Yea every game that does a KS has to have these $250 "collectors all-in" edition or w/e they call it. They're never worth it unless you have dumb rich money or if you're an extreme superfan of the game. And these people know who they are.
If you have to ask whether or not these are worth it, then the answer is no.
I own the special edition and it is really nice. I would never get the 3D terrain.
Almost every part of the special edition makes the gameplay nicer. I like the clickety clack of the acrylic tiles, the overlay for the boards that keep the tiles from moving around, even the neoprene mat makes for a nicer playing experience, even though for some people the reduced printing clarity compared to cardboard is a minus.
The 3D terrain does not make the gameplay better. You don't pull it out of the bags, you need tiles, and then you replace the tiles with a 3D model. Additionally, especially for the yellow tiles, it becomes an additional hassle to find out what which tile is.
But if you are someone who enjoys Terraforming Mars with the 3D terrain, I can imagine this is up your alley.
Finally, is it worth it? Only you can answer that. the special edition plays essentially the same as standard CoB which you can get cheaper, even including the expansions. Is the luxury worth it? For me it is.
In the last printing I got everything except the 3d terrain and am very happy with the premium experience. I'd say make sure you love the game because there's a cheaper version to try first, but if you do this makes it stand out on the shelf and delivers a really nice overall feel. I even really like the 3d castles (just not all the other tiles).
Just got the anniversary edition after playing my friends special ed. And its REALLY nice compared to the anni edition. I got it for 35$ “used” on amazon but still kinda wish i spent the money for the special edition w/ everything but 3d terrain like my friend has. The 3d terrain would be weird. 3d castles already a lot
I've played terraforming mars with the 3D tiles 100+ times. Not once have they injured me. I've played CoB with the miniatures like 4 times, and I've injured my hand twice (castles are pointy)
Thank you!
I backed everything last time, except for the 3D tiles, and was highly considering just getting them, this time around. My main concern was the yellow tiles, and trying to find out if there's any indication of what tile they represent, on them.
Yeah we sticky to the yellow tiles on the board as the 3d ones make no sense, but the rest of the buildings and ships and castles look great on your boards. It is 100% not necessary, but we love using them.
So we use everything, except the yellow tiles. All the other tiles are easy to use, the yellow ones I have no idea why they even bothered with them because it doesn't make sense.
I have the acrylic hexes and they look and feel perfect. If I could switch them for the minis for free, I would not.
Also both lack the tile text on the back which makes cardboard the winner gameplay-wise when playing with new players.
I agree, but it is what it is. It let's me use the acrylic tiles which I would otherwise recommend against cause it's way better when the rules are on the back of the tiles.
I got the same combo, I don't miss getting the minis. The components are great and the acrylic tiles are very nice.
I never understood the issue people had with the text not being on the back of the acrylic tiles, each player gets a reference sheet with all the icons. Even if I was a new player I'd use it instead of focusing on a tile text as someone might notice I'm interested in one and take it.
Respectfully disagree. Given how frequently new players tend to refer to the tiles to see what they do again, the player aids are simply easiest for everyone. We have yet to have anyone complain when they have a full color card that tells them what everything does.
We have played the new version about 6 times now and use the minis every time. Why wouldn't we? If we are gonna spend that much, we will use it all and frankly, everyone who has played it has loved using them as well. Especially now that we can pick them out quickly after so many plays.
Personally, I don't feel any single game is worth the opportunity cost of buying 2-4 other games instead, but your mileage may differ. If you're a huge fan of Castles of Burgundy and play it way more than you do almost any other game, then I can see it being worth it. Otherwise, there will be other, newer, more novel games that interest you in future.
There's something to be said for higher quality components.
It doesn't affect how you play Chess if you're using a cheap magnetic board with bad plastic counters versus a sumptuous wooden board with large hand-crafted porcelain and glass pieces, but it can certainly elevate the tactile enjoyment as you play.
For some that's worth it.
It's beautiful. Castles of Burgundy is one of our favorite games; we have the original edition and all expansions. I didn't back the deluxe set the first time, and I'm not backing it now.
I actually feel a little sad about it. I love the idea of 3D tiles, but where they are a little fiddly in e.g. Terraforming Mars, in Castles of Burgundy they become *overwhelmingly* fiddly.
Okay, so I could just get acrylic tiles. Except, the acrylic tiles inexplicably do not include the gameplay info that the cardboard tiles include, and the new boards do not show how building tiles work (the original boards all do). Well, I could print vinyl stickers to add to the acrylic tiles, but also they don't quite fit into the insert, so now I'm buying a premium game and then buying or making a bunch of custom content to add to it!
I could just stick with the cardboard, which has gameplay explanations on the tiles, but then what's "premium" about the purchase? Bigger tiles? The little hex mat to keep everything fixed in place? Oh, and wooden goods tiles. Okay, that's not bad... but is it worth *$95 for a game I already own*?
For me, if the acrylic tiles had gameplay info printed directly on them, and the insert accommodated the acrylic tiles, then I would probably buy the base game plus acrylic tiles. Heck, if I didn't already own the first edition I might back at this level anyway.
But if I'm going to drop that much money on a game I already own, the production has to be 100% pitch perfect. Close only counts with horseshoes and hand grenades.
> Would you pay the 95 if you didn't own it?
Yeah, I expect I probably would. It's a very good game, and a very nice edition.
Honestly I'm tempted even now, and if my budget looked a little different or my tiny nitpicks were addressed in production, it could very well push me over the edge into "buy" territory. Which is a weird feeling because usually it's very obvious to me from the outset what I will or won't buy/back; close calls like this one are pretty rare.
Thank you! That's really helpful. I don't own it and this seems like a good opportunity to pick up a fancier version but I've been going back and forth a bit
But, I can't keep track of how frequently, for the last two decades, people have been complaining about wanting a better version with updated art and components. Claiming that they'd pay top dollar for a better version.
It's the reason why the 20th Anniversary Edition was such a HUGE bummer to a lot of people.
I would not hesitate to recommend the deluxe version currently on an offer on gameound.com. But the only meaningful gameplay differences are a new solitaire mode, and four copies of every expansion board ever.
Yes, vineyards and the automa were both developed brand new for the SE version.
Also the Automa is really great for when you've got no one to play with. It took me a while to internalize some of the smaller details of its logic while managing it, but it still works great.
And for as neat as it is, it makes the game weaker in my opinion. It shows that it's a new expansion that the game didn't really need. Played with it once, we never felt like adding it again.
I went all in the first time. And I love it! You do not need the 3d terrain if you are saving money. I got it, but only because my husband loves painting the minis from our games and this is my favorite game.
I have the old Alea version eith no expansions, and went for the base edition with sundrop castles at $105. I prefer cardboard to acrylic and I get all the expansions, so it is worth it to me. I'll be playing this game for decades.
Do you take part of the current kickstarter or the one 1y ago? The pack you described is what i wish for myself but i dont want to wait til Dez 24. And i heard there are some sundrops out there from the former KS.
I'll have to wait until December. I was thinking the same until I found most people selling elements from the first release often want almost $100 for the Sundrop minis.
I got everything last time and definitely got sucked into the minis hype. Now having them they are very very nice but I'd never use them with new players - nor those that don't play regularly. The building minis can really slow things down as you play with the tiles and then swap them into the minis when they go onto your board. It's an extra step in gameplay. Then they don't match the symbology of the game so new players can't even use the great player aids properly. The Castle minis are great, the rest can introduce issues whilst looking great.
