Earth | Shelfside Review

[@imnottellingyoumyname3050]

Your reviews are the gold standard of board game reviews. I really feel like you peel away the "shiny new game with a bajillion cards" that seems to sway so many people and look under the hood for actual depth and substance. Love the separation between recommender and personal scores, too. Big respect

[@MrOgir]

Guys, had to pause and say that that was a very smooth transition into game theory tables haha.

[@ashtonwu7760]

Hahaha it was a fun one, Daniel’s idea

[@ericeverstine]

You guys really need to play Puerto Rico. Euro, constant involvement even on others' turns, fits into an hour and a half, and more player interaction than most any Euro I've played.

[@dold_]

I liked playing Earth but it made me yearn for Race for the Galaxy. And after a decade of Earths, Wingspans, Imperial Settlers, Terraforming Mars, etc., it feels like all those games are still chasing Race. Earth can be a pretty brisk game, but Race is literally 20-30 minutes after 1-3 learning games, and I would argue just as much variety with less than half the card amount that Earth has (mostly stemming from cards in Race having half the functions as Earth's cards).

[@alicia1465]

I agree, and I think there is more tension in Race. I never felt much tension in my plays of Earth. It felt like I was being showered in points in Earth, so it doesn’t make me excited to play over and over like Race.

[@dold_]

@@alicia1465 A shower is underselling it. Earth has what, 3 different currencies that all basically do the same thing and are all worth 1 VP each? Did it really need that many? And can anybody say they have a "favorite" card in Earth? They all just seem so interchangeable to me.

[@moltenbullet]

I get to be a grower AND a show-er? HELL YEAH!

[@closedchill5243]

All these nature based card games are blending together. Should I play Wingspan, or Ark Nova, or Earth? Or do I leave the nature theme and play a big franchise card game like Race for the Galaxy or Dominion? Is the choice really just how long do you want your card game to be? It can't be that simple.

[@St_M_]

Earth is pretty neat! And our home planet is rather okay as well, I guess :) Have to say though, even though your video on your scoring process was very enlightening the occasional disconnect between recommender and personal scores never fails to catch me off guard. But it really is good that you differentiate and compartmentalize your own preferences from what a game offers on its own. Well done once more!

[@mattiamodena5791]

Hellooo?! Can someone for the love of God include 51st state in the conversation of the tableau builders? To me it trounces every single one of them. Daniel NEEDS to try it since player interaction is his biggest pet peeve with the genre.

[@NathanTalbertWoodworking]

definitely one of my favorite games which is odd because most of my other favorites are super heavy games from vital lacerda. I rarely buy games when they come out and the prices are super high because of the popularity. This was one of the exceptions I made, and I don't regret it for a moment. I think a 6/10 from daniel & ashton for this type of game is basically a 10/10

[@wmarclocher]

Great intermediate between Wingspan and TM. Also really liked the solo mode. Wish the trunks fitted together a little tighter (you know like Legos): "Hey I'm finally going to put a canopy on my Sequoia Red Wood. What? Oh, no....TIMBER!"

[@boardgamemusic]

Solid down-to-earth and entertaining review.

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

I see what you did there.

[@xtearing]

The toppers with questionable shape did it for me

[@pfefferle74]

One of the reasons I'd much prefer the less complex Wingspan over this game is that I actually don't mind the downtime as much since I like watching other player's engines grow and work during their turn too. Earth neither gives me the time nor the readability for that. The other players really just exist as an RNG machine picking secondary actions and deciding how much points I get for scoring public goals. They might as well be replaced by dice rolls.

[@frankli4018]

Daniel really should try Battlecon Devastation of Indines

[@pippen6606]

I dunno I also like ameritrashi interactive thematic games a lot, but theres also a lot to say for chilling together in a more solitaire euroy style game where you can also chat about life stuff while playing a more quieter game, especially when you get older

[@maxtardif4959]

Thanks for the great video and taking the time to review Earth! You really did a solid overview of the strengths and weakness of the overall product, you're video is a solid tool for people who who'd like to know if it's a game for them or not. You cover it for both those who like and don't like this type of games, this is really well done. You've put a lot of work and effort into producing this video, thanks for it's well appreciated!

