Encyclopedia Review - The Game I Wanted Wingspan To Be

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Encyclopedia is a dice-based worker placement game. At the beginning of each round, you’ll be drawing and rolling dice, then placing them on your player board. These dice can then be used to perform an action each turn, depending on their color and value. Your action can be preparing your expeditions by going to the Embassy, visiting the Bank to raise funds, or hiring your research team at the University. Once you’re ready to go, you’ll choose the Animal cards you wish to study, then organize expeditions to observe them in their natural habitats. When your research is complete, you’ll then be able to publish your findings in an attempt to become the biggest contributor to Buffon’s Encyclopedia. Every publication you make will earn you Victory points, and at the end of the game, you’ll score points based on collections of Animals and research amassed during play. The naturalist with the most points wins!

TimeStamps:
0:00:00 - Introduction
0:01:07 - Overview
0:14:39 - Ease of Play
0:15:48 - Player Count
0:16:55 - What I Like
0:21:15 - What I Didn't Like
0:22:38 - What I Can See Others Not Liking
0:24:10 - Final Thoughts
0:26:12 - 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.

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[phunkysai]

Thanks for reviewing this…btw, have you thought about doing a small green where you can lay cards so that we can see them close up, kind of like Rahdo does? It would have helped when you were showing off cards…

[twotonesmybones]

I don't normally watch the brand new game game videos but your title got me and I clicked! Thanks for the new recommendation!

[DumahAtreides]

I just rewatched after my first game with the delivered game. I agree with every point in this video. This is a gold medium weight title. It's a do a ton of stuff super set collection / resource management game. One comparison I'd make is that it's like a lighter version of Grand Austria Hotel. Looking forward to playing more games and with various player counts.

[MrKidtendo]

Seems pretty interesting! Definitely going to be on the lookout for gameplay closer to the Kickstarter.

[HVFD]

I was excited for this when I first saw it was coming. Now... not so much. It doesn't look like the animal / research aspect means anything other than a convenient place to put a cube. Looks like it was designed around mechanics then a theme was needed so it was slapped on. Appreciate the video Alex, now I know its not a game for me.

[likemagickrestoration]

Thanks! We have the exact same thoughts as you. Loving the game. Much more thinky than I originally thought but love that aspect.

[ronjapoes]

Thanks for including your opinion of the solo mode!

[lazulin]

Have you played Genotype? These games feel very similar to me (much more similar than Wingspan, anyway) and I wonder whether a collection really needs both. Both are die-drafting games that involve researching traits and give bonuses for matching traits. Both have worker placement spots. Both have powerful experts. I think they both seem very good, but I have a hard time deciding whether someone would want to own both and if they don't, which one is better.

[ScytheNoire]

Game looks great, ready for production. Wish all prototypes were this well done.
Theme is interesting, especially considering Darwin's Journey last year.
The board is quite large, and I think I would prefer a board that can be separated and laid out in different ways, and just move the scoring elsewhere.

[AaronAndSusie]

Easily my #1 most anticipated KS this year

[quinterx]

Many thanks for review. i bought it and its awesome.

[fernpasq]

Besides theme, the most striking similarity I found to Wingspan is the luck of the card draw and almost no control over this... Thus one is still frustrated with not getting the animal he needs (as with the birds in Wingspan).
Thus, it seems a heavier/more complex game, with the same vibes and problems... Well, I don't think it will replace the family-friendlier appeal of Wingspan... And I'll just keep my copy of Everdell.

[Cornchps]

Sounds like the main mechanic of Troyes. One of my favorite games.

[dennisa]

It looks interesting, but the theme didn't really come across to me. I will definitely give it a look though. Thanks for the video.

[larrye]

I really hope they take your criticisms into account. I'll follow along to see if they do.

[TheSludgeMan]

just some feedback from one man's perspective. the overview was so detailed and intense and explained so quickly that it was hard not to just check out from the video. your intro made me super pumped to hear more but i had to tap out of the exhaustive rules descriptions to go find another video.

should an 'overview' really be 15 minutes long? i don't think so tbh. but i do like this channel, maybe a compromise could be to include a one minute primer so people can skip the full rules explanation if theyre inclined to, if that's something you would consider.

[geocall]

Was curious on your thoughts about publishing. Do you think its better to publish all at once at end of game, multiple times throughout game, or is it more complicated thean that and depends on the particular session?

[sfr]

Have you tried Museum or Museum: Pictura? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on them.

[sethwinslow]

This sounds amazing. You know, as you talking about it being a 5 of 5, but not TM, I started thinking - of your top 100, are they all 5’s? Or at some point do you drop your rating to a 4.5? A 4? And where. Next time you do a top (I guess end of year), what do you think of adding your ranking to each game? Or maybe just where you transition from levels? (That’s assuming your lowest 5 is above your top 4.5, and I can think of some reasons why that might not be the case,

[charlez]

I backed this game and Holy Grail Games' last KS Rallyman Dirt in July 2020....still hasn't even started production but Encyclopedia is about to start confused about that! 😅