Merchants of the Dark Road | The Dark Rd is Actually Quite Light | Board Game Review
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- čas přidán 13. 07. 2024
- Are you being followed?? Don't worry! It's just your pesky competing caravan friends here to join you on your travels! They tell you "the more the merrier" as you face the great unknown.... right before they steal your bounty. But not to worry you've got bigger problems... a caravan full of stuff to sell and deliver! So quickly make you way around and around (and around) town and maximise your money and prestige. That'll show those other merchants. :)
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:31 Theme overview (Themer)
01:08 Mechanics overview (Thinker)
07:40 Beautiful components & aesthetics
10:08 Does it feel thematic?
13:21 Not tense, not punishing
14:43 Multiplayer solitaire (aside from the follow mechanic…)
15:52 Is it a game for Amy?
18:13 Favourite player count
19:11 Is it a game for Maggie? (and more thoughts)
20:36 Solo mode
23:00 Wrap up
For more information: boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3...
Thanks for stopping by! 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? ❤🏳️🌈🇦🇺
Just stopping by the comments section to say that I continue to really enjoy your all content! So full of light and love while also giving top-tier game reviews/overviews - comprehensive, reasoned, informative and really well presented to boot. You two rock. 🙌🏼
Thank you for such a lovely comment Andy... this really made our day! Thanks for your support and we are so glad you enjoy our content 🥰
We ultimately had a similar experience with this game. It’s definitely solid and the world that they have created is something I hope to see more games set in but it wasn’t quite a slam dunk and often I found the coolest parts of the game to me were things that you interacted with the least which was unfortunate. Absolutely gorgeous though. Elf Creek’s production value is second to none
I think this game is going to fill a nice niche in my collection. I gravitate towards heavier economic euro games (Brass, Barrage, Imperial Steam, etc) and recently have been getting into Lacerda. That said, my partner and i LOVE the Garphill Kingdom series. She is also a big fan of pick up and deliver and non-tense/open gameplay. This looks like it will fit right into our rotation when a heavier game isnt wanted!
This is exactly where it fits in my collection and why I enjoy it!
Our group has the same taste as well (Lacerda, Brass, Carnegie,...). Wonder if you've got this game and how do you like it?
It's reviews like this one that makes me want to cry. I didn't back this one. Thank you for another Great review!
Aww! They sold sooo many so I'm confident you will be able to pick it up in the future! Thanks for watching as always Monica!! 💖
@@ThinkerThemer Maybe at DTW!
Great review, I actually really enjoy this game and regret now not spending the money for the deluxe version... the upgrades are SO cool! I'm with you Maggie that running a solo AI distracts you from what you are trying to do, but I do like the one in this game - it actually feels almost like playing with another person. I keep forgetting you can add the AI in when playing with other people, I need to try that!
While I agree this game is on the lighter side, I don't agree that it's a good gateway game. I've tried to teach it to a couple of new gamers and they just get overwhelmed and sort of freeze up not knowing what to do or where to start. For more experienced gamers like us, it seems pretty simple: pick up goods, sell goods, deliver goods, repeat. So it feels light and easy, but it's just too much to take in for someone new to board gaming - not one I would use to introduce anyone to the hobby (even though aesthetically it's a great one to get people excited to play). I'd say it's that step right after gateway games, for those who are newer players but understand modern board game mechanics... or for gamers like me who don't mind a light game when it looks awesome and you get to roll dice! :)
Haha yes you're right perhaps Gateway plus 😀 I do like that the simple steps are quite easy to understand and that a newer player can focus on just doing one delivery at a time rather than optimising or thinking ahead for the next order / follow opportunity. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and super happy to hear that you've been enjoying this one! 💖
Hey Steve, I've had both the Deluxe version and Standard version and I actually sold the Deluxe version. The Standard version is a much smaller box (by almost half) which makes a big difference on my shelf or taking to a friend's for game night. I found the organizer tray (which is the reason for the larger box) in the Deluxe version an obstacle when it came to setting up the game. It was as if it was created just to hold everything but with no real thought as to what went where. Some components were even buried under layers of dice which are not that easy to remove once they are dropped into place. It's true the upgraded components are nice, and I'm usually on board with that. But what I did was upgrade to the dual-layer player boards (for $20) which came with the silk-screened player meeples and I'm happy with just that. I may go for the metal coins sometime in the future if I find them for a good price, but right now at $30+, I can pass.