[@AdvayBasavaraju]

Oh dang, this game looks pretty good in what it's trying to accomplish. I think, however, over time I've become more like Daniel: if I'm sitting down to play a game with friends I don't want all of us to just be hunched over our islands instead of interacting. Still a cool game in the genre its trying to fit in and a great review of it!

[@Shelfside]

thanks man! Hahaha this game is definitely MPS -ashton

[@arafatwasi]

After watching recommender score - Faith has been lost, After watching personal score - Faith has been restored!

[@stowcreek1999]

Love you guys! Thanks for you game insights!

[@daseemore4377]

Excellent as always!

[@randothomas3733]

The wavy/wobbly player boards would drive me crazy.

[@ashtonwu7760]

Not sure why they slowly became like that… if I would have to guess it’s the temperature of that room!

[@007Kiristo]

This is a game I know I will really like. Looking forward to giving it a go.

[@mr.hufflebottom]

Hmmm imagine a Sprouts Farmer’s Market board game… maybe that’s the push they need to get the leg up over other grocery stores 🤔

[@ashtonwu7760]

That darn sprouts trying to do it’s subliminal marketing…

[@wolfapostle]

Dune Imperium! (specifically uprising) would probably fit right into your lane

[@JackBorchers]

Was that a copy of Cuba Libre I spied? Would love to hear yalls thoughts on it, it's a game ive been wanting to try for awhile

[@Shelfside]

haha yep. Not sure if we'll do a full review, but I want to play it again -Ashton

[@42Randomise]

So I can't comment around how frustrating it is not to have yet as I have had since about Christmas. It motivated me to get close to bis now. On the topic of shards from 26/27+ and up I'd be super annoyed at if it was on top of raiding shards as someone who only does M+ for gear to raid with.. Perhaps if there was a weekly maximum equal to what you could get from raid, allowing m+ers a venue to get without raiding but not forcing you to play one of you don't like the other..

[@dallastexas5653]

Game is pretty good and just fun to try and hit that engine. However there are a couple of cards that if paired together are extremely broken. I’m always up for playing if someone suggests it either way.

[@phk975]

I'm surprised with the recommender score considering this game just doesn't have the wide visual appeal of, say, Wingspan. A 10/10 game needs to have a big wow factor IMHO.

[@EngMadison]

Earth...4/10. Perfectly encapsulates what I hate about the trend in modern euro games. Simultaneous homework where the goal is to make the players feel smart while not doing anything. Its been a while since I wanted to stop a game and just leave game night, but this came close.

[@allongur]

But you can grow mushrooms! And sprouts! And accumulate sweet sweet compost. How is that not exciting?

[@EngMadison]

@@allongur yay

[@MrKidtendo64]

Earth occupies a weird space for me, since I feel like in digital format(TTS, but more specifically BGA), it's the perfect game! You can play your turn and go about your day until it's your turn again. I've played about 9 games in the past month on BGA and there are days where I go mostly blue or play around with mix of yellow and orange cards. You can be creative with the engine you build, I feel like that is the highlight of the game. I would still pick Earth over TFM or Wingspan. That being said, I feel like the abysmal degree of interaction is what really hurts. That and the game time, which is can be pretty long. Solo mode is pretty dreadful and I'm still annoyed that the wooden insert that was made available from the Kickstarter is also responsible for the lid lift the game has. I'm waiting to see what the new expansions bring to the table. Faster gameplay, with more interaction, would be great. I only fear they would add more cards, which only further complicate things.

[@memunns]

Biggest difference in Recommender vs personal preference score so far?

[@ultrainstinctgigachad3820]

wingspan was 9/10 and personal scores was 3/10

[@boardgametotears]

The game feels like a chore to me. I'm trying to squeeze out points by keeping track of 7 or more different objectives. It's an AP nightmare.

