Spirit Fire - First Impressions Of A Living Board Game

Рет қаралды 16,315

Күн бұрын

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Spirit Fire™ is an introspective open-world board game system in which you explore unique fantasy realms on an introspective journey of discovery, wonder, and mystery. Your journey is substantive and personal, with no combat. It’s time to wield something more powerful than a sword.
BGG Link - boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3...
TimeStamps:
0:00:00 - Overview
0:05:32 - What We’re Looking The Most Forward To
0:13:03 - Some Concerns
0:18:31 - Final Thoughts
0:21:16 - Wrapping Up
5.0 - My absolutely favorite games. You can pry them out of my cold dead hands.
4.5 - Love this game! At the same time missing something that would make it a 5. Could be hard to table, lacking variability, a little light, etc.
4.0 - Really great game, almost always keeping, although has meaningful complaints as to what takes away from the experience.
3.5 - Really enjoyed, don't love it, may lose out to better games but the idea of never playing again is a bit sad.
3.0 - A good game, would play and suggest with the right people, if I never played it again wouldn't lose any sleep.
2.5 - A game I'd play again , but will never suggest it myself
2.0 - A game I don't want to play again
1.5 - A game I can't find any reason to recommend
1.0 - A game that is just bad.
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For media inquiries, please email alex@boardgameco.com
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Пікірлер: 73

@mdmccu2 9 ай бұрын

I’ve been following teasers on this from ONeb for what feels like years at this point (early 2021, maybe was the first tease?). And while we’re inching closer and closer to reveals, everything feels very… vague. And I believe they 100% want it that way to avoid people getting spoiled on this. And that’s fine, but the marketing has been kind of over the top with some of the dramatics that I’m very concerned the audience for this game won’t find it. And that’s from someone who is a 95% sure day 1 Kickstarter backer for this one. I want to see it succeed, because I think the concepts are extremely innovative, but we’ll need specifics on those concepts to see a great Kickstarter launch. Just my thoughts, it could be it found it’s audience a long time ago.

@ylein6508 9 ай бұрын

My first impression is already spoilt by the endless KZfaq ad that orange nebula keeps spamming me with

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

Sorry that's a frustrating experience for you.

@IosifStalin2 9 ай бұрын

Nonsense,,,I like ON very much. They’ve proven to be different in a very fun way. More videos!

@jeremiahhammer2282 9 ай бұрын

Really looking forward to this one, and super cool to see you two hanging out in my hometown. Love the switching seats and popping in and out haha! Impressively smooth.

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed:)

@intrepidfool 9 ай бұрын

Appreciate this preview / first impressions video with both praise and concerns presented (despite being at Orange Nebula studio). Looking forward to the campaign!

@JeremyErb-jx5yi 9 ай бұрын

I am honestly glad that ON flew you two out. I probably would have missed this campaign and not backed it because I didn’t know what it was about. I am way more excited to check it out now and give it a chance. Unsettled is really great and I’m happy to see what is shown at launch tomorrow

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

I'm glad we can show it to you 🙂 I think this game will land well for a lot of people.

@gozzywozzy485 9 ай бұрын

haha, those "exploding unexpected position swaps" were great! :D

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

I'm glad you enjoyed them 🙂

@srebme2 9 ай бұрын

I’ve been looking forward to this video for a while. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

@namewithheld8115 9 ай бұрын

I love the way you are so upfront about sponsored content, even calling out that Orange Nebula funded your travel. I really appreciate your content, especially the detail and accuracy of your reviews and first impressions. The way you are so clear about financial impacts makes it even more trustworthy. I really appreciated the overview you provided.

@melaniemajor4319 9 ай бұрын

It would have been nice to see the board and components closer... Will there be a follow-up video?

@marc-andremeunier7986 9 ай бұрын

Agreed

@dextersamson8286 9 ай бұрын

Or just make your own video if you don't like it.

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

Completely agreed, unfortunately this was not in my studio, not really in any studio for that matter, some setup cameras on the fly. There's limited control that I have for a typical review compared to what I would like to do.

@melaniemajor4319 9 ай бұрын

Thank you for the answer, it is appreciated.@@BoardGameCo

@fmgs31 9 ай бұрын

Now I understand that is a modular game, the strong points, and the concerns.... I still have no idea what this game is, though. (Edit: that may have sounded harsh, but is real, I didn't get any info about what's the game. But, just to balance that comment, I'll say you are one of the best board game related content content creators on youtube. Love the channel. )

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

I totally understand the frustration, I'll be putting out another video this week, that may or may not clarify things, but at least we'll also help explain why it's so hard to cover this game.

@neilwoodbridge8232 Ай бұрын

Love the transparency

@BoardGameCo Ай бұрын

Absolutely!