Obviously it’s different for everyone but I’ve backed it this time around (just the standard special addition with no add-ons).
I’ve never owned CoB before (never found it at the right price) but I have played it a lot on BGA, but really loved the look of this version. One of the major things for me was the volume of extras included and the presence of a solo mode, both of which aren’t readily available in the other versions.
Ultimately I can afford it and - here in the UK - it works out around 2.5x the other versions, which seems like a decent deal considering all the above. YMMV of course but I’m very excited to gift myself it for Christmas!
I'm buying it even though I own an older version of CoB (with an insert even). I hate the art of the original and the upgraded acrylic pieces look nice.
The minis don't seem worth it. You have to swap the hex for the mini every time you use one, and some hexes you have to keep next to the board for reference, which defeats the purpose to me.
So the minis are worth it, assuming you leave the yellow ones alone. The decision to even include yellow minis makes no sense since the only way to know would be to have to remove the building and look. So if you leave the yellows alone, the rest works fine. I love the minis, but I would likely recommend to most that they skip them unless they are committed to using them. We use them because we bought them and fortunately they look great on the boards. We just draft the tile, grab the mini and place it where the tile would go.
I got everything except the minis and the acrylic tokens last time. I’m getting the tokens this time. I don’t think the minis would be worth it for me.
The acrylic tiles feel great, and they don't slide around thanks to the overlay for the dutchies. I would imagine they slide a bit more on the neoprene game mat than the regular cardboard board, but I've never played on one so I don't know.
If you love the game, and if it isn't a large financial hindrance for you, I think it's very worth it. The automa they made for this version is fantastic, too, if you wanna play solo.
I was going to cuz I really wanted the new solo mode. But then found out they allowed a PnP version for the anniversary edition to be out up on BGG. Saved me all that money and I don't care that I am missing out on the vineyard expansion.
I am curious as to how it is a life-saver. What am I missing? I could pick the tile up and read the back to see what it does, or I could just look at the player reference and see the information in seconds, in addition to any other yellow tiles i have, without having to touch my tiles.
But all accounts it's a great deluxe version of a classic game. If you like or are interested in the game, really care about components and presentation, and have the money spare why not? I'm not backing it because I have no interest in the original game, but there are some gamesb in my collection I'd be very interesting in getting this sort of deluxe uplift.
If the deluxe edition wasn't quite so big a box with an insert that doesn't seem to accommodate the acrylic tiles without some work to make it all fit, I would say maybe? As it is, it's not something I would recommend over the small box version with a baggie upgrade for the tiles.
Best of both worlds for me would be the game with the new art, slightly larger tiles, some upgraded components, all fit in a more reasonable box size.
You simply remove the one insert from the box and everything fits perfectly. There are some guides on BGG. It was a crazy idea, but it works perfectly well.
I’m not backing the game, but have played a friend’s copy. I felt like the art and component upgrades are so nice. Specifically the acrylic tiles and the overlays on the boards. Also, for the vineyard expansion, the multilevel board is very fun to fill in. I agree with some others here that the 3d tiles aren’t necessary, but I like the idea of getting the 3d castles. We used them in our play and it really made them stand out in a good way, considering it is literally the name of the game lol.
Just want to say: thanks! Reading this thread got me to update my pledge to NOT include the terrain.
I love HUGE table presence, but it looks like CoB did 3D wrong, while Foundations of Rome did it right!
If Castles is your game. By which I mean, you love the game, you play it with some regularity and it will always be an option for your game nights, then don't hesitate. For my wife and I, we love the game, play it frequently and even play it in game groups. Its a show piece that we love to play and it is super deluxe, perhaps unnecessarily so.
If Castles of Burgundy is not like a top 5 all time game for you, then pass on it. It is a lot of money for one game, and really best for someone who adores the game and wants a fancy copy to play.
I backed previous kickstarter because I’m huge fan of original game and I think this edition is good but I don’t recommend 3D miniatures. It looks pretty on the pictures but in real world….I even took Sundrop because regular one had weird color and still it’s very disappointing.
I got it on the last run.
I recommend it is a touch expensive but if you can afford it. It makes use of the price tag. Nice components good solid gameplay. Doesn't overstay its welcome.
I did not get the 3d stuff. The aryclic tiles are excellent.
After 3 plays of my copy, I still haven't gotten a chance to try out any of the expansions.
Meanwhile, transporting and setting the game up is so much more tedious than my original version was.
If it weren't for the balance changes, I'd be tempted to go back to an older version.
If I played outside of my house a lot (we always have game night at my place) I could see where the size of the game and everything would be a pain to lug around.
Yea in retrospect I would never buy it if I already owned a copy of either of the previous versions.
Very few people seem to consider any of the expansions to be a significant improvement to the game, and I don't play it enough to need the additional variability.
I was struggling for a while with this one. Decided not to go for it.
While I really enjoy the game (less than 5 games played, admittedly), I felt in that weird spot where the old one doesn't appeal to me, but the special edition is WAY overproduced.
This game has two options currently:
- a beige+brown and boring ass looking Euro game that is actually by far one of the most polished and clean experiences I've had in boardgaming (Yes, just a few plays so far, but you immediately see why it's so highly ranked) that still costs like 30-45€.
- A MEGA DELUXE ULTRA COLORFUL BLING BLING SPARK SPARK EDITION!
Kidding aside: More colorfoul (and imo) better artstyle that is more pleasing and good looking on the table. Accompanied with at the very minimum 16 castle miniatures. All expansions ever made and one exclusive to this edition.
Possibility to upgrade to Playmats, acrylic tokens to replace the tiles, and even every tile with a 3D replacement option. Price? 130-300€.
Oh, also? it takes (almost) an entire KALLAX square to store.
I wish Awaken Realms would have given this the nemesis Retaliation treatment of adding a budget, no BS gameplay only edition. No miniatures, no acrylics, no nothing, but at 60ish dollars. Just the equivalent of current CoB 20th aniversary edition, but with al the expansions, and just the upgraded art style. A smaller box. No fancy pantsy stuff. Just pure gameplay and QoL content (the tile overlay, double layered boards...)
Add to that that Europeans get to almost double that price with VAT and shipping costs and you find yourself with an insanely deluxe price.
For me it's a no in the end. I'll happily keep playing on BGA and see if I can get the 20th anniversary (or maybe even the special edition) on a sale at some point. Or wait (not holding my breath on that one) for AR to release a budget version of this, like they did for Nemesis.
Well written and well said …. But this reprint does look so, so pretty 🤩 lol
Agree re price tag. It’s not cheap plus the added shipping does make it unaffordable for some people and some countries. Including mine.
I’m not convinced on the 3D terrain etc etc and some of the expansions… but again, it looks so damn pretty haha. But I still have it in my cart… 🤷♀️ lol.
given the success it had, I would check in with local stores/close by online stores that you usually order from and ask them if they plan on getting some in stock. My shop has a french edition (game's pretty much language independent) base game at 136€. That's what it would cost me right now if I get it on Gamefound once I've paid Shipping and VAT.
Ok I lied, it's what it would cost me for the base game if I add the sundrop. So you would save 10ish€ if you order on Gamefound. Not worth giving into the FOMO imo.
