1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,840 Welcome to Meeple to Meeple uniting players around the 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,600 world, a 30 minute exploration of PJ and Gareth's four-game 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:09,520 experiences from across both sides of the Atlantic. 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:12,720 Each episode, they share their thoughts and opinions on the 5 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,280 World of War games, including their favorite themes, games, 6 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:20,160 hot topics, and much, much more. Hey, guys, and welcome to 7 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,920 episode 66, Darwin's Journey by Thunder Grift Games. 8 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,320 That's what we're going to talk about today, as always. 9 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:29,400 I'm PJ. And I'm Gareth. 10 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,280 How are you Sir? I've got a Husky voice again. 11 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:35,560 Remember the episode last year that you know people loved the 12 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,560 Husky Gareth while he's back? I think there were some memes of 13 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,040 like a Husky with your face, yeah. 14 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:45,000 Put it Yep, he's back. Husky Gareth is back, folks. 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:46,960 Surrounded by people you might we did miss. 16 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,480 We missed an episode last week. We didn't miss an episode. 17 00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:53,360 We didn't record an episode because I was away for the 18 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,840 weekends and then got stuck in that storm coming home. 19 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:58,320 And I was. Holed up inside. 20 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,280 An ice storm, yeah. And then I was three days away, 21 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,160 so you missed. Everyone's been ill for weeks 22 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:08,160 and I thought, I'm doing well here, I've avoided it and then 23 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,800 midweek and I've got a sore throat, but hopefully I'll just 24 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,000 go away. It can do one, but we're here 25 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,080 and we're going to have Darwin's journey, which? 26 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,360 Was we? Had a lot of games of last year. 27 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,400 One of my personal games last year and you got this game for. 28 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:27,600 Christmas So we had a long journey this past week and we 29 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,480 thought it would be appropriate to talk about Darwin's journey. 30 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:34,440 Yeah, top game. So if anyone doesn't know about 31 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,040 Darwin's journey, it was released. 32 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:37,840 I think it was a it was a Kickstarter. 33 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:41,000 It took a while to get. Yeah, yeah. 34 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:43,840 Can I please? Can I? 35 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:46,000 Can I please tell? Can I read the description? 36 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:47,720 I love you. You read the description. 37 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:49,320 I want to read the description of this game because this is 38 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:51,480 amazing. So for those of you who aren't 39 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,360 familiar, Darwin's Journey is a worker placement game where 40 00:01:55,360 --> 00:02:00,800 players recall Charles Darwin's memories and his adventures to 41 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,040 the Galapagos Islands. Here's my favorite part right 42 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:05,320 here. This is what I want to read 43 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:08,479 because I think this is what makes this game shine. 44 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:12,200 I know we're going to talk about it with an innovative worker 45 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,560 progression system. Each worker studies the 46 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,320 disciplines required to perform many actions in the game, such 47 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,400 as island exploration, ocean navigation, and correspondence 48 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:25,160 I. Love it. 49 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:33,360 It is a delightful working placement game every action and 50 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,400 you start with four workers. You can lock a fifth one. 51 00:02:36,640 --> 00:02:39,680 You can. Can go to certain spaces 52 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,400 depending on their specialism, which is depicted by seals. 53 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,040 These lovely little rubbery seals in the deluxe version. 54 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:48,720 Cardboard in. The cardboard in our in our 55 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:49,840 version. The standard version. 56 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:54,320 There are green, green, blue, yellow, red and then the purple 57 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:58,120 is wild. Wild and I guess blue is sailing 58 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,080 ships. Yes, green is adventuring across 59 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,000 the islands. Yes, yellow. 60 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,440 Is correspondence. And then Red is getting more 61 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,080 seals. Yeah, it's like adding the seals 62 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:13,080 to your workers and that's the innovative worker progression 63 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,080 system. Yeah, you add those seals to 64 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,000 make your workers more diverse or stronger so they can take 65 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:25,320 better actions from those four. It honestly, every time I play 66 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:30,640 it, I just have such a fun, engaging game throughout from 67 00:03:30,640 --> 00:03:33,080 the moment. I mean, the board is so the 68 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:37,080 board is double sided in a deluxe is a standard version. 69 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,080 If you hit it over, you've got the Fire lens map. 70 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,880 Is that same. So it's double sided for one to 71 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:51,120 three players and then the other side is for four plus, right? 