Dune: Imperium - Why Own It? Mechanics & Theme Board Game Review

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We’re in space and the only thing holding us back from gaining all of the most powerful spice riches are our meddling combat-happy opponents, and being able to place our two ‘workers’ exactly where they need to be by opportunistically by using areas of the boards activated by the cards in our hand (OK I tried with the theme but couldn’t get through to the end of the sentence - Amy). Join us for our review of Dune Imperium (the game, not the movie, Oz is not THAT far in the future :D).
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:52 Theme overview (Themer)
05:03 Mechanics overview (Thinker)
09:56 Themer thoughts
11:56 Thinker thoughts
13:46 Solo gameplay (Themer)
16:40 Why own it?
Designer: Paul Dennen
Players: 1-4
Play time: 60-120min
Publisher: Dire Wolf + 3 more
For more game info: boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3...
Thanks for stopping by for our mechanics & theme board game review of Dune Imperium. We're Amy & Maggie aka ThinkerThemer. We're an Australian couple with two very different perspectives of what makes a great board game - Amy (Thinker) is all about the mechanics and enjoys tight, competitive games, and Maggie (Themer) is all about the storytelling and the theme of the game, and the 'world' that the designer is trying to create. Subscribe to our channel to hear us talk about these two elements of a game, and how well integrated we feel these are in delivering a cohesive and wonderful game experience.
Are you #teamthinker or #teamthemer? ❤🏳️‍🌈🇦🇺

Опубликовано:

7 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 140

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Sorry about the start of the video - not sure why that happened with the camera but it corrects itself....! :)

@stevenkeen8015 3 года назад

Great review, love the professionalism of your reviews that you put together, all the best for the holidays!

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks Steven! It doesn't feel AS professional sitting on my mum's living room floor but appreciate the feedback hehehe 😅 Have a very happy and safe holiday season as well 😊

@bestatstartrek6695 3 года назад

I just bought and played this and love it. I like the art the mechanics and competitive aspect all at once. Exactly the the type of game I like. Not too overly complex but it starts slow and ramps up fast. Awesome take on worker placement

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

So glad you love this one... nothing beats the feeling of finding a game that just fits perfectly with what you enjoy!!! Thanks for taking the time to comment ☺

@chrisdedavid1860 6 месяцев назад

Your intro to the game and what players are trying to achieve is very good. There are other very popular explanation videos that don't even state what the goal is, what the players are trying to achieve.

@MrPorko2c 3 года назад

Great review. You’ve got yourself another subscriber. Looking forward to future reviews.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks for the sub and the lovely feedback Kevin! Great to have you here ☺

@marcymarc1981 2 года назад

Great video. It's so interesting having owned Dune now for a year; there's actually quite a bit of depth and strategy behind the actions & deck building combined, then what I had realised when initially playing the game. It's more deck-build-y than what initially seems to be the case, and I really like that there can be synergy between factions, card and your own character ability (if chosen correctly). Once you understand the specific advantages of the different factions (on the board, but also card-wise) the game becomes a lot more strategic. I've had turns (playing Paul Atredes) where I'd draw my entire deck in a turn (mostly using bene gesserit cards), in order to prep for conflict using Fremen cards & synergy (not spending those to place workers, or burn), really interesting once I started seeing that. I think, for me, that's what sets the game apart for a LROA, for example.

@williamgarcia-medina9989 3 года назад

Great review!

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thank you William! ☺

@daveyoungdahl8349 3 года назад

Great review. I got the game and really enjoy it,but I think all of your points are great info. Thanks for such a thoughtful review.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks so much Dave and glad to hear you are really enjoying this one!! Appreciate you taking the time to comment and Happy New Year 😊

@shelby789 3 года назад

Great review! I just stumbled on your channel a couple of days ago and have been binge watching your videos since - I love the perspectives that you both bring to the games! I just got my copy of Dune delivered today so am excited to give it a try. This usually isn't a theme I go for either, but all of the hype on year end top 10 lists made me want to give it a try.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Hi Shelby and welcome to the channel!!! Great to have you here. Would love to hear what you think of Dune Imperium once you're a couple of games in! Thanks for the lovely feedback on our videos ☺

@shelby789 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer After several plays now, I completely agree with both of your perspectives on the game - especially the (lack of) deck building optimization and Maggie's thoughts on the AI/solo game. I never felt like I had the time or chance to get my deck just how I wanted it and for solo play found managing two AI characters quite distracting. I haven't had a chance to play it at 3-4 players yet, but am really looking forward to that as I do enjoy the game overall and had fun with it. I just got Lost Ruins of Arnak as well so am curious if the deck building will feel different/better in that game.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks for taking the time to come back and let us know what you thought of the game Shelby! We had fun with it too despite those couple of little irritating things about it. We initially passed on Lost Ruins because it was described as low interaction but I think we are definitely going to have to get that to the table at some point. Would love to know how you think it compares since you had the same opinion as us on Dune! 😀

@dtf1977 3 года назад

For me, this seems about right: great theme ( absolutely love sci-fi AND Dune) and good mechanics (as an Abstract gamer, an absolute must for me), so your review has pushed me over the edge to order a copy. Thanks !