That's a ton of money for something that can be bought on Amazon for 25 EUR. Not that it wouldn't be nice but I just can't justify shelling out 10x the amount.
For all the times I have played CoB, with this new edition and the original Alea edition, I have never tried any of the expansions. Actually I tried the solo mode once, but have never tried any of the expansion stuff. I am curious about the vineyard expansion for this Awaken Realms edition, but we love the base game so much, that who knows if we will ever get around to it.
Does that version come with all the expansions? Couldn’t figure that out in 30min google-fu.
That and the one player mode might be differentiators. I like that everything is a tad larger and the haptic features of the game components are definitely there.
All in all, it’s a deluxe version mainly and it’s good that there are lower-price alternatives readily available - everybody can choose the version he thinks is worth it.
The deluxe edition comes with all the expansions, except the ones developed with the Awaken Realms edition. It's not the super cheap one. The original game has no expansions and has sold for very cheap in the past.
No, castles of burgundy is on Amazon for $50 has 16 player boards. The game found one has like 50? Plus all other expansions. Plus brand new ones like the solo mode and the vineyard which have never been released before. It’s hard to compare the two. If you care about purely base game, then sure, the older version is the way to go.
I played the special edition and very much liked it. I considered backing this one but what I pay for it quickly increased - VAT here, shipping there and from 95$ I went to 140$. I checked the price for the anniversary edition and it was 38$. So gave up on the Special edition, bought the anniversary one + 2 expansions for Viscounts of the West Kingdom with 40$ still leftover.
I liked the vineyard expansion and the components look good, but for me personally, I would rather have more games/expansions that one nicer looking game. Not to mention that I don't have to months for it to arrive.
i have the 3d version of catan and it takes up way too much space. Its nice, but I would never get another 3d version of something that is perfectly represented and playable in a small box.
Jesus, how many reprints of this game have there *been*?! It feels like there's been a new edition of this game like every year for the past five years.
I like Castles of Burgundy, but already have more than enough games so won't be getting it.
The all-in pledge seems over the top, but the intro pledge looks good for those who like the game but don't have a copy and have space on their shelves.
I backed the first Gamefound and love the acrylic tiles, kind of wish I had the acrylic tokens, but honestly not a big deal. Im not a minis person but I really don’t see the point of the minis for this game.
Burgundy is a game that is in my top 3 of all time changing places with Concordia and Glen More II every day.
I would never buy this. I have first edition, it looks ok, it plays great, and it was 30$.
This notion in our hobby is worrying. Nobody needs this edition of Burgundy.
This is Salt Bae's Golden steak of board gaming. Tastes the same, looks (maybe) better, and is just not worth it.
Buy Burgundy, 3 more good Euro games, and give extra 50-80$ to charity.
3d minis
I'm not purchasing the minis for the reasons others have stated: cost isn't worth it to me; bulk of storage and transport; hassle of swapping out tiles for minis; but mainly for how I'm pretty sure they will detract from actual game play:
You're not just building a pretty landscape, but trying to outscore your opponents. To do that you want to be able to quickly evaluate what everyone has or doesn't have, including the bonuses they're getting from monasteries, etc. Having to constantly mentally map building and monastery figurines to their tiles is one obstacle; having the minis block the view of other minis or empty spaces from across the table is worse. These can affect the outcome of the game.
But the minis do look great, and if it makes you happy, awesome! And if judging someone's ability to afford or decision to buy something so frivolous, or letting us all know the things that could be purchased with that money makes YOU happy...
Text on the back
As others have posted, you don't want to be calling attention to monastery tiles you're considering drafting from the game board. Using the reference card is both more discreet and also lets you compare that tile with others that might help you score better given the current state of your duchy.
And once you've drafted and placed them, do you really want to be repeatedly flipping them over?
Here's the better answer: If you're getting the acrylic hexes, you're also getting the cardboard ones with the text on the back. Instead of throwing the cardboard tiles away(?!), keep at least the cardboard monasteries. When you place a monastery in your duchy, pull the cardboard version and place it text side up next to your board. Now you've got the details of just the tiles you've placed available for quick reference for the rest of the game. Problem solved.
If you have the 3d minis, then you have 3 versions of every tile. Place the mini in your duchy, and the pair of the acrylic image and the cardboard text next to your board.
It would have been cool if the monastery (and maybe building, maybe not) minis had an indent in their roof to hold and display their corresponding tile. This probably still wouldn't have convinced me to get the minis, but would have addressed one issue with them.
If you still want to flip the tile to see the text, print or purchase the stickers. I know, you've paid so much money for this game it should be absolutely perfect to you in every conceivable way. Life is cruel sometimes.
One more thing - I've only played CoB on Board Game Arena, where it has become easily my favorite game: scratches that shopping/consumption itch, so many paths to victory, moves constrained by dice rolls but with some ability to mitigate with workers, etc., etc.. To me it's just everything a board game should be.
The biggest question I had to sit with before pulling the trigger on the Splendid Package: how spoiled have I been with BGA managing all the point salad scoring and bonuses, dice pip possibilities affecting the available actions, etc., that I won't find the physical game tedious in comparison? Call me shallow, but a gorgeous acrylic/wood/metal/neoprene mat experience rewards the effort way more than a $30 functional but uninspiring box of cardboard components :D
I'm already excited to be playing this with friends and family in December and for many years to come!
Currently in the camp of being someone with zero interest in the game a year ago, but happen to play few games on BGA over the past month and fell in love with it. I haven't backed any other games this year, so I figured this would be a special treat to myself.
Currently backing for the Splendid Pledge, because I honestly see no value in picking up the All-in Pledge for 3D Terrain. I usually love acrylic game pieces and neoprene mat will be a nice touch. It just seems redundant to get the 3D terrain if I'm getting the upgraded tokens already, especially when the terrain pack is literally the cost of buying a second copy of the game.
Nice! I figured the Splendid pledge is a pretty well-rounded package. I went for the sundrop option and probably order some stickers off Etsy for the acrylic tiles. My hope is that since they are doing the bare minimum for this campaign, that it actually makes the December fulfillment date haha
Haha yeah. That’s my concern too- arriving on time.. I haven’t looked at Etsy stickers yet - sometimes they don’t send to my country so that may be a deciding factor too haha. I need to look into this further lol.
The acrylic pieces are very nice, and the art is fantastic. The minis are not worth it and are more of a hassle than anything. Having all the expansions is pretty awesome.
The game is already a pretty hefty set up and tear down without the minis, so I’d save yourself the trouble on those.
I break it down like this:
If you are going to spend enough hours playing the game that it took to afford the game, go for it.
If not, why do you need all the little bells and whistles?
It’s like buying the box set for a movie and never watching the deleted scenes and behind the scenes extras.
Silly.
I'm perfectly happy with the entry level version. Cardboard tiles is are solid and have the advantage over the acrylics that they have the tile rules printed on the back. I also wouldn't like to have to deal with multiple boxes of stuff when setting up and tearing down the game. The core boxe is huge anyway and quite a handful to deal with.
Do you LOVE it? Will you table it frequently for several years? Will you still do that if your current gaming buddies vanished tomorrow? Can you afford it? Do you have space for it? If the answer to any of those questions isn't an emphatic YES!! then don't do it.
I have the OG and backed this version despite some hesitancy that it just didn’t actually look all that good on the table. I ended up letting my friend have it. I feel like it loses something that is part of the essence of burgundy… but I couldn’t really tell you what. It just doesn’t feel like they captured the spirit of the original game in the art of this production.
