The board game media is very full of reviewers. Most times I check out a new channel, they don’t do things well enough to compete with the channels I like. BUT! Your channel is different. Clearly the product good editing, I love the way that you animate the game pieces to underscore your point. Your style of editing is not something I’ve seen in board gaming. But these aesthetic decisions are also far from shallow. Because everyone is talking about the new hotness, it can be hard to add anything meaningful to the conversation. Your video is the best video I’ve seen on harmonies. Love the overarching structure and also felt every point you made was well considered. Happily subscribing!

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

thank you for the detailed review of my review :). I really appreciate the kind words!

I own the other 2 games and was considering Harmonies. Nice video; subbed :)

@Neon_Gorilla

3 күн бұрын

Awesome welcome aboard thanks for giving me a try!

Great video! Great production! instant subscribe, looking forward to more.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

Welcome aboard Marcelo. Appreciate the kind words.

Nice comparison/contrast of these three games. I am a long-time fan of Cascadia and been thoroughly enjoying exploring Landmarks. As a solo player a huge bonus are the brilliant scenarios and offer an escalating challenge.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

I have never played it solo. I will have to try that out. Appreciate you watching.

Harmonies is the only game for us as a couple that we kept playing and couldn't stop like a PC game. It was so much fun! Probably we are quite picky about board games because over the years we tried 20-30 board games and none of them gave us this kind of experience. We always bought new games, tried few times, then never opened them again sadly. I think the main reason was that we didn't really want to compete against each other much but want to have fun together while co-op board games are extremely boring for us at the same time. Harmonies fill that niche for us that we don't necessarily feel like competing against each other but rather trying to beat your own previous records. Every game play feels different and creative with different set of cards to play with. Another thing we love the most is that it is not flat cards and board but towers of blocks and cubes that entertain your eyes visually just much more satisfying and fun.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

Glad you found a game to love with your partner. If you don’t like compete might I suggest co op games. The best of which that I recently have played is daybreak. I have a video up for that one.

@lorenzohot5234

24 күн бұрын

Wow I was about to pass on this game but your review has me thinking twice.

@Neon_Gorilla

24 күн бұрын

@@lorenzohot5234 it’s definitely fun. We are still getting it to the table.

@benneyjunior6192

5 күн бұрын

Playing solo is also fun!!! I enjoy Harmonies a lot!

@Neon_Gorilla

5 күн бұрын

@@benneyjunior6192 if you like harmonies and want to take it to next level. Check out my latest video

Cascadia has quickly moved into my entry level game to pull out in a group. My wife is a big fan, and she doesnt like to learn new games, she picked it up really fast. Nice take on the comparison of these 3 games.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

Thanks Frodo. Yeah cascadia is the perfect filler\starter game.

Discovered your channel by searching more opinions about Harmonies... Instantly subscribed, very special style 👌

@Neon_Gorilla

15 күн бұрын

Thanks Hans, Glad you gave me a chance. I look forward to seeing you around!

I like Cascadia the most. I agree with you it is the most satisfying. Also, I could not quite put my finger on why Harmonies didn't jibe with me. Now, I understand why. There were just too many frustrating moments with no mitigation, like you explained.

@Neon_Gorilla

7 күн бұрын

Funny you say that I just broke the rating down to categories and harmonies just beat out cascadia. On paper it feels like it should be just as good or better but it’s just a feeling. I am actually editing a bit of a comparison right now to Life of Amazonia which was recommended in the comments somewhere in this video. It is definitely a next level above the two from a complexity standpoint. Spoiler alert I do recommend it if you like either cascadia or harmonies

I got Calico first and thought it was ok. I haven't played it again since getting Cascadia. I haven't culled Calico but I may as well. Harmonies looked really cool when you first introduced it. However, if it's even more restrictive than Calico, it's probably not for me. I still think I'd like to try it but won't rush out to buy it. Thanks for the comparison video!

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

Your welcome. Thanks for watching!

Great video. I wish prices in Brazil were as good as they are in US. And among the 3 the first one will be Harmonies. The fever of new releases got me 😅

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

I hear you FOMO is real, its also a new and unique puzzle so if there other are boring or of no interest then by all means harmonies is the pick, thanks for the kind words...

Great coverage on Harmonies! Looks like a neat game but I just sold Calico & Cascadia so I’ve come to learn that pattern building games aren’t my favorite style!

