Orbis Review - Literally Universal

[@BrandonGraham]

After that kazoo, my cat made a long sad meow.

[@NoPunIncluded]

Amazing!

[@pauk.w]

I'm loving this NPI and SUSD channel-mance. It's like you're passing love notes at the back of maths class. I feel like this is building towards a Root cross channel mega review! A board game review shared universe!

[@mdrueen]

Thank you for another excellent review. I very much love how you guys and the SU&SD gang have been crossing content streams as you are both my favorite boardgame bloggers. Please keep it up!

[@kostishasopoulos9816]

love you guyz!! Keep up the ''always getting beter'' videos. PS: love the Crimson LP background

[@erickfilen3781]

Very nicely done review , you guys are so great , giving the right points and high-lines, talking about exactly the problems of the games , thumbs up for sure as always.

[@stuartcoyle1626]

Bonus points for having the cover of "In the Court of the Crimson King" featured!

[@InteractionImplants]

The writing in this video was particularly excellent. Good work my dudes!

[@markwoodrum4077]

I talk to the wind. The wind does not hear, the wind cannot hear

[@hardbathsalts3143]

Thumbs up for that expensive king crimson record in the background (assuming its original).

[@Alazavrus]

Ok, the outro did convince me to like.

[@officejedi7465]

"underground scooter mobility drag races" LMAO - Classic!

[@boardgamequeens]

Efka, you're looking great! Is that weird to say? But you do!

[@davidwalsh7312]

I was also going to say this! did you trim your beard or something? keep doing what you're doing!

[@unkindled_dreg]

So happy someone shares my opinion about the "app style artwork" doesn't go hand in hand with board game. The art is stunning, but just don't want this same style in my board games.

[@samfako251]

"Orbit is great" ....very like azul and splendor ... very depending on luck game but sound very interesting , "the ability to go wild" hahaha in other words have variability ... as always guys you make an entertaining review

[@comanaut9566]

The rusted chains of prison moons Are shattered by the sun I walk a road, horizons change The tournament's begun The purple piper plays his tune The choir softly sing Three lullabies in an ancient tongue For the court of the crimson king The keeper of the city keys Put shutters on the dreams I wait outside the pilgrim's door With insufficient schemes The black queen chants the funeral march The cracked brass bells will ring To summon back the fire witch To the court of the crimson king The gardener plants an evergreen Whilst trampling on a flower I chase the wind of a prism ship To taste the sweet and sour The pattern juggler lifts his hand The orchestra begin As slowly turns the grinding wheel In the court of the crimson king On soft gray mornings widows cry The wise men share a joke I run to grasp divining signs To satisfy the hoax The yellow jester does not play But gently pulls the strings And smiles as the puppets dance In the court of the crimson king

[@emmaplaysgreen2849]

With all the talk of flipping tiles, I think my opinion on whether this would be a good game to play with my 9 and 13 year old kids kept flipping as well. I think it will depend on the retail price over here, also if my not so LGS offers a play test session.

[@diogopires1338]

Loved your review on this game , added this game to the wishlist.... Also loved the reference to the "Shut up and Sit Down".... literally ahah

[@clivewitcomb2839]

Can Elaine fit inside an empty A Feast For Odin box? Video evidence either way required... Love both you E's... X

[@seansmith7824]

Another excellent review, thank you!

[@iridium7376]

i accidentally hit like before the kazoo outro is there a way i can like it again?

[@khyronkravshera7774]

It looks like the are was inspired by the old video game "Populous".

[@snarfdk]

Once again a great video! I might have nightmares about the Frankfurt fart though 😂

[@robertdavey5582]

I’m getting Viceroy vibes from this.

[@TorIverWilhelmsen]

Well, Viceroy has the "build a pyramid" element, but it does not limit you regarding placement: Sure you will want to have mono-coloured circles in order to score points from them, but collect enough gems and you can use the ones you have left to "override" non-uniform circles.

[@Osborne4Life]

Wait, I'm confused... What's wrong with the artwork again?