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Very glad to hear it resonated with you and thank you for taking the time to comment and provide feedback ☺ Hope you enjoy the game, let us know what you think!

@ITOmarHernandez 3 года назад

I love that yiu not only took over mom's living room, but you set up an overhead camera too! Talk about making content fever lol I really want this game, but with the additional backlog of games I now have from Christmas (with more coming) and the lack of people to play with, this may have to wait awhile. Maybe when the upgrade kit comes out. Hope you had an amazing Christmas!

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Hahahah yes the filming is the easy part for sure... so much set up and post production work! I saw all the photos of your gifts on FB... that should keep you busy at least learning them and trying solo!! We had a wonderful Christmas, I hope you did too. 💕

@ITOmarHernandez 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer yep, gotta put a dent in this pile of shame. Already have Gallerist set up so I can try to solo. Have you both played that yet?

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Hahaha we are trying to do that over the holidays too. We own the Gallerist but only I've played it with friends but Maggie hasn't. It was a long time ago though and I need to revisit it....!!! Enjoy :D let us know what you think of the solo game...!

@arwenkathke 3 года назад

Great review as always! I pre-ordered this and wound up liking it well enough, but it wasn't the be-all-end-all that I thought it was going to be based on the release description from the publisher (imagine that!). I definitely agree with Maggie that managing two sequential players in solo mode can contribute to temporary forgetfulness of what your tactical plan was from before their management, I had the same issue. The stark and basic theme ironically fits the universe pretty well, to be backed up by the gameplay and interaction.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks so much for the kind feedback Arwen! Maggie is grateful that she's not alone in the forgetfulness 😅 we felt similarly towards the game as you did by the sounds of it 😁 thanks for taking the time to comment 😊

@TheLobbyOfHobbies 3 года назад

“Can we talk about the art!”. Amy, you had me laughing out loud with that comment and your expression. As for the intrigue cards, i love them too. My favorite content creators out there. Another solid review ladies. Yes, this one is so far in my top 5 maybe top 3 of 2020 but still working through some others.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Hahahaha I mean... the art... :| I'm so glad to hear you love the intrigue cards hahah maggie hates them so much but the surprise element is so fun plus it makes you way more suspicious of others. Thanks for the kind words and for your ongoing support... I keep talking about the day we will finally meet in person at a con... can't wait friend :D

@TheLobbyOfHobbies 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer same here! It will be soon enough hopefully. Who knows, maybe once Covid is done the wife and I will travel to the land down under. People we know who have gone tell us we need to travel their at least once.

@blackboardgaming5348 3 года назад

Good review! This game can be mean with the intrigue cards, but it is a really good game.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks Dwayne! Hope you guys are well :) LOVE the intrigue cards (that's how you know it's Amy teehee) 💕

@jasonberube5882 3 года назад

@ThinkerThemer I appreciate your intuitive and honest review and how you admit that while it may not be your cup of tea, you provide reasons on why others may like it. I've subscribed to your channel and encourage you to keep producing content. I like your take of mechanics and theme. Question: what do you do with the games you decided not to keep? Trade, sell, give away?

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks so much for this lovely feedback Jason. It is definitely trickier to think about the reasons why a game doesn't work for you rather than the reasons why it does. Thanks for the sub too! Glad to have you here. With a couple of exceptions we buy the games we review and we have never been paid for our content, so we sell games to then invest in new games :)

@logiclust 3 года назад

just got it and look forward to tabling it soon.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Have fun! Let us know what you think!!!

@zoddy75 3 года назад

Another amazing review! I’ll be staying away from this one because we’re “care bear” gamers but I WOULD like to know what you think of Rival Restaurants! I’ve got this preordered with GameSteward and am just impatiently waiting for it to arrive now :) thank you for taking the time to make these wonderful videos!

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Sorry I just found this comment!! Yes we are trying to get Rival Restaurants to the table at the moment but the issue is it really needs lots of players to shine - we have only played it at 2 so far :) Thanks for your lovely feedback on our videos and for taking the time to comment (sorry again for missing this!)

