Rating distribution for Oatworm
Ratings
Fri 25th Jun 19:25
This board does a pretty decent job of playing like a game of Starcraft. I'm legitimately impressed. You can actually Zerg rush opponents, after a fashion - just charge into an opponent's base at full speed early in the game. It might work. Or, you can go with a more defensive strategy and win that way, too. This board is well executed.
Just do everyone a favor and leave fog on.
This board does a pretty decent job of playing like a game of Starcraft. I'm legitimately impressed. You can actually Zerg rush opponents, after a fashion - just charge into an opponent's base at full speed early in the game. It might work. Or, you can go with a more defensive strategy and win that way, too. This board is well executed.Just do everyone a favor and leave fog on.
Fri 25th Jun 19:22
This is easily the best map on Wargear. The game play is a tense, exacting, demanding experience, one that will test even the strongest of nerves. Strategy is rich and rewarding, much like a slice of bacon. The graphics are simply sublime - the bacon practically leaps off your screen and into your belly, especially if you cook up a few slices and start munching between turns.
Oh, and it has bacon in it. Bacon!
This is easily the best map on Wargear. The game play is a tense, exacting, demanding experience, one that will test even the strongest of nerves. Strategy is rich and rewarding, much like a slice of bacon. The graphics are simply sublime - the bacon practically leaps off your screen and into your belly, especially if you cook up a few slices and start munching between turns.Oh, and it has bacon in it. Bacon!
Fri 25th Jun 19:19
Without fog, this map is a slog. More often than not, it just turns into a giant stalemate until card bonuses get big enough to break it.
With fog, however, this map is a blast. You can definitely have a lot of fun with unit placement and strategy on this board. Gameplay is straightforward - Risk rules, no modifications. Plenty of bonuses for everyone. Plenty of chokepoints and blind corners to take advantage of, too.
Without fog, this map is a slog. More often than not, it just turns into a giant stalemate until card bonuses get big enough to break it.With fog, however, this map is a blast. You can definitely have a lot of fun with unit placement and strategy on this board. Gameplay is straightforward - Risk rules, no modifications. Plenty of bonuses for everyone. Plenty of chokepoints and blind corners to take advantage of, too.
Fri 25th Jun 19:15
It's Risk... in... SSSSPAAAACCCE!!!
Graphics are well done, game play is standard. It's not a particularly Risky board in the RiskyBack tradition, but it's definitely Risky in the Risk tradition.
It's Risk... in... SSSSPAAAACCCE!!!Graphics are well done, game play is standard. It's not a particularly Risky board in the RiskyBack tradition, but it's definitely Risky in the Risk tradition.
Fri 25th Jun 19:08
It's the original board with a few extra borders (note the changes to Australia). If you like the original board, you might have a bit of an "uncanny valley" reaction to this one, but, once you get past it, you might enjoy it.
It's the original board with a few extra borders (note the changes to Australia). If you like the original board, you might have a bit of an "uncanny valley" reaction to this one, but, once you get past it, you might enjoy it.
Fri 25th Jun 19:05
The key to this map is to take Australia, then take it again, and again, and again...
I kid. Seriously, it's a clever take on the original board. If you're tired of the original board, this variant might spark some of that old flame again for a few games.
The key to this map is to take Australia, then take it again, and again, and again...I kid. Seriously, it's a clever take on the original board. If you're tired of the original board, this variant might spark some of that old flame again for a few games.
Fri 25th Jun 19:03
It's not terribly complicated, but it's a lot of fun to play when fog is on. Seems to move pretty quickly.
It's not terribly complicated, but it's a lot of fun to play when fog is on. Seems to move pretty quickly.
Tue 22nd Jun 19:11
I love this board more than praying mantises and whales and puppies.
It plays much faster than it looks, it rewards aggressive strategy, and it's big enough where a bad roll or two *usually* won't ruin your game.
I love this board more than praying mantises and whales and puppies. It plays much faster than it looks, it rewards aggressive strategy, and it's big enough where a bad roll or two *usually* won't ruin your game.
