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Top Ten Fantasy Flight Games - PART ONE

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Top Ten Fantasy Flight Games

As we all know, Fantasy Flight Games was purchased by Asmodee last year.  Well, as of April this year they are no longer a publisher, but rather a Design House within Asmodee.  They will be under the Asmodee North America umbrella or something.  So as a tribute to the FFG brand I thought it would be fun to run through their catalog and pick out their best games ever.  

Doing this was incredibly challenging because, like them or not, FFG is a powerhouse publisher.  Probably the closest thing to a new Games Workshop we will ever see.  Their games are known for being lavishly produced, having dense rulebooks, and for taking place in nerd friendly genres like space and high fantasy. 

Trimming this list down to ten games was almost impossible so I created a few rules.  First, this is going to be Part One.  It will focus only on original games that FFG designed themselves.  This list will be devoid of games made by other companies that they distributed and it will not include any reprints/reworkings.  Those will get their own Top Ten Lists in the following weeks. 

Alright I can tell I’m losing a few of you so I’ll get on with it.  Before we begin do me one last favor.  Open up a new tab and have this remix of the Spock vs Kirk Pon Farr battle music play while you read the list:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImV0CapjLIU  

 

Sound the trumpets!  Bring me the Human Beatbox!  Maestro…drop a beat.  Now, LET US BEGIN! 

10.  Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game (Jay Little, Corey Konieczka, Steven Kimball etc...) - Let's get this list started off right.  In hindsight, the X-Wing Miniatures game was the first salvo from a cannon barrage of awesome Star Wars stuff that rained down upon nerds worldwide.  Little did we know that eventually we would be smack dab in this unlikely Star Wars renaissance.  X-Wing is a game that succeeds on two very different fronts.  First the concept is brilliant.  Setting up squadrons with well known personas from the Star Wars Universe and dog-fighting is a can't miss concept.  Luckily, FFG didn't miss and the gameplay is simple and satisfying.  X-Wing also works because of it's toy factor.  When this is all set up on the table and you're pushing around your TIE Fighters and X-Wings it awakens this inner spark of child-like joy.  It's a wonderful feeling and I'm glad that there are products out that can remind us that being a kid at heart feels pretty good. Well that and the fact that the game lets you stuff Jek Porkins into an X-Wing and run amok.

9.  Star Wars: Imperial Assault (Justin Kemppainen, Corey Konieczka, Jonathan Ying) – So FFG went from the licensed game Doom, then to Descent, then Descent 2.0 and FINALLY Star Wars Imperial Assault.  I'd say the journey was worth it because this is the best dungeon crawl style game that the company offers.  Yes, despite being a flagship title, Descent: Journeys in the Dark did not make this list.  Imperial Assault is a dungeon crawl in the Star Wars universe and it’s great.  The system makes some subtle changes to Descent 2.0 and the end result is a much better experience.  Plus, they added a miniatures skirmish mode which should have been a throwaway experience, but it’s surprisingly robust.  The best way to play this is the short mini campaign expansions that they release.  They are the perfect length and tend to be more focused. The missions feel like Star Wars, your favorite characters show up and it all looks fantastic.  To quote an excited Principle Skinner, "There's Luke... And Obi-Wan! And my favorite, Chewie! They're all here!"  That's EXACTLY how this game makes me feel.

8.  Space Hulk: Death Angel (Corey Konieczka) – Don't look so shocked.  This game EARNED its place on the list by packing in the most DREAD it possibly could into the tiniest of boxes.  This card game version of Space Hulk is frightening to play!  The choice to make your Blood Angels only have 1 hit point was a stroke of genius by FFG’s resident madman de jour, Corey K.  You see every time a Genestealer attacks there is a roll of this cursed, bloody, red die.  As that thing click-clacks, rumble n’ bumbles its way to a skittering halt across the table your blood pressure SPIKES to an unhealthy level.  Death Angel is a great solo game and I’ve wasted countless nights catastrophically failing to command my Space Marines through the Genestealer infested Space Hulk.  Kudos to FFG for essentially creating Pvt. Hudson: The "Game Over Man" Simulator!