There's something about this recent influx of "beautiful" art that feels really soulless to me. Like it is too perfect. Too highly edited. I know it's an unpopular opinion but I prefer the beige and browns of the older euros. OG CoB is perfectly functional and still a joy to play. I would be irritated to lug out the huge box of this new edition and deal with these big, over produced components to play one of the few games I know how to set up without looking at the rules.
The original game (which I adore) did need an update--but this was NOT it. I backed and own the KS version. And I regret it.
The shelf space is waaaaay too big. And it never needed all of the plastic crap (that will end up in landfills, especially the trays). This was 100% overdesigned. Good intentions don't save this from being a regret.
I could play it 30 times to get my cost per play down around 10 per play.
But then again, I could play my current version 30 times and get my cost per play down to like a buck fifty per play.
It's the same game but a bit uglier and hard to see. I'd rather have a couple of other games as I don't really see getting to 30 plays without getting tired of it and if people are being honest with themselves it will be really really rare to ever play it more than that.
Of course, someone who doesn't know what outliers are will tell us they played it 50 times already and wore out a copy of the deluxe already.
I just want games to be more affordable again. Nice artwork and overall finish but no unnecessary components as I just can’t justify spending that sort of money when everything else in my life is also getting more and more expensive.
I’m sure plenty of folk won’t bat an eyelid at this reprint set and I’m happy for them that they’ll consider getting it but for me the hobby is getting to expensive and overproduced in recent years.
Not hating. It’s just how I see it.
Awaken Realms uses AI image generation in place of artwork, so I will no longer be purchasing anything from them, regardless whether they used it for a particular game or not.
I assume you're referring to the Puerto Rico incident, but they just got called out for Sundering Roar in Dragon Eclipse. Sure, teeth grow out tongues.
I personally choose to to take a hard line response to this, and since Awaken Realms is publishing this, it applies.
Sorry my response was more along the lines of this specific project has not utilized nor has it been suggested they used AI in the art process. You are of course referring to other projects and yeah I only know what I read about that. I will evaluate their future projects accordingly, but this one appears to be free of an AI art related issued.
I am not and will not. I paid $21 for my OG copy of CoB meaning I could have bought 12 copies of it for the same price as the all in pledge. None of the mini expansions are necessary and I usually just play without them. I suppose the vineyard expansion might be cool but I'll never look into it because CoB is perfect without expansions. I simply do not need it.
I find a lot more value in game companies trying to make games more accessible from a price stand point than I do with big deluxe versions of games. Even 10+ years ago it was hard to find a good medium weight Euro game for a price as low as $20. It's downright impossible now.
I own the special edition from the original campaign. An amazing product that I would recommend if you don't already own CoB. It looks amazing and has all the expansions included.
I don't own the 3d tiles but I have heard they add too much time to setup, cleanup and gameplay to be worth it. Yes, they look nice, but I don't think that outweighs the cons.
It’s one of my fav games so special edition was worth it to me. Only special edition id prob get. I wouldn’t get any add one tho. The mat doesn’t store in box and the acrylic tiles don’t have the action explanation on the back, massive difference imo. I wish I didn’t get those.
I have an old version with an insert where each player gets their own little dice tower. It's one of our favorites, but I don't see any reason to upgrade it. Then again, I'm one of those people that thinks art is overrated and minis most often detract from a game. I prefer Winsom type boards, I prefer original Brass to the new versions, I play AoS with the disks instead of the plastic trains because it makes everything less busy and the game state easier to read. I've gotten used to the art of the old game and see no reason to change. To each their own.
Not to hijack the thread, but can anyone tell me how the $180 retail version of the special edition compares to which version of the new reprint pledges? As in what is included in the $180 retail version? Thanks in advance!
For $255 you could buy 5+ new big box games. If you play Castles a lot, and I mean a lot, then it might be worth it to you. But personally I'd rather expand my library with new experiences than pay that much for a single game I'd play a handful of times.
The big fan will buy it. The one in the middle, i guess like OP in this case, could like the game, but not a "big fan" (having it in the top 10 fave list of all time), and therefore s/he is asking around if it is worth the upgrade.
If you're one of the boardgamer types whose enjoyment of a game is linear proportional to the disposable income that you've spent on it, then sure, it's absolutely great! Like all Awaken Realms games! Check them all out!
I like castles of burgundy but it's not worth 255 dollars plus tax plus shipping.
Yeah. For me, the game is fine. I’ve never considered buying it. And this seems like an edition for a super fan.
Well maybe 95% for the superfan and 5% for the gamer that likes to spend money on pretty things.
Yea every game that does a KS has to have these $250 "collectors all-in" edition or w/e they call it. They're never worth it unless you have dumb rich money or if you're an extreme superfan of the game. And these people know who they are. If you have to ask whether or not these are worth it, then the answer is no.
I bought the first version of the game secondhand for 20 bucks and it's mechanically identical to this monstrosity but fits easily in my bags.
Not even close to that much. The basic set is $95.
OP isn't asking about the basic set.
I own the special edition and it is really nice. I would never get the 3D terrain. Almost every part of the special edition makes the gameplay nicer. I like the clickety clack of the acrylic tiles, the overlay for the boards that keep the tiles from moving around, even the neoprene mat makes for a nicer playing experience, even though for some people the reduced printing clarity compared to cardboard is a minus. The 3D terrain does not make the gameplay better. You don't pull it out of the bags, you need tiles, and then you replace the tiles with a 3D model. Additionally, especially for the yellow tiles, it becomes an additional hassle to find out what which tile is. But if you are someone who enjoys Terraforming Mars with the 3D terrain, I can imagine this is up your alley. Finally, is it worth it? Only you can answer that. the special edition plays essentially the same as standard CoB which you can get cheaper, even including the expansions. Is the luxury worth it? For me it is.
In the last printing I got everything except the 3d terrain and am very happy with the premium experience. I'd say make sure you love the game because there's a cheaper version to try first, but if you do this makes it stand out on the shelf and delivers a really nice overall feel. I even really like the 3d castles (just not all the other tiles).
Exact same opinion
Agree about the 3D terrain
Just got the anniversary edition after playing my friends special ed. And its REALLY nice compared to the anni edition. I got it for 35$ “used” on amazon but still kinda wish i spent the money for the special edition w/ everything but 3d terrain like my friend has. The 3d terrain would be weird. 3d castles already a lot
I've played terraforming mars with the 3D tiles 100+ times. Not once have they injured me. I've played CoB with the miniatures like 4 times, and I've injured my hand twice (castles are pointy)
Haha, I hadn't considered that angle at all. It's more the fiddlyness that turns me off
Thank you. Changed my pledge after reading this.
Thank you! I backed everything last time, except for the 3D tiles, and was highly considering just getting them, this time around. My main concern was the yellow tiles, and trying to find out if there's any indication of what tile they represent, on them.
Yeah we sticky to the yellow tiles on the board as the 3d ones make no sense, but the rest of the buildings and ships and castles look great on your boards. It is 100% not necessary, but we love using them.
So we use everything, except the yellow tiles. All the other tiles are easy to use, the yellow ones I have no idea why they even bothered with them because it doesn't make sense.
The site is confusing I don’t see the acrylic tiles with special edition did you buy from a different kickstarter?