@FredzGreen 3 года назад

I was really hyped for this game, but your review has put my expectations on a more sane level. A middleweight worker placement where the assymetry doesn't do much to change the strategy sounds a bit so so. Of course being a Dune fan does help, will see if I end up adding it to my collection. Great review though I think you nailed it pretty much.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thank you Fredz would love to know what you think once you had the chance to play it. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment 😊

@unclesamb 2 года назад

This video popped up in my feed so I rewatched and I appreciated your thoughts (as always), but it did make me wonder if you've had an opportunity to play with the Rise of Ix expansion and if it changed any of your thoughts about the game. I personally felt like it added another layer of depth that has kept it coming back to the table for me.

@Seryn88 3 года назад

Great review! I tried this on TTS the other night and to be honest found it pretty lackluster. As a theme-fiend and a fan of Dune I didn't find it particularly immersive here and the separate mechanics seemed pretty run-of-the-mill independent of each other. But glad you enjoyed it :)

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Great to hear your opinion as a Dune fan Daniel. It took Maggie a few plays to see any thematic links and I suspect she wouldn't call it immersive either... I thought the mechanics were good and interesting for a lighter game but wish they'd fix the deckthinning. We enjoyed it but will be moving it on. Thanks again ☺

@hannahr5037 3 года назад

Great review. I wish you would do a review of solo version of Dune : Imperium! I heard it's pretty good.

@GameBrigade 3 года назад

One of my favorite duos

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Amy & Maggie or Worker Placement & Deckbuilding? 🤣🤣🤣

@GameBrigade 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer you two of course! 🤣

@richardscales9560 3 года назад

Good overview. I've run through 3 novice solo games (using the app) and finding it pretty good. I've found it very thematic but then I'm a fan of the original book. During my last play through i noted all the actions etc and found it did hang together as a narrative. I like the art work as i'm getting sick and tired of over saturated graphic design of board games at the moment which make it really hard for me to see whats going on. Signet abilities arent earth shattering but have definitely focussed my play so far, perhaps because i have been able to work ways of getting through my deck and trashing a few cards. It's going to be interesting to see what expansions come out in the future. I'm slightly tempted b y the forthcoming deluxe upgrade pack though all the minis might overcrowd the board from what i've seen.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Richard, and we are so glad to hear that you are enjoying the game and that it is a solid reflection of the book. We were a bit worried about board crowding with the minis too 🤔 they will have to be quite small! Thanks again for taking the time to comment ☺

@bkwestman22 3 года назад

Thanks for this review! I've been on the edge about this one, since I'm completely uninformed about the Dune universe. But, gameplay looks fun! However, also sounds like maybe I should wait for newer version, with minis and upgraded components...

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thank you Barry! I *think* the deluxification pack might be an optional add on rather than a new version so maybe you can try it now and move it along if it doesn't suit you. If the theme doesn't work maybe Lost Ruins of Arnak or the upcoming Endless Winter for the same mechanics? (We will try these two next!)

@bkwestman22 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer Thank you! We just got Lost Ruins of Arnak for Christmas and love it! I'm excited to see what you guys think of that one.

@tonybowers9490 3 года назад

I agree 100% about deck thinning. The Trash a Card ability is only one 1 board space and few cards. I found it definitely improves the fun and score if you get a Trash a Card card early. I am tempted to house rule that the Signet Ring has the optional ability to Trash a Card. I also agree about the app. I use it to help me remember all the steps per card. Hopefully the app is upgraded. The fact that it asks which leader are being used suggests they will have their signet ring abilities, etc. included. But, I disagree about keeping the game. It's one of the best I've played in 2020, so I'll keep it. Hopefully there will be expansions.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Tony! Yes Maggie was very hopeful about the app based on it asking about the leaders and then was a little sad there wasn't more to it (but we also guessed this might be updated soon!) I like your house rule idea about the signet ring....!! I wouldve loved greater turnover in the cards and the feeling like a big card purchase was worth it. We really enjoyed our games of this even though it won't be staying in our collection. I'm glad it has found a home in yours! ☺

@fan-i-am 2 года назад

I really like Dune Imperium. My only problem with the game is with the Market, Turn order, and the Intrigue deck as a whole: randomness that negates all ur hard choices for combat, influence track or endgame just because someone plays a card. Every advantage should be earned as proven by ur foresight/choices not because of luck! Which is why I propose 3 changes: 1) Have the Market be 8 cards instead of 5 OR flip/refresh all unpurchased cards at the end of the round OR both! 2) Fix the Intrigue deck somehow, like drafting display 3 to choose from, so others know what u got, (if they remember), but don't know WHEN you'll play it! OR take out the Endgame VP cards & Plot pay for VP cards (there's only 4) 3) Have a mechanic that allows players to affect turn order! Such as: Have the CHOAM Secure Contract space also have a 1st Player icon meaning u get to give the 1st player coin to ANY player and they immediately become 1st player OR will be 1st player next round. OR each round Player lowest on the VP track goes first then 2nd lowest goes 2nd etc. ties broken per normal endgame rules

@miguelitos 3 года назад

Nice video! Still don't get the concept of the mentat as you waste an action to get an action and a card - stalling the action you want by turn.

