Nothing embarrassing about getting emotional over emotional content, got mad respect for your honesty though. It looks like an incredibly well put together game, and I'm glad heavy subjects are being explored - I didn't back the game or really look into it since it seemed very exploitative but it seems they did a very good job with it. Good art can deliver a powerful emotional message and it looks like this is one of those board games that transcends being just a plaything and could be considered actual art. I'm glad to see more games delivering on the medium's potential.
Beautiful final thoughts, Richard. You are not alone with the tears - I had some reach my eyes watching your play through and listening to your final thoughts as well. To me, this will be a game that I pick up if for no other reason than the fact I feel it is an important step in game design into a new, emotional, and rich direction which should be both applauded and appreciated. This game handled an incredibly difficult subject matter in a respectful and reflective way. Thanks so much for also conveying this in your final thoughts as well. Much respect for your great big heart and all the time / effort you put into these videos. Cheers.
Finally decided to pull the trigger on this one, in part based on your runthrough. As a southerner descended from slave owners and abolitionists alike, I was worried this game would take a heavy handed "all southerners of that time are evil" approach so common today. Glad to see it kept its focus on the issue at hand -- liberating slaves and not politically painting all southerners as slavery lovers (or all northerners as abolitionists). Looking forward to this one arriving.
Many thanks for the run through and well done for making it through the emotional final thoughts. Your willingness to share your feelings about the theme is touching and greatly appreciated. Bravo sir, bravo.
I bought this game, I haven't played it yet, but just got it in the mail a few days ago. I was a history major in college so my familiarity with this era in history is above average. I got this game because of my love of history but also because I know at some point my kids will learn about this too. They're too young for it now but when they get into school and start learning about this, I wanted to use this as a teaching tool. I'm thankful the level of respect and detail they showed this topic and you're not the only reviewer that it elicited an emotional response from. I want to check out other games from this company because if they show that level of attention in all their games then these could be a very valuable tool when introducing my kids to other topics. I am curious if my knowledge of this topic will effect how I play or how it effects me personally but I can say even reading through the rules I had to take a step back a few times and really think about what it was telling me was going to happen when playing this. Thank you very much for your thoughts on this game and the run-through.
since I watched this video a year ago I knew I needed to pay this game but I've not seen it in stock anywhere. today I saw it was back in stock on a uk store so thought I would rewatch the run through. yes I'm in tears again but will be ordering the game in the morning. To me the actual game looks really good to play with my SO and solo, but I also feel that what they have achieved here deserves recognition and support even if it's only the money the game costs. as an English man of this generation it's hard to connect with what happened all those years ago but that's no reason to avoid the subject. I just hope I can play it with dry eyes, but in a way I hope I can't. This review is still one of the most human reviews I've ever seen and I commend you for that.
Thanks for the honesty. I don't think I could play this game because of the thematic reasons you stated and because of what you think Jen might feel when she plays it. I just don't think I could disconnect myself from the theme to really enjoy the game aspect. You're the first person to really capture that feeling in a review of this game. By the way, It made me feel even better about funding your KS. Thanks again and
Incredibly moving final thoughts, especially given that this was done shortly after another similarly-themed game, Been thinking about this game for my teens but now wondering if it will be too "heavy" for them (though with parental guidance this could be a marvelous learning opportunity). You have done us all a great service.
mate, very powerful final thoughts. The game designers, yourself and also Paul from SU&SD have done an absolutely magnificent job of shedding light one of the darker subjects from history to (what I imagine would be) a significant number of board gamers who've never even heard of the underground railroad.
Really great review, Richard! You so eloquently describe how a game could be so evocative, thought-provoking and challenging. Being moved by immersing yourself in the plight of a group of slaves seeking freedom is nothing to be embarrassed about, and it speaks to how impactful a well-made game can be!
Richard... You're an incredible person n what you do day in day out is special... And I thank you for getting through these final thoughts and being able to fight the emotion n give such an eloquent verdict on the game. I will pull the trigger on this one inmediately even though I feel very much like you regarding the experience and whether or not I will enjoy it as a game.. But this looks like a phenomenal journey that Id like to take w my girlfriend and the kids because I want them to experience this history through the cooperative experience conveyed in this game, as opposed to some glamorized hollywood thing. You have my support for as long as you do this n from everyone in our home, we thank you for everything you n Jen do for the gaming community. Ozzy Perez aka SapolJackson on BGG.
Thx for the review Rahdo. It's interesting, you're not the only reviewer who actually has said after gameplay, that the wooden pieces - altho abstract actually came alive emotionally for them - trying to "free the slaves". So whatever they did, they apparently designed that right.
I recently picked this up used on BGG. Really looking forward to actually getting to play it. Trying to figure out how various friends would handle it. Which leads me to wonder: how did Jen handle playing the game? I think I have a few friends who will be in the same boat, but I'm not sure what that is. It's the kind of experience I want to share with friends, but I don't want to overwhelm them.
Games like this, the work of Brenda Romero, are pretty powerful use of the medium. Even a game like Archipelago that steps towards that design space a little more subtly, great to see more of this. Your point on the ability to choose the depth of your experience is a good point.
Great wrap up, Richard. I agree with you about not having pictures of slaves on chits. As much as I enjoy this game, I know I could not handle that. My daughter and I have difficulties with sacrificing people during the game as it is. If they had faces, I know we would never be able to do it, although it might be necessary to win the game.
Ahem, there's a word FUN at the back of the box. I think you can have fun, even when learning about difficult subjects. Why? Because only the truth is interesting (that's why I love Chesterton, Tresmontant and other books like that).
Interesting. That's not how I saw it. For me the chains in the design part highlighted what was being left behind, while the text freedom indicated what was being hoped for. The still, seemingly peaceful, but tension ridden illustration showing the moments in which the game takes place. That is to say, I found it tasteful for being gentle, but not shying away from the artistic themes. But I can see how the shackles could be seen as sensationalist, or that the irony of the shackle in the word freedom could just break the image. Hm... Would you consider the very depiction of people enslaved and chained to be tasteless in all public contexts? Or is it just that it's more cartoonish and implicitly violent than the illustration in this case. Or is it that the truly emotionally triggering symbols from a sensitive history should not be casually displayed?
Although I have the utmost respect for the theme, my experience is still that the game isn't fun to play. People I played with felt it was repetitive and the downtime was huge.
