SETI is "The Best of" Euro Games

[@rosmith606]

thumbnail is 10/10. Amazing!!

[@twotonesmybones]

Amazing thumbnail!

[@nikolailucyk]

The "It spins" made me chuckle and wake my wife up. Thanks for getting me in trouble.

[@browe]

I truly appreciate the artful way that here, in recent installments, and also on the podcast, NPI's fatigue with stale patterns is made apparent. We need this kind of tonic to the treadmill of "hotness".

[@GenderNeutch]

4:32 Proxima Centauri, Vega or M. Bison... almost missed that :D

[@littleacgman]

Literally your intros and PUNs MAKE these videos and I love it. Thanks for your in-depth reviews!

[@stevemartinez9549]

FANTASTIC thumbnail!!!

[@Tolinar]

8:30 "I hope now, a different picture of SETI is emerging - " Ah. Dogs are aliens. All is made clear.

[@SheikYoboddi]

Got my copy for free as a prize draw for the playtesters and will certainly be keeping hold of it but almost agree with you on everything here. In playtesting, at one point there were neutral signals in the star tracks to make filling them quicker but I'm not sure why that went away. It could very easily be house-ruled back in but what I actually like with SETI is there's not the usual string of things to remember when you're adjusting the game for 2. I've found it plays fine at 2-4 (haven't solo'd yet) but it's just a different game at each count. Four is pretty chaotic as the players race to each objective. 2-player is almost semi co-op as you have to fill the tracks together to some extent but probably puts the emphasis on the probe actions over telescope. My main concerns with the game are length (it was 3 hours with three, admittedly the other two were new) and the downtime. If one player just isn't getting the right cards, then they can potentially have an uncomfortable wait watching their opponents keep going long after they've passed

[@CareyMcDuff]

Well done! Recently (past year or so), it seems to me that NPI has really hit the sweet spot between describing and reviewing the game, and talking about the wider context of the game. Other reviewers seem to do one or the other, but in this case, for example, I came away with both an understanding of the game and some ideas about where it fits in the genre that are grist for further thought and consideration.

[@Anglave]

Love your review and the effort you put into Bon Jovi analogies!

[@AhJong0]

On a channel filled with great thumbs- this is wonderful. Great review as ever 😊

[@Tebeg]

I totally relate to making a strong, well argumented opinion that something sucks and then loving another occurence of that something.

[@Woogachaka42]

"And the Communal processing power of all the Pentium 2s" really got me. I remember seeing the SETI screen-saver running on my Dad's Windows ME machine while we waited for Y2K. Yes I feel old

[@CarlosRodriguez-ez3ls]

Outstanding review! Keep speaking truth to power. About Ark Nova or anything else for that matter. Thx!

[@drunkexperiter738]

Flashing that Europa Clipper card at 12:55 right about a week or so out from the launch was so cool. God I love Europa Clipper man...

[@arisultanik]

As usual, a fun, and informative review.

[@PopCultureDetective]

Fantastic thumbnail!

[@MaisieSqueak]

Had to pause and laugh for a full 30 seconds at "It Spins"

[@nols426]

I read your comment before watching the video and still wasn't ready for this!

[@cats4president]

the thumbnail of this video was pure perfection, made me laugh so hard!!

[@db8094]

that thumbnail is absolute perfection.

[@EMP3rr0R]

My only problem: I can’t afford a bigger flat that could include a rugby field sized table for that game board.

[@SPQRKlio]

I’m so distracted by Efka’s fantastic outfit. I’ll have to watch this again and actually pay attention 😂 (Seriously, I love the t-shirt and knitted cap.)

[@JohnRutski]

Love your reviews Efka!

[@kostishasopoulos9816]

loved the bon jovi ending! Few people talk about them these days (couldn't resist)

[@thinusconradie4297]

Love the Bon Jovi references.

[@NickKinsman3D]

Don't worry, Efka: You're right about the cards in Ark Nova.

[@DuelingMaru]

Not even close. His point is Ark Nova is a tactical game in a shell of a strategy game, but where does he get the idea that it is a strategy game? That's his own misconception. The game didn't misled him, it just didn't hold his hand and tell him directly "Don't force bear synergy" - and well that's a bit too much to ask for a inanimate object ain't it? I understand in the first few games you might be disappointed, but then you learn and become a better player

[@NickKinsman3D]

@@DuelingMaru I guess we're just built different because I tend to feel like when a product is designed to be one thing, and displays many, many cues to indicate it is that thing, and then it is in fact not that thing at all, I think that's bad. You can love it for what it is and that's all well and fine, but if a game is actively miscommunicating how you should play it you're simply in the wrong to blame the players for wanting to play it that way.