Just thought I would share so you didn't have too much FOMO. ;)'
So excited to see this review come out! I actually have the deluxe version on order from Elfcreek Games. I really wish it was a little more crunchy! I don’t mind so much the multiplayer solitaire, but I do prefer a little bit heavier tense game. Maybe I can eventually get Laura to play it since it is somewhat lightweight and the production is so beautiful 😁. Maggie thanks so much for the solo perspective! It doesn’t sound like one I will be pulling off the shelf for a solo game. There are so many other great games for that. I might learn it that way, but will probably be it. I am still excited and looking forward to receiving the game and getting it to the table. Of course shelf space is getting tight, so we will see if it stays in my collection. Then again, I am sooo bad at culling 😳. Thanks again for another awesome review!! Was such a great surprise when I woke up this morning for work and grabbed my cup of coffee! Have an awesome week!
Yesss it definitely has table presence and gives the feel of a big game without being as intimidating so maybe you're right in that it will be the perfect way to continue luring Laura further into the hobby!!! Thank you as always for taking your time to provide your thoughts about our review! Cant wait to meet you both soon ❤
Hi Amy and Maggie! Thanks for another lovely video, you both are such greater reviewers. I took a little break from CZcams but coming back I saw that I have a a couple of great ThinkerThemer videos waiting for me 😊 Can't wait to watch them all! Thanks again for the lovely video :-) Take care ladies!
💕Thank you for watching & for commenting as always!
Another thoughtful review, as all your videos have been. Whether I’m interested in the game or not I always have to watch your review of it. 😊 I am curious about one thing, though, as it seems to me that while you frequently mention a game’s publisher, you do not mention a game’s designer as often unless they are extremely well known. I was just wondering why that was. Looking forward to you hitting the 10K subs club!
Thank you so much for that kind feedback...! It really means a lot to us. The thoughtful question is really helpful too! The terrible answer is that there is no reason for that at all except for our memories and the fact that we don't script anything. I think we've not gotten into the habit of it and that is absolutely something we will work on because it's really important. Thank you for raising it, and your ongoing support 💖🌈
Hi Amy. Once again, our styles align. I backed this because of the publisher and the comments. I don’t like pick up and deliver games so I ended up selling it before playing. Based on your review, I think I made the right choice:)
Thanks for watching Steve and I'm glad the review was able to help with whether or not you'd made the right choice for you! I'm sure you've made another gamer with different taste very happy 😁 have a great weekend!
The components for this game look amazing. So many games nowadays have really upgraded the aesthetics. Thanks for the honest review, suspect this is too light vs the cost for my collection.
Yeah it felt lighter than we anticipated. Beautiful table presence. Thanks for watching and for your support always!
OMG you didn't get the metal coins??? :) Seriously though, this looks like a gorgeous presentation, but I think it would wear thin for us pretty quickly. I really appreciate the review. This is a good example of a game I might have purchased (if I had known about it) and then it just sat on the shelf. This still looks like a great game for those looking for a lighter experience though. Thanks so much for the informative video!
Is it weird that I want them even if the game is not for us?? I feel that speaks volumes about my FOMO. Lol. Thanks for watching as always and glad the review was helpful. 🥰
What a lovely review. I wish it were crunchier cause this game has entered my radar, since it has a lot of mechanics I would love to interact with. But I'll be happy to demo it somewhere rather than buy it, but those components make it rather tempting. But thanks again for another lovely review!
Yeah it’s a nice mix and a pleasant experience overall. Definitely worth trying out at some point to check if the level of crunchiness will mean it will see the table enough. Thank you for watching and for your support as always!