@raymyers700 3 года назад

Thank you for the feedback! I especially appreciate the brief Dune synopsis. I really don't have a desire to read Dune and I know all about spice but never what was so important about it. Have either of you played Dune The Board game or its clone before it was reprinted "Rex"?

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

No we haven't played either Ray! Thanks for the feedback on the video. We didn't know anything about the Dune universe either.... to be honest we would normally skip over this based on the theme but with the designer and rave reviews it was hard to resist 😅☺

@raymyers700 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer Well you sounded like a seasoned Dune fan! Well done! IF you can get 6 people: Rex/Dune is an amazing experience. It is made from the same geniuses that did Cosmic Encounter and while it's not like that game, it does the same thing with using human interaction as a game mechanic. Way ahead of it's time IMO. Dudes on a map with 6 different factions with unique abilities and the ability to truly form alliances without the backstabby stuff. As that I'm not a fan of Dune, I prefer Rex which is Fantasy Flight's IP. Best of all: it has PSYCHIC SPACE TURTLES! If that doesn't peak your interest to look up information on it...then nothing will! LOL!

@edwinnealley7832 3 года назад

Very fair review of this one. Dune Imperium simply does not grab me the way that Dennen's Clank! game did- but he very carefully crafted a far more accessible Dune game than the 1980's era Avalon Hill game, which really only shines at the highest player counts. This is a clean, cold, Euro with some deckbuilding elements, and it is a tight battle most of the time- but I think there can also be some luck swing depending on the Cards available in the Market, because some lend themselves to integrated strategies better than others. Will it stay in my collection? Probably, (because I tend to hoard games) but also because it offers a different take on the Dune universe (a milieu which I am very fond of- or at least of the original novel). One can see the work and the thought in this game, but it definitely eschews the light humor of Clank! which I loved so much.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

I enjoyed the raw honesty of hoarding games Edwin 🤣 we ended up moving this one on as we knew the theme would mean that we weren't choosing to get it off the shelf so we thought we'd let someone else enjoy it. I agree with your assessment of it though, a very clever take on a heavy theme with interesting mechanics... but felt the card/deck component needed to be a little more compelling. Thanks for watching and taking the time to write this! 😊

@manzell 3 года назад

A few comments after my first play through: The good: The mechanics are good, relatively elegant and not too complicated. Does a good job of incorporating Deck Building with Worker Placement. The less good: I felt the individual characters were unimpactful; I felt Spice wasn't as powerful as it is implied in the books ("The Spice Must Flow") - and outside of the combat, there was little we could do to counter another player's strategy once they had an edge. Overall I think the Worker Places are a bit "too" balanced rather than some clearly higher-priority spaces the players will consistently want.

@PaulSmith-qs1es 3 года назад

Well, I agree with you completely. I think I'm going to subscribe.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Great to have you here Paul! Thank you! ☺

@LarrySchneider 3 года назад

For me, Amy, this is best of 2020. And I’m not even a Dune fan, but this may very well turn me into one. Board art definitely leaves a lot to be desired, but the game design easily overcomes the drawbacks in the art dept. I don’t know, maybe as I age, my appreciation for lighter weight games is growing. Certainly easier to get folks to play this over Lisboa or On Mars. But then, Calico was your 2020 favorite, right? That one’s fairly rules light. (Though hard on the brain.) On a separate note, may be getting Obsession and Upstairs Downstairs for my birthday. Here’s hoping! Thirdly, took a closer look at Darwin’s Journey after watching your video and others. I think that one just needs a few more icons to really flesh it out. ;) I guess I really am gravitating toward more medium weighters. That one just wasn’t for me. Have you and Maggie played Dwellings of Everdale? I can definitely see you having backed that one on KS. The hype finally caught up with me, and I ordered a copy. Why not? It’s my birthday! 🙂 Anyway, sorry to sound so disagreeable in this post. But the variety is what makes this hobby so interesting! Happy New Year to the two of you!

