Which of these three games do you enjoy the most? And what did you think of Ares Expedition if you've played it already?

I love your content guys, I'm still watching the review but I just wanted to tell you that your discussions are always extremely informative. Great channel, you've quickly joined the top tier of board game content creators.

@TurtleDude05

2 жыл бұрын

This☝☝

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

You really don't know how much this means to us both. We are humbled and incredibly appreciative of comments like this. Thank you!

Okay what I think is great about this video (among your other videos) is I asked a myself a question and you guys answered it in the video a little later on! Unreal! Thanks for the thoughts!!

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot, Braiden! It's because we can read your mind, you just hadnt figured it out yet.

I believe you can buy the AE version with dual-layer boards from local game stores for a few extra dollars. I think it was only the Target version that came with the cheaper boards. That said, Stronghold isn't known for making premium component games.

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, you may be correct! I know it was included in the KS version. We were sent a Target version to review and since that's the one that will find its way into so many people's hands, being mass-market, it is disappointing so many people will have that troublesome experience. Either way though, at least there IS an alternative!

Interesting to hear both of your points of view on this. I just recently got the target version of this for around $12. My girlfriend and I have never played Terraforming Mars or Race for the Galaxy and we really enjoyed this game. I found it was more than worth the $12 we paid. But your points on the components were something we both were complaining about almost immediately. I'd be interested to try the other 2 games.

@AllYouCanBoard

Жыл бұрын

I don't think Ares Expedition is a terrible game or anything, and if I had never played Race for the Galaxy or Terraforming Mars beforehand, I would've probably enjoyed it more. But when a game does things so similarly to others, and tries to piggyback off of previous success more than innovate and bring fresh ideas, it's a tougher sell for me. I HIGHLY recommend RftG, just know going in that it takes at least a few plays to really understand the strategy and what you should be doing. Deceptively steep learning curve but soooo worth it if you can get over the hump. I've played the base game almost 1000 times now and I'm still obsessed with it. - Carlo

I didn't have either OG TM or RftG so am happy I bought TM AE. I love the TM AE solo

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Nice! Yeah it's a good option for a first one to get out of the three since it really introduces you to both games. And then based on which mechanics you like the most, you can kind of decide which of the other two to get down the road.

Great discussion. I got Ares Expedition but I have never played either the original or Race For The Galaxy. I’m sure you know this by now but the player boards are dual layer in the regular non-Target edition now too, thankfully. Really thick and rigid they are too.

@AllYouCanBoard

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! And yeah we heard about the better edition later, it's a shame they didn't make them all that way.

This is a amazing comparison video! I love TM, so it was great to hear your honest and insightful discussion about the three games. Think I’m just going to stick with TM (prelude +elysium/hellas expansions). I feel like Ares misses the engaging spatial competition on the map that makes TM fun and thematic.

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Andy! Much appreciated. We haven't tried the Elysium/Hellas expansions for TM but Dylann owns TM with Prelude, and even though I don't like TM as much as him, I agree on two accounts: first - the game is undoubtedly better with Prelude, and two - TM is better than Ares Expedition and you're not really missing much by just sticking to the original. But I'm telling you, if you haven't played Race for the Galaxy yet, either find someone who knows it to teach you, or watch the amazing How to Play video from Nights Around A Table, and try it out on Boardgamearena. - Carlo

@andysiegel725

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Carlo! I've played Race for the Galaxy once before (on TTS) and it was a lot of fun. The iconography was kinda confusing at first, but once got into it, it was better. Fun to try to tell story from the progression of cards played :)

my target has this terraforming Mars Aries Expedition for $20, I think it is likely worth a try as I haven't played any of these games. appreciate the thorough review

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely, for that price it's definitely worth picking up and giving it a shot to see if it's for you.

Ares Expedition is the more portable way we will play Terraforming Mars when on vacation. (We have the Kickstarter boards, so there’s no jostling.)