Thanks for the review! Love the publisher but feeling good about my decision not backing this one. Both your points struck a chord with me and yeah... pick up and deliver is also one of my least favorite mechanisms as well😅 Keep up the amazing work and having fun 🙂
Thanks for watching!! Loving the continued evolution of your content... the cat was 😙👌 Going to any cons this year?
@@ThinkerThemer lol you are too kind! Thank you! 😹😹 For cons I'm thinking about Dice Tower West. Flights are affordable but I'm late to the party so hotels are a bit booked up!! I'll be looking closer into it this weekend! :)
Eeeeee hope to meet you there!!! 😀
@@ThinkerThemer that would be the best ☺️ I'll let you know if I am able to make it!
@@ThinkerThemer For Dice Tower West, I think I just caught wind of it too late. It was getting too expensive with all things considered 😅 BUT I'll be looking into Geekway, Origins, & GenCon, gencon looked difficult for hotels so that one is unlikely as well 🥲
I'm too slow on this stuff!
Those lanterns look extravagant.
They’re pretty cool to play with. Love a tactile element. And they definitely look great. Thank you for watching & for commenting!
Fwiw, I just read the rules leaflet for the Patron's provisions and there it is stated in regards to the companions using Quartz: "The intelligent animals use blazing quartz to warm their homes, and many of them have learned to trade with humans for it.' ;D
Thanks as always for your review, I'm a bit disappointed that most reviewers don't seem to feel very favourably towards this game, hopefully I'll get to try it and see for myself soon.
Oh that’s a great insight into the link between the quartz and the companions! Thanks for that 💕 And definitely give it a go and check out the experience for yourself. It’s not a bad game. It’s nice and enjoyable as a medium weight experience. For me (Maggie here), for some reason, I anticipated it would be a heavier game from the campaign, which is why I then felt a bit wanting in the crunch area. But it can be a great experience for a group that wants a low confrontation experience with beautiful components and table presence. There’s always something you can get that can be useful a couple turns later. Thank you for watching & for commenting!
Thank you, Maggie! :)
As it turns out, your impressions seem to align with my own experience after all, I played a solo-game the other day and it's probably not a game for me either, pickup and delivery has never been a favourite genre of mine and overall there wasn't enough asymmetry or escalation throughout the game for my personal tastes. It does look absolutely stunning though!
Yeah I think that’s a great point. There isn’t really anything that makes it feel like the game evolves or that one becomes more powerful as time goes by. So it stays in a sense of picking up and delivering until the end. The only exception is the caravan upgrade tile, but that’s not a huge game changer. Thanks for the update post game! 😊
If you like beautiful games with a lot of strategic possibilities I wholeheartedly recommend Bitoku. It slipped under the radar for most, but it's gaining traction and its BGG score reflects the love it is receiving. I think it's a wonderful game.
Hi Amy and Maggie...thanks for your review. I'm always interested in your view points and you covered this one so well. I agree with mostly all of it. I still enjoy the game, for the lighter game that it is in my collection, though I'm not sure it's a good gateway game. It looks so pretty once all set up. I play quite a bit solo and this one gets tabled enough to keep for now. I really like the theme and the components. I ditched my deluxe version, however (that insert, oh dear), and grabbed some dual-layer player boards.
I wonder if an expansion is in the future for MotDR.
I forewent the deluxe edition, but did splurge for the coins. They are the single nicest set of coins I have ever seen. For those who love this game and didn't get them I would highly recommend picking them up at retail. I feel very similar to your experiences with this game after one play. I hope to play it at least a handful of more times before deciding if it stays on my shelf. That said I will most likely keep the coins and just use them in other games. They are just too beautiful to part with.
Really wished we’d gotten the coins. The shape is so unique! Really nice detail. Thank you for watching and for commenting!
very glad to hear your review for this game.. i've been going back and forth because the mechanics don't exactly sound like my cup of tea but Jeff&Jamie over at foster the meeple love it so much and i trust a lot of their other choices of games so i've been really torn! I'd say my partner and i are medium-weight gamers primarily, so i don't totally mind the occasional light game, but i think light plus pickup-deliver is maybe not the ideal combo for me.. but then also its so pretty... hmm decisions decisions...