7.  Forbidden Stars (Samuel Bailey, James Kniffen, Corey Konieczka) – After losing the Starcraft license FFG didn’t pout or rest on their laurels.  Nope.  Years later they took the brilliant orders mechanic from Starcraft and bolted it onto a Warhammer 40K space conquest game.  If you love games with lots of miniatures and conflict then this is one of the best that FFG offers.  The previously mentioned orders mechanic has players taking turns dropping orders into delicious short stacks around the board.  As each one is agonizingly revealed the game erupts with subterfuge and combat that slowly covers the galaxy like so much syrup.  Then to add a cherry to this robust pancake of doom you’ve got faction specific upgrades galore.  This game makes you feel like Julia Roberts shopping with Richard Gere’s credit card on Rodeo Drive.  Except instead of finding a dress to go from prostitute to pretty woman, you're coupling the season's hottest heavy flame cannon with your blood encrusted power armor.  Don't forget to accessorize with a skull encrusted codpiece.  Who knew upgrades were so fashionable AND deadly?  For a company known for grand, epic games of war this is one of their grandest and epic-iest.  Sorry Runewars, dem Ork boyz stole your invitation to this fancy Top Ten ball and I’m afraid that a Chaos Marine made you grow an extra nipple.  WAAAAAAGH!

6.  Blood Bowl: Team Manager (Jay Little) – Of all the GW’s properties that FFG has used over the years I’d always hoped they’d do something with Blood Bowl.  Ever since I feel in love with the classic SEGA Genesis game, Mutant League Football, I've been obssessed with monsters playing football.  The Genesis game was clearly inspired by BB, but my 10 year old self didn't know that.  Knowing I would probably never get the chance to play in a BB league this card game was my best bet.  Thankfully, it abstracts playing an entire Blood Bowl season by using a successful combination of a few popular card games.  The result is a rambunctious, ruckus that never gets old.  If you always felt that Battle Line could have been enhanced by some cheating Chaos Goons then you're in luck. The game is easy to play, but each game feels drastically different thanks to multiple unique teams and players with differing stats/abilities.  I’ve had a ton of fun with just the base game, but I think it might be time to grab those two expansions before they disappear into the ether forever. 

5.  Battlestar Galactica (Corey Konieczka) – There is a reason why you see the name, “Corey K” dominate this list.  He demonstrated his mastery of matching mechanics and theme with one of his first big solo designs.  Battlestar Galactica the board game IS BSG the TV series.  The game perfectly captures the struggle, paranoia, and despair that the crew of Galactica went through in the first two seasons.  The game took the hidden traitor mechanism from Shadows Over Camelot and elevated it into something truly special.  For some it is arguably the king of this genre.  But it’s much more than a hidden traitor game.  It’s an ADVENTURE in the world of BSG.  The game allows you slide into the smarmy skin of Gaius or kick Cylon Raider tail with Star Buck.  Quite simply the game is the show.  If FFG were to ever lose the BSG license and this simply became a generic space game I don’t believe it would ever be the same.  Just look at REX to see how well that worked out.

4.  Eldritch Horror (Corey Konieczka, Nikki Valens) – FFG loves it’s Lovecraft games.  Many thought that this was going to be Arkham Horror 2.0, but it’s not.  This is more akin to Indiana Jones and the Sunken City of R’lyeh than an actual Lovecraft story.  And I’m totally fine with that.  EH plays like Tales of the Arabian Nights:  Tentacle Edition except it has more character development and onus over your choices.  You have less control of your character than you do in Arkham and you sort of need to be cool with that.  If you let it, this game will constantly produce some of the most entertaining nights of your life.  The absolute GREATEST thing in Eldritch Horror are the card effects that will trigger sometime after you acquire them.  You never quite know what a spell will do or what having a poisoned condition will trigger.  It's a big wild ride of a boardgame that will take you on an expected journey each time you crack open the box.  This is FFG crowning achievement in both adventure games and Lovecraft games.  

