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We bloggers like to have a healthy debate of what games are our favourites. Some focus on certain mechanics or themes, but I had a thought. Dangerous, I know, but hear me out. What are our top five games published by a particular publisher? Shortly after this thought entered my head, something came to my attention. It has been nine years since Stonemaier Games came into existence. All thanks to the Kickstarter campaign that brought their first game to our shelves – Viticulture (more on that later). Since then, Stonemaier has introduced several incredible games. So what better way to kickstart (pardon the pun) this feature than by celebrating the birthday of a modern-day classic?
Cut To The Chase – Joe Packham
In my mind, Scythe is not just another board game. Scythe is a pivotal moment in board game history. It was certainly a pivotal moment in Stonemaier Games' history, as it was the last of their games to be funded through Kickstarter. But more than that, Scythe seemed to mark a shift in the consensus of what a euro-style game should look like. Those mech and character miniatures exude an Ameritrash vibe, but the mechanics are euro through and through. It sports a ton of traditional wooden components too. But the abnormal table appeal for a game of resource management and action efficiency is undeniable!
The gameplay of course had to match the visual appeal. The asymmetrical factions, competitive exploration, and varied encounter deck provide plenty of variation. They keep people, myself included, coming back time and time again. The epic player count and simple ruleset make it a game night staple too. It’s an incredibly versatile game.
One thing I love about Jamey Stegmaier’s ethos is his continued support and aftercare for his games. Like a child, or indeed one of his beloved cats, Jamey’s creations continue to receive love and support well after initial release. Adjustments, tweaks and improvements, expansions, and errata. Stonemaiers games are hewn into their perfect iterations over the following years. With no less than 6 expansions and mini-expansions, Scythe has become one of the most beloved games of the last decade. For my money, the best way to experience this game is through The Rise Of Fenris. As evocative as the art is of the 1920’s+ universe, you can’t help but want more of this rich alternate world. Fenris delivers an incredible narrative. Played out over an 8 game campaign that can be integrated with all Scythe content. There’s no better way to experience the engrossing world of Scythe!
Rise Up - FavouriteFoe
Combotastic and colourful. Deckbuilding in dystopia. Heady hand management. Red Rising by Stonemaier games can be described in as many ways as cards have shades. However you cut it, this game is excellent.
To be fair, it wasn’t my first Stonemaier game; that honour went to Wingspan.
The quality of the components and the attention to detail blew me away. The Automa Factory solo mode was also smooth and made my heart sing. Jamey Stegmaier had set the bar exceptionally high.
Not only that, but it had the weight of the exceptionally popular sci-fi book series penned by Pierce Brown upon its shoulders. By anyone’s count, Red Rising had a lot to live up to.
And it does not disappoint. As heads of up to six power-hungry Houses, each player is trying to amass the best group of followers. And followers come in the form of the characters printed on each card. Their individual abilities not only provide instant rewards and end game value. They also work in winning combinations to propel one player to victory.
I am simplifying turn actions for the sake of keeping this feature short. But choosing between deploying a card to activate its ability and keeping the cards you already have in your hand is no easy feat. And as the game progresses, each decision becomes more critical. Plus, end game triggers come from multiple directions. Maintaining the balance between immediate benefits and long-term value is tricky to achieve.
The Solo mode is also very easy to pick up and operate. With the AI’s moves prescribed using a set of special cards and action priorities, you can focus on beating Tull-Au-Toma rather than choosing for her. But you’ll have to pay close attention. The skills you need to claim victory over Tull are different to the tactics you’ll need if you want to beat your fellow House Head Honchos!
Ultimately, Red Rising is a game of choices. Which characters to take, which ones to keep, and which ones to sacrifice. And, having been recommended it by a dear friend, I am incredibly glad that I listened and chose Red Rising.
Two Castles Are Better Than One – Tom Harrod
Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig is a portmanteau in both name and function. It takes the best of two games and creates a familiar vibe – and at the same time produces something fresh. It’s part Between Two Cities, and part Castles of Mad King Ludwig. Between Two Castles (let’s not type the full title every time!) is a Stonemaier product, with Bezier’s blessing. Ben Rosset and Matthew O’Malley – the Between Two Cities’ duo – take the designers’ credit. But here, instead of building a rigid, structured city, you’re building a topsy-turvy castle.