Tue 25th May 15:43
It's good, quick, clean fun! Bonuses are pretty easy to wrap your mind around once you see what's going on. Graphics are clean. Strategy is better than real bowling, though I don't think anyone is going to confuse this with Chinese Chess or anything. No serious complaints.
It's good, quick, clean fun! Bonuses are pretty easy to wrap your mind around once you see what's going on. Graphics are clean. Strategy is better than real bowling, though I don't think anyone is going to confuse this with Chinese Chess or anything. No serious complaints.
Wed 19th May 17:55
This is where it all began...
It's not as deep as "gods of the Titans", but, then again, I think this board came first. It's still quite playable, however, and can be quite a bit of quick fun. The default fog settings are absolutely necessary - don't bother playing this one without it. If you don't like choke holds, stay out of the capitals and you'll never see them. Of course, you'll also never get a bonus, so make sure I'm playing against you before you do that. ;-)
This is where it all began...It's not as deep as "gods of the Titans", but, then again, I think this board came first. It's still quite playable, however, and can be quite a bit of quick fun. The default fog settings are absolutely necessary - don't bother playing this one without it. If you don't like choke holds, stay out of the capitals and you'll never see them. Of course, you'll also never get a bonus, so make sure I'm playing against you before you do that. ;-)
Wed 19th May 17:51
I have mixed feelings about this board. In individual play, this board is almost intolerable. Like most large Risk-style boards, which is pretty much what this is, the board itself is much less important than who you're playing against. Will everyone go straight to "crab mode" and keep pulling the leader of the moment into oblivion, or will everyone decide early on that it's better for *someone* to win the game than it is that *they don't lose*? Usually, everybody goes for crab mode, which means you're looking at spending a few months working through turn after interminable turn until the cards scale high enough for someone to actually press an advantage.
Team play, on the other hand, is an entirely different animal. This board is big enough where teams can establish themselves, but small enough where the copious choke points around the map are sufficient for well-organized teams to cover each other. Consequently, games go quickly and satisfyingly, with more of an emphasis on tactical game play and less of an emphasis on successful attrition management.
For individual play, I'd give this board a 4. It's that bad on your own. For team play, I give it an 8-9. For this review, I'm averaging the two and rounding up because I'm feeling nice.
I have mixed feelings about this board. In individual play, this board is almost intolerable. Like most large Risk-style boards, which is pretty much what this is, the board itself is much less important than who you're playing against. Will everyone go straight to "crab mode" and keep pulling the leader of the moment into oblivion, or will everyone decide early on that it's better for *someone* to win the game than it is that *they don't lose*? Usually, everybody goes for crab mode, which means you're looking at spending a few months working through turn after interminable turn until the cards scale high enough for someone to actually press an advantage.Team play, on the other hand, is an entirely different animal. This board is big enough where teams can establish themselves, but small enough where the copious choke points around the map are sufficient for well-organized teams to cover each other. Consequently, games go quickly and satisfyingly, with more of an emphasis on tactical game play and less of an emphasis on successful attrition management.
For individual play, I'd give this board a 4. It's that bad on your own. For team play, I give it an 8-9. For this review, I'm averaging the two and rounding up because I'm feeling nice.
Wed 19th May 17:24
It's exactly what it looks like, for better or worse. It is easy on the eyes, though, so I'm giving it a point for that. Since I think the game that this map is faithfully emulating should be the standard against which all other games here should be measured, I start with a '5' for all such "emulations" and add points for style.
It's exactly what it looks like, for better or worse. It is easy on the eyes, though, so I'm giving it a point for that. Since I think the game that this map is faithfully emulating should be the standard against which all other games here should be measured, I start with a '5' for all such "emulations" and add points for style.
Wed 19th May 17:19
This board was created explicitly so RiskyBack could have a perfect record on it.