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Hi Larry! Firstly, happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating with gaming gifts ☺ and you do not sound disagreeable at all... every game has its gamer! Always happy to chat and hear about different perspectives on games. I'm not at all surprised to hear that Dune Imperium is a favourite of yours... I can see how this will be a big hit for many people. Calico is definitely lighter but I think our expectations are always different for a bigger box game. I think the theme didn't help for us and the skew towards focusing on the WP spots and we have so many other WP games. We didn't back Dwellings of Elderdale! Would love to hear what you think of this (and Obsession expansion!) once you've had a chance to play. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share these thoughts ☺

@Boardgametherapist 3 года назад

Thanks for the review. I played this only solo thus far and loved it. I found that even on Novice I was pretty close with the AI. So I’m thinking you might not be adding VP to the automa when they go up on the house tracks? But I could be wrong and you just really kickass and I suck lol. Anyway great opinions! Love the channel. Also, Direwolf has a different app called Direwolf games that is a little different than the dune imperium companion app. It adds in a few cards that take away cards from the market deck.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks so much for the feedback Nick and glad to hear you are loving the game. Maggie said she lost initially on novice then won on advanced 😂🤷‍♀️ She went looking for the other app but weirdly the publisher one just redirects to the other one she was using. Could be an Australian app store issue? Anyway appreciate the heads up on this...! Happy holidays! ☺

@andrewkeane9077 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer i got both apps on the Oz app store for IOS and the Direwolf Companion one is the better option.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Oooo thanks Andrew that is weird I will let Maggie know!!!

@Projected1 3 года назад

Great review! I really want to experience a deck builder/worker placement game. I love those mechanics. I really like the Dune series, and my wife and I really like scifi themes, but we also always look for beautiful art/components. I know it seems shallow, but that might keep this game out of our shelves. :/

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

A game has to bring you joy! The components are definitely NOT exciting here but they are announcing some kind of deluxification pack. Perhaps check out lost ruins of arnak? Not sure yet how it plays with two....

@Projected1 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer i’m between Arnak and Endless Winter. Too many games is a good problem to have :)

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

I'm most excited about endless winter and ALL IN! 💸💸💸

@RicksPoker 2 года назад

Hi all, I don't entirely agree with the (widespread) idea that there is not time to make a tough deck. I've done so in this game, but it has to be the central focus of your plan. Buy two or three cards which allow you to trash cards. Visit the Bene Gesserit's 'selective breeding' a lot. Get the council seat early, and be very picky about which cards you buy (early buys are ones that give lots of persuasion). I've made decks where I've got about 11 to 13 cards and all of them are power houses, or ones that let me draw more cards. Then I roll forward with a super powerful engine. That said, if other people buy the trashing cards (or they don't come up until late in the game), you won't be able to make this plan work. So you work with what you have. Warm regards, Rick.

@jjschm20 3 года назад

Game looks really interesting to me, but after watching it played and seeing this review, I think I agree with your take that it might be a touch too light for me. But o do think this game is going to be massively popular.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Yes a little light for us but I guess that makes it more accessible to lighter gamers who see the movie or have read the book and are keen to try it. It is a good balance of being a bit innovative but still very playable. Thanks for taking the time to comment! ☺

@AaronAndSusie 3 года назад

We played this on TTS yesterday and really enjoyed it so of course I had to see what you both thought 😂. I really wanted to hear Maggie's thoughts about the solo mode because I had played it solo and was pretty disappointed. I haaated the double ai even though they were quick turns. I kept saying to myself that I think it really needed real people to play and luckily I was right. I do miss the deck optimization you talk about but It definitely has a place in my collection because we were able to play it with a euro gamer (me), a deck builder fan and a non gamer so I think it will hit the table often.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Ahh yes sounds like you & Maggie share the same opinion of the solo! Glad you had fun with this one overall though... I think if the theme was different it might’ve stayed in our collection- a solid design for sure and agree that it is equally satisfying for gamers of differing levels of experience. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on this one Aaron!

@andrewkeane9077 3 года назад

Love the Dune mythos, world building and especially the GF9 game which has more twist and turns than most games, so really looked forward to this. It does manage to capture the theme, it captures the intrigue, politics and brutality of the fighting. Though I agree about the artwork, which is odd seeing as it has the upcoming movie to get ideas from. Nevertheless, I find it very functional and clear and Dune is a barren place after all and the books were mainly more about politics, religion and philosophy than war. It is certainly easier to grab 4 cubes than four minis to throw into combat and see who has what. Though being a sucker for artwork, I will be getting the upgrade. It took a few plays to get the strategy and I think it is far stronger at 4 than 2 even with the AI player. I agree that it is hard to thin your deck and it doesn't recycle a lot so I find the deck building not that 'buildy' if that makes sense, I only see my purchases maybe twice. Though the worker placement linked to the lesser deck building is really enjoyable combo of mechanisms. I especially like the strategy in timing when, or even if you should fight, or go last is great. I find this a good end of game night game being a bit on the lighter side.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks Andrew for all of your thoughts, glad to hear that you enjoyed the game and we really liked reading your perspective given that you've read all the books. Maggie at first thought it wasn't very thematic but then as she found out more about the Dune universe she realised how well thought out and integrated things were. I am tempted to keep it just for the upgrade as it looks fun to paint 😂 thanks again ☺

@RicksPoker 2 года назад

Hi Andrew, The Avalon Hill / Gale Force 9 version of Dune is BRUTAL. You can make one mistake and be hosed for hours. That is part of the charm of that game, and unsurprisingly many people loathe it for that reason. This game is much more forgiving, and more causal gamers will be able to enjoy it. Warm regards, Rick.

