Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Today, our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading, because you’re part of the Geekly Gang, too. I’ll start our monthly reading post.
Kyra’s Comics
I reread a favorite graphic novel this past month, Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy. Dick Tracy is a classic 90s graphic novel. The 1990 Dick Tracy film could’ve been so much better had Warren Beatty decided to start with the first of these three stories. Yes. Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy concludes with what we now know as the 1990 Dick Tracy movie. Movie audiences lost so much by only getting the third installment. The Dick Tracy screenwriters planned on Dick Tracy being a trilogy, beginning with the first installment in this collection. Fortunately, those same writers decided to release the whole trilogy as a graphic novel.
After reading a Variety article about how 1990’s Dick Tracy served as a cautionary tale for comic book movies (specifically MCU films), I was enticed to reread Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy. Needless to say, the Variety article got it wrong. The article’s writer suggests that Dick Tracy failed despite having every advantage (money, a heap of stars, etc.). One must have a great story. The sad thing is 1990’s Dick Tracy had a great story. The creative team had pulled a DCEU. (Think Batman V Superman; we’re behind the MCU, so let’s make the second DCEU movie feature Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, and even Doomsday with some Darkseid and gang thrown in for funsies.) Back to Dick Tracy. TMNT and Batman had recently been released, so Dick Tracy skipped the first two parts of this great story to show the climactic end where everyone’s story converges.
If you read Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy in its entirety, you’ll cheer as Big Boy puts Lips in the bath. Without the context of the previous two stories, viewers are left wondering who Lips is. A bad man. Lips abused Big Boy. We spend two movie-length stories watching Big Boy claw his way to the top with his buddy, Flattop. Breathless Mahoney’s background gets fleshed out. BB Eyes and Pruneface actually have personalities. Even Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart’s relationship gets explored, so there’s more weight to them adopting The Kid. I highly recommend reading Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy before watching–or rewatching–the 1990 film Dick Tracy. You’ll find a greater appreciation for what this film could’ve been.
Kyra’s Nonfiction
The Alcoholic Republic: An American Tradition is eye-opening. Prior to Prohibition, drinking was pervasive in the United States. Reading The Alcoholic Republic recontextualizes Prohibition. 1) Prohibition had to happen. Citizens of the United States drank far too much. We’re talking about a six-pack a day was considered extremely light. President Lincoln was assassinated because his guard was wasted. Vice President Johnson was spared because his would-be assassin had downed five bottles of whisky in one night. 2) Prohibition wasn’t a complete failure. I had been taught Prohibition failed on most–if not every–levels, but that may not be accurate. After Prohibition, most of the nation curtailed its drinking.
The Alcoholic Republic even explores gender roles. Men needed to work because if a man didn’t work, he’d drink himself stupid. This idea persisted decades after Prohibition. Even Ed Gein’s father was a drunken layabout. While I can’t say I “enjoyed” reading The Alcoholic Republic, I appreciated the history it told.
I’ve reread a handful of things–besides Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy–over the past month, but let’s check in with Skye and see what she’s been reading.
Skye’s Fiction
I came across The Transit of Venus in Barnes & Noble a few months ago, but only now got around to reading it. So far, it’s proven to be a heavily layered story, which I love. The Transit of Venus follows the lives of two orphan sisters from Australia and the adventures they get into as they travel around the world. Considering the subject matter, The Transit of Venus can be depressing, but I keep reading in hopes that they overcome their struggles. After all, that’s what the title implies: all moments are fleeting, and time keeps ticking forward.
The Holy Bible
TL;DR: I was morbidly curious.
I’m intrigued by how each of the Bible’s stories fits together, since I’ve heard them referenced several times throughout my life but never read them. The biggest thing that stands out to me is the sheer number of names the Bible drops. For real, I’m only halfway through Genesis, and 50+ people have been named while only about 10 of them have done anything. Am I cramming for a test? I feel like God’s gonna give me a pop quiz at some point about who begets whom, and I’m gonna fail. I’m still reading.