@peterweberg6819 9 ай бұрын

I am hoping we can see how the game plays with the deck building and overview of mechanics layering for the campaign! That would be tremendous for all of us!

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

I don't know yet their plans for a gameplay video, because I only had access to the game at their office without a proper top down camera, we didn't get a chance to film any gameplay.

@djoj20 9 ай бұрын

My wallet is already screaming

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

Good luck out there 🙂

@Babyboyo1 9 ай бұрын

I feel like I didn’t learn anything substantial about this game. This video could have been 5 minutes and would have had the same outcome of “Orange Nebula is making a new game and we think it’s cool. We can talk about much or say certain key words or show you any images, or talk specifics about gameplay, but it’s a really fun, explore the world, tableau, deck-building game without combat that has this thing called spark”. That would have been enough. I’m not sure if you all were told not to say specifics because it came across that way. This seemed like a preview of a game in Alpha state. None-the-less, thank you for sharing this upcoming game. I look forward to learning more about it, but I wish I had learned more than what I had. It felt like I was pulling teeth to find out what the game is or even the basics of how it works.

@ProfessorMeg 9 ай бұрын

That was definitely unintentional on our part if this wasn't thorough from what we were able to see, but I'm happy to help or answer any questions :) In a nutshell, this is a solo game where you'll start off with access to certain cards, and they have attributes that contribute to the rune color (similar to a mana value) as well as effects on the card which are not automatically triggered, so it is a balance of being able to activate the abilities. On top of the card actions, there are four main actions you use on your turn that do different things, such as drawing cards, refreshing your card pool, moving, etc. You play most cards from your hand, but you have two always in play that give you certain boosts. The actual gameplay bounces between the overworld map, which isn't an overworld but just the "bigger picture" side you're going through, and the point of that part is to use movement to explore the different worlds to unlock the story which will gain you more cards, xp, and I think other things. There are also "spreads" which are the other gameplay side of the game. During these spreads, they are all unique challenge puzzles where you are using the cards in your hand and those four main actions to meet the conditions. These puzzles are all so unique, the conditions can vary like crazy, I would compare it to something like all of the mini games in Mario Party if it was a tactical card game instead like Magic, but a solo puzzle you're working through. Completing these types of things gets you access to unlocking new cards that can be added to your deck. If you're curious about more than that, just let me know, as a TCG player I jived well this this game, but I agree that it's quite a lot to explain what the game actually is without playing.

@michaelmills3837 9 ай бұрын

I think you both make worthy content and want to offer some critique with the assurance that I’m not just being mean: @ProfessorMeg, why wasn’t what you just posted in the video? It felt like your lawyers were behind the camera to make sure you didn’t breach an NDA. Orange Nebula is really stumbling out of the starting gate and should take a step back and consider marketing that’s a little less “Blair Witch Project.”

@ProfessorMeg 9 ай бұрын

@@michaelmills3837 truly, my only thought is that doing videos on the fly after learning the game that day aren't always easy, and Alex is definitely more skilled than I am currently at putting his thoughts together quickly. It's also a lot easier for me to keep all my thoughts straight when it's just me doing the video, but I'm still learning how to be a "co host", so for my part I honestly feel bad I wasn't able to deliver a clearer message. I think my response was also more thoughtful because I had time to process and think about the game and verbalize what I played. Which is why I'm happy to answer anything, I wish I had been more clear earlier!

@michaelmills3837 9 ай бұрын

@@ProfessorMeg You have an honest approach and one that is very relatable. I apologize for bringing some baggage into my viewing and comment. I rarely comment and this is probably an instance where I needed to sleep on it and move on. I am deeply annoyed by O-Neb's deliberately vague marketing push. It was unreasonable for me to expect that "Meg and Alex are gonna clear this all up."

@ProfessorMeg 9 ай бұрын

@@michaelmills3837 I really don't mind at all, always feel like you can ask us stuff 😊

@lizbenson276 9 ай бұрын

Good video, thank you. Several times you referenced building your deck. Does Spirit Fire use a deck construction mechanic where you are choosing which cards to use in order to fulfill a particular quest?

@robertfoster3096 9 ай бұрын

Thank you both for a very good video. I was intrigued by this game the most after viewing Alex's "Interview" video. In that video, the designers seemed to imply that the most important core concept of this game was character development focusing on the "WHY" you are doing things, not necessarily the how. After hearing your first impressions, I'm now a little concerned. Hopefully, my fears can be assuaged. Alex seemed to emphasize the words "fast", "speed", "time" and "quickly" when describing how a player "efficiently" accomplishes things. The impression I'm coming away with is that in order for a player to get the most out of the game or extend the game for the greatest amount of time, that player "must" do things NOT in the way they want, but in the "most efficient" way as defined by the game. This seems to put MUCH more focus on the "how" you are doing things and less on the "why", as stated in the other video. It really sounds much more like a standard, "Solve the puzzle in the fewest moves" and far less like, "Solve the puzzle in the way that is most creative or personally rewarding." Hopefully, these answers will come once the Kickstarter happens. Thanks again.