3.  Chaos in the Old World (Eric Lang) – There are few games unique and daring enough to walk into the Grand Discotheque of Gaming and dare flirt with perfection.  Well, while killing it in a little black dress, CitOW sauntered right on up to Mr. Perfect and let me tell you the dude was blushing...hard.  This game doesn’t seem to get discussed as hotly as it once did.  Well it should, because it’s a masterpiece! CitOW essentially put Eric Lang on the map.  His mixing of a cutthroat DoaM game with Euro mechanic sensibilities, asymmetrical powers, and Warhammer Fantasy is like some dark, twisted, equation that solves the riddle to the meaning of life.  Playing as a Chaos God looking to destroy the world is not just fun…it's down right addicting.  Some people could never get past the bloody Warhammer veneer or have since moved onto other newer and fresher games.  Mark my words, CitOW will go down as one of the greatest boardgames of this era.  If or when it goes out of print it will be a hotly sought after treasure.

2.  Twilight Imperium III (Christian Peterson) – Is there any other game that personifies what FFG was all about?  TI3 is a big, messy, glorious beast of a game.  It has no other peers and with boardgamers moving toward shorter, simplier designs, it likely never will.  This game literally takes you to a far off galaxy where you partake in war, politics, trades and domination.  When you sit down to a game of TI3 you’re going to experience something that is unlike anything else in boardgaming.  Yes it’s long.  Yes, it requires a person to skillfully mix expansion modules for it to shine brightest.  Regardless, it’s a brilliant game and hopefully one that doesn’t disappear with the new merger. 

1.  Star Wars Rebellion (Corey Konieczka) – It’s only fitting that the last big game released by FFG turned out to be their crowning achievement.  Sure it’s brand new, but I feel more than comfortable putting it here.  As a bonus here is my mini review of the game: 

In life there are certain experiences that make you sit back and say, “whoa”.  It might be a videogame, a movie, a book, or in this case a boardgame.  The first time I played Star Wars Rebellion it consumed my mind.  I literally could not think about anything else.  It was basically text book insanity of my brain.

It blows my mind that this game actually exists.  Do you all understand how incredibly LUCKY we are to have a design like this? This is the ULTIMATE Star Wars experience.  And it’s real!  It actually exists and we can play it whenever we want.  Games like this make me happy to be alive in this time period.  Well that and Totino’s Pizza Rolls.  Shakespeare missed out on those things. 

Rebellion doesn’t feel like any other boardgame ever made.  In this day and age that’s hard to do.  To do that AND have it be one of the best games ever made is practically impossible.  This game IS Star Wars.  If you ever wanted to play out your version of the Original Trilogy in some sort of interactive medium well this is it.  It’s a sprawling game of cat vs mouse…Empire vs Rebellion.  And yet it’s so cleanly designed.  Each and every turn you’re plotting your moves and scheming.  Yes, you're ALWAYS scheming in Rebellion!  There is bluffing, powerful cards to play and a ton of trickery. The Empire feels like a tiger hunting a field mouse.  Trying to hide is terrifying for the Rebels.  It feels suitably hopeless.

Don't be fooled by the size of the box and miniatures.  Rebellion is NOT a game about combat.  No, in fact the design feels more akin to Fury of Dracula rather than Forbidden Stars.  The hidden rebel base element coupled with a highly interactive workplace placement/leader deployment makes it feel truly unique.  In fact, what it feels like is Star Wars.  The game's mechanics and theme are so tightly intertwined that the theme of this game couldn't be anything other than Star Wars.  DAMN, that is impressive. Oh I love it, I love all of it.