[@kennyv.2189]

Best reviewers ever.

[@Heldermaior]

Ezka looking good. Good job buddy. Keep it up.

[@albertoburgassi]

Elaine sounded like a sad mexican! Great kazoo skills ;)

[@jeffrainwater4084]

I freaking love you guys!

[@GeneralDibs]

I like the bright, stylized art style! It reminds me of Dice Forge. And I don't think Dice Forge would have been as easy to sell say, my nephew and mom on, if it had a less cartoonish theme.

[@NoPunIncluded]

I can totally buy into this argument! Accessibility is important and we have nothing against cartoonish artwork. It's just that this isn't very good cartoonish artwork.

[@ClarkPotter]

@@NoPunIncluded I was not a big fan of the game unless I needed something to entice four 12 year old girls into boardgaming, which it would be perfect for. However, I disagree Efka and feel the artwork is both cartoonish, yeah, but also beautiful and exceptionally well done. I felt it was so good that, like Anachrony for example, as I began playing for the first time at GenCon, I felt surely there must be more here than what there appears to be as I played my first few turns. Sadly, the mechanics are shallow and the whole endeavor feels pointless somehow. I was engrossed, but then again I always am when playing a boardgame which is why I play them. Agreed with your review otherwise Efka but of all things about the game, I actually really enjoyed the refreshing artwork even as a 37 year old male. You're totally right that it wouldn't be the first game I plop down in front of my adult mates because they'd be like wtf is this...but maybe for one go after I had earned their trust after a game of Caverna, Gaia Project, or Chaos in the Old World first, then I might. Again, loved the review and agree on the whole but feel the art itself is gorgeous even if it's not particularly a go to thematically for adult males.

[@NoPunIncluded]

That's totally valid. Art preferences are a very subjective thing.

[@hardbathsalts3143]

@@ClarkPotter again? Come on, dude.

[@falconette8911]

You're right... What IS that artwork??? (The...one on your mantlepiece...great placement hahaha)

[@NoPunIncluded]

It's very much a British institution known as King Crimson

[@milkiverplanski9491]

I hugely prefer colourful "mobile inspired" (though I'd call it cartoon-y & anime inspired) art like this over the dry artwork you get in some other games. ;)

[@seangrady9542]

Bro looking good. Good for you!

[@Vysetron]

This game is mechanically EXACTLY what I like, but man oh man does that Clash of Mobile Gods art look odd. I don't even hate the cover! It's just the god tiles that feel like they're staring into my soul. Watching. Waiting. Knowing. Oh also good review and all that.

[@jellevancamp7190]

Tile flipping randomness. Valid comment! Same feeling I had when playing 7Wonders Duel as well. Too much is dependent from a cardflip/tileflip.

[@LookAtTheBacon]

Hated this too. But the expansion makes it better, believe me. More options, more paths, more risks. I really enjoy 7W:D now. Thanks Pantheon.

[@onepingonly1941]

I was put off by Splendor's arid desert like feel for a few plays, then adjusted to its atmosphere. It will never be anything but a dry race to 16. Orbis looks like it has a higher fun factor to it, a deeper gameplay decision space, and far more moaning and groaning noises to be made than Splendor. I'm all for that. Azul I won't touch with a 39 and a half foot pole.

[@VinegarAndSaltedFries]

I absolutely love Twilight Zone, so seeing the fortune teller from one of my favorite episodes is a trip. I need one...where is it from? Great video and review.

[@NixedPun]

Casey Pierson Thanks! It's one of my favourites too, but I don't honestly know where the fortune teller is from - I got it for my birthday from a friend :)

[@tristanruff3546]

What was this thing with the artwork?

[@IslanKleinknecht]

I think that it's style is reminiscent of mobile games?

[@comanaut9566]

Tristan Ruff - I didn’t get the problem with the artwork either... They seemed to be complaining that it looked too nice?

[@BensonBPH]

The problem isn't that it looks "too nice", it's that it's an incredibly cookie-cutter style that is generally associated with low-quality games.