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

Yeah my other wife might divorce me if I ever sold them.

The thumbnail really lured me in here

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

I hope that was a good thing.

I'm very happy with Cascadia in my collection. It's the only of these 3 I've played, and I'm not looking to get either of the other two. If I were to get a second one, though, I'd go with Calico for sure. Not sure why, but Harmonies does not look or seem interesting to me at all. Also, I loved this format of taking similar games and comparing their merits against each other. If you go deep enough and specific enough in the comparisons (which I absolutely think you did here!), it turns out much more compelling and useful than a straight-up review.

@Neon_Gorilla

4 күн бұрын

thanks Fabio, I think comparison makes for more compelling and interesting assessment of a game. Most of these games in a vacuum are good the questions is if they deserve your time and money over another...At least that is the way I think about it.

Great video! Does not help for me between Cascadia and Harmonies, but that’s alright 😂

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

Enjoy them both. ;)

Totally agree

@Neon_Gorilla

24 күн бұрын

Sweet, thanks for watching.

This is the only time I’ve seen someone claim that Calico is more chill than Cascadia. Sorry but this is just outlandish.

@Neon_Gorilla

20 күн бұрын

I think your opinion is totally valid. I think each persons brains work in different ways and wouldn't call your opinion outlandish. I did not make up may experience. To me the finite puzzle in calico certainly creates friction but the possibilities are limited by the board. The possibilities of your decisions each turn are significantly reduced by this nature and the number of spots left constantly decreasing. Cascadia's decisions space is so much more vast. Every single turn has an increasing number of possibilities depending on the number of tiles already laid. Cascadia with landmarks weight is nearly identical to calico so it seems like a judgment call and personal propensities. I am happy to hear your case past just calling it outlandish though.

@FabioBrachtPlus

4 күн бұрын

I was also really surprised by this! But I think Neon Gorilla has argued his case very well, and it does make sense. Also: different brains, and all that. (My wife plays Root and Cascadia like a champ, but goes completely haywire with positioning-based games like Onitama or That Time You Killed Me.)

I m always surprised that Azul 4 did nt made a hit and is never in top tier list comparaison. Probably because it s not easy to learn, (and ugly!). But in all category you mentioned, it s waaay better. Systems they ve create is truly a masterpiece in tile placement.

@Neon_Gorilla

25 күн бұрын

Oh I think plenty of people talk about and use it to compare. In this instance I think it’s a degree or two away from calico and cascadia in form. I think these are all derivative of Azul they but they add theme, sprawling pattern building and especially cascadia and harmonies a second dimension in placement along with secondary goals.

@truc0anh

25 күн бұрын

@@Neon_Gorilla Thank for you reply. Just to be sure, I don t talk about Azul 1 but But Azul 4 Queen s garden. For example you compare the space management between restrictive (calico) to open (cascadia). or also how to pick up tile or get the possibility to keep some to play it later... Azul 4 bring a super clever way to solve and spice up all this. little tiles covers large piece of extension that can be added to your own board. Discovered piles change content each turn (very dynamic, there is always a surprise), you can pick from 1 to xx tile (many variability), your board extend through the game (feel of progression), large tiles count as tiles, point, payment and space (many flexibilty of use).

@Neon_Gorilla

25 күн бұрын

@@truc0anh yeah I have it and think it’s clever I just think it too is in a class if it’s own. Thanks for watching.

@truc0anh

25 күн бұрын

@@Neon_Gorilla Yep. And thanks for your video!

Harmonies reminds me of Tiny towns. It has similar feeling of tight space and planing what might work on the board.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

ahh tiny towns that is one with a thick layer of dust in my collection, always thought it needed more but never motivated enough to go get the expansions

@alois257

Ай бұрын

@@Neon_Gorilla I love that game. Although I have just the base game, the expansions didn’t recieve a print in my country.

This confirmed everything I thought about Harmonies and is why I never picked it up. Just too much like Calico. Cascadia for life. But Calico the most chill? Bruh.

@Neon_Gorilla

11 сағат бұрын

Pick up a tile place a tile, each turn less possibilities to where to place it seems pretty chill to me but to each their own. Cascadia has more options of play with more tiles to choose from the option to use a pine cone to pick any combo and an ever expanding boards with more and more options of placement. Simply put cascadia has infinitely more possibilities on each turn. Everyone’s brain works different though you are not the first to disagree.