Corey K please stand up and take a bow for creating this masterpiece.  I award you all of the stars in the Galaxy for your valiant efforts.  Rest easy each and every night knowing you have made the best interactive Star Wars thing EVER…in any medium. 

 

There you have it, the greatest games that FFG has ever produced.  Stay tuned as I will have the Top Ten FFG Reprints/Reworkings in just a short bit.  

There Will Be Games Top Ten Fantasy Flight Games

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mads b.'s Avatar
mads b. replied the topic: #227991 24 May 2016 06:09
I stopped reading when Starcraft wasn't in the top five.

No, seriously, great list and I like your arguments for the nominations. Starcraft should absolutely have been on, but you have compelling arguments for the ones you put in there.
Mr. White's Avatar
Mr. White replied the topic: #227996 24 May 2016 08:43
Great stuff, Egg! Lists are awesome and this is the perfect time for a FFG one.

I haven't played many of these, but here are my thoughts...

10. Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game - Hey...I thought reprints didn't count on this list! ;)

9. Star Wars: Imperial Assault - (see above)

8. Space Hulk: Death Angel - Love this game and I'm not convinced Warhammer Quest Cardgame is better. My favorite solo and co-op title ATM

7. Forbidden Stars - Haven't played. Even as a longtime GW (well more a classic GW fan), outside of Space Hulk and Necromunda the 40K universe never did anything for me. Heresy!

6. Blood Bowl: Team Manager - I consider this my favorite deckbuilder and think that adding cards to build your roster is a genius idea for the theme. I too, don't have the expansions yet. I'm sort of interested in the first one. Not at all in the second. Doesn't seem like a third is coming out, but with GW re-launching the parent title I wonder if FFG wouldn't cook up something to ride the hype.

5. Battlestar Galactica - Never played. Setting does nothing for me.

4. Eldritch Horror - Never played, but I have a hard time seeing this here but not Arkham Horror. I'm not an AH fan at all, but from what I understand that title is the one that made FFG what it is today. AH is considered a reprint maybe?

3. Chaos in the Old World - I've enjoyed every game of CitOW that I've played, but for some reason I never felt the urge to pick it up. Maybe because I don't think it'll get played as much as, say, Nexus Ops within the group?

2. Twilight Imperium III - I've only played the second edition, but like AH I would expect this to be here.

1. Star Wars Rebellion - Wha...? Shouldn't this be War of the RIng?

I expect to see lots of greats like Talisman, Condotierre, and Cosmic Encounter on the next list, but something that struck me on this one. Is this FFG 'in house' only designs? I mean what about first run through FFG titles such as LotR: Confrontation or..dare I say it...Beowulf? ;) Is it because those are 'Knizia' and not 'FFG'? Is that why War of the Ring isn't on the list because it was from off the farm developers?

My list of (non-reprint) FFG titles might looks something like (no order):
Citadels (was that FFG first?)
LotR: Confrontation (ahh...the new BGG is garbage...I can't tell if FFG or Kosmos was first. Maybe both?)
Beowulf
Space Hulk Death Angel
Blood Bowl Team Manager
Twilight Imperium
Android (just for the attempt and all the great discussion over the years)
Arkham Horror (give it its due)
Micro Mutants (not a FFG developed game?)
The Hobbit (that kids roll and move game from about 15 years ago...damn we played a lot of that with my son)

This was actually sort of a hard list for me to put together. Seems most of my favorite FFG games are reprints or revisions.