@user-tp7ef6rw4l Год назад

Thinning the deck in dune is a double edged sword, i remember in one of my plays i removed every single dagger and haven't bought green access at all, made me so mad, that with 8 solari i still cant get my sword master til my ring came up. In an expansion there's a leader that has culling in his passive ability, that guy is the hardest dude to win as practice shows, so maybe it's a good thing that culling is a rare occurence.

@simonb4689 3 года назад

Best game of the year!

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

So glad you love it Simon! ☺

@achang101 3 года назад

I think Dune Imperium is a great game, one of the best for 2020 for me. The components could be better, but my daughter and I really enjoy it. The solo mode is pretty good too (but a little easy).

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Going to get the upgrade Andrew? So glad you can enjoy this one with your daughter. Very solid game....! What was your favourite of 2020?

@achang101 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer No upgrade for me. I thought about it, but the upgrade would cause a disconnect with the icons on the cards and board which would confuse new payers. Our favourite 2020 released game would be Gloomhaven JoTL (with Dune Imperium second). Our most enjoyable game we played in 2020 would be Clank Legacy (which we played in back in January), so another Paul Dennan game. Clank Legacy was silly, funny and fun.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Ahhh we set up a gaming group for Clank Legacy and then suddenly lockdown happened and so now it is on the list for 2021. So glad to hear you enjoyed it!!! 😁

@dahakhamoontouched4133 3 года назад

From what I remember of Dune the book series, it is very heavy on the political maneuvering and intrigue, did you find that aspect coming through in this game? I think it is one that I'd be very happy to learn and play, but wouldn't want to own. Hope you guys are having a lovely holiday!

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Maggie says that the green spaces in the board represent the political manoeuvring - where you can pay to get extra workers or get a seat at the high council... she also said that the tracks on the left represent your good favour with the houses (and get victory points). There are intrigue cards that are played as surprise actions / bonuses. Now... if you ask me... lol while all of that makes sense there are no negotiations in the game or player interactions that suggest it is a political game to me... the tracks and worker placement spots could really be any theme:) We are having a lovely holiday thank you, hope youre having a great Xmas week too ☺

@pauls3585 3 года назад

I bought Dune, but haven't played it yet - hopefully, it will get to the table soon.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Would love to know what you think once you have Paul! ☺

@stevekingswell9143 3 года назад

Great neutral review thx

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thanks Steve! ☺

@Morganix01 3 года назад

Hope you two have been having a great Xmas holidays with family. Did you pick up any games on sale this Boxing Day? Thanks for the review. Dune: Imperium was really interesting to me after I heard how much Rodney from Watch it Played liked it (plus the positive reviews from everyone at Dice Tower) but heard mixed things about it at 2 Player with the AI. It's a shame the movie got delayed because I think it would have sold much better on release.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Yeah it is a shame about the movie but I think I'm even more likely to see the movie now because of the game lol so it has worked in reverse :D we did get some boxing day games (I say we but it was actually me Amy up early shopping) Mostly some older titles to back fill our collection a bit and a couple of newer ones and expansions. Also received some as gifts so it is going to be a busy January. How about you?? Hope you had a lovely Xmas too ☺

@Morganix01 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer I was so excited on the movie after the trailer and even splurged on the Gold Class vouchers that unfortunately expire before the new release date. Still haven't decided what to watch instead. Ended up getting Zombicide Dark Side for Christmas from the girlfriend and I'm going to be painting that up now since I'm not travelling this Xmas. Had her blessing to pick up Hanamikoji and Pandemic Legacy Season 0 but I ended up also adding Inis, In the Hall of the Mountain King, an Everdell expansion and multiple copies of Conspiracy: Abyss Universe (my favourite filler). Was hard to resist not buying more games as GUF Games really had an amazing sale this year. She wasn't thrilled about the damage come morning but she also wasn't the one who stayed up till 3am😅

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

My goodness I also spent soooo much at Guf... that was a brilliant sale. I also bought Inis lol, so we can compare notes. Was in the hall of the mountain king on sale too? Dang... mustve missed that... 😭

@lystic9392 3 года назад

I understand you would have wanted it to be more of a deckbuilder but for me that would be a bit of a turn off. Maybe after playing it for some time I would like it too. Maybe a future expansion/enhancement package can make it a little bit more robust in designing/thinning/drawing your own little deck and maybe deepen the worker placement interaction as well.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

We do love worker placement and maybe that's why we were so focused on optimising that part of the game, but I kind of wish it forced me to engage with the deck building part a bit more. The game does seem ripe for expansions and that will surely keep many of its fans (and fans of the Dune universe) very happy! Thanks for taking the time to comment 😊

@lystic9392 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer Haha, thanks for the review. It's good to hear different opinions and you don't just praise everything that comes your way. That's valuable.

