Tidal Blades: My Favorite Game Mechanism

Jamey discusses his favorite mechanisms in Tidal Blades, a worker-placement, engine-building, push-your-luck game.

[bigsucculenta]

Jamey, your content is awesome! One thing I’d love to see you do is include more pictures of the game you’re talking about or even you demonstrating the mechanism by showing it on the table. I realize this quadruples your work but it would be awesome

[realdruidcitygames]

Glad you enjoyed it Jamey! Tim and Ben did a fantastic job on this game and David and Lina built and illustrated some really special!

[StevenStJohn-kjeb]

Skill test - say "She stored six shells on the shell shield by the seashore" seven times.

[theearlyresetband]

Just finished painting the minis last night- still have to play it!! Stoked to hear you like it!

[DriedMoss]

I just ordered a deluxe copy of Tidal Blades on eBay. Wanted to be ready for Tidal Blades 2. And after Bloodstone was delayed for a relaunch, I had some funds to use.

[Jeff_Pusch]

Agree. There's a lot to like about this game, and I think it'll have legs with our game group. For us it's HUGE that there are 10 character cards, but you can't unlock more than 4 -- so that greats great replayability as you find all the different permutations for a single character.

[dannyp]

Big hit at our game night. Love this game.

[garmit]

I loved the inclusion of advanced challenge, market, and monster cards. For example some of the advanced market cards give you huge bonuses but at the cost of a resource and your position on the champion track. The inclusion of playing the game using global objective cards or personal objective cards was also brilliant. The only aspect of the game I didn't like too much was the 2 player version where you had to control a third rival character. Regardless I absolutely love this game and it is most likely one of my top ten games of 2020 as well.

[derekbowen]

I hadn't made the Yedo connection until you mentioned it, but yeah, that makes sense. For me, this game minds me so much mechanically of Champions of Midgard, but with more mitigation and player agency. The solo mode seems very much inspired from elements of March of the Ants (same designer) solo mode. I'm really enjoying this one.

[NickRondo]

Resilience trait(green one with the shield) its more how many/much dice you can upgrade. you always refresh all your dices at the end of the round. Correct me if im wrong :)

[jameshamilton]

Thank you for the insight on the game. When first saw it with Becca Scott on Game the Game it looked really cool, but then the Dice Tower reviewed it, and overall, they weren't super pumped for it, so I'm glad there is some love for it. I think it's hard because from what I heard, you only get to take 12 turns. I hope those that get it, enjoy it.

[rickadam]

Great video Mr. Stegmaier!

This game is interesting to me because you're right, I do love so many mechanisms about this game. This game is full of great ideas, amazing art, a fun story and in my opinion some of my favorite minis in a game ever. (I started painting this year and I think EVERY new minis game should have minis this size) However, even though there is so much to love about this game, when it's all put together, I felt way too restricted, more restricted than any other game I've ever played. I can't tell you how many turns I became annoyed because okay I need to go to this area, to gain this resource, so I can do this, and now I can do this challenge oh wait- I'm not in the right area to do this challenge. UGH! Okay, I have one turn left, I should either go here to get this where I won't be able to do this challenge, or I can go here and take on this challenge so I can- wait I haven't attacked the new monster what's his thing? LOSE TWO SPIRIT!? Okay now I feel like I HAVE to attack him.

I didn't just play this once and think these things, I've played this game 4 times, and every time I have turns that stress me out more than they give me a feeling of satisfaction. I love upgrading the dice, I love boosting up my stats, I love pushing my luck on the challenges (when I'm on the right space to even try for them!!!) but the number of restrictions and things it made me feel I HAVE to do this this turn, which makes me feel like I didn't have a choice to begin with, I don't know it felt exciting and rewarding, but with a foul aftertaste for lack of a better analogy.