[@Shad0wSix]

Not sure if that was cuddling or that she was struggling to get that box off herself.

[@Naeddyr]

Got this some time ago and finally got to play it myself, and I didn't really like it. The resource management aspect of the game felt too tight and what colors you get on the tiles you pick is essentially completely random. Too strict and too random both.

[@GirlyGamer-BoardGameGran]

Brilliant as always guys lol

[@ClarkPotter]

I played Orbis at GenCon 2018 and was not a big fan of the game unless I needed something to entice four 12 year old girls into boardgaming, which it would be perfect for. I disagree with Efka only on the artwork which is cartoonish, yeah, but also beautiful and exceptionally well done. I felt it was so good that, like Anachrony for example, as I began playing for the first time I felt surely there must be more here than what there appears to be as I played my first few turns. Sadly, the mechanics are shallow and the whole endeavor feels pointless somehow. I was engrossed, but then again I always am when playing a boardgame which is why I play them. Agreed with your review otherwise Efka but of all things about the game, I actually really enjoyed the refreshing artwork even as a 37 year old male. You're totally right that it wouldn't be the first game I plop down in front of my adult mates because they'd be like wtf is this...but maybe for one go after I had earned their trust after a game of Caverna, Gaia Project, or Chaos in the Old World first, then I might. Again, loved the review and agree on the whole but feel the art itself is gorgeous even if it's not particularly a go to thematically for adult males. I won't be buying this game, however, as someone who enjoys medium+ euros with more elegance and inspiration than Orbis offers. I would take Orbis-level art in other games though in a second.

[@darrenb1522]

I played this at the UKGE and my friend and I agreed that it wasn't for us (both 30+ males too) - there was something missing in the game which just didn't spark with us. We weren't told of the rule that the cubes on the tiles could be used to pay for them, so perhaps that may have changed things slightly, but it was one of our least favourite games at the expo and left the table quite deflated. Perhaps the rules have been tweaked, the content made more premium (it was a print and play when we were there), and perhaps some things rebalanced, but I agree not quite for us. We loved splendor, Istanbul, Azul, kingdomino etc, and we wanted to love this but it just didn't scratch the itch well enough.

[@TorIverWilhelmsen]

The "you need to place next to the same color" concept is also present in "Best Treehouse Ever", a drafting game that would appeal more to children than this.

[@Anondod]

You two are so adorable!

[@MjrLeegInfidel]

Looks like something that will be more exciting for me than Suburbia....also Farts. or Fahts

[@edwardzdankiewicz9068]

I think I heard someone say "negative sausage." Earnestly.

[@andrewwilson895]

I don't think I can disagree more strongly on the artwork topic. I scrolled through the image gallery on BGG, and Orbis seems to be bright, colorful, and fun. My main complaint about many games is how drab and ugly they look. If every game used Orbis's level of color and vim, I'd be much more interested in trying a lot of them.

[@hardbathsalts3143]

Are you nine? Just curious, you seem like you're nine.

[@IslanKleinknecht]

Has ... has that screaming picture always been there?

[@dustyvb11]

They change out record artwork all the time. Every video, usually, has something different from their vinyl collection.

[@comanaut9566]

Nick Clinite - they want us to know how cool they are because they listen to prog & on vinyl too!

[@IainMabbott]

DRIVE SHAFT!

[@barrybadranath]

So it's a little like Viceroy.

[@paulweiwang4533]

Noooooooo!!!!!! Not the toothpaste!!!!!!!!!!

[@headlibrarian1996]

I love Gallerist and Lisboa on the shelves. They’re more my speed.

[@zachhorn117]

lol, Drive Shaft

[@razorboy251]

An Elaine-centric review???????????????? What wondrous magic is this?????????????????

[@adamholt5395]

Complains about artwork, yet doesn't have a problem with the messed up scary face painting in the background through most of the video?! *shrugs* Art, am I right?!

[@kanedafx]

Splendor is trash, so if this is 95% of Splendor, it's a hard pass.