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, for sure. That's a great point and portability is a big factor for sure.

Hi guys, great review. You didn't mention if Ares Expedition has drafting. For me that is the best part of the TFM game.

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Pierre! Sorry we didn't clarify that - there is no drafting. There's an advanced rule where you can sort of "mulligan" some Project cards from your opening hand and draw new ones blindly, but nothing that gives you a level of control like the draft option in Terraforming Mars.

Im relatively new to the board gaming hobby (maybe ~6 months in?), and I actually picked up AE specifically because I’ve heard a lot of great things about TM, but I’m intimidated to by the teach and the play time (I’m a resident physician so spare time is short!!). I haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but I’m curious how I’ll feel as someone who hasn’t played AE or RftG!

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

I feel like not playing RftG or the original TM will make AE more special and land better. It's a fun game, just hard not to compare when you have played the other two. I hope you have a great experience with it! Thanks for commenting. ☺️

So I ended up with transforming my race for the galaxy experience into jump drive. I felt like the card interaction in the tablou building was far more interesting than action selection. Jump Drive says build an engine that gets you there before the other guy with random cards. It doesn't say and pick an action that you think others won't pick... that just doesn't feel important enough to me. I like deciding what will I play and what do I get rid of to play it. All these games have a large quantity of random cards and force you to work tactically. I find that very tactical games that are lacking the ability to execute strategies unless you get lucky are best enjoyed in shorter formats. I feel like the Mars games tend to be longer which gives you an illusion of strategy that really only exists if you get lucky. If I could only have one game from the Mars or Galaxy families... I'd still choose Jump Drive and play 2 or 3 rounds along with Castles of Burgundy the Dice game and get a far more efficient game night... more fun, less time.

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting! I've wanted to try Jump Drive for a while but this is the first time I've seen someone speak so positively about it, especially compared to Race for the Galaxy which I absolutely love. Well said re: the Terraforming Mars games, maybe that's part of why I don't like them all that much. - Carlo

Thank you for this very thoruogh game comparison. I have played TM a few times and I really like it so far. The ARES version I got about a week ago and I have not tried it yet but I would like to play this asap. Bought my ARES "Collectors Edition" for 29$ on Black Friday sale. This version has the dubble layer player boards and special game trays. Usually i do like big game boards so this ARES game board looks less interesting to me.

@AllYouCanBoard

Жыл бұрын

At least you got the dual-layered boards! That solves one of the biggest component issues, although I think it was an oversight not to address that in the standard version of the game, considering all the complaints about TM.

Thanks for this comparison video! I've only played TM, so I've been curious about trying the others. I have played Roll for the Galaxy so I understand the Race references for the most part. Roll for the Galaxy is still in my collection, but I never felt the theme coming through so it was just ok for me. I enjoy TM, but wish it was shorter & streamlined. Sounds like Ares is worth trying. Great video!

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely, if you left TM wanting a shorter experience or more focused experience, it could be that Ares Expedition will be the perfect middle ground for you. Worth a try, especially if you can get a play in of it before fully committing to buying it! Thanks for watching!

I have only played TFM and it's my #1 of all time. ;-) I might be biased but I dont want to have a shorter streamlined version just because I dont want to risk the better game being played less ONLY because it's longer. concerning RftG, this is the third video in a short time, where this game seems to shine. unfortunately, I havent played that game yet BUT I added it to my must-have list. ;-) thanks for the comparison.

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! The more time has passed since we filmed this video, I'm even less interested in playing Ares Expedition again. It was just such a flat experience for me overall that even though I think TM is too long for my personal tastes for an engine-building game, not to mention my other issues with it, I would much rather play TM than Ares Expedition now. But for me, Race is still in a league of its own, not just compared to these games, but overall it's one of the most impressive designs I've ever played. Still my #2 game of all-time. I highly recommend Race but there's a steep learning curve in terms of strategy, even once you understand the rules. A good chunk of the game is knowing the deck of cards and learning the different synergies and strategies. - Carlo

Was thinking of picking up Ares Expedition originally but I think I've cooled on it based on the feedback from reviewers/players. Haven't tried RFTG but am thinking of picking it up. Carlo have you tried either New Frontiers or Roll for the Galaxy? How do you find they compare to RFTG? Looking to play mainly at 2-player.