[@Rmac524]

what's the worst board game expansion you've ever played

[@robertthurman9866]

Daniel you and many others do not like the solitaire aspects of many games. You may have also noticed these types of games are very popular. You and others are overlooking a basic concept that is the reason for these games popularity. They are competitive without being confrontational. You do not have to defeat by attacking them physically or economically. You win by doing a better job without an other players interference or you interfering with another player. You play nice! What a concept. 😃

[@allongur]

You've just described all eurogames, by definition: "a class of tabletop games that generally has indirect player interaction and multiple ways to score points [...] gameplay without direct conflict or warfare."

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

10/10? Wow! I need to check out this game.

[@arepasaxo]

Dont you get old of playing games based on victory points?

[@Shelfside]

you would think so, but it doesn't really get old! I think its because most win conditions in games boil down to victory points (getting stars in mario party, getting checkpoints in a shooter, etc.). It's just how you get them really matters. -Ashton

[@arepasaxo]

Wise words man. Its not the same winning a game in catan with points that wining a long 2 hour campaing of dominoes thanks to the points

[@DTeazee]

while it is enjoyable, when people are competing hard, one of the big downsides is that the grow action is really so much more powerful than the others. If you arent growing on your turn, you feel like you should have, and if everyone else grows, you will be behind. The ability to play 2 cards instead of just 1 with the end condition being completion of the tableau, that action is just too good to not do. not sure if other people feel this too?

[@tpa3437]

I checked the forum and the developpers said its meant like that. A little lame for me

[@interuptingcactus]

Lots of times growing alone won't be enough to snag those objectives. There's also much fewer green effects to drive an engine. You might get 1 or two green effects alongside 8 blue effects.

[@branboom3342]

Simultaneoush*

[@namelessfire]

The thing is, the designer of Earth is a talented and smart guy. His developer diaries show that he balanced the game mathematically and play tested it to a razor’s edge. The problem is the game is built on the faulty foundation of Wingspan, Ark Nova, Underwater Cities, etc., instead of Terraforming Mars and Race for the Galaxy. This is why I don’t accept the “if you don’t like it, don’t play it, it doesn’t affect you” argument. Publisher are picking more and more of these bland, soulless, pretty, non-interactive euros for print. And we have a generation of otherwise talented designers wasting their talents on this sterile archetype.

[@elqord.1118]

As always I'm annoyed by your rating system but ok. That aside the personal scores are bang on. This game works and looks ok. I hate how it showers you with VPs. Total inflation. Everything scores. It is so hard to understand how one player played better than the others. Scores are in hundreds, dozens of cards in hand, flooded with resources. It is all so meaningless. It does not feel competitive at all. Every session feels samey and I can barely remember how my last game was different from the one before. Cards are just mild variations of each other, they are completely unremarkable and blend together. Playing this solo and having a bot pick a random action after you just about accomplishes the same thing. How on EARTH this became such a phenomenon is beyond me.

[@37stu]

It seems that a lot of reviewers put it in the top 10 of all time and cool drastically off after some time. Not sure why as I never played the game

[@barryc6785]

Wingspan is a step 2 this might be a step 3 but I haven't played Earth yet so idk.

[@luisecmf]

I find it confusing that both thought it was just an above average experience, yet classified it as a masterpiece when recommending it. Why would you recommend so highly when none really seemed to enjoy it that much?

[@mathieulabrosse8671]

They have a score that tries to be objective (that would be based on criterias of the general public), and then they have their personnal scores based on their own prefetences (like Daniel places it at 6/10 since he's less into euros).

[@ashtonwu7760]

Guy nailed it above! Critically it does everything it set out to do and more, with a really good idea.

[@GameBrigade]

Maybe you should watch their "how we review" video

[@laartwork]

Despite what others are saying here. It's BGG is 7.7 so not gonna reach masterpiece status on there either.

[@evandercaldwell9993]

Definitely NOT a masterpiece!!! I don't know how they come up with labeling this a 'masterpiece', it's really an insult to a lot of other games, that are definitely a lot closer to being a masterpiece! The term masterpiece should be reserved for A VERY FEW select games, not just a random game you rate a 6/10! It's an overused term nowadays, just like 'genius'!

[@kether82]

6 to this one and 4 to Root? Come on!