72 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:55,040 Yes, I'm looking at the for four players. 73 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,480 So you have a one to three player side, flip it over, it's 74 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:07,440 a four player side and then the expansion has an overlay that 75 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,640 you fit over the base game, right. 76 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,160 It's really interesting. That's it. 77 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,600 Yeah, that's incredible. I do feel that the full size of 78 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,880 the expansion for Our lands is the full game that feels like 79 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,280 the absolute perfection and the standard game. 80 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:30,160 I mean it's still still good enough in terms of decision 81 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:33,320 making that when you put a worker down if you're first in 82 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,720 that kind of book. Yeah, there's like free to go. 83 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:41,200 There's three journals, 2 pages each. 84 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:43,560 So each page is one of the actions, right? 85 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:46,400 And if you're the first one, you're free. 86 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:51,320 Otherwise, you have to pay a $3 penalty if someone else has gone 87 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:53,120 there, including one of your workers. 88 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,520 Yeah, it's expensive. Well, I love those. 89 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,280 There's there's that journal where you've got kind of, yeah, 90 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:03,080 the unique 6 actions for that game, there's quite a few to to 91 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,000 randomly choose. You can use a pre predefined set 92 00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:10,400 and then you go there and that's again that's based on the number 93 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:11,840 of seals. Right. 94 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,120 The combination maybe 2 greens and two Blues, but when you open 95 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,800 that location up you get that free action that really can help 96 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,520 get some big old combos. Yes, yes. 97 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:29,760 I think the I think there's, I mean it's 3.85 out of five, so 98 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,600 it's quite a heavy medium heavyweight. 99 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:39,280 No, really, it really is. You've got to manage your your 100 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:42,280 money very closely. Yeah, it really did. 101 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,720 And you've got, there's so many ways, there's so many ways to 102 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:49,800 score points in this game, right. 103 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:53,880 I just finished playing it before this recording. 104 00:05:54,840 --> 00:05:58,240 Katie and I. And I kind of I was handicapped 105 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,680 at the very beginning of the game because as I told you, the 106 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:05,400 colors, the only colors I had access to was blue and green. 107 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,120 So I could take the sale action and the exploration action 108 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,840 couldn't take correspondence. I had no way to get more seals 109 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:17,760 to progress my workers. And so I was terrified in round 110 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:19,400 one. And I'm like, OK, so I've got to 111 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:25,360 be really careful and I ended up a lot of sale actions. 112 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:30,040 And yeah, I managed to, as long as I stayed ahead of the Beagle, 113 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,800 right? Because the Beagle is kind of a 114 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,880 all the Beagle really is is a is a round, a round. 115 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,200 Market, it's a round market, but it's pushing you to explore 116 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:40,480 otherwise you get negative points. 117 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:42,640 I mean you can. You can even mitigate that you 118 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,360 can. So at the end of each round 119 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:52,320 there will be a a scoring based on the position of the Beagle. 120 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:58,160 Do do you have this many seals? Do you have this many icons on 121 00:06:58,160 --> 00:06:59,760 your player board? Whatever it is, you get this 122 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:05,000 many points and then the Beagle advances to the next position 123 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,400 and then just I I've never done this before. 124 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,840 I stayed ahead of it, yeah, the entire game, which I usually 125 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,280 don't do, but I had a lot of blue seals, so I was taking the 126 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,920 sale action. It does take. 127 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:20,880 Yeah. Some of the stress away if you 128 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,960 can keep ahead because yes, unless you've mitigated it where 129 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:27,320 you can, you can cap the Max number point you lose. 130 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:31,480 But the other, the other problem with the fires, the Fire Land 131 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:36,160 expansion, is the the movement of time. 132 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:38,200 Oh yeah, which is negative point. 133 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,760 And then you start the game with like -10 points. 134 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,840 So you have to you have to sail and explore and cross the 135 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:50,480 ribbons where there's a little token which then lets you draw 136 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,960 the corresponding card. And they're both really good. 137 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:59,040 But time passes, and the further time passes, the more negative 138 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,160 points you have at the end of the game, unless you mitigate 139 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:03,920 that later on. All about, well, it's all about 140 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:04,800 mitigation. Every. 