Side Note on X-Wing - I understand it has overtaken 40K as the top selling minis game. I'm not sure I would consider pre-painted, collectible minis the same as hobby minis, but whatever, I don't compile the sales lists. Either way, I'm not surprised. However, and I've mentioned this for years, licenses expire or cool. X-wing won't be around forever...if there's a GW, there's a 40k. FFG makes nothing off Star Wars movies, shirts, toys, video games etc. In fact, they lose a little in SW sales to cover their license fee. GW gets a nice cut of the profits for any 40K related item. In the long game it's better to own and grow your own IP, IMO. I wish all these recent Star Wars games where divvied up into the Twilight Imperium and Android universes. Sure it's not the short term cash infusion, but FFG could have used these refined systems to blow up their own IPs which could then be licensed out for comics, video games, novels, toys, etc. Seems they were coming into their own and could have gone this route. It's a shame that instead of exploring new worlds in new IPs...we now only get to quote the same tired SW lines across all these cash-in titles.
It's a Trap!
Msample's Avatar
Msample replied the topic: #228000 24 May 2016 09:21

Mr. White wrote: 1. Star Wars Rebellion - Wha...? Shouldn't this be War of the RIng?


Egg was only counting stuff done in house by FFG - WotR was done by NEXUS and distributed in the US by FFG.
Mr. White's Avatar
Mr. White replied the topic: #228001 24 May 2016 09:25
Yeah, I went back and re-read that.

His distributed/reprint/re-imagining list is going to be tough to nail down...that's a large pool of fantastic titles...
jpat's Avatar
jpat replied the topic: #228006 24 May 2016 10:12
I haven't played all of these, but the only thing I'd really quibble about is the inclusion of X-wing, not because it's not good but because it's, as I think Mr. White jokingly alluded to, a refined but still pretty straight yet uncredited port of Wings of War to Star Wars. BSG belongs at least that high, if not higher, because it not only contains legitimate theme but has you actually enacting the theme during the game.
Josh Look's Avatar
Josh Look replied the topic: #228007 24 May 2016 10:29
A solid list. I definitely agree with the top 5 100%. TI3 and Rebellion could be tied for me, though 10 games or so into Rebellion and I think I can call it my favorite game, so if it has the 1 spot, fine.

I might have had Runewars in here. And Armada over X-Wing.
jpat's Avatar
jpat replied the topic: #228008 24 May 2016 10:41
Looking again, I think I could also imagine a scenario in which one of these gets booted for the Game of Thrones board game, but maybe it's just an honorable mention.
SuperflyPete's Avatar
SuperflyPete replied the topic: #228009 24 May 2016 10:43
It's clear that these aren't in order when Death Angel beats out X-Wing.

Its also clear that it's not in order when 2nd Edition Runebound and Talisman aren't in the top 10.
Msample's Avatar
Msample replied the topic: #228022 24 May 2016 12:13

jpat wrote: I haven't played all of these, but the only thing I'd really quibble about is the inclusion of X-wing, not because it's not good but because it's, as I think Mr. White jokingly alluded to, a refined but still pretty straight yet uncredited port of Wings of War to Star Wars.


I'd say X-Wing is different enough from WoW that it can stand on its own. Different versions of the same ships, upgrade cards all make for a much richer game IMO.

I am still debating RUNEWARS being left off the list. Yes its not as streamlined as Forbidden Stars, but the latter felt a bit overwrought on the combat system and the map a bit more constrained. It does have the virtue of a better theme .
Jexik's Avatar
Jexik replied the topic: #228027 24 May 2016 13:08
Surprisingly, I've only played three on your list.

X-Wing- My current favorite game. I have to keep myself off the wiki and enjoy what I've got. So far I've played all of my ships at least once, so there's that. I was born in 1985 and my dad is the type to watch sports, news, and live theater rather than sci fi stuff, so I've never been into Star Wars as much as some of you 35-45 year old set. List building is okay, but what I really like is the maneuvering aspect.

BSG I haven't played it in awhile and I never watched more than a few episodes of the show. (I jumped in in the middle of season 3 or something with a now-ex girlfriend). I didn't enjoy spending some of my weekend time that way. The game is actually pretty great and I'll still play it now.

CitOW I had an awful experience with this at GenCon when it first came out. We started explaining the rules at 11 PM and slogged through it with no one having a great idea of what they were doing. I think I was Nurgle, and I was... trying to corrupt stuff? I can see the potential but that soured me on the game. After that I refuse to play even moderately challenging new (to everyone) games during the evenings at a con. Codenames stole GenCon 2015 for me, for example.

