I made the right choice getting Darwin’s Journey instead.

[@TSLeodagan]

Not the same kinda games, and definitely the same target people. Darwin’s Journey is a tough worker placement timing management game with 2 hours a play ; Origin of Species is a light tile laying ressource management game. I like the fact that you can crush cubes of the opponents, and the point compensation does not cover the time and ressources loss opponent can suffer, moreover if you cover with a level 4 tile. Do also consider that you place tiles one space far from the tiles where ressources originated. Sometimes it gets tricky when opponent places one tile on targeted space for targeted animal.

[@kirkbeiserlynxlakegames768]

@@TSLeodagan I agree that the two Darwin games aren't very similar. Darwin's Journey seems like a midweight Euro that couldn't be played with casual gamers or more importantly my students. I am sure that it is a great game but I need gateway level games. Genotype from Genius really interests me in this category.