141 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,640 Yeah. So whether you're you're saying 142 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,640 the seas with the Beagle, which again you can take a slightly 143 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,200 longer path sometimes to get some nice rewards or you can 144 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:15,840 just sound straight. Then you've got the islands 145 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,840 where you can explore and depending on the version, you've 146 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:22,720 either got three or four, maybe even 5 different island routes, 147 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:27,800 all of which give you the chance to find and study specimens. 148 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:32,960 Obviously when you find those, you mark them on your map and 149 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:35,360 that give you a chance to gain coins if particularly of the 150 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,320 first of that type. And then on the main board you 151 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:43,039 can then send those off back to London, I think it is. 152 00:08:44,039 --> 00:08:45,920 And if you have missed out on certain animals and you can 153 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,400 study those in the museum, there's always wait. 154 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,640 There's always something you can do and there are spaces that 155 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:56,480 don't cost you a penalty to get maybe your own personal 156 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,280 objectives, but there's always something to do. 157 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,440 But my favorite part about the game is when you pull off like a 158 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,200 three action combo. So you go here and you might do 159 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:11,480 a exploration thing and that gives you two like a little 160 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:13,200 tent. You put a tent down that gives 161 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,880 you, that gives you a boat action, the boat action you move 162 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:20,000 and that gives you other museum study action. 163 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:22,560 Before you know it, you've got 3 or 4 combos and you've scored a 164 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:25,840 ton of points. They are the favorite parts to 165 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:27,840 pull off when you when you do that part of the game. 166 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:32,240 If you pull them off, which, let's be honest, I don't. 167 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:33,920 Oh. PJ. 168 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,160 Oh no, I'm not that good. I'm not that smart. 169 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,880 That's definitely the that's the that's the best part of Darwin's 170 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:45,640 journeys is you can pull off some incredible combos and 171 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:49,040 sometimes they just appear. I can do that and then do that, 172 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:50,840 but they could. You know, there's also the bit 173 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,200 of waiting for your turn because like if you haven't got the 174 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,560 coins and you can't go to space, who else has been to? 175 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:59,280 So first player order is really important. 176 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:02,480 I think it is. It is incredibly important, 177 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,480 probably more so than in any other game I've played. 178 00:10:06,680 --> 00:10:08,640 Yeah, if you end up being last, you do. 179 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:12,120 You do need to bump bump yourself up, right? 180 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:16,000 Because if you're. Yeah, I've lost because I've 181 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,840 been lost, definitely because I've not at least had a couple 182 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,600 of goes to be in first place. If you're the first player in 183 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,960 Darwin's journey, you're guaranteed at least one action 184 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:28,840 where you won't have to pay $3. Yeah, yeah. 185 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,680 And that's huge, especially in a two player game, right? 186 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,320 Like, yeah, yeah, I think it. I mean it. 187 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,240 I can't imagine it in a three and four player game because 188 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,120 then it's going to get really tight really quickly. 189 00:10:44,560 --> 00:10:46,920 Yeah, I think in four players the books are divided up 190 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,320 slightly more. I can't think now there's little 191 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:52,720 red dividers, isn't there? Depending on the player, count 192 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,040 how many of? Those, that is a good question. 193 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:56,720 Zones there are. I can see you're reaching for 194 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:00,680 the rule, but now I am. I mean, Ball Game Geek says it 195 00:11:00,680 --> 00:11:05,880 plays best with three, but no one says says any negative about 196 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:09,400 the player count. It generally plays well at 197 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:14,040 recommended one player, two player and four player, best 198 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:15,760 with three and it will be probably a little bit of 199 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,480 downtime, but we've played four and three. 200 00:11:19,560 --> 00:11:21,560 The only player count I haven't played is solo, actually. 201 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:23,400 No, neither have I. Not yet. 202 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:26,800 You're so you're right. In a four player game, there's 203 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:30,560 like a red ribbon in this in between the two spine. 204 00:11:30,560 --> 00:11:34,440 Of the journal, yeah. So that it divides things up. 205 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:37,360 So it's possible. Just make it slightly. 206 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:39,000 Otherwise, yeah, you'd be hanging out. 207 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,800 So much coin. Yeah, So what? 208 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:43,200 What? What I also like is that the 209 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,280 game comes with some additional cards. 