[@petereg3749]

@DuelingMaru Yeah, I'm a big fan of NPI (and this review!), but his Ark Nova critique remains off base. The game absolutely does not present strategies that are always bad. I'm not sure what those commenters were on about in the first video, but bears can be very strong. Ark Nova is a game about adapting to game state. There's reasons to dislike that kind of gameplay: you can not pre-plan an "opening" like you can with a more static game, the learning curve is longer than other games, there's more chance involved than other games. But "presents unviable strategies as an option" is not a fair take on Ark.

[@DuelingMaru]

@@NickKinsman3D the fact that a game has over 200 cards and a card river should indicate it is more tactical than strategic. What cues did you see that indicate the opposite?

[@DuelingMaru]

@@petereg3749 Absolutely, bear is very very strong in the right situation, just like almost everything else in Ark Nova, and that's what make it an excellent game. The fun and skills come from being able to identify what's the most advantageous card to go for in your position! Ark Nova will be much more boring with less cards

[@Hibobugawa]

Just to mention, the way you talked about Pampero made really curious about that game, even though it's heavy and all-too-euro

[@NoPunIncluded]

Nice! That is absolutely the intention. Me and Elaine pick games to review that have something about them, whether we like them or not and it is always our goal to highlight those hooks in the video. Pampero is one of those complicated cases were we (both me and Elaine) liked it but also didn't like it.

[@PencilCase6B]

The thumbnail is genius 😂

[@electricalwell]

day = made. love y'all 💛

[@MatteoCoppolaNeri]

haha my first ever CD was These Days, because a friend of mine gave me Crossroads on a cassette 😂

[@benronaldson3064]

Wow. What a brilliant, funny and helpful review.

[@qtherage7536]

Hey I remember watching your ark nova video and wanted to ask if your thoughts changed on it after the marine world xpac. I’ve been looking into it and essentially the only things you didn’t like about it seemed to get addressed in marine world. I was wondering if you played it and what you thought of it

[@NoPunIncluded]

I have not played the expansion, sorry :(

[@qtherage7536]

@ ok, reason I asked is because I’m also not a fan of massive decks where I can’t get the cards I need. I have a feeling I’m getting it for Xmas ever since I got the email that ark nova is out for delivery 😂. I’ve looked into the expansion a bit seeing it got rave reviews and added a way to cycle through the deck for specific cards.

[@ronansheridan848]

At 45 seconds into this, I was thinking ‘Wow, that’s some amazing drum set by Elaine.. ‘

[@mkonca]

Came here for the thumbnail. Couldn't stop laughing.

[@virgilalighieri7192]

"NO, FOOL! THERE'S ALIENS IN THE BOX! YOU FIND ALIENS!!!" Idk why that made me laugh so hard

[@flowwinter4932]

Excellent analysis.

[@giuliabertini6532]

I was in doubt about which one to buy SETI or an used version about Carnegie with exp but your video convinced me to turn on Carnegie. What's your opinion? Thanks

[@NoPunIncluded]

I like Carnegie, they're different beasts. Carnegie is quite opportunistic, and its tactics are quite opaque. But enjoyable play overall.

[@greenoffers]

The bon jovi ending was master class 😂

[@vhcisternas]

Love the analogy

[@zacdredge3859]

This Bon Jovi you speak of sounds like a great Eurogame.

[@playground2137]

Not enough bear puns.

[@impeeratorii]

Best Bon Jovi songs were Jon Bon Jovi solo soundtrack of Young Guns II and Im dying on that hill (which would fit the movie)

[@Anglave]

I'm here for landing probes on planets!

[@TedCabeen]

This feels like a convention game. Play it once or twice for the novelty and wild fun, then put it back on the shelf for someone else to enjoy.

[@tarntech]

i always appreciate a street fighter pun!

[@tinstargames]

I used all my game playing energy looking at the board

[@DarthReluctant]

The moment when Efka spins it

[@thegamesninja3119]

SETI: Show Efka's Tabletop Irritations.

[@XoeAllred]

That was so many Bon Jovi puns

[@mikintosh6111]

Fargo reference for the intro lol

[@0zeronumber]

We love ! Anchovy, Efka!

[@brandona319]

Cool game, but where can I get your shirt?

[@NoPunIncluded]

Art by a good friend of mine, Luke Ridge. He has them available via this link: www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/30608281-pride-goose?store_id=1185411

[@perspicacioussimpleton7288]

S tier thumbnail. Nuff' said.

[@Furore2323]

Spotted the alien in the box.

[@florianschoppler4001]

It is a remarkable euro game. One that will be played and talked about in years still

[@alymartin1920]

What are good euros for 4 players?

[@Lordborg909]

Aliens.....

[@thegamesninja3119]

@Lordborg909 I am not saying it is, but...