I should give it a shot, but I'm not sure who I know that has it. The guys who might are real cult of the new types, so it's probably sitting on a shelf in their attic, never to be seen again.
southernman's Avatar
southernman replied the topic: #228028 24 May 2016 13:50
RE: Mr White
Citadels is a redo of Ohne Furcht Und Adel by Hans Im Gluck while, of course, Arkham Horror is also a redo.

And I can barely get out, as I gasp in disbelief, where is DOOM !?

I also would have put A Game of Thrones 2e, Runewars, Middle Earth Quest and even a shout for Tide of Iron and Warcraft the Boardgame in that list in place of some of those games - but, like all fan lists of anything, this is purely subjective and whoever is in first gets to pick first !
Space Ghost's Avatar
Space Ghost replied the topic: #228029 24 May 2016 13:58
Beyond, cheating and narrowing the list to be "original" designs and leaving off some of the reworkings (some of which have been significant), a pretty good list all in all :)

I think that Runebound (2nd Edition) and Runewars should definitely be on the list. Fury of Dracula and Arkham Horror are different enough from the originals they should be on the list as well. Almost a crime that Starcraft isn't on there. Tide of Iron and LotR: Confrontation are close contenders too. Trouble is, I don't know what I would kick-off. Star Wars is probably over-represented. Imperial Assault is good, but it is probably outclassed by other dungeon crawlers -- and maybe now by Descent that the App is out. BSG base game is good, but that thing has been weighed down by expansions versus CitoW which probably shouldn't of even had its expansion. Forbidden Stars could come out for StarCraft.

I like Rebellion a lot, but I don't know if it is that gushingly great -- "..doesn't fell like any boardgame ever made" is a bit of a stretch. I think there are enough similarities to War of the Ring that it at least puts them in the same genre of overwhelming force hunts small group trying to do sneaky things.
Egg Shen's Avatar
Egg Shen replied the topic: #228032 24 May 2016 14:07
Man you guys are on point as always! Here is a peek behind the veil at the creation process of this list...

X-Wing was originally left off this list. When I first came up with ten games I thought for sure that X-Wing was a Wings of War reprint. So I originally had it going on the reprint list. Then I started doing some digging and found out that the game was claimed to be an internal design by FFG. There was some contention on this point between the WoW designer and FFG's Christian Petersen. I think in the end the game's are different enough and certainly no legal action ever came of it...so I ended up deeming it a FFG original design. If the head of the company went on a public forum (BGG) and made claims that they came up with the design it was good enough for me. So X-Wing made it back onto the list at the 11th hour.

In regards to other big games like Runewars, A Game of Thrones etc... this list could have been filled with just these big ass DoaM/4X style games. However I decided to go with what I believed to be the cream of the crop in Forbidden Stars. Feel free to put an asterisk next to the game and also include Starcraft in that entry. I'll also let you in a secret that Runewars was in fact #11 and just missed the list. I love that game and have been getting the itch to play it again.

Warhammer Quest the Adventure Card Game came into heavy consideration for me as well. It's an excellent design and worthy of the highest praise. I think if FFG gets some good expansion content out there the game might climb into the Top Ten at some point. Here's hoping that more content is on the way.

In regards to Imperial Assault...full disclosure, I wrote this article long before I played Descent with the Road to Legend app. Though I need to spend more time with it and see what the next campaign is like, I feel like Descent (with RtL) might have landed on this list. I'm really loving the experience so far. Still Imperial Assault is a tremendous design as well. There is a ton of value crammed into that box and it's one of the few games with an overlord that I don't mind still playing. If FFG gets around to releasing a RtL style app for Imperial Assault I would sell all of my Descent stuff before Han Solo could finish The Kessel Run.

