The 4 Squares Review - Renature

[@aberaigne]

I also definitely like this one way more. It's great for my family who aren't gamers but have been gaming with me for a bit. I like a little luck like Zee said a hand of cards. Definitely a cutthroat game with the neutral pieces. And I find the clouds to be pretty powerful especially towards the end. 8.5/10 for me. Great game.

[@CalebWilesMagic]

Wow! I usually land in the same ballpark as Zee and Tom but I liked this one MUCH more.

[@LegoAssassin098]

ALL OF YOU BACK IN THE STUDIO??? So excited!!!!

[@lawrenceshaw7363]

Not sure if the guys were playing the same Renature as everyone else. Most reviewers and gamers love this game, including me! I wouldn't normally dis Dice Tower, but check out other reviews before you pass this game by.

[@magnusjakobsson7424]

Man...those neutral pieces are the best, what are you talking about??? 😂 They make the 2 player game amaaaazing! Without them I'd probably not like it. Tom...you should try this at 2! :)

[@saintsalieri]

The neutral pieces are effectively the whole game, and the rule that you pay for unplaced pieces is crucial. It makes timing and rhythm important, enforces economy of action, and introduces an additional cost to the power to spend cloud pieces to return a high value plant to your player board. My biggest criticism is setup is extremely arduous for such a light game. I almost never play it for that reason.

[@sirshakletonfury4833]

love the four corners, so could watching you talk it out even when you disagree, you still appreciate all the opinions and so do we

[@WaldoReyJr]

I played it with 2 and 3 players and it was an excellent, thinky experience (and yes, quite mean too). The neutral plants make all the difference. Have yet to try it with four players but I really don't get their low ranking.

[@bluemagery]

Seeing all of you back in the studio makes me feel all is right with the world again :)

[@john-qz3fu]

I completely agree. It gives me the warm and fuzzies. Like "we made it, that horrible season has come to an end."

[@michaelmohring9284]

@@john-qz3fu except it's not and covid is surging.

[@john-qz3fu]

@@michaelmohring9284 Covid will almost certainly be here forever and will most likely surge seasonally... I wasn't talking about covid the virus. I was talking about life... I'm excited to see some normalcy! That's what gives me the warm and fuzzies!

[@boardgameknight2791]

The last two analogies I've heard Zee offer: "This game is like... 1) A drunk uncle 2) An ill-fitting outfit Nice.

[@m00npie]

Neutral pieces are AMAZING. So many tense, great choices.

[@nickmoore3303]

I agree (somewhat) about the clouds, but this is one of my favorite games

[@ArnieHorta]

I think that the neutral pieces are very important. If you go into this one wanting something light and breezy this is not for you. The neutral pieces make it VERY cutthroat with 3 or more players

[@magnusjakobsson7424]

Yes, agreed!

[@Skarpo89]

Ooooh, Zee is back at the office 😄😄😄

[@codym6376]

Glad to see you in the studio. The conversation felt much more natural than the forced handoffs to the next scheduled speaker.

[@nothing3376]

Glad to see the studio! Stay safe everyone

[@juddjensen7578]

Interesting review... I am curious to give it a try.

[@Gathanokos]

Wow...for this one I am totally with Tom. All the things Zee is disliking is what makes me so psyched about this game XD I just love the violent interactions haha

[@seniscram7958]

This is a hard game for me not to buy. I love Mexica and adore Cuzco. For that reason this one is high on my radar.

[@PumajunGull]

I enjoy this more than Cuzco, check it out!

[@MartianKyo]

Keep the name 4 squares please even if you never have to go back to the 4 square video format. It sounds good, and it has good story behind it. In general I love this 4 people review a game format. I love the discussion it forces some people to explain their reasonin much better.

[@ryanroehrig54]

Nice to see you guys together at the table!

[@MrLinguist88]

There are so many squares behind them in the studio, don't worry about the name, guys

[@boardgameknight2791]

Where are the squares? Is this series going be be renamed? "The Four Dudes at a Table Review"?

[@shanerion]

The squares are sitting right there. Remember, it was a play on words to begin with.

[@justameeple6012]

The rulebook did mention 3 tiles are left over..

[@justinrrizzo]

Yeah man, I think the game would suck with more than 2P. The neutral pieces and tying rules for the neutral pieces are the funniest part of the 2P game.

[@mrbastos]

I miss the squares. Can we get a mini Hollywood squares set for these? lol

[@CharlieWellsPlus]

I feel like they spent the whole day never more than an arms length away from each other :-) glad to see you guys back together!

[@alecgalbraith5604]

Happy to see you all at the same table again!

[@jamescartwright1150]

"A Shrubbery!" Ni Ni Ni 😄

[@jonnelson7112]

Big fan of this 4 squares format.

[@keatonhawkswell5714]

I think Tom hates most of my favourite games. There is something about classic German designers that just doesn’t click with him. I was surprised to see him give this game and knizia’s classics such low scores.

