Finally cracked this open. Lost 136 to 144 to the Simpletons on difficulty level 2. Definitely not easy. I can’t imagine what difficulty levels 3 to 5 are like, but level 2 seems like normal mode to me. 3 is hard, 4 is expert, and 5 extreme. Regardless, I love these close scores and the gameplay. I think if I was first on only one more science track, the game would have been a tie. I personally thought I did really well, spending a lot of time planning my moves, but the AI ramped up its points in rounds 5 and 6. As a big fan of Terra Mystica, this has a permanent spot in my collection.
Agreed. I really like how this game took the best parts of Terra Mystica and Gaia Project and combined them in a way that really makes it a joy to play. Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video. I have the big box terra mystica. Looks like you can use Merchants of the Seas expansion here and variable end game scoring bonuses from the Fire and Ice expansion.
Wow that was a quick turnaround. Man feels like there so many euro releases this year. Never played the original terra mystica or Gaia project. I am definitely intrigued but admit right now I'm euro out. Will add to my list of wants when I tire on one of my heavier euros. As always thanks for the thorough explanation. Until next time.
Thanks for your thoughts on this game, very much apprectiated. Never played TM, but i LOVE GP. The game mechanics are simply great, I will now add AOI to my collection. I think it is different enough to justify having both, maybe in the same manner as Brass Birmingham and Brass Lancaster.
Thank you, John, for a glowing review. I own Terra Mystica, all expansions, and the automa box. Permanent keeper. Absolutely love it. I also had Gaia Project still in shrink, but I sold that off. I figure that since I had TM, and GP had the same basic mechanics, all I needed was TM (which has a less cluttered look to it too). Just placed my order for Age of Innovation 👍
I have Gaia and love both the theme and gameplay. Now i want TM, becouse i love Fantasy themed games as well. So, i should go with AoI right? It's better than TM? Artwork looks more detailed and vibrant at least. Also, can you play against 2 and 3 automas as you can in Gaia? 🙂
For sure. Age of Innovation is a more refined and better version of TM in my opinion. It also has a built in solo which is not part of the original TM game. As to playing against multiple bots, I am sure you can make that work but I am not sure exactly how.
Power cannot be spent unless it is in bowl 3 and you have to move from bowl 1 to bowl 2 to bowl 3 before you can spend it. However, I believe you can push and eliminate power from bowl 2 to move to bowl 3 at anytime right before you take a power action.
My opinion is Age of Innovation. It takes the best from the other games, refines it and makes it better. Also, you can mix and match a lot more content in Age of Innovation to make the game more interesting and replayable.
I’m lowkey kind of upset that I spent around $100 for the TM big box about a year ago and now this version is out. TM is a great game but now I almost feel like I have an inferior version of it. Maybe the saving grace is that the expansions are included in the big box (which I haven’t even gotten to yet). This new version looks great
I could see that issue. That’s why I think most folks who have a lot of TM content need to look closely at whether or not Age of Innovation makes sense to purchase. If you look at the rules, perhaps you could see if the expansions have made much of this a reskin or not in regards to the buildings, abilities and competencies. I never played any of the expansion content for TM, but this version certainly seemed to weave in a lot of the influences from Gaia Project.
Man I really like your channel and reviews, but it would be helpful if you could give some numeric rating or label to the games. It does not need to be 1 to 10, you can make it a "burn / dodge / play / buy" kind of thing. Or maybe "not for me / fine / great / amazing", etc.
So I try not to put a rating on things because I don’t want to influence peoples own opinions of what I am showing them. However, I will say that most of the games I review end up as an 8 which is a very broad category for me. All of my game ratings are on BGG too. In this case, I rate Age of Innovation a solid 10!
I find "generic fantasy races terraforming terrain" such a boring theme compared to aliens colonising the solar system from Gaia Project. But this looks like the most complete package with the best components.
The theme is the only bad thing about the game. I don’t know why they didn’t do a better job there. Regardless, I did make the choice actually. I sold Gaia Project in favor of Age of Innovation and am not looking back. I think it is just the most fun and most varied of all 3 of them.
I have to agree with you on this one. I typically prefer fantasy settings, but the theme of Gaia Project fits so well with the mechanics of those games. I think I prefer the resource tracks of Gaia Project compared to coin and wooden cubes.
Thank you. Great video that helped me with my learning curve.
Very glad to have helped!
Finally cracked this open. Lost 136 to 144 to the Simpletons on difficulty level 2. Definitely not easy. I can’t imagine what difficulty levels 3 to 5 are like, but level 2 seems like normal mode to me. 3 is hard, 4 is expert, and 5 extreme. Regardless, I love these close scores and the gameplay. I think if I was first on only one more science track, the game would have been a tie. I personally thought I did really well, spending a lot of time planning my moves, but the AI ramped up its points in rounds 5 and 6. As a big fan of Terra Mystica, this has a permanent spot in my collection.
Agreed. I really like how this game took the best parts of Terra Mystica and Gaia Project and combined them in a way that really makes it a joy to play. Glad you enjoyed it!
Love your videos!
Thanks, John. This is the best video explanation of the game (esp. for gamers that never played TM/GP).
Very glad to have helped! Thank you for the feedback.
Great video. I have the big box terra mystica. Looks like you can use Merchants of the Seas expansion here and variable end game scoring bonuses from the Fire and Ice expansion.