210 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,320 And again, I don't remember, but these are Kickstarter bits. 211 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:49,600 But you can start with some pets. 212 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:51,840 Have you got the pets? No. 213 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:56,880 So there's a there's like little pets like a let's say a cat, a 214 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:01,240 parrot typically and it you pick one of those, it allows you to 215 00:12:03,560 --> 00:12:06,760 basically have a little bit of starting resource and a one off 216 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:08,680 action you can flip once in a game. 217 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:12,000 So whenever we teach it, those are added to the game. 218 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:13,960 Well, that's nice. It's nice. 219 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,320 We don't have that. We do have the The Crew cards. 220 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:18,560 Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, they're good. 221 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:25,280 So like if you if you achieve a a certain number of specific 222 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:31,000 colour seals to one worker, that'll unlock the crew card and 223 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,920 then the crew joins your ship's crew. 224 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,920 It basically if one of your meeples becomes that crew. 225 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:43,400 Yeah, yeah. I think it's in this game where 226 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:47,000 when you set the board up and you randomize both the actions, 227 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:50,640 those six actions which are unique and you see the rewards 228 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,520 at the bottom of the board for where the Beagle is right? 229 00:12:53,560 --> 00:12:59,120 And you look at your drafted crew hands, it does help you set 230 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:03,120 out a really good strategy. Because if you haven't, if if 231 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:08,000 the scoring is all about, let's say, fauna or flora or species, 232 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,200 then you might do more adventuring. 233 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:16,000 And it's all about, I don't know, certain seals that you 234 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:20,600 might put more investment into. Those sailors, those sailors, if 235 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:22,800 you do get the right combination, which might limit 236 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:27,240 you elsewhere, they do often give some very nice one off 237 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,640 actions. So yeah, definitely requires 238 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,800 probably to play to the stuff you've been given, but then 239 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,800 adapt as the game goes on and you can see how the rest of the 240 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:39,560 I guess the players are starting to play. 241 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:46,000 I think if I had one criticism of the game right and then I'll 242 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:48,200 challenge you to provide one criticism as well. 243 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:53,520 So to be fair, is the design of the box so the box is too 244 00:13:53,520 --> 00:14:00,120 shallow because when you put everything in it, the lid has 245 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,600 too much of A lift for such a shallow box. 246 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:07,840 This makes here I've got the deluxe and it's yours. 247 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,280 Got storage in it like storage boxes. 248 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:14,880 No. Because I was, I would say it's 249 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:19,760 one of the best storage boxes. Going not to give you an issue 250 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,400 about the Foamer of not having the Kickstart deluxe version 251 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:23,920 right? Well, if you. 252 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,680 Isn't that interesting? If you have the retail, it's 253 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,640 it's a thin box. What we should do is we should 254 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:32,560 take photographs for our Instagram post this week. 255 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:36,200 Yes of your box. The storage solution. 256 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,600 Yep. And I guess those things that if 257 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,400 you because it was a long Kickstarter, I think it was. 258 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:43,680 It felt like it dragged on for a long time. 259 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,240 Like I think it When did it go live? 260 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,600 Like because you you backed it on Kickstarter we bought. 261 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:51,560 It. You put it real in a store, 262 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:56,600 yeah. It definitely was a long, a long 263 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:03,000 journey, yeah. Now I'm looking through through 264 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:07,040 Kickstart trying to find it. Here we go. 265 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:12,040 So it originally launched, yes, it funded the 20th of Jan 2021. 266 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:16,000 OK. So must have been a December, 267 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:18,200 because the world is still crazy. 268 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:23,720 Yeah. Funded for just shy of just over 269 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:28,920 $1,000,000 a million euros. OK. 16,000 backers. 270 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,880 So how about 1 criticism? Your turn. 271 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:35,920 Do you have one criticism of the game? 272 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:44,400 There is, there are times and I feel that I've lost midway 273 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:46,680 through the game. So there are times when just 274 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:48,960 because of of that at the beginning, if you haven't 275 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:54,040 necessarily played efficiently or effectively, it's quite hard 276 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,480 to catch up. So it can be punishing. 