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

That's a totally fair question, I think there are two parts to the conversation. One is the thematic aspect of the story and world you're engaging in, the other is the mechanical puzzle of how to be efficient and optimize. Both are going to be present, but it's definitely true that at least for now, part of the game is about optimization.

@G0F15H 9 ай бұрын

Yeah I don't get what they're trying to do with this IP. The info is so vague, almost contradicting. I feel like they've gone a different direction than what was first teased, and now they're just using hype words to fuel excitement. The more I see, the more confused I become. It seems complex (ok, cool) AND overly-complicated (yuck). I'm normally an automatic back for anything Orange Nebula, but this is looking like a pass. If I have the time for a rich RPG I'll just play Baldur's Gate 3. If I want a quick tactical puzzle, 20 Strong. Best of both worlds, IDK... Call to Adventure or TMB? But single player, no combat, and no win/loose... it seems like way too much work to ultimately just play a story with myself. Then I'd have to reload and reset everything to do it again with a new character

@beornthebear9023 9 ай бұрын

Very helpful video I have watched a few videos on Spirit Fire and kept leaving having no idea what the game was felt like all marketing. This was very helpful. I don’t think this one is for me the lack of combat, lack of loss conditions, focus on efficiency, and focus on the feelings etc of your character I think is too close to an RPG without zany fun I enjoy from RPs in general. But will follow along and see if I change my mind.

@briant2438 9 ай бұрын

Honestly, right now the only thing that is keeping me interested in Spirit Fire is Orange Nebula. If it was any other studio (maybe AR), I would have lost interest in this game. The fact all the information up to this point is so vague I don't really know what kind of game I would be getting. I think Orange Nebula creates great games, but I must say I am not hooked... Yet. We shall see how much they show in the campaign. I need to see how the game plays and less talking about it in general terms.

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

I hear this. This is how I felt about Unsettled...and then I got it and played it.

@NightangelLetsPlay 9 ай бұрын

From the first couple minutes, it reminded me of TIME stories with permanent changes to your character in a way? But I still don’t understand how it’s THAT different than a campaign game…

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

If you just want to condense it to campaign game, then sure. But trying to explain more than that is a bit.

@TheCCGCollector 9 ай бұрын

I've played both Vindication and Unsettled, and while I love Unsettled, I don't really enjoy Vindication. I think it's because Vindication was made with the theme first, and given a fairly generic cube-pushing mechanic afterward to make it work. Unsettled, on the other hand, seems to be mechanics first, and the theme builds upon and enhances those already elegant mechanics. Unsettled is a game I would still enjoy with any theme. Vindication is one that, without the theme, would almost certainly be an instant pass for me. I say all this because I'm concerned Spirit Fire is falling into that Vindication trap. Orange Nebula wants the game to be great because of how it FEELS, not necessarily how it plays. And you two hit upon that as well - you're ultimately playing for the novelty, but is that novelty going to carry you for enough hours to justify the expense? Passion is great, and ON has plenty of it, but in the end you've got to have a game that's actually fun to play. Until I see some evidence of that, I have no interest in backing Spirit Fire.

@georgia4708 9 ай бұрын

Hey guys thank you for the video. This was really useful, but it's still not clear (to me at least) if this is in fact a solo game. If two players chose to go to the same realm at the same time, are there any meaningful interactions there? Or is it just that each person is doing their own thing on their own turn and the other person is just a spectator waiting for their turn? If this is primarily a solo experience, why is it presented as a 1-3 player game (if I am not mistaken?). Would love to hear your thoughts on player count in a next video! Thank you anyway for the lovely discussion so far!

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

So keep in mind that this is definitely a game that is still in development. That said, it's designed primarily as a solo experience, and others can join and play with you. But that's more of a focus on parallel play in which you will both be doing the same thing in the same universe at the same table. There are times where you can interact with each other and help each other along the way, but that would be an aspect of the experience as opposed to the full experience. Basically, if you're not someone who's going to enjoy this solo, I wouldn't recommend it. Whereas if you would enjoy it solo but you also want to play with others, then I would recommend it.

@georgia4708 9 ай бұрын

Thank you for the reply! 😊

@nicksun7619 9 ай бұрын

spark sounds like planeswalkers in mtg. Single player or co-op?

