Rating distribution for Oatworm
Ratings
Fri 25th Jun 20:17
This is definitely a board that makes you think and work. That's a good thing.
Escalation rated 
Great
Great
This is definitely a board that makes you think and work. That's a good thing.
Fri 25th Jun 20:16
Graphically it's fantastic. I love it.
Game play, unfortunately, is a bit of a different story. Expect a long, drawn-out game that ultimately comes down to card luck with psychotically high bonuses at the end.
Graphically it's fantastic. I love it.Game play, unfortunately, is a bit of a different story. Expect a long, drawn-out game that ultimately comes down to card luck with psychotically high bonuses at the end.
Fri 25th Jun 20:14
It's basically a big Risk-style board, with all the strengths and drawbacks that come along with that. Graphics are clean, bonuses are self-explanatory.
It's basically a big Risk-style board, with all the strengths and drawbacks that come along with that. Graphics are clean, bonuses are self-explanatory.
Fri 25th Jun 20:13
Conceptually, this is a great board that takes excellent advantage of fog. Also, the historical back story is a nice touch. Execution-wise, this board really needs to be play-tested on the extreme ends of its player allocations; in my experience, I'm not entirely sure this board is really playable as a 2-player board (i.e. first player seems to have an overwhelming advantage). Outside of that, it's a good board.
Conceptually, this is a great board that takes excellent advantage of fog. Also, the historical back story is a nice touch. Execution-wise, this board really needs to be play-tested on the extreme ends of its player allocations; in my experience, I'm not entirely sure this board is really playable as a 2-player board (i.e. first player seems to have an overwhelming advantage). Outside of that, it's a good board.
Fri 25th Jun 20:03
This is the quintessential Hordes! map. If you played a large, geographical-themed board and it didn't end in a card-busted stalemate, this is board is why. Be thankful.
This is the quintessential Hordes! map. If you played a large, geographical-themed board and it didn't end in a card-busted stalemate, this is board is why. Be thankful.
Fri 25th Jun 20:01
I'm not going to lie - I haven't played a ton of games on this board, so I'm not sure what to think. Then again, nobody else has reviewed it, so...
The graphics are as fantastic as you would expect from a Yertle board. Past that, it's a conquer-and-hold map with enough mild choke points to keep the outcome from becoming completely random, while keeping them mild enough where it doesn't turn into a stalemate-filled slog.
In short, it's playable and it looks nice.
I'm not going to lie - I haven't played a ton of games on this board, so I'm not sure what to think. Then again, nobody else has reviewed it, so...The graphics are as fantastic as you would expect from a Yertle board. Past that, it's a conquer-and-hold map with enough mild choke points to keep the outcome from becoming completely random, while keeping them mild enough where it doesn't turn into a stalemate-filled slog.
In short, it's playable and it looks nice.
Fri 25th Jun 19:58
Like it's cousin, Koprulu: Yamato, this is a big, seemingly complex board that strongly rewards aggressive game play. It's pretty easy to wrap your mind around after a few rounds; just don't be surprised if you don't last long the first couple of games.
Like it's cousin, Koprulu: Yamato, this is a big, seemingly complex board that strongly rewards aggressive game play. It's pretty easy to wrap your mind around after a few rounds; just don't be surprised if you don't last long the first couple of games.
Fri 25th Jun 19:56
This board is definitely a classic. The graphics are clean, the games are never boring, and it's mechanically interesting. It does reward aggressive game play; in fact, I strongly suspect that this board only has a couple of optimum ways of playing it, despite the seeming variety of modifiers and borders.
This board is definitely a classic. The graphics are clean, the games are never boring, and it's mechanically interesting. It does reward aggressive game play; in fact, I strongly suspect that this board only has a couple of optimum ways of playing it, despite the seeming variety of modifiers and borders.
Fri 25th Jun 19:53
This is a board that does a fantastic job of taking well-understood game mechanics and pushing them well beyond the classic conquer-and-hold strategy that most people are accustomed to. Excellent work!
This is a board that does a fantastic job of taking well-understood game mechanics and pushing them well beyond the classic conquer-and-hold strategy that most people are accustomed to. Excellent work!
Fri 25th Jun 19:51
Graphics are strong. I don't know what it is about LoTR maps, but they definitely bring out the defense-minded dice modifiers; thankfully, this one doesn't plant them in the middle of choke points or anything crazy like that. It's small enough to be interesting, so the games are always entertaining.