[@otokbarleyfoot]

I agree on the point about certain strategies being dead because the right cards aren’t available in games like Ark Nova. Maybe something where you have a lot of cards but they’re broken into packets or smaller decks by strategy, and at the start of each game you add X (4 maybe) of those strategy decks to a small core deck. Setup would be a pain to resort everything, but you would get more reliable engine building.

[@venisontron]

I would just like to clarify that the SETI project was around way before the Pentium chip

[@joelhaslam1120]

nice video...just a shame its not available for sale yet!

[@JobvanderZwan]

"Two interruptions out of a possible five means there's ten different metagames that could be" Proper use of possible combinations instead of possible permutations, nice

[@eBusinessjma]

Alien sighting at 8:25

[@mr.miki.73]

Nice whiplash soundtrack!

[@ebarshin]

Game looks super fun, sadly the theming will not work for my gaming group :(

[@jedfromyourlocallibrary]

I’m still unclear on if Efka likes Bon Jovi or not…

[@BadBookend]

Best youtube picture, perfect.

[@patrickbateman882]

Sometimes you just want dopamine to go brrrr

[@2532robh1]

“In and Out of Love”

[@bearsvsboardgames]

Do I "bob" or do I "odenkirk." Classic!

[@JoeTheGons]

I love this video and the dog

[@maybepete2105]

Did you play civolution yet?

[@NoPunIncluded]

Yeah we talked about it on Talk Cardboard kzbin.info/www/bejne/haSmYqiFraaZrNU

[@convicsik]

“Proxima Centari, or Vega or M. Bison” 😂😂😂

[@francopdx]

Thanks for the review. This game looks pretty fun to me, but not something I feel strongly drawn to wanting to try out right away, so maybe something that I'll try picking up second-hand down the line.

[@thatkaiguy]

This review reminds me of Maracaibo. How do those games compare?

[@NoPunIncluded]

I think Maracaibo is way more elaborate, this is sleeker.

[@dayoltay]

That thumbnail though

[@Brynney]

It spins.

[@TheJeffHolt]

Bestov Rocks!

[@JordanMurdockMusician]

Speaking on the not owning a euro then suddenly owning one, the game I randomly came across was An Age Contrived. It’s been growing a lot on me and I want to get it to the table more

[@tahunuva4254]

Sans preserved alien skeletons?? Makes perfect sense. Boney types gotta stick together.

[@philkerr4548]

Yes

[@jollylumpy6295]

But its SETI Intelligence not SETA Aliens ... [plays game] ... oh, your right 😂❤

[@ryaneasterling8945]

The song title outro won a like from me. Keep up the great work!

[@Boberman286]

Demoed at Gencon. Didn’t like the teach but I did like the game. I am eagerly awaiting for my preorder to arrive!

[@Colorcrayons]

In life, it is rarely advisable to bob when you can instead odenkirk.

[@gargrazz]

"Do I Bob or do I Odenkirk" caught me almost as hard as a chance to say widdershins in context. Also: I too resent Ark Nova and TM and Wingspan for having a cludge of strategies that never manifest. I like playing them... I just wish they didn't have cludge in the decks.

[@afaulconbridge]

Arc Nova I feel is the worst offender at this, because there are fewer ways to manipulate the cards to look for the synergies. Wingspan feels like blackjack you can load the dice in your favour, but Arc Nova feels like a single spin of “everything on black” roulette.

[@jwspiker]

lol very fun on the usage of bon jovi songs

[@marioho]

I did not expect this review to go down in this blaze of glory! This is cinema. I was more interested in Tea Garden anyway

[@Shawnecy]

Does Euro Game mean anything anymore? Maybe I'm confused, but so many of them now seem to have the hallmarks of Ameri-trash that I love.

[@happydimsum8221]

Arcs review?

[@NoPunIncluded]

yes.

[@JulianTheLecturer]

LoLR: laugh out loud review! (Great work as usual)

[@onepingonly1941]

Dude Ark Nova is like Dark Souls... you gotta git gud, bears or no bears, or birds, or primates. You just gotta git gud. I look forward to SETI.

[@Groegselmaschupp]

looks like a crossbreed of NCC1701 and a roulette table…..

[@Webhead123]

By the way, there's a gang in Judge Dredd that idolizes Bon Jovi...and is at constant war with a rival gang: The Bruce Springsteens.

[@duckrutt]

P2-400. That tracks

[@cobrax236]

I played this game and it was not as much fun as it looks 😢 :(

[@PaulDean]

IT SPINS.

[@Vypper7]

Wow, that’s a lot of Bon Jovi, lol.😂

[@Imupinta]

Oh, I'll bear with you .. Dang it, this hobby is expensive. Just bought Calico. Now really want this too.

[@martinarnold5239]

I want this game. I have money.

[@nathanadler6991]

Combine these two states of being, see what happens. My prediction - you will have the game.

[@LesPortesRouges]

Gamers First -Jerrel Dulay-