No offense to God, but He should tighten His prose. There’s very little investment in these stories; they’re just dry. Surely the creation of man was more interesting.
Oh.
Kyra Kyle here again. I don’t know how to follow that. Lol
I’ve read the Bible multiple times growing up (my family was religious–pseudo Southern Baptist, as in they called themselves something else but behaved similarly to Southern Baptist), but I’ve never considered the Bible from a writing perspective. That piques my interest. 👀
Season is skipping Whatcha Reading this month. I’m sure she’ll return next month. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We’ve tackled the idea of cartoons or animated series based off comic books almost a decade ago with a Top 5 Animated TV Shows Based Off Comic Books. It’s a good idea to update this post. Our reasoning is three-fold: 1, it’s been long enough and more shows have been produced since 2015; we increased the number of shows on this list from five to ten; and Geekly forgot about a few shows inspired by comic books in the previous list. Whoops! Before we get into the shows, let’s set down some ground rules for this list.
1: Cultural relevance will play a role, as will the show’s overall quality.
2: Some of these shows’ animation doesn’t stack up to even its contemporaries, but they’re outstanding just the same.
3: We’ll have to stick with one show from a franchise because we wouldn’t want a list that includes only Batman and Spider-Man.
10) The Tick (1994-1996)
We’re kicking off this list with a cartoon that didn’t make the former Top 5 Cartoons based on comic books, 1994’s The Tick. We’ll be getting serious soon enough with the other titles on this list, so it’s only fitting that we begin with a goofy superhero who doesn’t take himself too seriously. Well, actually, The Tick character takes himself seriously, but he’s so off-the-wall bonkers that it’s difficult for viewers to take him seriously. The Tick is one of those animated shows that blends adult and child humor.
The partnership between The Tick and his sidekick Arthur is one of the best in superhero history, even if it draws inspiration from classic superhero duos. The Tick is a fun watch for anyone familiar with comic books and superheroes, because The Tick sends a relentless barrage of potshots at iconic heroes and villains at the audience.
Warning: The Tick uses a lot of puns. If you like Dad Jokes, great. If you’re not as into jokes like American Maid or El Seed, you may not get through too many Tick episodes. Either way, you should give The Tick theme song a listen. I dare you to not hum along. Tee hee!
9) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003-2009)
I have fond memories of the classic 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 1987’s TMNT even took the second spot ten years ago, but that may have been due to nostalgia goggles. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot that occurred in the 2000s stays true to the source material and claims a spot on this list.
Produced by 4Kids Entertainment, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a huge departure for the franchise. Because it stayed close to the comics’ tone, this version of TMNT had dark storylines, plenty of character growth, and amazing action sequences. Many shots in the 2000s TMNT would be at home with the best martial arts films.
The 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set a new standard for the franchise. Sure, the TMNT franchise can still skew toward a younger audience, but the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series proves that TMNT works for an older audience, too. Several characters from this show, such as the Shredder’s enforcer, Hun, were even adopted into the comics and future TMNT shows. Not bad for a reboot series.
8) Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-1998)
Spider-Man: The Animated Series falls far from our previous list, but it’s a fantastic show. It fell victim to newer series, shows we forgot were based on comic books, and lifted restrictions (more on that with the next entry). Spider-Man: The Animated Series adapted many of the comic books’ best storylines. No other Spider-Man cartoon includes the breadth of Spider-Man: The Animated Series’ characters. It introduced numerous Spider-Man characters that had not yet been seen on the small or big screen.
Throughout Spider-Man: The Animated Series’ run, Spider-Man interacts with many Marvel comics characters: The Hulk, The X-Men, The Avengers, and The Fantastic Four. X-Men: The Animated Series may have started the Marvel animated universe of the Nineties, but Spider-Man: The Animated Series galvanized the Marvel universe. The Nineties Marvel Animated Universe paved the way for the MCU, and Spider-Man: The Animated Series was the linchpin.
7) Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000)
We didn’t include Superman: The Animated Series in the previous list ten years ago because it was too close to Batman: The Animated Series, and we didn’t want more than one entry from a franchise. Forget that. We’re not including more than one show with the same main character. How about that? Moving on, Superman: The Animated Series did for the Man of Steel what Batman: The Animated Series did for the Dark Knight.
Superman: The Animated Series updated Superman’s stories for a new audience. The characters and tone mixes contemporary and classic Superman stories, making this animated version of Superman feel powerful, but not unbeatable. Supes’s supporting characters had memorable personalities that bounced off one another well. Superman: The Animated Series also introduced a generation of viewers to classic Superman villains like Lex Luthor and Brainiac, while giving viewers the first glimpse of Superman’s deadliest enemy, Darkseid.
I love how Superman: The Animated Series’ tone and differs from Batman: The Animated Series. The two are polar opposites, but look as if they belong within the same universe. Superman: The Animated Series is a testament to how great the DC Animated Universe was and often still can be. I’m also glad we’re able to extend this list to a Top Ten. There are so many great cartoons based off comic books.
6) Young Justice (2010-2022)
Yes! We’re lifting many of those odd self-induced limitations with the prior list. I didn’t include Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, or Young Justice because they were part of the Batman: The Animated Series universe. What was I thinking? Young Justice is nothing like Justice League. Young Justice follows characters who are often pigeonholeed as sidekicks. Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Robin, and more team up in Young Justice.
Co-created by animation legend Greg Weisman (who also co-created Disney’s Gargoyles, another stellar series), Young Justice showcases many of Weisman’s strengths: fantastic character work, character development, and an emphasis on strong continuity. Young Justice’s emphasis on sidekicks is a great angle for an animated show. This conceit allows the audience to watch the characters grow and develop over many seasons.
Some Young Justice members strike out on their own and become their own heroes. Others remain on the team and mentor new heroes. Still others come to some shocking ends. Young Justice doesn’t shy away from grizzly ends. Young Justice survived cancellation and jumping between three networks before concluding its run. Thank goodness, because it’s one of the best modern animated shows based on a comic book.
5) Invincible (2021-Present)
Invincible is the most recent animated series on this list. Heck! It’s still in the middle of its run. This is what I mean by several new animated shows based on comic books have been released since our previous list ten years ago. Invincible basks in the fact that it’s a superhero show. It pokes fun at classic character types and comic book tropes, while simultaneously paying homage to these same ideas. It’s a delicate balance, but Invincible does a great job of handling this tightrope.
Yet Invincible uses its framing devices to tell very, and I mean very, mature stories that explore the mentality of being a superhero. Heroes and their loved ones struggle with this responsibility. Invincible shows a terrifying world where heroes, villains, and monsters battle each other among civilians.
Invincible sports a brilliant voice cast. It’s a modern classic, and it may just climb this list in another decade.
4) Justice League (2001-2004)
Simply put, Justice League was the culmination of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini’s years of work on the Batman and Superman animated series. Justice League was the next logical step. Justice League: Unlimited (2004-2006) continues where the original series left off and gives the series (as a whole) a proper ending.
Timm and Dini combine old and new storytelling tactics to form something new and exciting in Justice League. They pay homage to who these characters are in the comics and explore their interpersonal relationships. This is a theme for this list, but Justice League stays true to its comic book roots but add enough twists to make the show a must-watch for hardcore fans.
Justice League and Justice League: Unlimited understand each of their team members and give all of them ample time to shine. This is only possible because Timm and Dini had a decade to work with these characters, refining them and respecting the source material. I don’t want to spoil anything here, but these two series (which are really one long series) make for a great binge-watch. The cast is legendary.
3) DuckTales (1987-1990)
DuckTales was the one animated series that needed to be on the previous list. I forgot that DuckTales originated from the Uncle Scrooge comic book by Carl Barks. Scrooge McDuck’s globetrotting quests in search of treasure captivated viewers. It launched the Disney Afternoon line of cartoons. While none of the other series from that cartoon line made this list because they didn’t start as comic books, they took their cues from DuckTales. Much of Disney animation during the late Eighties and early Nineties followed DuckTales‘ lead.