Graphics are strong. I don't know what it is about LoTR maps, but they definitely bring out the defense-minded dice modifiers; thankfully, this one doesn't plant them in the middle of choke points or anything crazy like that. It's small enough to be interesting, so the games are always entertaining.
Fri 25th Jun 19:48
Graphically, I'm not a huge fan of the differently-sized circles. I personally found them more distracting than anything. Past that, it's a really big Risk board on a map of Europe. That said, it does have some creative overlapping bonuses, which are a nice touch.
Graphically, I'm not a huge fan of the differently-sized circles. I personally found them more distracting than anything. Past that, it's a really big Risk board on a map of Europe. That said, it does have some creative overlapping bonuses, which are a nice touch.
Fri 25th Jun 19:45
Finally - a board that's actually round! Outside of that, though, it's basically a Risk clone, not that there's anything wrong with that.
Finally - a board that's actually round! Outside of that, though, it's basically a Risk clone, not that there's anything wrong with that.
Fri 25th Jun 19:44
After playing in a tournament on this board, it turned out pretty quickly that player 1 has a serious advantage if they approach player 2 aggressively enough. If player 1 doesn't, this board can quickly turn into a slow, numbing slog.
This board is, unfortunately, a classic case of a good idea on paper that just didn't quite pan out. It happens.
After playing in a tournament on this board, it turned out pretty quickly that player 1 has a serious advantage if they approach player 2 aggressively enough. If player 1 doesn't, this board can quickly turn into a slow, numbing slog.This board is, unfortunately, a classic case of a good idea on paper that just didn't quite pan out. It happens.
Fri 25th Jun 19:42
The graphics are what makes this board. Functionally, it's Risk with more choke points and a couple of +1 bonuses sprinkled here and there. Graphically, it's a well rendered apartment. It's sort of like a big, steaming plate of mac & cheese with bacon sprinkles on top - yeah, it's mac & cheese, and yeah, the bacon is a nice touch, but when it's done right, the familiarity of the flavors actually add to the experience. You can't say that about a lot of things in life, but you can about this board... and mac & cheese with bacon sprinkles. Unless you're Jewish. Or Muslim.
The graphics are what makes this board. Functionally, it's Risk with more choke points and a couple of +1 bonuses sprinkled here and there. Graphically, it's a well rendered apartment. It's sort of like a big, steaming plate of mac & cheese with bacon sprinkles on top - yeah, it's mac & cheese, and yeah, the bacon is a nice touch, but when it's done right, the familiarity of the flavors actually add to the experience. You can't say that about a lot of things in life, but you can about this board... and mac & cheese with bacon sprinkles. Unless you're Jewish. Or Muslim.
Fri 25th Jun 19:38
For many boards out there, fog is what makes them playable. For this board, fog is what makes it fantastic. Well done!
For many boards out there, fog is what makes them playable. For this board, fog is what makes it fantastic. Well done!
Fri 25th Jun 19:36
The negative bonuses do a nice job of keeping this board from becoming yet another Risk clone. Quite playable. The graphics aren't pretty, but they don't detract from the experience.
The negative bonuses do a nice job of keeping this board from becoming yet another Risk clone. Quite playable. The graphics aren't pretty, but they don't detract from the experience.
Fri 25th Jun 19:35
Read Alpha's review below mine. He pretty much sums up my thoughts as well. Watch the capitals - they'll burn you if you don't pay attention.
Read Alpha's review below mine. He pretty much sums up my thoughts as well. Watch the capitals - they'll burn you if you don't pay attention.
Fri 25th Jun 19:33
It's a Risk-clone that's actually small enough to play like a game of Risk. That's a good thing.
That said, this town needs way more residential zones - commercial and industrial values are going to crash if you don't give your citizens a place to live!
It's a Risk-clone that's actually small enough to play like a game of Risk. That's a good thing. That said, this town needs way more residential zones - commercial and industrial values are going to crash if you don't give your citizens a place to live!
Fri 25th Jun 19:31
Hordes-style bonuses have single-handedly raised the large geographical map from the stalemate-filled grave and given them life and purpose again. If you want to play a Risk-like game on a map of Chicago and not have it turn into a "who has the best cards" contest at the end, play this one.
Hordes-style bonuses have single-handedly raised the large geographical map from the stalemate-filled grave and given them life and purpose again. If you want to play a Risk-like game on a map of Chicago and not have it turn into a "who has the best cards" contest at the end, play this one.