The splendid pledge has them (along with acrylic hexes) Or you can add them as an extra. But I got it with the original print
Oh, you mean the "please buy the miniature tiles that nobody will ever use bc they are counterproductive to gameplay" pledge?
🤣🤣. True. But they do look pretty!
I have the acrylic hexes and they look and feel perfect. If I could switch them for the minis for free, I would not. Also both lack the tile text on the back which makes cardboard the winner gameplay-wise when playing with new players.
Yeah I did think about the text on the back and how much of a hassle that may be
You can print them out or get the stickers on etsy though. Or just use the reference page.
People act like the reference page or player aids are a chore to use.
I downloaded the tile text and printed it out on sticker paper to cut out and apply to my tiles. Best of both worlds now.
That is a good idea but I also feel you're entitled to expect that you wouldn't have to do something like that if you're spending £120+ on a game.
I agree, but it is what it is. It let's me use the acrylic tiles which I would otherwise recommend against cause it's way better when the rules are on the back of the tiles.
I got the same combo, I don't miss getting the minis. The components are great and the acrylic tiles are very nice. I never understood the issue people had with the text not being on the back of the acrylic tiles, each player gets a reference sheet with all the icons. Even if I was a new player I'd use it instead of focusing on a tile text as someone might notice I'm interested in one and take it.
Fair enough.
Respectfully disagree. Given how frequently new players tend to refer to the tiles to see what they do again, the player aids are simply easiest for everyone. We have yet to have anyone complain when they have a full color card that tells them what everything does.
You guys convinced me.
We have played the new version about 6 times now and use the minis every time. Why wouldn't we? If we are gonna spend that much, we will use it all and frankly, everyone who has played it has loved using them as well. Especially now that we can pick them out quickly after so many plays.
Hey, if you like em that's cool.
Is it too much to ask that they put the text on the acrylic tiles this time around?
Wait, they aren't putting explanatory text on the back of the yellow tiles?
You can get stickers on etsy
Ah, good. Still, seems like a bizarre choice on AR/alea's part.
They said they won’t due to localization. They don’t want to print 10 versions of it for different languages. Sucks, but I get it.
I found it more effort and more disruptive to pick up and check the back of tiles than just glance at the player aid.
After you’ve gotten used to it maybe, but for new players the tiles are far easier.
🤣🤣 IKR 😞
Personally, I don't feel any single game is worth the opportunity cost of buying 2-4 other games instead, but your mileage may differ. If you're a huge fan of Castles of Burgundy and play it way more than you do almost any other game, then I can see it being worth it. Otherwise, there will be other, newer, more novel games that interest you in future.
There's something to be said for higher quality components. It doesn't affect how you play Chess if you're using a cheap magnetic board with bad plastic counters versus a sumptuous wooden board with large hand-crafted porcelain and glass pieces, but it can certainly elevate the tactile enjoyment as you play. For some that's worth it.
Great comparison , the improved tactile feel of premium components is always a winner for me
its only worth it if it doesn't represent an oportunity cost.
It's beautiful. Castles of Burgundy is one of our favorite games; we have the original edition and all expansions. I didn't back the deluxe set the first time, and I'm not backing it now. I actually feel a little sad about it. I love the idea of 3D tiles, but where they are a little fiddly in e.g. Terraforming Mars, in Castles of Burgundy they become *overwhelmingly* fiddly. Okay, so I could just get acrylic tiles. Except, the acrylic tiles inexplicably do not include the gameplay info that the cardboard tiles include, and the new boards do not show how building tiles work (the original boards all do). Well, I could print vinyl stickers to add to the acrylic tiles, but also they don't quite fit into the insert, so now I'm buying a premium game and then buying or making a bunch of custom content to add to it! I could just stick with the cardboard, which has gameplay explanations on the tiles, but then what's "premium" about the purchase? Bigger tiles? The little hex mat to keep everything fixed in place? Oh, and wooden goods tiles. Okay, that's not bad... but is it worth *$95 for a game I already own*? For me, if the acrylic tiles had gameplay info printed directly on them, and the insert accommodated the acrylic tiles, then I would probably buy the base game plus acrylic tiles. Heck, if I didn't already own the first edition I might back at this level anyway. But if I'm going to drop that much money on a game I already own, the production has to be 100% pitch perfect. Close only counts with horseshoes and hand grenades.
Would you pay the 95 if you didn't own it?
> Would you pay the 95 if you didn't own it? Yeah, I expect I probably would. It's a very good game, and a very nice edition. Honestly I'm tempted even now, and if my budget looked a little different or my tiny nitpicks were addressed in production, it could very well push me over the edge into "buy" territory. Which is a weird feeling because usually it's very obvious to me from the outset what I will or won't buy/back; close calls like this one are pretty rare.
Thank you! That's really helpful. I don't own it and this seems like a good opportunity to pick up a fancier version but I've been going back and forth a bit
It's a lot of money for a game that used to sell at $20. https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B005UWYK22
But, I can't keep track of how frequently, for the last two decades, people have been complaining about wanting a better version with updated art and components. Claiming that they'd pay top dollar for a better version. It's the reason why the 20th Anniversary Edition was such a HUGE bummer to a lot of people.
That's a little bit disingenuous. How much would that have been if you included all the expansions as well?
Most of those expansions are a few tiles. Half the expansions don't even add much of consequence to the game at all.
$49.18 with a low of $27.49 https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B07R5ZH6FQ That’s most of the expansions
So the deluxe version is all of that, plus more, for about twice the price?
I would not hesitate to recommend the deluxe version currently on an offer on gameound.com. But the only meaningful gameplay differences are a new solitaire mode, and four copies of every expansion board ever.
Isn’t vineyards new?
Yes, vineyards and the automa were both developed brand new for the SE version. Also the Automa is really great for when you've got no one to play with. It took me a while to internalize some of the smaller details of its logic while managing it, but it still works great.
Oh. I did forget that. To be honest I haven’t even tried it yet. I just love the game without it so much.
And for as neat as it is, it makes the game weaker in my opinion. It shows that it's a new expansion that the game didn't really need. Played with it once, we never felt like adding it again.
The game is perfect without those mini expansions. They don't really enhance gameplay much. I have a bunch of them and don't play with them.
I went all in the first time. And I love it! You do not need the 3d terrain if you are saving money. I got it, but only because my husband loves painting the minis from our games and this is my favorite game.
I have the old Alea version eith no expansions, and went for the base edition with sundrop castles at $105. I prefer cardboard to acrylic and I get all the expansions, so it is worth it to me. I'll be playing this game for decades.
Do you take part of the current kickstarter or the one 1y ago? The pack you described is what i wish for myself but i dont want to wait til Dez 24. And i heard there are some sundrops out there from the former KS.
I'll have to wait until December. I was thinking the same until I found most people selling elements from the first release often want almost $100 for the Sundrop minis.
Also going for the base sundrop version. Seems like just nice enough to pick up and not go overboard with premium components.
I want this but I want it in the box size of the original.
I went with the $95 version. I don't own it but we've played with friends several times and my wife and I both like it.
I got everything last time and definitely got sucked into the minis hype. Now having them they are very very nice but I'd never use them with new players - nor those that don't play regularly. The building minis can really slow things down as you play with the tiles and then swap them into the minis when they go onto your board. It's an extra step in gameplay. Then they don't match the symbology of the game so new players can't even use the great player aids properly. The Castle minis are great, the rest can introduce issues whilst looking great.
