Windmill Valley is just SO EASY TO LIKE! Charmed from the first game 😍| Board Game Review

[@jacobseifert1617]

This caught my eye right away, but what cinched the deal was the cog upgrades and the end game scoring of the tulip garden. It looks like so many fun choices and payoffs for careful planning. I just ordered this, and I can’t wait to play!

[@Islington17]

Hello I'm new to the channel and just want to show appreciation and much love for what you both do! I only wish my hubby was as interested in the hobby as we all are but I'm so happy that you're both able to share in that together. It's not his fault, unfortunate family trauma of competitiveness and meanness when he was a kid that meant boardgames became anxiety producing for him. I do love the man though, so for now, it's just me looking elsewhere for that community. Glad to have landed here. Thanks again. Yall are both wonderful. This game looks really cozy too.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Welcome to the channel and thanks for watching and sharing your story with us. How does he go with cooperative games? Or just avoids gaming entirely? (Which would be understandable!) 💕

[@Islington17]

@@ThinkerThemer Actually, he did enjoy Chronicles of Crime cause he liked the app integration and the cooperation. I'm trying to slowly bring him into easy games that are cooperative, so, good call. There is still hope, methinks? Any breezy cooperative games that are fun you might recommend for a cautious and not so optimistic individual? Thanks again!

[@ThinkerThemer]

@Islington17 do you like the idea of battle if it's cosy? Flock together is a gorgeous co-op where you're collectively taking on predators but it's not too difficult for newer gamers

[@Islington17]

@@ThinkerThemer I just looked it up and it does look really beautiful. Love the idea behind this. Thanks so much this is going on the wishlist along with Windmill Valley lol.

[@ShelfClutter]

Thanks Maggie and Amy. I MUST try this one!! Looks like a fun game for gamers and for less-gamery players. Thanks P.S Love the new G-Shock ;)

[@ThinkerThemer]

Haha good spotting! ;) I think it still leans more towards gamer but in a refreshingly shorter and lighter experience. It's very satisfying. I hope you get to try it!! Hope you've been well friend 🧡

[@quesoblanco444]

This game looks lovely! I'm intrigued.

[@TheBrothersMurph]

Hello. This game is great. You two are even better. That is all. Goodbye.

[@SmoothGummi]

Brothers Murph 😂

[@SFXDreamer]

Thank you both for this! I pre-ordered this game and hope to receive it in 2 weeks. Certainly hope to see you again at Spiel 2024!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Yay! We hope you enjoy it as much as we have! We unfortunately won't make it to Spiel this year 😪

[@SFXDreamer]

@@ThinkerThemer Oh no!! I then sure hope you can enjoy other conventions. Maybe then till next year ;-)

[@bookaddict777]

I have this one on pre-order and am anxious to give it a try. Thanks for the video, ladies!

[@darlene7165]

Another great review! I have been trying really hard not to buy more games this year, but this one is going on my watch list! 😁

[@paulbradley8112]

Great review for a fab game. I played this on day 1 of PlayCon, great teach by Kris: purchase pen came out before the end. I now have a copy.

[@gadgetgeekgirl]

This game is so fun working out the combos. I managed to grab a copy at UK games expo. It looks so bright and colourful on the table. It is a little too big perhaps but no worse than many other euros. I found the shipping action wasn't used that much, unless one of us has a power to spam it.

[@tehpickle1250]

I've had my beady eye on this one since I first heard of it. I love the cog thing! Like T'zolkin but less of a misery simulator! :D It's a lovely looking thing too, but I do wish those little tulips were wooden. Really not a fan of miniscule bits of thin cardboard.

[@ThinkerThemer]

They are actually a bit thicker than they look! Hope you get a chance to try it. Thanks for watching :)

[@LeRougeLapin]

Thanks for a great review. This looks like a great medium weight euro. In terms of complexity, would you say it’s comparable to Great Western Trail or is it a bit lighter?

[@jacobjslee]

Thanks for the review! Do you predict this being a top 10 of the year candidate?

[@ThinkerThemer]

For us, highly likely....!!

[@stevenamamoto585]

Looks like a solid game from Dani Garcia and Board and Dice.

[@MarkStamp-o6p]

Looks really interesting. The only potential negative is that the board looks huge and in addition to the individual player areas, this is going to be a table hog

[@ilqrd.6608]

I read somewhere that you accomplish too much in this game. How do you feel about that

[@ThinkerThemer]

😅 I'm not sure we would agree. It's possible to finish one part of the puzzle (e.g. you can finish the tulip garden) but then there are other things you will not be able to do because of that. And getting the right personal contracts is key to what you're doing too. The pace is also set by the fastest player so you won't always have the luxury of accomplishing everything you want to. It never felt like I couldn't use a couple more turns (at least!) But you do get enough done to feel satisfied. Hope that all makes sense! Can only speak to our experiences of course. Thanks for watching:)

[@ilqrd.6608]

@@ThinkerThemer Thanks for sharing your thoughts and that is great to hear. I also can’t shake the feeling that at least the tulip tracks/scoring area seems like it is possible to optimally fill it out, basically math out the best pattern and follow it every game to maximize points. There seems to be no variability to those tracks/benefits. How do you feel about that?

[@ThinkerThemer]

@ilqrd.6608 I don't think it is as easy as that as you will need to be opportunistic to get the right tulip colours. Plus the public objective and the chained actions you cover on the board strongly incentivise you to plant differently each time

[@ilqrd.6608]

@@ThinkerThemer Understood, thank you so much!

[@Rik77]

​@@ilqrd.6608I saw one review where the reviewer's said this and felt it was too easy. But it might be because they also said there was no reason to move the wheel more than one spot. That's why they could do many actions extending the game out. Since the wheel determines the pace of a game, if one player chooses to move the wheel faster players will not be able to max out ekrnebts of the game. So it might depend on the group. If you have players who all just want to play slowly, max/min everything by never changing the water speed then the game might be boring.

[@topofthemuffintoyou5610]

Who doesn't love Cogs? 🤣

[@ViscountCharles]

For me, the keeping track of - and calculating the effects of - all the possible bonus actions was a big negative. When added to the sometimes confusing icons on some of the cards and wedges I was happy to pass it on, having played it a total of four times at 3P and 4P.