277 00:15:56,640 --> 00:16:01,800 Yeah, it can be punishing. And the other thing is it, it's 278 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:04,160 obviously it, it's quite a heavy game. 279 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:05,280 It is. It's not. 280 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:07,680 It's not a game you're going to get out for a family games 281 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:11,640 afternoon. Well, but it's interesting that 282 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:14,320 you say that so. Quite a few people. 283 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:18,320 Katie and I managed to. We were so before we were 284 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,200 getting ready to record this afternoon, Katie and I were 285 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:23,960 like, you can we play this? Because we wanted to play it 286 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:25,400 before so we could talk about it. 287 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:29,120 It was fresh and we had like an hour and 35 minutes. 288 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:33,680 So we played A2 player game of Darwin's journey from set up to 289 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:38,360 completion and had time to do chores in an hour and a half. 290 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:41,600 So, So two players, Yeah. I think 2 player works very 291 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:43,160 nicely. It really does. 292 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,120 Even three players would probably add maybe 20-30. 293 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:48,120 Minutes. Yeah, I think, yeah. 294 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,880 I think we plays the Friday with our friend Adrian and I think we 295 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:53,840 get for it pretty quick. Yeah. 296 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:57,040 Certainly for for for this year, right. 297 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:00,680 For the weight of it, right. It's not like set up 4 hours 298 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:04,560 later we finished. Yeah, it's so again, the geek, 299 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:08,480 the box says it's between an hour and two hours, and now and 300 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:12,040 then it'll be fast, I mean. I don't know that we could play 301 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:15,880 it in an in an hour, little over an hour, two players, 302 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:17,119 absolutely. So. 303 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:20,760 So it's definitely worker placement. 304 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,000 There's a lot of resource management, primarily your 305 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,119 money. It's that worker progression 306 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,640 system that really through the course of the seals, making your 307 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:36,880 workers more prevalent. So I have one other segment of 308 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:38,760 this conversation that I was thinking about. 309 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:42,440 I've written down three of them. If you don't have any, that's 310 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:46,200 OK. How about can you name three 311 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:51,440 games that this that Darwin's Journey is similar to? 312 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:57,240 So if someone has had hasn't played Darwin's Journey, what is 313 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:00,080 it similar to? Or if they have played Darwin's 314 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,920 Journey, what else would you recommend? 315 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,880 Yes, I I was just looking at the two designers, thinking to 316 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:07,920 myself. Yeah. 317 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:12,640 What games have they made that are similar but Darwin's 318 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:16,800 journey? You want me to go first since 319 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:18,840 I'm going? To put the other spot I was 320 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,960 thinking. So we were looking in our 321 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,360 collection and we think the Darwin's journey is really 322 00:18:24,360 --> 00:18:27,680 similar in style and gameplay to Newton. 323 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:32,960 Is that who's that by? So Newton is actually by Seamon. 324 00:18:33,360 --> 00:18:37,080 Yeah, same same designer. It's it's a it's Seamon. 325 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:39,800 No Seamon. Cool Mini or not? 326 00:18:40,360 --> 00:18:43,640 Oh no, I'm I'm actual designer. Yeah, Yep. 327 00:18:46,120 --> 00:18:48,040 Luciano. Luciano, Luciani. 328 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,960 Yep. It plays very similar, right? 329 00:18:52,120 --> 00:18:54,440 So you know. I've not played it, so do I need 330 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:55,960 to get Newton? It would be the question. 331 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,960 I think you do. It's just different enough. 332 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,480 There's there's different, there's a travelling around 333 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:09,400 Europe track, there's a studying track, there's there's a a 334 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:13,800 technology tree where you're sending students to school in 335 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,720 Newton. And so it has that similar 336 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:22,880 playability but your management of resources is not as tight but 337 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,720 you've got to manage your actions really well. 338 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:31,000 And Newton plays well at 2:00 to 4:00, so it scales well and we 339 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,480 feel like Darwin's journey and and Newton are just, you know, 340 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,640 if you if you played Newton, Darwin's journey is a great 341 00:19:38,360 --> 00:19:40,240 option. If you played Darwin's Journey, 342 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:41,520 you're looking for something similar. 343 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:43,560 Newton. I think it's probably the 344 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:45,720 closest. Every time I get on these 345 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:48,880 podcasts, I end up buying more games. 346 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:52,680 You are welcome. I was thinking through, I guess, 347 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,680 Simone or Simon Simon's previous games. 348 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:57,000 Simone. Luciani. 349 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:03,040 Was in terms of probably similar weights would be Tekkenu or 350 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:05,520 Basque of the Sun. Oh sure, which, which? 