[@nickmurray5169]

Definitely. They gave similar ratings to Euros that I consider all-time greats including Hansa Teutonica and Tigris & Euphrates. Just not their style of game. I think Renature is fantastic, personally.

[@keatonhawkswell5714]

Nick Murray: I just finished listening to your top 50-26 so I guess that’s spoilers for next week

[@nickmurray5169]

@@keatonhawkswell5714 Absolutely spoilers, haha. I’ll try to keep my lips sealed on the other 23. Thanks for listening!

[@richardsaunders9214]

Can you still call it 4 squares if the reviewers aren’t arranged in a 2x2 square onscreen? 😀

[@eVanDiesel]

All for of them are still "squares". 🤣

[@codym6376]

This isn’t a helpful answer, but you could still call it 4 squares if the grid was 4x1 squares on screen.

[@shanerion]

It's a play on words. They're still four squares, even if they are all sitting at the table.

[@ginsbu]

I really like Mexica, but wish it had a neutral color!

[@VinegarAndSaltedFries]

This games great. Love it.

[@bestatstartrek6695]

Didn’t even have to Watch the whole review to know how wrong this review was. This game is awesome. Small gripes for an awesome game. The components are beautiful the desicion are tough. This game is better than half the games that come out This game is highly tactical. Always play with 2 Feel like this review missed the mrk

[@rb4551]

lol 3 out of 4 found it meh but your opinion is much better than them because surely if Best at Star Trek found it good everyone else should or they are dumb huh.

[@bestatstartrek6695]

I agree most reviewers gave it a meh but they also didn’t give it more than A play or two but to each their own. I’m just sticking up for the point that it’s really good among a market of same mechanisms. Every game repeated. I’ve bought games that got sax serenades and praises from all only to be stinkers the next day I will have dune and arnak. Rather play this game what was your experience

[@bestatstartrek6695]

@@rb4551 I didn’t put it in a mean way

[@mgk2020]

You also mention "always play with 2" which they directly address in the video. Most of them didn't play with only two.

[@bestatstartrek6695]

I say most reviewers only play it twice. I’ve only played it with 2. The game gets harder the more you play and the more you know. There’s a little bit of luck factor in the dominoes you flip but it adds to the experience and how to work with it. I could be wrong. I have yet to play it with more than 2 so I cannot speak on that. Only really wanting to try it

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

Thanks.

[@torelaursen4139]

Sorry Zee, you need to play The game again. All The stuff you dont like is what makes it a game. It is a Wolf in The shape of a sheep 😅

[@rabidpickle]

ZEE!!! YEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!

[@halsbandschnaepper1]

Great Game

[@alfredo101109]

Zee is correct

[@DullDishwater]

@ShutUpAndSitDown sold me on this. Need them to reply.

[@dpearson588]

Zee is correct about the dominos being basically the same thing as a hand of cards. Makes tom's complaint about the randomness kinda odd

[@TorIverWilhelmsen]

Card games usually don't have strict rules regarding what cards can be played after others though.

[@duncancole1742]

@@TorIverWilhelmsen Exactly. Maybe Tom didn't word it the best but it was clear what he was getting at and as such Zee's comparison makes no sense.

[@lowify1]

Isn't drawing domino and rolling dice luck based and swingy? They feel essentially the same.

[@mectrom]

...and I am the viewer.

[@ThomasPancoast]

What happened to the Squares!!!

[@pennywise988]

thank you LORD! you finally moved on from Zoom... it was a pain to watch those videos because of the sound :)

[@markusschmidt9260]

Also, thank you VACCINATION!

[@pennywise988]

@@markusschmidt9260 I wouldn’t go that far! their bodies their choices :*

[@markusschmidt9260]

@@pennywise988 Without vaccination, this would not have been possible. Because, Tom is not only a Christian, but also a reasonable and responsible person.

[@pennywise988]

@@markusschmidt9260 ok ok, relax

[@willyum3108]

I liked the pandemic "4 square" video layout better.

[@PatrickBrophy]

This game looked dull right from the start.

[@sirshakletonfury4833]

Good looking??? really. it looks like 90s game to me. blah awful

[@wolflarson71]

How would you make an abstract game with a grid, domino pieces and nature theme look 2020’s?

[@keatonhawkswell5714]

wolflarson71 add minis

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Awful maybe not, but it does look a little bland in style, but then I agree, there's only so much you can do. The meanness for the sake of meanness seems more a concern for me.

[@sirshakletonfury4833]

@@wolflarson71 the color scheme is so bland. the bored is pretty boring. the tiles are pretty standard, with animals. I just don't like it one bit. sorry 😑

[@sirshakletonfury4833]

@@andrethannhauser6302 is green grass the only thing you see in nature, smarty pants? I see flowers and plants of all colours but I guess grass is cool.