The Mariana Trench Review - with Mike DiLisio

Mike DiLisio takes a look at The Mariana Trench, a pocket deep sea diving adventure, where you explore the depths of the Mariana Trench!
0:00 Intro
1:00 Overview
7:51 Review
8:04 Benchmarks
9:10 Art & Components
11:18 Overall Game Experience
14:20 Final Review Score
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BGG Link: boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3...

[@boardgameknight2791]

As a student of oceanography, I was super disappointed with the lack of unusual animals in the game. The Mariana Trench still holds the earth's greatest animal mysteries. But instead of teaching us all about them, they made a small deck with creatures we all know and love like the Manta, Great White, and Moray - some of which may be spotted in the trench area, but don't really make it their home exactly. For example, Great Whites might migrate the globe, but they congregate in cold coastal waters where their food tends to be. Where is the Six Gill Shark? Where are all the crazy creatures that look like aliens? Every time biologists visit the trench, new species are discovered - why isn't that part of the game?

[@Animal_board_gamer]

Have you played deep vents? It has a bunch creatures from the depths of the ocean. Like the yeti crab.

[@stingray1666]

Like you, I also was a marine biology student. I got my Masters studying deep sea dragonfish reproduction in the Gulf of Mexico as a result of the oil spill. I wholeheartedly agree with your disappointment in this game. More spotlight on the weird, crazy cool-looking fish and organisms that live that far down would have been perfect. But they missed the mark.

[@GettinJiggly]

We just got our pledge can't wait to play.

[@kwouters]

I also backed this game on Kickstarter. I have the playmat and the expansions. Adding the air-breathing creatures helps with the game length a little, simply because it adds more cards. (I haven’t played with the Creatures from the Deep, yet.) But I agree with this review. I would rate the game similarly. My son (10 years old) likes to play it with me, but the gameplay just isn’t very engaging for me. But the art and theme are really appealing.

[@dreamofempire2114]

I think a lot of kids from 7 to 11 yrs old would probably enjoy this. I can’t imagine many adults thinking it would be worth their time to play with other adults.

[@dancheston5786]

Looking forward to the solo review, hopefully with expansion included.

[@spitfire4209]

I wonder how AVJN would feel about this.

[@geoffreyhawley503]

The expansions certainly make the game. It's too bad they're not just a part of the core.

[@gameon2553]

Cephalopods pop rivets ? Wow I didn't know that! It's a good thing that modern subs use welding.

[@Animal_board_gamer]

The Mariana Trench was pretty much the only game I ever backed on Kickstarter. I also I have and enjoy the playmat. I personally rate it a 7. One of the best micro games I’ve ever played. I also have played with the air breathing creatures too. And explained how to play solo and with 2 players and the air breathing creatures in my how to play video. I haven’t played with the dinosaurs expansion yet either. And your right it does start to get fiddly with all the card upgrades. But since it’s a short game it doesn’t bother me that much. Hey mike you said you like the delving into the depths theme. Have you played deep vents? It’s quite a strategic game, and takes at least an hour to play. It’s only downfall is there is no player aids, so you’ll have to look at the rulebook until you memorize the iconography. I was able to memorize after the first game.

[@joannabroussard942]

This looks like it is very entertaining for people with a short attention span. I may have to purchase this one. I think I will have my husband make some 3-D subs to move up and down instead of moving the cards.

[@c7hu1hu66]

This game is a fun little push your luck filler. I absolutely don’t think it is too short, I feel this game would very easily overstay it’s welcome if it was any longer. It is totally random so the game length is good I think.

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

I hate games that feel too short.

[@kevinbhieey9188]

You guys need to fix the lighting in this room. You're looking like a bunch of sickly captives in a basement forced to review board games for some sinister supervillain who likes to wear costumes... umm... Anyhow, fix the lights. I think this is what scurvy looks like.

[@kevinbhieey9188]

@@boardgameknight2791 "Sickly" is a widely-known synonym for "pale", which is obviously what's happening to skin tones in this studio. Recent videos from Tom and Chris make them appear similarly "pallid". Just watch any of the videos done in the other studios. Nobody looks like they've been "left in a dark basement" in them. This is due to the lighting being too concentrated on them, something most likely corrected with diffusers, as the background colors are not as "washed-out". I did not think they needed a course from me in how to fix it, as they don't have a problem with it elsewhere. Video on most computer monitors - where they edit these videos - does not look as sharp as it does on a cellphone - where many people will view these videos - so I felt it was enough to point out an issue they might not be seeing in that editing process.

[@elqord.1118]

Sometimes I really feel bad for you guys when you are wasting your time playing and reviewing bad or mediocre games. Life’s too short to waste it in on subpar stuff

[@GettinJiggly]

It's not a waste of time when they do this as a job and are paid. DT as a business is there to entertain and to inform. Good, bad, or otherwise making this type of content helps gamers make an informed decision. Not everyone is a hard-core hobby gamer snob and small games like this are good for newer gamers.

[@matthewpeterson3926]

And occasionally doing games that they might think will be terrible ends up being really good, then they share that with us and we got that information without having to do that ourselves. I really appreciate them being willing to do it!