And even though it originally released in the Eighties, DuckTales holds up surprisingly well. Scrooge McDuck and the dynamic trio of Huey, Dewey, and Louie join forces with Launchpad McQuack and Gyro Gearloose. DuckTales raised the profile of underused Disney characters and added plenty of new favorites. Because Uncle Scrooge’s adventures sent him all around the globe, DuckTales subtly taught geography and threw in some cultural references for good measure.
DuckTales was Disney’s first syndicated animated TV series. While it paved the way for other successful shows like TaleSpin and Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers, DuckTales had two direct spin-offs, Darkwing Duck and Quack Pack. Talk about a media powerhouse. But only takes our third spot. What shows could dethrone a legend like DuckTales?
2) X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-1997)
The original X-Men: The Animated Series ranked high on our previous list. I’d be lying if I told you the phenomenal X-Men ’97 didn’t help this series climb higher on this list. Last year’s X-Men ’97 is the highest-rated Marvel Series on most review sites. I highly recommend it and can’t wait for the next season, but Geekly’s going with the original Nineties X-Men Series. We’re going with the source material.
And that’s what made the Nineties X-Men: The Animated Series so great. While the series that claims our top spot paved the way for authentic comic book storytelling in cartoons, X-Men doubled down by not shying away from epic X-Men tales. I never thought I’d see a “Days of Future Past” or the “Phoenix Saga” on the small screen, but X-Men: The Animated Series dived headfirst into the spectacle and long-form storytelling the X-Men comic book was known for. Did the show always stick the landing? No. But X-Men: The Animated Series set the standard for how the public saw The X-Men.
The X-Men: The Animated Series didn’t treat young viewers with kid gloves. It delved into mature themes of prejudice, death, and the effects of trauma, while maintaining a hopeful outlook with its stellar cast of characters. The continuation series X-Men ’97 captures almost every element of what made the original series great. Here’s to some new fond memories. And who knows? Perhaps, the X-Men: The Animated Series will claim the top spot in another ten years.
1) Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)
Batman: The Animated Series claimed the top spot ten years ago, and it remains at the top of this list. Heck. I’ve seen other sites’ lists of the greatest comic book animated shows, and while some sites include some spicy inclusions (that I wouldn’t think would make a top 10), almost everyone is in agreement that Batman: The Animated Series is the greatest cartoon based on a comic book.
Kevin Conroy became a generation’s Batman. That’s not right. Conroy voiced Batman since 1992, and Warner Bros. continues to release animated films with Conroy as Batman more than thirty years later. Numerous animated Kevin Conroy Batman projects were released posthumously. So, he’s the voice of Batman for more than one generation. The rest of the cast is stellar. Not just stellar, iconic.
Speaking iconic, the Batman: The Animated Series’ soundtrack when I think of many Batman characters. I seldom need to watch an episode to pinpoint the antagonist. Our previous list noted Batman: The Animated Series’ introduction that didn’t even need to reveal the character’s name. You knew how Batman was from the symbol. Batman: The Animated Series serves as a definitive Batman for many people. It kickstarted the DC Animated Universe, which rivals the MCU and, for several people, dwarfs the MCU. Countless Batman: The Animated Series episodes won Emmies.
“Heart of Ice” is one of the Batman: The Animated Series episodes that earned an Emmy. This episode took a joke character, Mister Freeze, and grounded him into a fan favorite. Batman: The Animated Series did a lot of that during its four-year run. Side note: I can’t believe it’s been over thirty-three years since “Heart of Ice” originally aired. Yikes! Batman: The Animated Series claims the top spot. We’ll have to see if it continues to do so in another ten years.
Did we get the list right? Which shows would you add? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. I’m still on my pseudo-hiatus for the Novel in November event, so this week’s Geek News will include board games and video games that released this past week. Let’s start this week’s Geek News with board game new releases.
