Vale of Eternity - Board Game Review - Taking It Easy For Once

[@gravecac9522]

This is one of my top games of 2023. We have been playing it at all player counts and there is a lot to love with this one. Simple rules, deep strategy. And great value for the price.

[@mornarmornar8752]

Kudos for the review, interesting take on the game as usual. Regarding the topic of take that, it is important to know that the destruction of a card is mandatory, so you cannot play the dragon if there is no available card of the colour that must be removed. This combined with the drafting is quite interesting. The game plays very well at 2 player too. I recommend trying it out on BGA where the rules are enforced to see the subtleties, there are no optional actions, everything is mandatory.

[@garytubbs2450]

I don’t like take that mechanisms, nor do my wife and daughter who I usually play with. One way we adapt them is to apply them to players in a fair and less personal way. Eg. You could if you are player A, apply the mechanism to player B, then the next take that card you have apply to player C… at least people feel less picked on. Thanks for the review- I’ve appreciated your look at the pros and cons of the games you review.

[@Tabletop_AshleyRose]

Totally agree with you. Replay value was my second concern; my first play involved playing against one of the “take that” cards. 2p could be considered filler…we were able to finish a game in 20 min. Love it for now, especially with BGA automation of the systems, but I think this one will taper out over time.

[@DavidMartinez-t9f]

I was looking for your thoughts on this game since playing it on BGA. I agree with your assessment and also hope an expansion comes out with more cards. After playing this for the first week I jumped right into Seasons, bought after seeing your review, and both are getting equal amounts of my attention span.

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Glad to hear!!

[@aorakis5795]

the solo variant (not using any printing) works quite well, not fantastic, but gave you a nice sense of a 2 players game. Basically the IA will score a lot the first 6 7 turns, then at that stage you will get your engine and makes your way trying to victory (won't happen every game as the luck on the draw will be a thing) A decent variant if you really love to play and want to play the game all the time Coz of course, the game will be better at 2 or 3 players

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Noted thanks.

[@myyysha]

You might have missed a thing that many have missed - you may aim the dragon discarding effect on yourself. And while it may destroy an important card, it frees up a card slot.

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

I know, it's just never been used as such.

[@whiteflare2008]

@@TheBrokenMeeple I think part of the thing is sometimes it should be (or rather, advantageous to be) used in that way. For example, if you happened to played a card with instant effect that taken up a card spot and you don't have a way to recover and reuse such card, or you have other powerful cards that need a space and you have enough stones to use, then it is advantageous to discard the cards for yourself. I'll even argue that recognize the good time to make this play is one of the sign of a player that's better at this game.

[@breakupgamingsociety2170]

This is has been the unlikely Game of the Season for me; I've put it in front of 6-7 different people now-from hardcore M:TG dudes to casuals-and they all respond to it. And maybe I'm slow, but the shifting fortunes of the draft are still showing me interesting granularity in what you can do with the cards. Re: variety, looks like they're adding more cards with Artifacts!

[@shawns3911]

Did you try the solo I sent you on BGG? You didn’t mention how much you loved it.

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

It's for another time, game can't be reviewed with outside variants. But I hope to try it soon.

[@kungpow108]

I don't mind attack cards in games if they allow for counters to them. Games like dominion and imperium has cards to block attacks. Even ark nova has the one card to counter attacks, even though rarely used.

[@jonathanfranklin461]

The take-that cards are brutal when played on turn-two against a turn-one investment. I wish they were protected for the first three rounds/only useable after round four or something like that.

[@TheMjdollar]

Yea ive been playing on BGA and after 10 plays or so, im still enjoying it but seeing same combos with the classes. Tempted to buy but know it wont get played in my house or game group. I think ill wait as you say Luke for an expansion and pick it up then. Great review!

[@shawns3911]

You could play the solo variant from BGG 😏

[@PatrickBrophy]

I streamlined the game to not use the stupid drafting radial or the large score dial. You can draft the cards in hand and it's 1000% better than straining your neck to read around that obtuse radial. I also made nice reference cards, added percentile d10s per player, and removed the ridiculous markers. It all fits into an Ultra Pro Satin Tower deck box. I just need to figure out smaller coins as the cardboard ones in the game are ridiculously too big as well, though they fit in the deck box.