One thing I will say is that going through FFG's entire catalog made me realize that their output of games over the past ten years or so has been nothing short of incredible. They've published many of my all time favorite games and I hate to think about the actually amount of money I've spent on their products over the years.
Shellhead's Avatar
Shellhead replied the topic: #228033 24 May 2016 14:08
Rebellion is a re-working of Freedom in the Galaxy.
Shellhead's Avatar
Shellhead replied the topic: #228034 24 May 2016 14:10

Jexik wrote: BSG I haven't played it in awhile and I never watched more than a few episodes of the show. (I jumped in in the middle of season 3 or something with a now-ex girlfriend). I didn't enjoy spending some of my weekend time that way. The game is actually pretty great and I'll still play it now.


You jumped ship just in time. The second half of season 3 is downward spiral into stupidity. I jumped ship after the season 3 finale and never looked back.
Jackwraith's Avatar
Jackwraith replied the topic: #228035 24 May 2016 14:36
Hm. Haven't played Rebellion, but I immediately look askance at any game listed as #1 after only a few weeks of release. The newness factor is just too prevalent. I also agree with other that the list feels a little too Star Wars-centric, but whatevs. I gave up on X-Wing when I decided that collectible games just aren't for me, anymore. I just don't have time to keep up with the meta and the only people in my area that play regularly are the tournament guys. I loved Netrunner, too but, alas... I agree with a lot of the list, otherwise, although ranking will always be hugely subjective, of course.

When everyone is saying "Runebound, 2nd Ed." do they meant the most recent version or the actual Second Edition, which basically just tweaked the first and changed the dice to 2d10 from 1d20? I will always love Runebound simply for the variety of adventures possible with the big and small expansions. That said, I'm not sure I would have put it in the top 10. I'll still play it anytime, but somehow it never struck me as something as transformative as games like CitOW or TI3. I probably would have added A Game of Thrones, as well, since the order system remains as unusual as that of Forbidden Stars/Starcraft, if different.

Similarly to Shellhead, I gave up on BSG after season 2, despite urging from several friends to give season 3 a try, since it supposedly really took off at that point (something about the writers collectively realizing that they took a wrong turn in season 2 and they were going to get canceled?) but I've never taken the time to go back to it and now it's off Netflix. We played BSG three or four times and my experience was that, unless you had a group really willing to engage the traitor mechanics, it wasn't as fun as it could've been. My group somehow just didn't grasp it so I ended up trading it away.

I think the expansions do nothing but make BB: TM better. More teams to choose from and more options to choose from (magic balls, stadia, contracts, etc.) It's definitely a favorite.
Colorcrayons's Avatar
Colorcrayons replied the topic: #228044 24 May 2016 15:47
Doom?

I know nearly everyone lauds the fantasy redesign in descent or refinement in rebellion, but with very very minor tweaks, Doom is a clean system. I don't think I've played a better video game to board game implementation from the viewpoint of how similar they feel and how easy it is to play.

I think as a two player game, this is my choice for best inhouse design by ffg, ever. From a design perspective, its brilliant. From a game play perspective, it could use refinement, but not to the degree they took it with descent.
Chapel's Avatar
Chapel replied the topic: #228045 24 May 2016 15:50

Shellhead wrote: Rebellion is a re-working of Freedom in the Galaxy.


That in itself is so meta.
Mr. White's Avatar
Mr. White replied the topic: #228048 24 May 2016 16:31

Egg Shen wrote: If the head of the company went on a public forum (BGG) and made claims that they came up with the design it was good enough for me.


Love ya, Egg, but surely you're a bit more skeptical then believing in whatever some corporate head says in public...

Even if not, there was a lot of back and forth all over gaming sites when this came out. At the end of the day FFG and the legion of SW fans were able to shout down the designer of WoW/G. Ultimately, ethics don't really matter, so long as we get what we want (see also: the sharing economy flap). I was actually disappointed in several people who went along and rewarded FFG for their poor handling of this...theme we prefer or not.
Michael Barnes's Avatar
Michael Barnes replied the topic: #228049 24 May 2016 16:36
It really is unfortunate that FFG shit the bed with the Rebellion combat...if it had a resolution mechanic that was more in scope with the design and that didn't slam on the brakes, I think it would definitely be one of their top three in-house designs, easily.

