Newton | Rahdo's Final Thoughts

A video outlining gameplay for the boardgame Newton.

Part I: Gameplay Runthrough

Part II: Extended Gameplay

Part III: Final Thoughts

[laurasmith]

Well your addendum final thoughts were just incredible. As a big fan of Simone Luciani's output I am really just looking for any excuse to buy Newton but when watching the run through, this hollowness to the world map and invention rewards leaves me wanting more. You do a great service of articulating these things and as a simple contrast with a game such as Lorenzo, which a lot of people label as JASE, I can deduce loads of theme simply from each card's title and its relating mechanical ability. 'Foreign Labour' grants you some more servants eh? A 'Theatre' gives you money for each person you have. Go figure!. For me, Newton seems to be lacking these small lashings of subtle detail.

[robtaylor]

Looking forward to playing this tomorrow.
Thanks Rahdo.

[buddylove]

I've been able to get 4 scientist out a couple of times. The map layout really plays a factor there.

[pmduguay]

I agree with you on the thematic! I feel exactly the same. I love it, it's there, but not fully alive. They could have so easily made it more obvious!

On the mechanics: The decisions definitely feel hard! This game was the most brain-burner of all Essen games I played last week-end (Teotihuacan, Forum Trajanum, Founders of Gloomhaven, etc.). Just as a note, in my game, I did 3 of the 4 Masters and went all over the different tracks except Work, which I didn't advance at all. That strategy scored me a LOT. The final scores were 102 (me), 68, 59 & 53. An other group that played on the same week-end got a similar result: someone high at the top, and three left-out players, again not advancing the Work track at all. This must rings a bell on the balancing of the game.

Having said all that, damn, that was a good, fun and exhausting experience! Everything is so interconnected, every move you make cascade either in or out of your strategy. Crazy!

[Sam-lctt]

These potions are the early version of Red Bull, that’s why you can do more things after haha

[mkitten]

I actually got all four of my Masters into play in my first game yesterday (I played the last one in my very last turn, lol), so it's definitely possible with the right cards. I did not win, but I felt very satisfied with getting all of them out as well as emptying all four stacks of books and all the travel markers (two of the cards I aquired were ones that let me drop an extra cube during travel and one that let me place an extra book by splitting my study points). Definitely enjoy the game a lot and look forward to getting it back to the table :)

[Karujin]

You could treat the potions as doing an experiment on the subject and learning it that way instead of reading the book? I know it is a bit abstract still but I think it makes sense if you think it that way.

[PierreCarette]

when you think it's over, it's not ;op

[bubblepipemedia]

I had the 'tiny turn' issues with Marco Polo. I never quite warmed up to it until the expansion (I now dig it). I do hope this one is a hit for me right out the gate so I don't have to wait for an expansion lol.

[brianhester]

This looks good for two players. How do you think it would play with more than two players?

[clumsydad]

way to grind out another great review; I guess Newton didn’t quite make the grade.

[morningview]

Sooo... If you had to pick. Newton or Teotihuacan?

[riochang]

Out of curiosity, which current euro games have opportunities for these mega epic turns where players can burst ahead? (I'm paraphasing there).

It seems to me that most current Euro games by design try to hedge against these huge point leads, especially when players have equal experience levels.

Anyway thanks for your thoughts and playthrough, rahdo! I'm keen in this one since I like the theme and history of scientific discovery in general. And I like the designers' previous games. :)

[masterbridgemaster]

What rating would you give this game?, taking Jen's thoughts out of the mix?

[johnioannis]

Me and my girlfriend's favourite game is Marco Polo for many years now, i want a new eurogame i think Newton is a good choice for the next level of Marco Polo, right?

[deepdivemusicreactions]

it doesnt stand out by nothing for me to be honest

[JosephFlemming]

Gah but it just looks so bland lol. I’ve heard it compared with Coimbra but that looks wayyy better!