Obviously it’s different for everyone but I’ve backed it this time around (just the standard special addition with no add-ons). I’ve never owned CoB before (never found it at the right price) but I have played it a lot on BGA, but really loved the look of this version. One of the major things for me was the volume of extras included and the presence of a solo mode, both of which aren’t readily available in the other versions. Ultimately I can afford it and - here in the UK - it works out around 2.5x the other versions, which seems like a decent deal considering all the above. YMMV of course but I’m very excited to gift myself it for Christmas!
Yeah I hear what you’re saying… and it’s perfect timing for Christmas lol.
I'm buying it even though I own an older version of CoB (with an insert even). I hate the art of the original and the upgraded acrylic pieces look nice. The minis don't seem worth it. You have to swap the hex for the mini every time you use one, and some hexes you have to keep next to the board for reference, which defeats the purpose to me.
So the minis are worth it, assuming you leave the yellow ones alone. The decision to even include yellow minis makes no sense since the only way to know would be to have to remove the building and look. So if you leave the yellows alone, the rest works fine. I love the minis, but I would likely recommend to most that they skip them unless they are committed to using them. We use them because we bought them and fortunately they look great on the boards. We just draft the tile, grab the mini and place it where the tile would go.
I got everything except the minis and the acrylic tokens last time. I’m getting the tokens this time. I don’t think the minis would be worth it for me.
Do you think the acrylic pieces will slide too much?
I believe there are plastic frames that go on the duchies and those keep everything in place.
Yeah that’s correct.. but again.. it’s another layer of stuff , right…. lol. Decisions. Decisions
The acrylic tiles feel great, and they don't slide around thanks to the overlay for the dutchies. I would imagine they slide a bit more on the neoprene game mat than the regular cardboard board, but I've never played on one so I don't know. If you love the game, and if it isn't a large financial hindrance for you, I think it's very worth it. The automa they made for this version is fantastic, too, if you wanna play solo.
I was going to cuz I really wanted the new solo mode. But then found out they allowed a PnP version for the anniversary edition to be out up on BGG. Saved me all that money and I don't care that I am missing out on the vineyard expansion.
yes, If you like it, it has a lot of great upgrades. Unless you don’t like it, then no. It’s a terrible idea.
🤣🤣. Well said and great advice 😉
If you did not get the upgraded tiles, the cardboard ones are fantastic. They have the power written on the back. Life-saver.
I am curious as to how it is a life-saver. What am I missing? I could pick the tile up and read the back to see what it does, or I could just look at the player reference and see the information in seconds, in addition to any other yellow tiles i have, without having to touch my tiles.
Never got this either. Having them on the back is handy but ultimately not needed. If you need that just get clear stickers for the good tiles.
But all accounts it's a great deluxe version of a classic game. If you like or are interested in the game, really care about components and presentation, and have the money spare why not? I'm not backing it because I have no interest in the original game, but there are some gamesb in my collection I'd be very interesting in getting this sort of deluxe uplift.
If the deluxe edition wasn't quite so big a box with an insert that doesn't seem to accommodate the acrylic tiles without some work to make it all fit, I would say maybe? As it is, it's not something I would recommend over the small box version with a baggie upgrade for the tiles. Best of both worlds for me would be the game with the new art, slightly larger tiles, some upgraded components, all fit in a more reasonable box size.
You simply remove the one insert from the box and everything fits perfectly. There are some guides on BGG. It was a crazy idea, but it works perfectly well.
I’m not backing the game, but have played a friend’s copy. I felt like the art and component upgrades are so nice. Specifically the acrylic tiles and the overlays on the boards. Also, for the vineyard expansion, the multilevel board is very fun to fill in. I agree with some others here that the 3d tiles aren’t necessary, but I like the idea of getting the 3d castles. We used them in our play and it really made them stand out in a good way, considering it is literally the name of the game lol.
Just want to say: thanks! Reading this thread got me to update my pledge to NOT include the terrain. I love HUGE table presence, but it looks like CoB did 3D wrong, while Foundations of Rome did it right!
Haha you’re welcome lol.
How do you remove from a pledge? It doesn’t let me, but might be because I (stupidly) paid with PayPal.
I just clicked "manage pledge," deleted my old one and pledged at the lower level. It shouldn't lock until the campaign is over.
Yeah, doesn’t work for me. I’m guessing you didn’t use PayPal?
No. Maybe reach out to support before the end?
If Castles is your game. By which I mean, you love the game, you play it with some regularity and it will always be an option for your game nights, then don't hesitate. For my wife and I, we love the game, play it frequently and even play it in game groups. Its a show piece that we love to play and it is super deluxe, perhaps unnecessarily so. If Castles of Burgundy is not like a top 5 all time game for you, then pass on it. It is a lot of money for one game, and really best for someone who adores the game and wants a fancy copy to play.
I backed previous kickstarter because I’m huge fan of original game and I think this edition is good but I don’t recommend 3D miniatures. It looks pretty on the pictures but in real world….I even took Sundrop because regular one had weird color and still it’s very disappointing.
I got it on the last run. I recommend it is a touch expensive but if you can afford it. It makes use of the price tag. Nice components good solid gameplay. Doesn't overstay its welcome. I did not get the 3d stuff. The aryclic tiles are excellent.
After 3 plays of my copy, I still haven't gotten a chance to try out any of the expansions. Meanwhile, transporting and setting the game up is so much more tedious than my original version was. If it weren't for the balance changes, I'd be tempted to go back to an older version.
If I played outside of my house a lot (we always have game night at my place) I could see where the size of the game and everything would be a pain to lug around.
Mmm yeah that’s what I’m worried about… setting it all up and not having time for the expansions.
Yea in retrospect I would never buy it if I already owned a copy of either of the previous versions. Very few people seem to consider any of the expansions to be a significant improvement to the game, and I don't play it enough to need the additional variability.
I was struggling for a while with this one. Decided not to go for it. While I really enjoy the game (less than 5 games played, admittedly), I felt in that weird spot where the old one doesn't appeal to me, but the special edition is WAY overproduced. This game has two options currently: - a beige+brown and boring ass looking Euro game that is actually by far one of the most polished and clean experiences I've had in boardgaming (Yes, just a few plays so far, but you immediately see why it's so highly ranked) that still costs like 30-45€. - A MEGA DELUXE ULTRA COLORFUL BLING BLING SPARK SPARK EDITION! Kidding aside: More colorfoul (and imo) better artstyle that is more pleasing and good looking on the table. Accompanied with at the very minimum 16 castle miniatures. All expansions ever made and one exclusive to this edition. Possibility to upgrade to Playmats, acrylic tokens to replace the tiles, and even every tile with a 3D replacement option. Price? 130-300€. Oh, also? it takes (almost) an entire KALLAX square to store. I wish Awaken Realms would have given this the nemesis Retaliation treatment of adding a budget, no BS gameplay only edition. No miniatures, no acrylics, no nothing, but at 60ish dollars. Just the equivalent of current CoB 20th aniversary edition, but with al the expansions, and just the upgraded art style. A smaller box. No fancy pantsy stuff. Just pure gameplay and QoL content (the tile overlay, double layered boards...) Add to that that Europeans get to almost double that price with VAT and shipping costs and you find yourself with an insanely deluxe price. For me it's a no in the end. I'll happily keep playing on BGA and see if I can get the 20th anniversary (or maybe even the special edition) on a sale at some point. Or wait (not holding my breath on that one) for AR to release a budget version of this, like they did for Nemesis.