@georgemikhail5311 9 ай бұрын

Hey, im still confused...is this a coop, competitive, or solo game? Is there a lot of interaction with other players? Sorry if you answer this in the video...ive been watching thru your vids on this in bits and pieces and im still listening thru this video but i cant figure it out yet from any of the vids ive watched.

@aleksandrivanchenko6323 9 ай бұрын

Looking at the cards with "get X of resources" or "draw Y cards" the game looks sooo abstract 🎩

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

I can respect that, it's definitely going to be a euro to a degree.

@sapien01010 9 ай бұрын

I know your experience with this game is limited, but do you see any quality of life issues playing this game over and over? Is it easy to setup/ tear down? Is it a table hog? Is it fiddly?

@danbuckley2397 9 ай бұрын

Alex fell into the wormhole!!

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

Indeed I did

@colinhamilton7365 9 ай бұрын

Would you say this is "soft legacy" in a way similar to Oath?

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

Yes, exactly

@sapien01010 9 ай бұрын

I got the Oath vibe too

@e7venjedi 8 ай бұрын

It’s single player correct?

@mithrandir510 9 ай бұрын

Alex became Meg and Meg became Alex !!

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

Lol yep

@hamakakun 9 ай бұрын

This feels like survival ttrpg without the gm, with limited selection action. 🤔

@manomano30 9 ай бұрын

This game sounds interesting but their shipping prices are wacky. It's 19$ to ship to china but then over 90$ to ship to Israel. Other companies that ship through china don't usually reach those digits

@GameBrigade 9 ай бұрын

Maybe they are accounting for the current conflict? not positive.

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

That is a little weird

@CheddahSlammer 9 ай бұрын

Giving me Etherfeild vibes combined with Kingdoms Forlorm. Were your in a mysterious world but your more focused on your own character then the world itself. Completely my type of game. I just hope they just pace the content, and don't overburden themselves.

@cobtyrannon2479 9 ай бұрын

I love Vindication and Unsettled, but this one feels like a dud. The idea is awesome, but the gameplay, the actual mechanocal play sounds incredibly boring. That game could easily just be an adventure book. The books you get a choice after each chapter and then have to read the next chapter depending on your choice. How did you experience this? I hope i get proven otherwise once i see a gameplay video. But i am prepared to miss this one at the time.

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

I can't promise it's for you, but I would say that if you love vindication and unsettled, I can't see how this wouldn't be for you

@NatanelApfel 9 ай бұрын

I can hardly play a game more than twice so I dont think Ill make it to 200 hours if I end up backing xD

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

I feel that. If I can complete a single character arc I would probably consider that plenty

@JohnHoliver 9 ай бұрын

Sound quality is somewhat distracting me -.- I want to say that it sounds like it was filmed on a bathroom... but I'm not trying to be evil =P just can't put it in nicer words

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

I always appreciate the feedback as long as it's well mannered 🙂 ultimately, this one wasn't really done in my studio with my control.

@G0F15H 9 ай бұрын

I'm a big O-Neb fan, but this doesn't seem to fit into their model. And that's not a bad thing, it just makes me far more cautious. When this was first teased I thought it'd be my "perfect game." I had pictured something more akin to Elder Scrolls. I'm really turned off by the lack of combat and legacy-style components. It seems like a choose-your-own-adventure story that you can't simply pick up and put down. It should be digital; there's no reason this should cost $100s and be made to store on the shelf and "play" by yourself at a table. It doesn't even look like there's much of a game under all that fluff. Like what happens if you run out of Spark? If you can't win or lose, what exactly are you working towards? This gives me vibes of a single-player version of Etherfields. Pass. I fully anticipate they'll have multiple future KS campaigns with expansions and add-ons (bc that HAS proven to be their model) so I don't feel the same desire to back this right now. They also have a history of rule books and storage solutions being not-so-great the first time around. I don't mean to be negative. I think they're a leader in the industry, but this is a big letdown given everything else it has to compete against for our time, money and storage space.

@BoardGameCo 9 ай бұрын

I think everything you said is completely fair. I have a video coming out that may or may not clarify aspects of the game, but will clarify why this game is hard to talk about and why I still believe in it. It also goes over why we play games in general.

@raisingmorningstar8944 9 ай бұрын

Feels like everything they're building on is our curiosity. Can't find any gameplay videos about the game. Dunno anything about the theme of the world really. Know only tiny bits about how a quest looks like. Don't know anything about how deep the story is or if it's a lighter story and rather a deckbuilder ... and since they say "You are the story" and my character is made up of deckbuilding cards, it may very well be just a light story and more a focus on deckbuilding and using your cards wisely for living long enough and completing quests. Sadly a pass for me. Too little information. Makes it also a bit suspicous.