Raiders of the North Sea Board Game Review
Overview:
Name of the game: Raiders of the North Sea
Year published: 2015
Publisher: Garphill Games
Designer: Shem Phillips
Number of players: 2-4
Playing time: 60-80 minutes
Game category/theme: Viking, worker placement, resource management
Board game mechanics: Worker placement, set collection, resource management, variable player powers, point-to-point movement
Ratings:
Strategy: 8.5
Complexity: 5.5
Player Interaction: 7.5
Replayability: 9.0
Game Rating: 8.0
Cost: 6.0
Calculations:
Weight Rating: = (5.5 + 8.5) = 14.0
Playability Rating: [(9.0 + 7.5 + 8.0) – 5.5] = 19.0
Play Rating Score: (14.0 + 19.0) x 2 = 66.0
Value Rating: 66.0 / 6.0 = 11.00
Final Score Rating: 66.0 + 11.00 = 77.00
Review:
Raiders of the North Sea is a Viking-themed worker placement and resource management game with a unique twist on the genre. Players take on the role of Viking warriors and assemble a crew to raid nearby settlements and gain resources, valuable items, and victory points. The game’s mechanics are easy to learn but offer a great deal of depth and strategy. Players must carefully plan their actions to maximize their gains while also competing against each other for the best spots on the board. The game also features a unique “place-and-take” mechanic where players must choose between placing a worker or taking an action with an existing worker. This creates a constant tension between short-term and long-term planning. The artwork is stunning and immerses players in the Viking world. The game is best played with 3-4 players, as the competition between players makes the game more enjoyable. While the game does not offer a solo mode, it can be played cooperatively by adding a dummy player. Overall, Raiders of the North Sea is an excellent worker placement game that offers a unique twist on the genre.
Games like Raiders of the North Sea:
- Architects of the West Kingdom – A worker placement game with a similar theme and artwork. Players are architects trying to impress the king by constructing various buildings and monuments.
- Lords of Waterdeep – A classic worker placement game with a Dungeons & Dragons theme. Players take on the roles of lords trying to gain power and influence in the city of Waterdeep.
- Viticulture – A worker placement game about running a vineyard and producing wine. Players must manage their workers and resources to produce the best wine and gain the most victory points.
- Agricola – A classic worker placement game about farming. Players must manage their farm and family to gain resources and grow their business.
- Everdell – A worker placement game with a charming woodland theme. Players take on the roles of creatures building a thriving community in the forest.
- Scythe – A game of resource management and conquest set in an alternate history 1920s Europe. Players take on the roles of powerful factions competing for control of the land.
- Spirit Island – A cooperative game of area control and resource management set on a mystical island. Players take on the roles of spirits trying to protect the island from colonizers.
- Gloomhaven – A massive cooperative dungeon-crawling game with a legacy-style campaign.
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