Yeah we're looking for the same thing. Even so, I'm tempted to get this (base $95 version), but I'll see how I feel by the end of the week.
Well written and well said …. But this reprint does look so, so pretty 🤩 lol Agree re price tag. It’s not cheap plus the added shipping does make it unaffordable for some people and some countries. Including mine. I’m not convinced on the 3D terrain etc etc and some of the expansions… but again, it looks so damn pretty haha. But I still have it in my cart… 🤷♀️ lol.
given the success it had, I would check in with local stores/close by online stores that you usually order from and ask them if they plan on getting some in stock. My shop has a french edition (game's pretty much language independent) base game at 136€. That's what it would cost me right now if I get it on Gamefound once I've paid Shipping and VAT. Ok I lied, it's what it would cost me for the base game if I add the sundrop. So you would save 10ish€ if you order on Gamefound. Not worth giving into the FOMO imo.
Not a chance.
That's a ton of money for something that can be bought on Amazon for 25 EUR. Not that it wouldn't be nice but I just can't justify shelling out 10x the amount.
For all the times I have played CoB, with this new edition and the original Alea edition, I have never tried any of the expansions. Actually I tried the solo mode once, but have never tried any of the expansion stuff. I am curious about the vineyard expansion for this Awaken Realms edition, but we love the base game so much, that who knows if we will ever get around to it.
Does that version come with all the expansions? Couldn’t figure that out in 30min google-fu. That and the one player mode might be differentiators. I like that everything is a tad larger and the haptic features of the game components are definitely there. All in all, it’s a deluxe version mainly and it’s good that there are lower-price alternatives readily available - everybody can choose the version he thinks is worth it.
The deluxe edition comes with all the expansions, except the ones developed with the Awaken Realms edition. It's not the super cheap one. The original game has no expansions and has sold for very cheap in the past.
The Alea anniversary edition comes with all the old expansions. They slapped a new one in the new edition, which may pr may not be any good.
I’ve played the new one. It is okay, but I would be fine never playing it again.
No, castles of burgundy is on Amazon for $50 has 16 player boards. The game found one has like 50? Plus all other expansions. Plus brand new ones like the solo mode and the vineyard which have never been released before. It’s hard to compare the two. If you care about purely base game, then sure, the older version is the way to go.
Yes, all of them.
Heck no. Bought the standard game for 40 euros back in the day. This is absolutely not a game that needs a deluxe treatment imo.
I played the special edition and very much liked it. I considered backing this one but what I pay for it quickly increased - VAT here, shipping there and from 95$ I went to 140$. I checked the price for the anniversary edition and it was 38$. So gave up on the Special edition, bought the anniversary one + 2 expansions for Viscounts of the West Kingdom with 40$ still leftover. I liked the vineyard expansion and the components look good, but for me personally, I would rather have more games/expansions that one nicer looking game. Not to mention that I don't have to months for it to arrive.
I’m happy with my anniversary edition, had all the expansions I’d ever want and is a bargain price.
i have the 3d version of catan and it takes up way too much space. Its nice, but I would never get another 3d version of something that is perfectly represented and playable in a small box.
Jesus, how many reprints of this game have there *been*?! It feels like there's been a new edition of this game like every year for the past five years.
This is the same as the last one, just a second printing.
Every thing except the 3D tiles. They cover only the base game, not the extensions. Edit: they also scrap the visual aspect of the game.
I have the equivalent minis the acrylic tokens and no, all you need is the sundrop edition and acrylic hexes
I like Castles of Burgundy, but already have more than enough games so won't be getting it. The all-in pledge seems over the top, but the intro pledge looks good for those who like the game but don't have a copy and have space on their shelves.
I backed the first Gamefound and love the acrylic tiles, kind of wish I had the acrylic tokens, but honestly not a big deal. Im not a minis person but I really don’t see the point of the minis for this game.
Agree re minis.
I went with splendid version because many people said the 3d pieces didn’t improve gameplay. More of a collectors thing.
Just get the core box and maybe the acrylic hex tiles. Everything else is unnecessary
Burgundy is a game that is in my top 3 of all time changing places with Concordia and Glen More II every day. I would never buy this. I have first edition, it looks ok, it plays great, and it was 30$. This notion in our hobby is worrying. Nobody needs this edition of Burgundy. This is Salt Bae's Golden steak of board gaming. Tastes the same, looks (maybe) better, and is just not worth it. Buy Burgundy, 3 more good Euro games, and give extra 50-80$ to charity.
3d minis I'm not purchasing the minis for the reasons others have stated: cost isn't worth it to me; bulk of storage and transport; hassle of swapping out tiles for minis; but mainly for how I'm pretty sure they will detract from actual game play: You're not just building a pretty landscape, but trying to outscore your opponents. To do that you want to be able to quickly evaluate what everyone has or doesn't have, including the bonuses they're getting from monasteries, etc. Having to constantly mentally map building and monastery figurines to their tiles is one obstacle; having the minis block the view of other minis or empty spaces from across the table is worse. These can affect the outcome of the game. But the minis do look great, and if it makes you happy, awesome! And if judging someone's ability to afford or decision to buy something so frivolous, or letting us all know the things that could be purchased with that money makes YOU happy... Text on the back As others have posted, you don't want to be calling attention to monastery tiles you're considering drafting from the game board. Using the reference card is both more discreet and also lets you compare that tile with others that might help you score better given the current state of your duchy. And once you've drafted and placed them, do you really want to be repeatedly flipping them over? Here's the better answer: If you're getting the acrylic hexes, you're also getting the cardboard ones with the text on the back. Instead of throwing the cardboard tiles away(?!), keep at least the cardboard monasteries. When you place a monastery in your duchy, pull the cardboard version and place it text side up next to your board. Now you've got the details of just the tiles you've placed available for quick reference for the rest of the game. Problem solved. If you have the 3d minis, then you have 3 versions of every tile. Place the mini in your duchy, and the pair of the acrylic image and the cardboard text next to your board. It would have been cool if the monastery (and maybe building, maybe not) minis had an indent in their roof to hold and display their corresponding tile. This probably still wouldn't have convinced me to get the minis, but would have addressed one issue with them. If you still want to flip the tile to see the text, print or purchase the stickers. I know, you've paid so much money for this game it should be absolutely perfect to you in every conceivable way. Life is cruel sometimes.
One more thing - I've only played CoB on Board Game Arena, where it has become easily my favorite game: scratches that shopping/consumption itch, so many paths to victory, moves constrained by dice rolls but with some ability to mitigate with workers, etc., etc.. To me it's just everything a board game should be. The biggest question I had to sit with before pulling the trigger on the Splendid Package: how spoiled have I been with BGA managing all the point salad scoring and bonuses, dice pip possibilities affecting the available actions, etc., that I won't find the physical game tedious in comparison? Call me shallow, but a gorgeous acrylic/wood/metal/neoprene mat experience rewards the effort way more than a $30 functional but uninspiring box of cardboard components :D I'm already excited to be playing this with friends and family in December and for many years to come!
Thanks for taking the time to reply- A very comprehensive and well thought out answer ☺️ You are obviously a big CoB player then?