I guess best then would be:

SW Rebellion
SW Armada
SW X-Wing
Chaos in the Old World
Battlestar Galactica
Blood Bowl Team Manager
Gears of War
StarCraft
Eldritch Horror
Rune Age

WORST would be:
Drakon
Horus Heresy
Civilization
Battles of Westeros
Mutant Chronicles CMG
Frenzy
Orcz
Delta V
Elder Sign

Not including reprints/distribution/licensed titles. If we figure that in, then Cosmic Encounter is the best thing they've ever released. And Rex one of the worst.

Android belongs in both the best and worst lists somewhere.
el_skootro's Avatar
el_skootro replied the topic: #228053 24 May 2016 16:46
With all due respect, Mr. Shen:

I read Chaos in the Old World as #3 and then TI3 as #2 and I got super excited for #1! And then .... hmmmm.

I'm starting to doubt your decision making skills.

Sincerely yours,
Skooter
Amontillado's Avatar
Amontillado replied the topic: #228074 24 May 2016 19:39
I can only say what I like:

Android Netrunner is one of the best games I've ever played ever.

I've enjoyed every single game of Arkham Horror I've ever played.

I've enjoyed every game of Cosmic Encounter I've ever played, but I've never played with flares. Can anyone speak to how play differs with flares in the mix?

I've played BSG once and did enjoy it. From the point of view of theme, having a traitor in the mix works better by far with this game than any other game, such as the misbegotten rummy remake called Shadows over Camelot.

I've got Warrior Knights in the closet and CitOW, but I've never played the former and never busted the shrink on the latter. Maybe this year.
Sevej's Avatar
Sevej replied the topic: #228078 24 May 2016 20:39

Mr. White wrote:

Egg Shen wrote: If the head of the company went on a public forum (BGG) and made claims that they came up with the design it was good enough for me.


Love ya, Egg, but surely you're a bit more skeptical then believing in whatever some corporate head says in public...

Even if not, there was a lot of back and forth all over gaming sites when this came out. At the end of the day FFG and the legion of SW fans were able to shout down the designer of WoW/G. Ultimately, ethics don't really matter, so long as we get what we want (see also: the sharing economy flap). I was actually disappointed in several people who went along and rewarded FFG for their poor handling of this...theme we prefer or not.


I hate to bring this up everytime this discussion come up, but you guys should learn to remember this single fact: Wreckage was published by FFG in 2003 and they use what can be a precursor to WoW system. Face down cards to decide steering, using cards as 45 degree templates, even X-Wing damage system can be drawn to this game. So WoW copies Wreckage, then X-Wing copies WoW... I guess this is where you should say everything comes full circle?
Michael Barnes's Avatar
Michael Barnes replied the topic: #228080 24 May 2016 20:58
When I played WoW, I thought "hey, this is like Wreckage".

It also really chaps my hide how poorly FFG handled using dice to resolve combat in their games without crediting Risk. And for ripping off Heroscape by having modular dungeon tiles and one player being the bad guy in Descent. They are game mechanic burglars.
wadenels's Avatar
wadenels replied the topic: #228082 24 May 2016 21:26
Warrior Knights! It really isn't a reprint of GW Warrior Knights; only a few ideas survived the redesign.
Talisman! They've done so much more with it than any previous edition I think we can start giving FFG design credits on this one.

It's interesting how many really good games FFG has in the Star Wars setting. I wonder what the FFG catalog would look like if they hadn't landed the license. FFG is putting out some pretty solid RPGs these days too. FFG is a gaming juggernaut and I'm a little sad that their HQ in Roseville says "Asmodee" on it now.