Scythe Review, including a review of Scythe solo. How I changed my mind about Scythe.
Channel: Tabletop Bellhop
Date: 20/08/2022

Here is our long awaited review of Scythe from Stonemaier Games. This was a board game that I didn't enjoy at first but our fans encouraged me to give it another shot and I finally did. Find out how my thoughts have changed and how Scythe the boardgame became the perfect example of why you can't always judge a board game after only a couple of plays. 

This review is one segment of episode 183 of The Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast, Disconnect.  You can watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/XSCRSg_D6a4

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Disclosure: Thanks to Jamey at Stonemaier games for providing us with a copy of Scythe to give another chance. 

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Timestamps:

00:00 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
03:15 COMPONENT QUALITY SCYTHE 
07:14 HOW TO PLAY SCYTHE
21:12 OUR THOUGHTS ON SCYTHE
33:07 PLAYING SCYTHE SOLO
40:08 WHO WILL ENJOY SCYTHE
42:01 CLOSING

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Scythe is an engine-building, asymmetric, competitive board game set in an alternate-history 1920s period. It is a time of farming and war, broken hearts and rusted gears, innovation and valor. It plays 1-5 players in about 115 minutes, and it features art & worldbuilding by the acclaimed Jakub Rozalski.

It is a time of unrest in 1920s Europa. The ashes from the first great war still darken the snow. The capitalistic city-state known simply as “The Factory,” which fueled the war with heavily armored mechs, has closed its doors, drawing the attention of several nearby countries.

Players represent fallen leaders attempting to restore their honor and lead their faction to power in Eastern Europa. Players conquer territory, enlist new recruits, reap resources, gain villagers, build structures, and activate monstrous mechs.

Each player begins the game with different resources (strength, victory points, movement capabilities, and popularity), their choice of several faction-specific abilities, and a hidden goal. Starting positions are specially calibrated to contribute to each faction’s uniqueness and the asymmetrical nature of the game.

Scythe gives players almost complete control over their fate. Other than each player’s individual hidden objective cards, the only elements of luck are encounter cards that players will draw as they interact with the citizens of newly explored lands and combat cards that give you a temporary boost in combat. Combat is also driven by choices, not luck or randomness.

Scythe uses a streamlined action-selection mechanism (no rounds or phases) to keep gameplay moving at a brisk pace and reduce downtime between turns. While there is plenty of direct conflict, there is no player elimination, nor can units be killed or destroyed.

Every part of Scythe has an aspect of engine-building to it. Players can upgrade actions to become more efficient, build structures that improve their position on the map, enlist new recruits to enhance character abilities, deploy mechs to deter opponents from invading, and expand their borders to reap greater types and quantities of resources. These engine-building aspects create a sense of momentum and progress throughout the game. The order in which players improve their engine adds to the unique feel of each game, even when playing one faction multiple times.

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Links:

Head over to the Tabletop Bellhop blog where you'll find more tabletop gaming content, including game and game night advice, reviews, and more: https://tabletopbellhop.com 

Check out our written review of Scythe on the blog including more pics from our plays: https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/scythe/

Pick up your own copy of Scythe (affiliate links)
US: https://amzn.to/3PEgjQ3
Canada: https://amzn.to/3PCUKPC
UK: https://amzn.to/3K9O2PV


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