Between Two Castles is a competitive game, but you need to work together with each neighbour to co-build a castle. There are lots of different room tiles. You’re looking to build quantities of them, or patterns of them, in a set collection manner. There’s more than a pinch of semi-coop going on, here. You draft tiles in a pick-and-pass nature over eight rounds.
You start with a hand of nine (Carcassonne-sized) room tiles. Everyone picks two, and then you’ll place one tile into each of the two castles on either side of you. Everyone around the table does this, so each castle gains two tiles each turn. Basic rules of physics apply – you cannot have floating rooms; you’ll need foundations first. But the layout can span as wide or as high as you like! The fun part is that you can talk while you do this. Which room benefits which castle the most? Because remember, your neighbour has another castle in mind – one that doesn’t benefit you at all…
The real crux of Between Two Castles is at the end of the game, you add up the scores. In the end, you’ll work out how much each castle scored – but you score your lowest-scoring castle. This clever system means you cannot neglect one castle in favour of the other. You have to try and show a bit of love to both of them! Between Two Castles also hosts up to seven players – but you’ll need a large table for that.
I Feel Euphoric – Kirsty Hewitt
Euphoria is one of the older Stonemaier Games titles, but what a game it is! Set in a dystopian future, Euphoria is a worker placement game using dice.
Unlike a lot of worker placement games, rather than the winner getting the most points, Euphoria is a race to get out your ten stars. There are various ways to place a star such as by building markets or trading in specific goods. I enjoy this race mechanism as it adds a feeling of tension. This is especially the case towards the end of the game.
The turns are simple, you either place a worker (die) out, or you reclaim your workers. This means that the game has a nice pace with little downtime. Whilst you don't do loads on your turn, the fact it is quickly your turn again means this is not an issue. The spaces to place stars vary with different player numbers meaning there is good scalability too.
The use of dice as workers is very clever in Euphoria. When you take your dice back you roll them all and the result tells you how intelligent you are. This is important for two reasons. Firstly, the intelligence of workers on resource spaces impacts what you can do there. But more importantly, if the intelligence of your workers ever exceeds 16 they become too smart and you lose a worker. This adds an interesting dynamic to the game as the more workers you gain (which cost resources), the higher the likelihood of this happening.
Euphoria is really up there for me for Stonemaier games. The mechanisms combine to make a slick worker placement game with the race to the end adding another element to differentiate it. If you like worker placement games I would recommend giving it a try.
Nothing To Wine About – Luke Pickles
I’d be remiss if I didn’t go to the OG – the game which kickstarted a legacy. Viticulture is a wonderful worker placement game set in the winemaking region of Tuscany. Players compete to make wine, fulfil orders, and make their vineyard the best business it can be. Over the course of a year, players chose when they wake up, gaining a relevant bonus. They then choose which summer actions they want to take. They can take some actions or choose to pass and prepare for winter, where more actions are available. During the autumn phase, you can entice visitors to your hand. You can play these during either the summer or winter to gain some one-time benefits. Once someone gets 20 victory points, the game continues to the end of the round and the highest point total wins. There are lots of special nuances to consider. Like when to build new upgrades, when to advance your residual income, or sell your fields for additional income. These build the game dramatically.
I first played Viticulture about four or five years ago and remembered it fondly. So when I found a copy available at UK Games Expo, I leapt at the chance to own it. Much like a good wine, it ages incredibly well. The tiny features like the building meeples and the glass beads give a wonderful uniqueness to this game. The variety you get from the Mama and Papa cards, which give you starting bonuses, adds to the delight of this game. Stonemaier has twelve tenets for their game design, and Viticulture hits them all.
Oh, and one more thing – this is the game which introduced the Automa system – a way for players to enjoy their favourite games when playing alone. Frankly, after the last two years, being able to play games by yourself has been a godsend. So Stonemaier Games, happy birthday and thank you for the memories.