Yeah I’d say this sits in medium-light for us. It’s not super light, but it just doesn’t feel like a lot of tension because nothing is really ever too punishing. Which is why it makes for a pleasant game experience. But the pick up and deliver element is very central to it and it feels like pick up and delivery so if that’s not something you usually enjoy, then definitely try to play someone else’s copy first before committing to buying. Thank you for watching & for commenting!
Very interesting how you both feel it's a sort of less intensive, relaxing sort of game... almost at a Gateway Game level. That was a paraphrase of what I heard you say, anyway. It's interesting, because my group is full of AP prone players, and they all really got into AP mode with this game, very much!
Several players (me included) were trying to plan several turns in advance, as that's pretty much what you have to do as it can take a few turns to achieve a result. But then other players will change the game state between your turns, forcing you to have to adapt on the fly. Now when an AP prone person needs to adapt on the fly, it's not a very "relaxing" experience! ☺️
Hopefully the upcoming expansion will address some of the "crunchiness" issues.
That’s an interesting point. And definitely can see how it could be stressful for people who are AP prone. I guess we felt it as relaxing when compared to some of the punishing games we’ve played where even if there isn’t a lot of choice, you can make critical optimisation errors that destroy your chances for the rest of the game. Whereas this felt like you always had choices and they would all give you something you could benefit from a few steps later. But I guess it’s those various choices that can trigger AP. Thanks for watching and for commenting!
@@ThinkerThemer Yeah, that's exactly what I was talking about... this game presents a ton of choices to the player, all the while with the player needing to choose the best actions so to not let their money outgain their Prestige and vice versa. Thus I can imagine (and have seen) a few AP prone players almost melt down when faced with trying to figure out the most optimal path to take over the next few turns, ESPECIALLY since there are SO many paths to choose from!
Whereas the more punishing games you speak of, typically present only one or two best paths, with the punishment coming if you choose wrong.
That pun :')
You see me 🥲
Sorry Erin took too long ☺️😉 at the 4 player count! Haha 😂 maybe it was me too!
Hahahahah noooooo definitely a function of the game not the players 😂😂😂 and we played it many many more times... we loved our game with you both! 🥰
I love pick up and deliver but this one never called to me.
Great review! Regarding breeziness - would you say it’s comparable with Parks in that sense? That’s a game I think of as being relatively lightweight which is nonetheless elevated enormously by its beautiful theme
I’d say it’s definitely heavier than parks with heavier decisions
@@scorpian223 agreed much heavier than parks
Yes! What everyone said 👆 Parks is definitely much lighter but I think Merchants sets higher expectations of weight; multiple mechanics, huge box/lots and lots of components & rules... but then ultimately the game itself is fairly straightforward. Thanks for watching and for the kind words 💖
Yup gorgeous game... but have been hearing enough reviewers not too enthusiastic about the gameplay. That's a pity. Agree you don't want it just to be laying there.
I'll give it 2022. And otherwise I'll have to ditch this one into the dark.
It is a pity for us because it is so beautiful but I'm sure a gamer with lighter tastes is going to enjoy picking up our deluxe edition ... you know, when we actually get around to selling some games 😅😳 thanks for watching Sebastian!
@@ThinkerThemer Please let us know when you sell this one - it might be the right weight for me (and I'm in Oz!)
Great review. This one does look beautiful, but it's a shame the game play is on the bland side. Always appreciate your honesty.
Thank you for the lovely feedback Craig. Glad it was useful! Maybe not bland just... on the simpler side vs. what we were expected or what it could've been!! ☺
I actually had a pledge but canceled, because while I liked the theme, I didn't like the art.
Oh interesting. I guess it is definitely a very specific aesthetic they went for. Thank you for watching & for commenting!