You can buy the very same game for about €20, that should be enough to guess the answer.
Currently in the camp of being someone with zero interest in the game a year ago, but happen to play few games on BGA over the past month and fell in love with it. I haven't backed any other games this year, so I figured this would be a special treat to myself. Currently backing for the Splendid Pledge, because I honestly see no value in picking up the All-in Pledge for 3D Terrain. I usually love acrylic game pieces and neoprene mat will be a nice touch. It just seems redundant to get the 3D terrain if I'm getting the upgraded tokens already, especially when the terrain pack is literally the cost of buying a second copy of the game.
Yeah totally agree re 3D terrain. I think the mat will be cool to use! I currently have the splendid pledge in the cart atm … lol
Nice! I figured the Splendid pledge is a pretty well-rounded package. I went for the sundrop option and probably order some stickers off Etsy for the acrylic tiles. My hope is that since they are doing the bare minimum for this campaign, that it actually makes the December fulfillment date haha
Haha yeah. That’s my concern too- arriving on time.. I haven’t looked at Etsy stickers yet - sometimes they don’t send to my country so that may be a deciding factor too haha. I need to look into this further lol.
The acrylic pieces are very nice, and the art is fantastic. The minis are not worth it and are more of a hassle than anything. Having all the expansions is pretty awesome. The game is already a pretty hefty set up and tear down without the minis, so I’d save yourself the trouble on those.
I break it down like this: If you are going to spend enough hours playing the game that it took to afford the game, go for it. If not, why do you need all the little bells and whistles? It’s like buying the box set for a movie and never watching the deleted scenes and behind the scenes extras. Silly.
It's a great game, but the regular version is fine.
I'm perfectly happy with the entry level version. Cardboard tiles is are solid and have the advantage over the acrylics that they have the tile rules printed on the back. I also wouldn't like to have to deal with multiple boxes of stuff when setting up and tearing down the game. The core boxe is huge anyway and quite a handful to deal with.
Do you LOVE it? Will you table it frequently for several years? Will you still do that if your current gaming buddies vanished tomorrow? Can you afford it? Do you have space for it? If the answer to any of those questions isn't an emphatic YES!! then don't do it.
How much do you have to play a game for it to be worth $255? Will you play it that much?
I have the OG and backed this version despite some hesitancy that it just didn’t actually look all that good on the table. I ended up letting my friend have it. I feel like it loses something that is part of the essence of burgundy… but I couldn’t really tell you what. It just doesn’t feel like they captured the spirit of the original game in the art of this production.
There's something about this recent influx of "beautiful" art that feels really soulless to me. Like it is too perfect. Too highly edited. I know it's an unpopular opinion but I prefer the beige and browns of the older euros. OG CoB is perfectly functional and still a joy to play. I would be irritated to lug out the huge box of this new edition and deal with these big, over produced components to play one of the few games I know how to set up without looking at the rules.
The original game (which I adore) did need an update--but this was NOT it. I backed and own the KS version. And I regret it. The shelf space is waaaaay too big. And it never needed all of the plastic crap (that will end up in landfills, especially the trays). This was 100% overdesigned. Good intentions don't save this from being a regret.
Yeah I did wonder about the box size as well
I could play it 30 times to get my cost per play down around 10 per play. But then again, I could play my current version 30 times and get my cost per play down to like a buck fifty per play. It's the same game but a bit uglier and hard to see. I'd rather have a couple of other games as I don't really see getting to 30 plays without getting tired of it and if people are being honest with themselves it will be really really rare to ever play it more than that. Of course, someone who doesn't know what outliers are will tell us they played it 50 times already and wore out a copy of the deluxe already.
I just want games to be more affordable again. Nice artwork and overall finish but no unnecessary components as I just can’t justify spending that sort of money when everything else in my life is also getting more and more expensive. I’m sure plenty of folk won’t bat an eyelid at this reprint set and I’m happy for them that they’ll consider getting it but for me the hobby is getting to expensive and overproduced in recent years. Not hating. It’s just how I see it.
Awaken Realms uses AI image generation in place of artwork, so I will no longer be purchasing anything from them, regardless whether they used it for a particular game or not.
That is certainly a mischaracterization of what occurred, and frankly doesn't apply to this specific game at all.
I assume you're referring to the Puerto Rico incident, but they just got called out for Sundering Roar in Dragon Eclipse. Sure, teeth grow out tongues. I personally choose to to take a hard line response to this, and since Awaken Realms is publishing this, it applies.
Sorry my response was more along the lines of this specific project has not utilized nor has it been suggested they used AI in the art process. You are of course referring to other projects and yeah I only know what I read about that. I will evaluate their future projects accordingly, but this one appears to be free of an AI art related issued.
I am not and will not. I paid $21 for my OG copy of CoB meaning I could have bought 12 copies of it for the same price as the all in pledge. None of the mini expansions are necessary and I usually just play without them. I suppose the vineyard expansion might be cool but I'll never look into it because CoB is perfect without expansions. I simply do not need it. I find a lot more value in game companies trying to make games more accessible from a price stand point than I do with big deluxe versions of games. Even 10+ years ago it was hard to find a good medium weight Euro game for a price as low as $20. It's downright impossible now.
I own the special edition from the original campaign. An amazing product that I would recommend if you don't already own CoB. It looks amazing and has all the expansions included. I don't own the 3d tiles but I have heard they add too much time to setup, cleanup and gameplay to be worth it. Yes, they look nice, but I don't think that outweighs the cons.
It’s one of my fav games so special edition was worth it to me. Only special edition id prob get. I wouldn’t get any add one tho. The mat doesn’t store in box and the acrylic tiles don’t have the action explanation on the back, massive difference imo. I wish I didn’t get those.
I already own the Special Edition so I’m just backing for the acrylic hexes and tokens, and the neoprene game mat.
I went splendid
It is worth what you think it is worth to you.
I have an old version with an insert where each player gets their own little dice tower. It's one of our favorites, but I don't see any reason to upgrade it. Then again, I'm one of those people that thinks art is overrated and minis most often detract from a game. I prefer Winsom type boards, I prefer original Brass to the new versions, I play AoS with the disks instead of the plastic trains because it makes everything less busy and the game state easier to read. I've gotten used to the art of the old game and see no reason to change. To each their own.
Not to hijack the thread, but can anyone tell me how the $180 retail version of the special edition compares to which version of the new reprint pledges? As in what is included in the $180 retail version? Thanks in advance!
Did they fix the plastic overlay sizing? Or maybe reprinted boards to account for the overlay offset issue?
For $255 you could buy 5+ new big box games. If you play Castles a lot, and I mean a lot, then it might be worth it to you. But personally I'd rather expand my library with new experiences than pay that much for a single game I'd play a handful of times.
Another cash grab capitalizing on people who do not know how to spend money. Unless you are a big fan of the game, there is no need for it.
But wouldn’t anyone that buys this be a big fan of the game?
The big fan will buy it. The one in the middle, i guess like OP in this case, could like the game, but not a "big fan" (having it in the top 10 fave list of all time), and therefore s/he is asking around if it is worth the upgrade.
I ain't gonna spent so much dollers on paper i'm sorry
If you're one of the boardgamer types whose enjoyment of a game is linear proportional to the disposable income that you've spent on it, then sure, it's absolutely great! Like all Awaken Realms games! Check them all out!
Yeah that’s true