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Brian, I went through the tutorial for Roll for the Galaxy on the mobile app a couple weeks ago but haven't actually played it yet. Tough to say for sure without playing, but knowing the rules, I don't think I'll like it as much as Race. Haven't played New Frontiers yet either and honestly don't know much about it. Wish I could be more helpful here, sorry about that! But I remember So Very Wrong About Games podcast gave it a very thorough review, and I know Mark Bigney loves Race for the Galaxy. Just checked back and it's episode 52 of the pod, I'd recommend you listen to that for a good comparison to Race. Either way, I know some people are indifferent, but I think Race is absolutely amazing. I've been playing the base game, no expansions, for over 10 years... after 50+ plays it's still one of my absolute favourite games of all-time, likely in my top 5, maybe even top 3. We'll probably do a "Top X Games of All-Time" video later this year, we'll see where it lands then. As always, thanks for watching!

@en4crcdn

2 жыл бұрын

@@AllYouCanBoard Heya, really appreciate the detailed reply. I'll go check out that podcast tonight. Thanks for the tip. And then there's Jumpdrive as well but I digress, sounds like Race is the one to get. Appreciate it.

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Happy to try and help! I have Jumpdrive in the same category as New Frontiers - I know it's related to Race for the Galaxy and I want to try it but haven't yet. As for the podcast recommendation, be sure to check the show notes if you just want the review. It's a fantastic podcast in general, but the reviews usually start around the halfway point or a bit later. And if you end up trying Jumpdrive or New Frontiers, feel free to shoot us an email at allyoucanboard@gmail.com to let us know what you think!

@en4crcdn

2 жыл бұрын

@@AllYouCanBoard Definitely, will let you know if I get to try either game and I agree, that it is a great podcast. Enjoying it. Thanks for the tip.

Ares is more advanced than Race, and at the same time you don't need the boring spatial puzzle from the Original. Cards also looks so much better than the other two. The best one for me!

@AllYouCanBoard

28 күн бұрын

If you like it more that's totally fine of course, but Ares is not more advanced than Race, not even close. The strategies are much more straightforward. If you read/watch any of Tom Lehmann's commentary on Race, and then you do the same for Ares from their design team, you'll see the level of thought and nuance put into Race is miles ahead. Ares is probably the better option as a more casual game to just play once in a while, but if you're looking for a game to deep dive into and play hundreds of times, Race wins by a landslide. To me, Ares felt like a lazy mash-up of two games that did very little new, and yet is somehow still much longer than Race. - Carlo

@user-ik2ps1fu5e

12 күн бұрын

Race has 1 resource to keep track off, while Ares has 6 resources. Ares also has a board with 3 parameters to keep in mind. I consider that more advanced.

@AllYouCanBoard

11 күн бұрын

Chess, Innovation, Hansa Teutonica, Tigris & Euphrates, etc. all have 0 resources. Splendor, Century: Spice Road, Cosmoctopus, Wingspan, etc. all have multiple resources. Would you say the games in the second group are more advanced than the ones in the first due to having more resources? Also, Race for the Galaxy technically has 4, not 1, because goods of different colours not only affect selling costs but many cards can only consume specific colours.

My perspective is that I strongly disliked Terraforming Mars, but maybe this one would solve the problems I had with it. I haven't played it, but reviews have convinced me this won't do enough to bring me back to Mars.