351 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:09,360 Well, that's dice placement. It always reminds that game's 352 00:20:09,360 --> 00:20:12,040 incredibly tight and also incredibly unforgiving. 353 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:16,080 So you have to play optimally both upgrading your player board 354 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:18,640 to open up more actions. Right. 355 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:28,080 Try other games by those guys. So it's not by Simone Luciani, 356 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,120 but we were thinking about Lorenzo, Illinois. 357 00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:34,640 Magnifico is another one, while maybe a little less lightweight. 358 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:36,960 That's by same guy. Is it same? 359 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:37,320 Yeah. Yeah. 360 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:38,600 Is that Simone? Yeah, yeah. 361 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:41,600 I was thinking the same. I'm that's a. 362 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:43,720 Really. That's a really typing? 363 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,800 Yep. That's his list. 364 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:53,200 Barrage, Zulkin. Grand Austria Hotel, Marco Polo. 365 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:58,600 Lorenzo Darwin's journey taltum. Have you played that? 366 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:00,720 I have not. I have. 367 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:02,840 Not ranked slightly harder than Newton and then you've got 368 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:06,800 nucleum. I must be a pretty big fan 369 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,480 because I own oh, but one of those games without. 370 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:13,160 Maybe we should episode just on his games. 371 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:17,320 Maybe, yeah, because I thought about Grand Austria Hotel. 372 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:19,920 But I was like, you know what? There was something else. 373 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,720 I was thinking about my last recommendation. 374 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:26,880 It's a little bit more recent, and that's the White Castle by 375 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:30,360 Deviere. That's another tight You've got 376 00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:32,960 to be careful, You've got to manage your actions. 377 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:36,120 Brutally type I think I posted about it last night. 378 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:37,440 I think on his I. Think you did. 379 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:42,840 You did those nine nine single actions, but again, you've got a 380 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:45,120 chance to pull off some absolutely stunning. 381 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:48,520 You've got to find the combos you can actually get yourself. 382 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:51,760 12:15 you. Can you can? 383 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,520 Yeah, that is a good game. So highly recommended. 384 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:58,040 So I would I would recommend I think. 385 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:03,280 I think at the end of it all, if if you if you like Newton 386 00:22:03,360 --> 00:22:07,520 Lorenzo the White Castle, then you're going to love Darwin's 387 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:09,240 journey. If you've played Darwin's 388 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:11,440 journey and you're looking for something new, then we would 389 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:14,960 recommend Newton Lorenzo, the White Castle. 390 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:19,240 I feel like that's. Second, Newton as well, if you 391 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:23,440 like a Newton. Well, Newton's has just been 392 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,800 added to the wish list. That's good. 393 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:27,560 I reckon I could pick that up second hand somewhere. 394 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:29,600 I mean, it was anyone who wants to trade it. 395 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:31,640 Oh, I tell you what happened last time. 396 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:34,840 You know you're the parrot, the parrot game. 397 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:38,640 Parrot Parrot Decimo. Last episode, The game, The 398 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:43,000 Wildlife Game. Amazon Life, Life and Amazonia, 399 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:44,920 yeah. Craig, get into games. 400 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:48,800 I know, Reserve me. What a what a legend. 401 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:52,280 If you haven't listened to his podcast, get into games. 402 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:54,880 On air. Check it out Spotify. 403 00:22:55,360 --> 00:22:56,440 That's right. Do it. 404 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:58,720 It's a beautiful listen. That's a lot of fun. 405 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,360 He and he and Becky are just amazing and their conversations, 406 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:05,240 their conversation last week about Legacy games was just 407 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,040 amazing. I really they had some 408 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,560 constructive good. Flow and he goes out on the 409 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:11,440 Monday, so you get out on the Monday you get. 410 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,240 Us and then you list on Tuesday. What a week. 411 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,240 That's awesome. That's great. 412 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:18,840 Do you have anything else to say about Darwin's journey? 413 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:22,080 No, I just highly recommend it. If you want something heavy like 414 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:25,800 you say, add it to your collection, You will not be 415 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:27,480 disappointed. Not at all. 416 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:29,920 OK. Thanks everyone for listening. 417 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,840 We'll be back soon. Thanks everyone for listening. 418 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:36,160 Please subscribe and as always, we'd love to hear your thoughts 419 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,680 and ideas, so make sure to leave those in the comments. 420 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:43,840 And don't forget, you can also chat with us both on Instagram 421 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:45,520 at meeple to Meeple.