River Valley Glassworks Review - The Gold Rush Is Over, It's All Glass Now!

--------------------------------------------
Channels I Recommend (Not a comprehensive list by any means)
--------------------------------------------

Welcome to River Valley! The beautiful pieces of glass that can be found along the river here have attracted the most entrepreneurial of woodland creatures to set up shop.

In River Valley Glassworks, you play as one of these pioneers, drafting glass from the market of river tiles. To do so, you have to play a piece from your inventory into the river. Each river tile can take only a specific shape, and you must play into a space adjacent to where you want to draft from. After you pick up your glass, the river shifts forward, revealing new pieces and new opportunities.

Store the glass you pick up strategically in your shop. Depending on how the glass pieces are placed, your score will change drastically. Fill in rows and columns to gain bonus points, but don't draft too many of one type to avoid negative points!

TimeStamps:
0:00:00 - Overview
0:06:40 - Ease of Play
0:07:25 - What I Like
0:08:52 - What I Don’t Like
0:11:12 - What I Can See Others Not Liking
0:12:15 - Final Thoughts
0:13:35 - Recommendations

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.

My Game Table (Non Referral)

Upgrade Your Game At Top Shelf Gamer (Referral Link)

[Electricityscape]

Thanks for the review, Alex! Any updated thoughts on this based on the expansion modules they revealed in the Kickstarter? Looks like they addressed a lot of your concerns.

[Atlas-FM]

I feel like it would be in Allplay’s best interest to put a few of the expansion modules in the retail version. It’s only a dozen or two dozen cards but I think it would be huge for the game’s longevity down the road.

[gs-xor]

Thanks Alex, it seems they heard you and released an expansion with some modules in it.

[JJ_TheGreat]

11:37 That’s where the actual glass pieces could help - because since they are glass, they actually feel the same..
like glass!

[salty-horse]

I agree about the lake not being that interesting. Seems too risky to take that action when your hand isn't empty, especially since you can't plan for it to be worth the penalty by the time it's your turn again.
I wonder if replacing the lake with Subastral's drafting rule can fix this: left/right drafting to hand/tableau. Or maybe just saying you can take less than 4 from the lake, or discard extras to the bag without penalty.

[statboardgamer]

Was hoping you would do a review after the gameplay with the Professor.

[JJ_TheGreat]

9:24 You do know that they have released modular expansions for the campaign, right?!

[francopdx]

Thanks for the review. I actually did the overflow thing during my first play on BGA, but that's because I misunderstood the rules, ha, and thought that was a good thing. Whoops! Anyway, I've been enjoying it on BGA but don't see myself picking up a physical copy unless I find it used cos I tend to focus on bigger games for in-person plays.

[julienakadai]

I was thinking the same thing… might not have a long stay in my collection. And reminds me of Azul. I’m hesitant if I want to back or not.

[thegreatdane]

Yea playing it on BGA I had similar thoughts, that it is a fun time, but for repeat play it just needs a little more. Which it does seem like they have added some stuff as stretch goals, but mostly that seem like things that either were already going to be a part of the game, or should have. I will wait to see this one in retail and maybe try it with the extra player powers and stuff to see if that improves it.

[SmoothGummi]

Subastral isn’t just a similar game from a scoring mechanism, it’s almost identical. As soon as I saw this game, I looked up Subastral, and sure enough, the designer is the same person. They grabbed Andrew Bosley, gave it a colorful world to live in, deluxe the components, but it’s the same game.

It’s because of this that I can’t justify spending this much on the game. It’s beautiful, it really is, but in the end, the game is over in no time, and I have a $20 card game that does the same thing.

[Flipide]

It looks cool, the modules look ok, is it an Azul killer? Maybe for some, maybe not for others.

I really like the look of Lure as well though so I'm happy to take a punt on the deluxe set with Lure, I have no need for glass parts for the extra money.

[coreynoemifj]

So I don’t know if you’ve seen all of the modules that are now being given as an expansion but if you have I was wondering your about your thoughts on them and how you think they might elevate the game play. Even if you haven’t played any of them I can imagine you would have a better understanding how they might be incorporated as someone who has 10 plays under their belt With the core system.

[balbright]

well, it scores the same as Subastral, since it's the same designer...! :) i think there are simple ways to fix the lake being boring..

[boardgame_buzzz]

YAY!! First comment!! 😂😂😂 Thanks for the Video Alex!