Unconscious Mind, Finally a Thematic Euro

I dive into Fantasia Games newest creation in Unconscious Mind.

#boardgamer #boardgamegeek

[GamingRulesVideos]

Great video. Thank you for the kind words on the video I did :)
I try to highlight parts of the game which I found were tricky for people to understand.

[Platonick]

First of your videos I have watched, excellent job, well rounded, thoughtful presentation and opinions, subscribed

[BatisteBieler]

That is definitely a very strong and unconventional theme. Considering Freud never seemed to have healed any of his patients, the theme of healing is a bit ironic. I am wondering if any of the weirdest idea of Freud are somewhat represented in this game such as the Oedipus complex or the psychosexual stages? Funny that the coffee replace the drug knew he was really advocating for 🙂

[FBracht]

I loved this video, and I also love so much about this game.

The theme is incredible and seems really well integrated in all sorts of ways that make a lot of sense. The "worker placement" aspect being basically each player saying things to each other. (Also notice how you can say the same thing from different angles!) The SUPERB art and general aesthetics — from the box art to the scoring board, and of course those fantastic cards. The creativity in the components, particularly those research papers or whatever that you need to align the spines of the books… Ugh, everything is so inspired and appealing.

And yet.

I feel no desire at all to play this, much less to actually own it. Which tells me in no uncertain terms something I've been suspecting for a while now about myself: I am _over_ Euros. Especially those more complex than something like Arnak or Everdell.

I think I figured out I much prefer games with a few really flexible and expressive verbs that give me the freedom to act in 50 different ways than games with 50 different things I can do.

Well, so it goes. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[JorgeValencia-pq]

Loved your video. Love all of your videos, kewp up the great work. Wish you were in my game group haha we seem to share same thoughts on most games.

I got my copy last week but haven't tabled it yet. Endless winter was actually a miss for me because it just felt like a bunch of disjointed minigames with a glossy coat of beautiful theme on top. Ended up selling my all-in pledhe after 4 plays. I still backed this one because it seemed like the mechanics were better integrated and the puzzle more intriguing. Glad to see the final product will most likely be the case.

[chadvader]

Seti though... thematic extreme mode.. love it

[MrButlertron]

Hey dude, enjoy your content! FYI: Every video has a weirdly low framerate. Something you should look into, I think.

[jameskirk]

Thank you very much for this great video. Very useful to get to know the game.

[robinsmith]

Got my pledge the other day and had my first play yesterday. Came dead last but enjoyed it. Didn't have time to really plan anything on my turn because I was teaching and helping everyone else! Lol

[SocratesRR]

I totally agree with you on the research cards. That could’ve easily just been a module.

[basdevries]

Very thoughtful review. Enjoyable to watch and some of your annotations towards the convoluted parts of the game are part of my fears to teach this game . But I do so much want to play it. Just arrived at my doorstep (yes, the collectors edition + nightmares expansion). Wondering when it will be played ;-)

[BillyIndiana]

I'm excited to unbox and play my copy, but I'm guessing I wont get to it until Thanksgiving or Christmas break. BTW congrats on winning the PAX Unplugged pass from Alex!

[tteshera]

My house rule is that I play new games in the order I get them, so for now this is on the shelf of opportunity behind a few others... but really can't wait to play it. Probably in November. Maggie and Amy from Thinker Themer sold me on it, and now your review is getting me excited about it again. When I watched the teach/playthrough videos, it did seem that research and treatises were kind of an "advanced strategy" to maximize your actions on the Vienna/location board. I'm betting my wife and I focus more on clients as we're initially learning the game, but looking forward to trying other strategies like focusing on research/publishing later. Thanks for the great review!

[RYANBROWN-kbjb]

Thank you for the awesomely honest and detailed review.
How do you like Endless Winter? (...and - didn't it feel like a thematic "euro"? - although it much more hybrid than a euro)

[aldarez]

Really loving the the look and theming on this one. Does it share much DNA with Endless Winter (aside from what you mentioned)? I only tried EW recently and enjoyed elements, but found it felt a little disjointed with all the different systems.

[kennychan]

When it comes to those convoluted overhead rules, it reminded me of Lisboa.

Yet I loved Lisboa. Straight 10/10. But each time I play it I probably first need to sit one evening with the rules trying to refresh myself all those little rules

[slimyweasel]

Maybe I'm very burned out on euros (I sure am, 100%), but it sounds like a collection of abstract mechanics with a theme. The art is beautiful, I love the theme, but it sounds like just some rondels, set collections, worker placements, and other sorts of standard rehashed mini-games that plague most board games these days and the theme is abstracted into nothingness and mostly used as a facade. And it's not because you describe it this way, because your descriptions are on point and are very informative, and give me a good idea on what this game is.
At this point, I'm starting to think euro games became almost exploitative.

It would be cool to see a psychology themed game that does something like Neanderthal where you're trying to develop a human brain, plant the seeds of language through different activities and breeding, etc. Look into it, it's really thematic, interesting, and unique. I wish there were more games like this in the world.

[kungpow]

I always thought the treatises were tacked on. They didn't really change them at all from the prototype. I think it was a way that they figured people could later use the research cards played to do more with them.

[RainwaterGames]

Showed up for me last week too. Have yet to crack open the box. That being said, listen bro, I work at Boeing. These big word's you're using are hurting my brain. I ain't smart enuff for them big words. I hope i can learn this game. =P

[mike_howes]

I passed on this game for many reasons you highlighted.

I would have prefered the game if they dropped the vienna board and the treaties. Those two things add so many fiddly rules. Just the tables cities vs sections binuses is a lot

Also the patients were made far too complex. Points on bottom left in the most prominent position for reading snd you only need them at game end. Waste of space. Ongoing ability but only when catharsis is lifted. Again you are making jt harder for the gamer. They have to remembe a small icon for player ability and rhat its either available or not. Just make them abilities you have once they are cured and weaken them. So much easier for thr gamer to track that way.

This seems another game that has too much going on. Tiny rules here and there make it an exercise in remembering rules rather than enjoying or mastering gameplay.

If they had kept the game to worker placement, tableau/player board and resource wheel id have loved it.

As it is its just too much fiddliness too play smoothly and therefore it was a miss for me