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

It could be a smaller box for sure but it's not a massive one for the shelf.

[@amchasteenable]

Great review!

[@ObsidianKnight90]

6:52 Okay yes it's useless, but you love Rune Stones and that game comes with a tiny little throne for the winner to sit their token in... nope I get it, the tiny throne is way cooler.

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

I never set that throne up though.

[@kevindelord]

Maybe an expansion would help but do not confuse variability for replay-ability. This game is not meant to be multiplayer solitaire and your strategy to win should depend on what the others are doing. Knowing those 70cards well and how to navigate them depending on what is happening on and around the table makes this game highly replayable. Like any card game really (Bridge, Spades, and newer designer games).

[@robi_ness]

Nice one! How does this compare to Seasons?

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Seasons is more fun but also more involved. This is a lightweight version and you don't draft all your cards at the start.

[@jameskyle7943]

Thanks, life is too short for Take That elements in strategy games. I detest that mechanic over all others.

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Yeah, it's a lame cop out to make a solo game interactive.

[@dandehaan]

Your intro song is sort of Friday I’m in Love by the Cure.

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Ha ha, I'll have to look at that.

[@thereal4579]

One, You can target yourself with the dragons to clear space. Two, You need take that cards in a competitive card game to be able to stop run away leaders who managed to create op engines. Without them there is little hope to catch up. A necessary evil.

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

If the game is short enough, let the one with the great engine win and then go again. Otherwise the actual winner only did so because of the take that element.

[@thereal4579]

@@TheBrokenMeeple Hard disagree. Player interaction to prevent runaway leaders is crucial to have options to comeback. You said it yourself, the game has a huge element of luck. If a runaway leader occurs without any method to catch up or stop it, you could argue that person won due to luck. Even if the game is short, watching someone pull away knowing you cant do anything and have to play to the end of the game, would not provide much incentive to "go again." There is not that many of those cards in the deck. Those cards can be hate drafted for currency to prevent others from stopping your engine. Those cards can be drafted to target yourself to further your engine. Those cards cost a lot to cast so its not like its a free "take that," it requires investment and space.

[@BobbyJuno]

I wanted to like this game. We had a 4 player game going and halfway through my daughter said I don't like this. Then mommy said I don't like this either 🤷‍♂️🚮💸

[@boeta9778]

Thanks! Did they give detailed reason why they dont like it?

[@BobbyJuno]

@@boeta9778 the kids only say things like "boring" or "lame" lol I suspect from the beginning I was running away with points and they didn't like that. I know the cards orientation didn't help either.

[@boeta9778]

@@BobbyJuno I almost buy it because of the artwork solely

[@BobbyJuno]

@@boeta9778 Art is great. Wooded components is a plus. Read the rulebook in the time it took to sleeve the cards. That's great. This type of game hasn't worked for us though. 100 different cards that all say something different. No obvious difference between them, like a buff in the engine based on color, so you have to read them all. I suppose after a bunch of plays you get familiar with them all. It reminded me of a game my wife and I tried a few months ago, Shards of Infinity. Not that they're the same game but the vibe at the table was the same. I can see her unenthusiastically going through the motions and when it was over we both thought it was time wasted.

[@borreholic]

Not one single time in the history of the planet have I felt good playing a "Choose one player to ruin X for"-type take that card in a game like this, and I'm one who would consider myself FAR from a "care bear".

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Yeah, unless it's part and parcel of the game like a 2 player head to head, it doesn't feel right.

[@warpo007]

im asking all board game reviewers to stop reviewing games for about 12 months so i can stop wanting to buy so many games..... i hope you understand Luke! 🤪

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Sadly I can't do that! :P

[@craigandrews7544]

If you’re overly sensitive just remove the cards that offend you 🤷‍♂️

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Which then messes around with the balance of the deck. And it's not about being sensitive mate, people don't like to have take that elements in games which don't warrant them. It has actively put people off the game. Hell someone else has already commented about this.

[@shatnershairpiece]

lol! Luke overly sensitive? Yes, to bad games. I debated buying this for about a half an hour but passed.