What is Essential? Let's Look at Jagged Earth

Continuing the search for essential expansions is this the one?
contact us at [e-mail]
00:00 - Start
00:17 - Why Watch?
00:39 - Publisher / Designer
01:09 - Theme
01:31 - Mechanics
03:46 - Player Count/ Best
04:26 - Turn Summary
10:35 - Pros
12:19 - Pro #2 Branch & Clow / Jagged Earth
14:17 - Pro #3
15:32 - Cons
16:37 - Con #2
17:55 - Con #3
19:02 - Con #4
19:32 - Weight Rating
21:14 - Value Rating Jagged Earth
22:05 - Branch and Claw Value Rating
22:22 - Spirit Island Value Rating
23:20 - BGG RAting
24:30 - All 3 Overview
25:21 - Essential Expansion?
25:39 - Who is this for?

[@stormburns]

Spirit Island was designed with Branch and Claw being part of the package only later did it get seperated. So essential because without its not complete! My favorite spirits are in Feather and Flame though. Ocean is pretty thematic imo! Also Many Minds and Volcano! Other spirits do feel more abstract though for sure :-) Best games of spirit island I've had are at 4-5players, but only with veterans!

[@BadatBoardgames]

Cool, ya if people know how to play I could see that as being fun. I did not know that about branch and claw so that makes sense now!

[@stenolebrretzen675]

I like your review format. The important thing about Spirit Island is like you said that it is a puzzle game. You win by ordering your powers in the best way to mess with the invaders which behave almost entirely deterministic. It also has a difficulty that is easy to tune according to your skill level so that you should always be able to create a game that treats you fairly. Although you discuss Jagged Earth here, as an entry point, Horizons of Spirit Island may be a good lowcost sampling of the game system to figure out if you want to delve deeper. A cheaper option still is to find the game digitally where you can play a few turns for free. I would say that beyond a handful of plays of the base game that either Branch and Claw or Jagged Earth is essential. The addition of events that both expansions offer adds a small dimension of risk and unpredictability that the base game sorely lacks.

[@BadatBoardgames]

I agree on all points and Thank You for the compliment. I really like the expansions and can’t see me wanting to play the base game anymore without them. Thanks again for watching and commenting!

[@thenewamericanunderground3149]

love it, thank you!

[@BadatBoardgames]

Thanks for watching and commenting so often!

[@felicitycarter79]

Spirit island is not too much longer with more players if they are all experienced and can advance their own portion of the island etc.

[@BadatBoardgames]

That is good to know!

[@DonBuonasera]

Man, I played this game like 3 times and every time it was just sooo boring (and long) to me. I think I prefer lighter coops and/or the ones where theme is really oozing through (like Robinson Crusoe).

[@BadatBoardgames]

Ya I can understand that and that is why I feel it plays more as an abstract game it is not a dungeon crawl and trying to get an experience type puzzle. I have not played Robinson but I do hear it is more of a theme driven game and super hard.

[@DonBuonasera]

@@BadatBoardgamesit is VERY hard 😂 but fun every time