@AllYouCanBoard

Жыл бұрын

I would agree with that. I didn't strongly dislike Terraforming Mars but I found it way too long and dry, and I can confirm that Ares Expedition doesn't do much of anything exciting/new. - Carlo

the cards are very very different in the details of managing your project... you compared wave power and fueled generator cards by saying they are similare because of what they give, but the all subtiliti, cardes in hand, is not what you get but how depending on faction and depending on the badge you already own, and on wich phase of TR you are... basicaly the same card can be i saver or a pain on the ass depending on your main strategy to enhamge all TR factor.... it is a "project manager" game, so yes the finality well be the same! The pleasure and the finesse is on the how!

@AllYouCanBoard

4 ай бұрын

I suppose, but ultimately the cards still feel like you're mostly just doing some simple mental math calculations to determine what is most efficient for your plans, while also considering the tags you have. To me, those aren't the interesting/tough decisions I look for in board games. Thanks for watching! - Carlo

@maximemorin7403

4 ай бұрын

Hi, it is totally it with this game: the pleasure is inside the micromanagement, where little subtilities can change a lost game to a win one... It is completly different to Terraforming Mars! Thanks for your video!@@AllYouCanBoard

Just played Ares Expedition and Terraforming Mars recently. I love both (and also like Roll for the Galaxy) and AE is specifically tempting for me for the coop version and I will try to use it as an intro to the OG to play with others who don't play many heavier-ish games.

@malvinafis6907

2 жыл бұрын

But in the end, Terraforming Mars is in my Top 3 and I don't think AE will get that high

@malvinafis6907

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comparison

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

The co-op mode is definitely the one thing that sets it apart from TM and might entice some people. But otherwise, TM just is a more satisfying experience for me personally! -Dylann

@malvinafis6907

2 жыл бұрын

@@AllYouCanBoard agree. I will let you know what players that don't know either think about AE once I get to it

Doesn't 'more accessible' mean it's meant for people that didn't play the original? Doesn't the intended audience mean anything? New to the hobby means I'm glad this and Jaws of the Lion exist.

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

First off, I think we should've said "more approachable" instead. Accessibility should refer more to something like a game being colourblind-friendly which makes it more accessible to someone with a disability or impairment. Either way - the intended audience absolutely means something, and for anyone who really wants to eventually try Terraforming Mars, Ares Expedition could be a good starting point since it's easier to learn and plays much quicker. Jaws of the Lion is even better though in terms of being a tutorial / stepping stone, and it's more faithful to Gloomhaven than Ares Expedition is to Terraforming Mars. Thanks for watching! - Carlo

I’m in the minority that did not like terraforming Mars. I gave it a half a dozen tries and found the mechanics to be fine but the theme to be akin to colony (cough-slave-cough) games of the past. I’ve seen Ares played and it gave me the same vibe plus I missed the map and tiles. Never played RftG. I seriously don’t know if I should give it a go.

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

Dylann here. Carlo would overwhelmingly tell you to play Race for the Galaxy! Haha. He loves it. Also nothing wrong with not enjoying TM. I have a few friends who it didn't land with!

Я хочу купить экспедицию Ареса

As a game RFtG is.. pretty decent. Acceptable. But the layout of the game just kills any fun had. At all. Like 1 out of 10 bad. The extreme layer of symbolism in the game would be by itself bad, but mixed with the fact that most of the symbols don't make any intuitive sense it becomes in my mind unplayable unless you have like a dozen plays.under your belt and know all the cards. Speaking of having to know all the cards, because there aren't a ton, and the game goes fast enough that every play counts, if you don't know every card on the deck than your chance of victory is basically zero. That is horrible game design. Rant over.

@AllYouCanBoard

2 жыл бұрын

It's unfortunate you've had that type of experience with RftG. I agree that there are a lot of icons and they aren't intuitive at first, but even as an experienced player I've lost to 2 different people on their first play, so I have to disagree with you on needing to know all the cards and having zero chance to win if you don't. I mean, you could then say that about every single card game ever - of course someone who knows the cards better will have an advantage over others, but that applies to a LOT of games out there. I don't think it's fair to say that's horrible game design, it just rewards repeated plays.