@MightyfireflyAndme 3 года назад

Tell us about dont get got.... what were your experiences? Any funny moments you can share?

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Hahaha good spotting Andy! We had an amazing time playing this with family over the week. The ongoing if you say guess what, and someone says "what" you get a point gag was just hilarious. And turns out we don't listen to each other very well because some people were trying to set them up for days but no one would bite 😅 have you played??

@MightyfireflyAndme 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer : No, I have not played. "Before you play" did a video on this that got me interested to try. So I backed the ShutUpSitDown KS for this cos I could not find it in retail anywhere. Hopefully I will get it sometime next year and enough time has passed that Covid is only a memory and we can all play board games in groups again.. Then I can unleash this little game... hahahaha... (evil laugh)..... I love you work by the way... Keep the videos going... definitely subscribed to you. thumbs up.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Hahahaha unleash is a good way to describe it. The KS comes with all of the old challenges too so I won't spoil anything for you 😁 I also backed the SUSD version.... cant wait! Thank you for the lovely feedback Andy... great to have you here 😁

@ricardp60 3 года назад

Hi girls, this is the best review of this game I have seen. I don't think I will get it. I am curious if you got the game as a xmas presen? I don't remember you guys packing it for your trip in your video.... and all the games behind you 😉 Merry Christmas 🎅

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Hahahaha good pick up Pierre! We may have ordered some games to be delivered to my mum's house... and we also packed more than anticipated (a whole second bag) 😬 thanks for your feedback on our review 😁 Merry Christmas to you too 🎄

@ricardp60 3 года назад

LOL, you'll need a third bag on your way back 😉

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

And the boxing day sale games haven't even arrived. Second car??? 🤣

@loves2tinker 3 года назад

Great video (watch out Tom Vasel). I appreciate that you take time to zoom into the section of the.board when making references. I agree with Maggie that when i play solo in games I wonder if i am playing correctly. I wonder sometimes, perhaps the leader board should be designed more like a player board (like Scythe) therefore providing more realistate for the game board. Additionally i feel there is allot.of room for this game to grow in an expansion (boardgamegeek.com/thread/2565585/wants-first-expansion). I could not get my own copy of the game, so this year I picked up Viscounts of the West Kingdom to try to learn more about deck building and worker placement.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Lol! Thank you for the lovely feedback, and for sharing your thoughts on the game! That would be great if the leader board was a player board... it really isn't that functional... I read that forum thread (thank you!) and agree with the mechanical changes but didn't understand the thematic builds, I think we need to see the upcoming movie 🙃

@loves2tinker 3 года назад

I agree with you. Its one of those times I wish i could see the play tests to see how they influenced the final design. My gut tells me they rushed it out to perhaps match the movie release. If its true then too bad '(just seems people are liking the core of the game).

@Luke_L 3 года назад

Great review as always! My copy is ready for pickup at my FLGS. I pre-ordered it based on positive buzz, but I suspect I will be turned off by the combat as I'm more in line with Rahdo when it comes to conflict in most games. The other games you mentioned, Arnak and Endless Winter, will probably be more up my alley. However, my two friends in my 3-player game group do like conflict, so I'd like to try this game with them. I may have to try the solo version as I won't see until we're all vaccinated. As for the theme, I remember really liking the first book in the original series by Frank Herbert. I never finished the 6 books he wrote as I didn't like the next couple of books in the series. Maybe I should give them another try. Or maybe I'll just wait for the movie. Villeneuve did a great job with Arrival and Bladerunner. Hope you both are having fun with the family! :D

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Thank you Luke! We are looking forward to the movie now to see if it helps with making more sense of the theme. I remember Rahdo being very troubled by the combat in this game but I think that comes more from the sneaky intrigue cards ("haha you didn't know i had this and now I win!") rather than the combat itself where really anyone with someone in the battle gets rewarded (1st 2nd and 3rd goodies for taking part). So it might not be as bad as you think unless you have friends that like to rub it in when they beat you in secret lol! (Even though I love player interaction I reaaaally dislike that type of heckling...) Looking forward to all of our 2021 game chats!!! Bring on the new KS campaigns! 💸

@Luke_L 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer It's strange. I'm ok with conflict in some games. A few things that I don't enjoy are "king making", a lot of negotiation/back-stabbing, and extremely punishing combat results. I played ameritrash games like Risk and Diplomacy when I was a teen, and I probably wasn't fun to play with. So I try to stay away from games like that. Combat in Scythe, for example, is much gentler :) I'd also be more interested in a game with a lot of combat if it were a team game. It doesn't seem like there a lot of 2v2 games. I'm pretty sure Darwin's Journey will be my first back of 2021! :D

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

That makes sense... there are certainly different levels and styles of conflict. Someone in a stream today said Dune Imp was more like an auction and I agree with that... other players are depriving you of benefits rather than destroying your hard work. Cant wait to see Darwin's Journey next week!