I got Calico in my early phase of really getting into gaming and I loved it, played it a ton of times, but now that I have alot more games, I just don't want to play it anymore compared to all my other choices. I played Cascadia recently and I'd say it was a little better then Calico, but still not something I have any desire to play again. Compared to both of those I would much rather have Life of the Amazonia, which is a bag builder/tile layer that I liked quite a bit, the tile laying and goals part is very smilar to Cascadia, but as a bag builder you have alot more choice of what you are buying instead of a few tile choices. I recently bought Aqua, which I am worried will hit the same way Calico/Cascadia do, but the artwork is so much better for my tastes, I should get it played this week and can report back. Harmonies looks really interesting and I hope to try it at some point

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

Aqua keeps slightly interesting me each time I see the box. Amazonia fell off my radar for some reason but looking at the reviews it should probably be back on. Thanks for watching!

@Neon_Gorilla

8 күн бұрын

I just played life of Amazonia and thought of you, thanks for mentioning it, if feels like a evolution of all of these games and might just the next level.

@kimklisiak6421

8 күн бұрын

@@Neon_Gorilla Glad you hear you played it, I look forward to a review video with your thoughts compared to the others! I think evolution is a perfect description.

@Neon_Gorilla

8 күн бұрын

@@kimklisiak6421 working on it now :)

Calico is a stinker imo. Almost every game I’ve played devolves into everyone just taking whatever tile is top decked because the market is stale and no one wants them. The problem is by late game, some tiles will give you 0 points. Harmonies has the problem to a lesser degree. Cascadia has a point salad approach which leads to less feel bad feelings. The duration of Harmonies seems to be its saving grace.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

In my experience over many 2 players plays of calico I have not seen that problem, I typically complete all of the goals in either color or pattern, the brain grind comes with trying to do both and I can definitely see if you are holding trying to perfect your board how you would get locked up. I do agree the last couple tiles are usually throw aways. In harmonies it might be to a lesser degree because you select 3 at a time and are essentially picking from 15 tokens but the problem comes with what to do with the other 2 tokens that you don't need. This problem happens a couple times per games and that is more than enough to wreck your masterpiece. I agree with your Cascadia take and hadn't thought of harmonies duration as a feature. It is listed as 30-45 same as Cascadia but does feel a tad shorter. I wonder if that is because set up and takedown is easier?

@birchlover3377

Ай бұрын

Do you know about the rec to remove tiles for certain player counts? It makes the tile distribution more even.

Cascadia is my least favorite and I have played with landmarks. I feel like I am going through the motions. Calico is my favorite. I have played harmonies the other day and really liked it. I would need a few more plays to decide if it surpasses calico for me.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

Harmonies is still being played in my house so that is a good sign. Calico is good but I have probably played it the most out of them all.

Harmonies seems much more similar to Reef and Neotopia than Cascadia or Calico.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

Maybe haven’t played them. All three draft and lay tiles according to placement objectives and all three have secondary scoring objectives that have to deal with a second placement dimensions outlined by variable goals. Pretty close IMO but like I said haven’t played ther ones you mentioned.

@davebelcher3307

Ай бұрын

Reef and Neotopia both use cards to dictate the tile patterns like Harmonies. Calico does not use cards and Cascadia uses “community cards” and both are more free form.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

@@davebelcher3307 Cascadia has quite a few animal pattern cards that dictate patterns and are variable in each game like the standard scoring of harmonies and landmarks also adds personal scoring goals like harmonies animal cards.

Calico all the way. Why? Cats.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

I do love cats as well. Fan of isle of cats?

@HorseIRL

Ай бұрын

@@Neon_Gorilla Never tried it!

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

@@HorseIRL well if you a cat fan its a must

Um, you can’t have Cascadia because she’s already married to me. Unless she’s not telling me something.

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

lol, I didn’t know I had competition!

Of these three games, I have only played Cascadia, which also happens to be my wife's favorite game, so we have played it a lot. I feel like the decision space is not as wide open as your description implies. I find that I am always balancing 3 often competing factors: terrain, animal locations, and animal tokens. These impact tile selection AND placement and frequently require compromises. While the nature tokens do allow some mitigation, they tend to be in short supply. Still, I enjoyed your presentation and learned about the other two games Thank you!

@Neon_Gorilla

Ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and your feedback. Re: cascadia being wide open just because of the lack of board relative to the other two it certainly feels like there is more opportunity to me. Just my opinion though having played all three.