Wow that was a quick turnaround. Man feels like there so many euro releases this year. Never played the original terra mystica or Gaia project. I am definitely intrigued but admit right now I'm euro out. Will add to my list of wants when I tire on one of my heavier euros. As always thanks for the thorough explanation. Until next time.
It helped that I know TM and GP so well that I was able to jump right into this one.
Thanks for your thoughts on this game, very much apprectiated. Never played TM, but i LOVE GP. The game mechanics are simply great, I will now add AOI to my collection.
I think it is different enough to justify having both, maybe in the same manner as Brass Birmingham and Brass Lancaster.
For sure it is!
Great video! Thank you so much for showing the solo mode! (btw Gaia is pronounced: guy-uh)
Not if you learned how to say it when you were 12 playing Secret of Mana on the SNES 😂. Old habits die hard I guess. I also say Paladin wrong too!
@@JohnLaRuffawell now I can’t stop imagining how you say Paladin!
Paul-a-din 😂 but at least I know better and try to correct myself.
I think it is pronounced "Gaya Project" and not "Gaiyeah Project? Am I missing something?
No. See the other comment below.
@elqord.1118 It is, you are right.
"Guy-ya"
@willyweed1 why didn’t you tell me that before I made the video 😃
Just dub it over :D @@JohnLaRuffa
I think you started wrong. If u play against green. U normally put the workshops on forest not lakes. But a great video. Thanks for that
Thank you, John, for a glowing review. I own Terra Mystica, all expansions, and the automa box. Permanent keeper. Absolutely love it. I also had Gaia Project still in shrink, but I sold that off. I figure that since I had TM, and GP had the same basic mechanics, all I needed was TM (which has a less cluttered look to it too). Just placed my order for Age of Innovation 👍
Very cool! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
@@JohnLaRuffa I'm sure I will. And my order just shipped. They're fast!
@@realdealastrology9 love it!
I have Gaia and love both the theme and gameplay. Now i want TM, becouse i love Fantasy themed games as well. So, i should go with AoI right? It's better than TM? Artwork looks more detailed and vibrant at least.
Also, can you play against 2 and 3 automas as you can in Gaia? 🙂
For sure. Age of Innovation is a more refined and better version of TM in my opinion. It also has a built in solo which is not part of the original TM game.
As to playing against multiple bots, I am sure you can make that work but I am not sure exactly how.
22:42 is that possible when there's still power in Bowl 1? Don't you have to move that first before moving from Bowl 2 to 3?
Power cannot be spent unless it is in bowl 3 and you have to move from bowl 1 to bowl 2 to bowl 3 before you can spend it. However, I believe you can push and eliminate power from bowl 2 to move to bowl 3 at anytime right before you take a power action.
where did you get this? I can't seam to find it anywhere as I would like to play it... thanks...
I ordered directly from Capstone Games
@@JohnLaRuffa got it thanks....
Thanks for the playthrough, John. I think I am going to pass on this one, at least for now.
Which game from this series is best for solo?
My opinion is Age of Innovation. It takes the best from the other games, refines it and makes it better. Also, you can mix and match a lot more content in Age of Innovation to make the game more interesting and replayable.
Missed a few of latest games coming out,this included but this totally my type of game.
I would love to say I don’t chase new game releases…but then I would be a complete liar.
@@JohnLaRuffa Not wild about colours on main board but hey ho.
I’m lowkey kind of upset that I spent around $100 for the TM big box about a year ago and now this version is out. TM is a great game but now I almost feel like I have an inferior version of it. Maybe the saving grace is that the expansions are included in the big box (which I haven’t even gotten to yet). This new version looks great
I could see that issue. That’s why I think most folks who have a lot of TM content need to look closely at whether or not Age of Innovation makes sense to purchase. If you look at the rules, perhaps you could see if the expansions have made much of this a reskin or not in regards to the buildings, abilities and competencies. I never played any of the expansion content for TM, but this version certainly seemed to weave in a lot of the influences from Gaia Project.
Someone at gen con said the same thing.
Man I really like your channel and reviews, but it would be helpful if you could give some numeric rating or label to the games. It does not need to be 1 to 10, you can make it a "burn / dodge / play / buy" kind of thing. Or maybe "not for me / fine / great / amazing", etc.
So I try not to put a rating on things because I don’t want to influence peoples own opinions of what I am showing them. However, I will say that most of the games I review end up as an 8 which is a very broad category for me. All of my game ratings are on BGG too. In this case, I rate Age of Innovation a solid 10!
@@JohnLaRuffa oh wow, from your video I thought it was an 8. Will start looking up your BGG ratings then :-) what is your username there?
@@crepusculo1027 magnus1515
I find "generic fantasy races terraforming terrain" such a boring theme compared to aliens colonising the solar system from Gaia Project. But this looks like the most complete package with the best components.
The theme is the only bad thing about the game. I don’t know why they didn’t do a better job there. Regardless, I did make the choice actually. I sold Gaia Project in favor of Age of Innovation and am not looking back. I think it is just the most fun and most varied of all 3 of them.
I have to agree with you on this one. I typically prefer fantasy settings, but the theme of Gaia Project fits so well with the mechanics of those games. I think I prefer the resource tracks of Gaia Project compared to coin and wooden cubes.