He failed. ;-)
In all seriousness, this board is one of the most intuitive of Risky's creations. If you've never done a RiskyBoard before, this is a decent place to start - borders are fairly straightforward, the concept is linear, and the tactics are relatively basic. This is definitely a board that would rather wow you with wisdom than baffle you with bulls--t. Even so, this isn't your father's Risk clone. Risky takes pride in creating unique games and stretching the underlying game engine; consequently, approaching this board like a Risk-clone will get you quickly and thoroughly embarrassed if you're playing someone that knows better.
This board was created explicitly so RiskyBack could have a perfect record on it.He failed. ;-)
In all seriousness, this board is one of the most intuitive of Risky's creations. If you've never done a RiskyBoard before, this is a decent place to start - borders are fairly straightforward, the concept is linear, and the tactics are relatively basic. This is definitely a board that would rather wow you with wisdom than baffle you with bulls--t. Even so, this isn't your father's Risk clone. Risky takes pride in creating unique games and stretching the underlying game engine; consequently, approaching this board like a Risk-clone will get you quickly and thoroughly embarrassed if you're playing someone that knows better.
Wed 19th May 17:13
Of Krock's "Titans" boards, this one is easily my favorite. Unlike a lot of designers, Krock isn't afraid of implementing a choke point or two - in fact, the Titans boards are nothing *but* choke points. The beauty of this variation is that, though it's quite clear where each attack is going *to* (either the ports or the capitols), you never really know where it's going to come *from*. The result is similar to fighting inside a series of hourglasses, with an "upper", "lower", and "middle" board that you must control, with the "middle" board serving as a bridge between the "upper" and "lower" levels. It's actually pretty neat.
Of Krock's "Titans" boards, this one is easily my favorite. Unlike a lot of designers, Krock isn't afraid of implementing a choke point or two - in fact, the Titans boards are nothing *but* choke points. The beauty of this variation is that, though it's quite clear where each attack is going *to* (either the ports or the capitols), you never really know where it's going to come *from*. The result is similar to fighting inside a series of hourglasses, with an "upper", "lower", and "middle" board that you must control, with the "middle" board serving as a bridge between the "upper" and "lower" levels. It's actually pretty neat.
Wed 19th May 17:07
Did you ever want to play Risk on a map of the US? Do you think Wisconsin shouldn't touch Michigan through the UP, grade-school geography be damned? Well, here's your board!
As far as a board like this goes, it's not great but also not bad. Linking the corners to each other keeps the game from being a "first to the corner" board with obvious choke points in New England, the Deep South, and so on, which actually improves playability. Continent bonuses seem reasonably fair.
Did you ever want to play Risk on a map of the US? Do you think Wisconsin shouldn't touch Michigan through the UP, grade-school geography be damned? Well, here's your board!As far as a board like this goes, it's not great but also not bad. Linking the corners to each other keeps the game from being a "first to the corner" board with obvious choke points in New England, the Deep South, and so on, which actually improves playability. Continent bonuses seem reasonably fair.
Wed 7th Apr 16:53
It's Risk, only for Germany. Nothing more, nothing less. Uses current political boundaries for territory bonuses, which is nice. Graphics are clean. All in all, a reasonably enjoyable Risk clone.
It's Risk, only for Germany. Nothing more, nothing less. Uses current political boundaries for territory bonuses, which is nice. Graphics are clean. All in all, a reasonably enjoyable Risk clone.
Wed 7th Apr 16:47
This is one of those boards I didn't really think much of initially, but, having played it a few times here and on WF, I'm beginning to develop some respect for.
This board is best played with a very aggressive mindset; the high unit counts skew things heavily toward the attacker, so grab-and-hold strategies don't work well. Also, fog is absolutely essential if you want a positive game experience - the more the better, frankly, since it encourages offense.
This is one of those boards I didn't really think much of initially, but, having played it a few times here and on WF, I'm beginning to develop some respect for. This board is best played with a very aggressive mindset; the high unit counts skew things heavily toward the attacker, so grab-and-hold strategies don't work well. Also, fog is absolutely essential if you want a positive game experience - the more the better, frankly, since it encourages offense.
It's not my favorite board in the world, nor am I a huge fan of the game play, but I do respect how well it does what it does. Well done!