@Luke_L 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer Interesting point about the combat being more of an auction. You're kind of bidding for the priority of rewards with your cubes (modified by the cards). That actually reminds me of Scythe where you kind of bid with that combat wheel and modify the results with cards, although Scythe combat actually might be more thematic as the spoils of war depend on the board state. Hmm....

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Yes but Scythe feels FAR more mean because usually the attacker has intentions to steal resources and you lose your place on the board....!

@MaVarcon 3 года назад

Thank you for the review! The artwork/graphic design was what really killed any kind of buzz for this game for me personally, I think even the characters look as if they were taken from some badly animated 3D-game (obviously subjective). In your review they looked overall decent and I'm usually a fan of clear and easy-to-read symbology. Gameplay looks interesting enough but there really isn't anything that makes me want to play this game over either Lost Ruins of Arnak (where I love the artstyle) and probably Endless Winter. I do enjoy Dune as a theme though so I'm a bit disappointed, but maybe some expansions will spice up the game (with more asymmetry between players? >__>). Hope you had some calm, relaxing and enjoyable holidays with your families! :)

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Yes we must admit that the Lost Ruins theme appeals to us more but we've been a bit turned off by the reviews saying there is low player interaction... but we also like to step out of our comfort zone sometimes to try a theme that doesn't really appeal (dune) or a coop game to see if we can be convinced (lol). But sometimes you just can't change what you like hahah.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

We are having a wonderful holiday thank you... I hope you are having a safe and happy festive season as well ☺

@kritisharma1123 3 года назад

Maggie summarize the genres towards the end and I was like bam I don’t like these kind of games too. I was not so intrigued by Dune Imperium & lost ruins of Arnak (theme looks good) but they have been soooo popular, hard to find and I have been hearing rave reviews. Great review, helped me determine that I should (NOT) get it 😂😂😂

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Saving you money for once!!!! 😅🙃 Thank you for the lovely feedback as always Kriti... I will definitely read this to Maggie when she is up!! Hope youre having a wonderful holiday season 💕

@kritisharma1123 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer lovely Amy, it’s been a quiet second half of the month 🙈 Hope you guys are enjoying your time at your mum’s! ❤️

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Soo quiet that I didn't even do my kickstarter video this week... might do a special video today we will see how we go! ☺ Having a lovely time here thank you.... nice to get some sun 🌞

@kritisharma1123 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer I know, I was surprised. 😂 Food for thought, how about you do a top 10 games for 2020 just as a 2020 special? I’ll look forward to it.

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

Yes I think we will do that today!! :D

@marcbennett9232 2 года назад

I'm one of the few that really likes the board. People say its bland but we are talking about dune here.... it's a desert planet. Dune is a bland place, so the board is extra thematic.

@shinraco 3 года назад

TT thinks this is a light game?! Wow, I thought it was heavy, with an excessive element. The asymmetry with the character, the focus on faction, and of course the card building and thinning.

@Bansheeeable 3 года назад

Spirit island!!! sorry for the spam,but Spirit island!!!!!!!

@nihlify 2 года назад

My worry with this game is that it will feel obsolete after a year or two. It feels like it's that kind of game you like when it comes out and then are lost to time.

@djmurp2 3 года назад

Fiancée? Y’all have a RU-vid board game channel now, time to lock it down 🤣

@ThinkerThemer 3 года назад

🤣🤣🤣 this made us laugh a lot. Actually we had to cancel our wedding this year - it was going to be in California but we go of course. Oh well, we will plan again at some stage...!!

@djmurp2 3 года назад

@@ThinkerThemer aw that’s a bummer! It’ll happen and under much better conditions hopefully 🙏🏻

@nicolasdecicilia9195 2 года назад

I think the game has no theme at all...it has images, but the feeling of the spice, the fear of the Harkonnen, nothing. It seems like lord of waterdeep in space, or manhattan project...i mean...no theme, images, yes...but no theme

@bunnycatch3r 2 года назад

I hear the art work is dry as sand.

@Rik77 Год назад

I love this game but don't like the fact that it is only really a 3 or 4 player game. So I won't buy this, as prefer games that work great as 2 player.