[@wrath231]

My boardgame buddy bought it months ago. Honestly , its pretty dull and plodding. Its pretty, but I just don't see myself playing it again.

[@benlauson555]

I think Earth is good... but not amazing. I don't know how this made it into so many people's top ten. They must have played a lot of subpar games haha.

[@MaruMaruMaruMaruMaruMaru]

Seems like the new game fun has limited staying power

[@mathieulabrosse8671]

I absolutely love the game, but I had the opposite reaction for the production, I was only impressed by the big picture of what the game looked like, but I hated the individual look of almost every components

[@ashtonwu7760]

Aww man! I will say play deluxe spoiled me in wanting the game mats, but I do consistently like how well the islands look mid late game

[@mathieulabrosse8671]

Most definitely! I love everything else about the game, its now become my wifes favourite game and on top of that its designed by a fellow quebecer, I'm just not wired to dislike this game at all from the get go! But the "dirt" component in the game, the way my cards started bending, how there's no iconography on the objective cards so that I can understand it at a glance, all these things just keeps this from being in my top 10-20 games. Thanks for taking to time to answer btw, I've been lurking and watching your channel for a while and you've become probably my favorite content creator in the board game space!

[@elqord.1118]

especially the poop tokens in the 'deluxe edition". What an absolute joke.

[@bryanep]

10/10 is wild to me. The cons are pretty big in this game to me. I do think it is a great game but it's way too long of a playtime and way too many things to keep track of. Online this game is much much better but over the table it's really too much "work". I think this game is way better on GBA. 4/10 game but 7/10 on GBA.

[@evandercaldwell9993]

Play Beyond The Sun or T'zolkin instead, much better games than this one!!

[@ChaBox998]

These games are too light and therefore meh. I rather play go. 🙃

[@elqord.1118]

@@ChaBox998 My man! Beyond the Sun is impeccable!

[@patrykzukowski7471]

Played it once, and it was... well, it's certainly a game. Unfortunately, there's just so much little numbers etc. that don't... really mean anything. It's just a big point grinder with little to none fun mechanics and a lot of randomness. It's the definition of a "meh" game.

[@evandercaldwell9993]

Played this game and it's really a 'meh' for me, nothing special in terms of gameplay and not a lot of different strategies to win!! If a game has only 5 different ways to make points, that's just not it for me!! Another mediocre game that is way too popular for what it brings to the table!!

[@drbasseri]

I have to agree with you

[@RandomPerson-nd2ey]

I know basically nothing about it and just started the video. I'm confused about the "only 5 ways to score points" thing though. Don't most games only have a limited number of options for getting points? Like... Having the most money in economic games?

[@hugocruz2439]

​@@RandomPerson-nd2eyikr, some great games don't have vp victories at all ( eg: inis or hive). Complaining about that is kind silly

[@ashtonwu7760]

Understood that it’s not quite for you, but the 5 different ways to get points encompasses a lot of thinking haha. 1 different ecosystem can completely change how you play, and there’ll be 3 available to you every game!

[@nikolamanojlovicci]

​@RandomPerson-nd2ey this person wanted to sound smart and demean the game unnecessarily. It has significantly more than 5 options for scoring points, it has a lot of replay value too and a lot of thinking once you understand the depth of the game. I'm sure you've finished the video by now, their pros are pretty much spot on and should give you a good idea about this solid game

[@ronaldg7522]

I liked Earth when I played it the first time. But after a couple of plays I realised how bland it is. You only look at the colours and symbols. The theme is not existend and it plays itself. Yeah, some things are good or better than in other games of the same kind but it is not enough for me.

[@Principezone]

For some reason everyone else seems to see something different when they look at this game than when I do. I think the game looks bland with the matte colors and the realistic photo's give it a cheap "find a photo on google and put it on the card vibe". The tableau feels like a chore to maintain, and the "you get to do something on your turn too" mechanic feels superficial since you're so busy with your own tableau it would burn your mind to maintain other tableaus as well. It's just so weird seeing people rave about this game while this seems mediocre at best. And it's so plain and boring looking. Rant over.

[@CamilleDeveveraux]

Too much maintenance, this game is sadly better on bga.