Employee Disposal Program Launches on KickStarter
Who needs political correctness? Employee Disposal Program–awesome name by the way–offers a light, party game, which pokes fun at a corporation’s HR Department. Players begin with two sanity and five action cards. A player’s sanity is their health and once a player loses all their sanity, they’re eliminated from the game.
The above card, “Ethnic Confusion Effect,” is a good example of Employee Disposal Program’s politically incorrectness. Employee Disposal Program won’t be for everyone. I’m not the biggest fan of Take That (backstabby) party games, but Employee Disposal Program plays quickly, and if a card entitled “Karen From Human Resources” tickles your funny bone, Employee Disposal Program may be worth looking into. Pledges range from about $26 (publisher Pleiades Interactive is headquartered in Australia) to about $127. If you’re interested in Employee Disposal Program, check out its KickStarter page.
Zeit Heist Sneaks Onto KickStarter
Publisher Blue Rondo Games has released a couple of quirky, easy-to-learn board games, and Zeit Heist looks to continue that trend. Players build a heist team. The first one to successfully complete a victory condition wins. But Zeit Heist includes multiple victory conditions. You could sneak into the museum before it opens with the Scientist, the Spy, and Lockpicker. Or break into the museum after it opens with the Driver, Muscle, and an Inside Man. Or one could even sway the Police, Detective, and Undercover Cop to confiscate the Zeitnium in your name. Oh, yeah. The object you’re trying to steal is named Zeitnium. Nice!
In Zeit Heist, players can manipulate time. Speed up time. Slow it down. Or freeze it. Time is a Tool. Zeit Heist’s box looks intriguing. A timer comes included in the box lid. Zeit Heist’s production value looks great, and at a swift fifteen-minute playtime, Zeit Heist doesn’t outstay its welcome. If you’re interested in Zeit Heist, check out its KickStarter page.
Snowdonia: Grand Tour Chugs Onto GameFound
The original Snowdonia is a classic, 2012 board game, but many newer board gamers have yet to play Snowdonia. Snowdonia: Grand Tour may be the perfect place to first experience this game. Naylor Games has done a great job giving this dated game a facelift. While most reprints only focus on making the game look nice, Snowdonia: Grant Tour adds a range of scenarios and other game elements to make Snowdonia: Grand Tour enticing for long-time Snowdonia players.
Each scenario comes with its own map board. Snowdonia: Grand Tour streamlines the original’s setup. And there’s a compatibility pack just in case you own the original. What’s not to love? If you’ve ever been interested in this classic worker placement, railroad construction game, Snowdonia: Grand Tour may be perfect. If you’re interested in Snowdonia: Grand Tour, check out its GameFound page.
Restless Journeys Onto GameFound
We’ve seen a lot of roleplaying game in a boxes in recent years. Restless applies this idea to a storybook gameplay, and I’m here for it. Restless looks amazing. I love its idea of quick saves. While Restless plays out over three acts, gamers can save their game within the box and in between each act. Awesome!
Depending on your playstyle and the magical species you plan to play as, a gamer’s experience in Restless greatly varies. This gives me Harmonies vibes. Unlike Harmonies, Restless is semi-cooperative. I don’t know exactly how that works. I imagine players can help each other complete their individual storylines. If so, fun! Restless lasts forty-five minutes per player, per act. And it can be played as a solo experience. If you’re interested in Restless, check out its GameFound page.
Europa Universalis V Releases
The Europa Universalis game series is not for the faint of heart. Gamers guide their chosen country through world history. In the latest game of the series, Europa Universalis V, time spans from April 1, 1337, to January 1, 1837. Typically, Europa Universalis offers greater granular strategic choices than games in the Civilization series. While Civilization has streamlined its gameplay, allowing for a wider audience, Europa Universalis is more like “Git Gud.”
Choosing a starting nation is crucial in Europa Universalis V. Each nation has its own unique skills and benefits, and if you find one of the 314 nations that best suits your playstyle, you can conquer most–if not all–of Europe. Fortunately, Europa Universalis V offers more automation than previous titles in the series. Players can choose to focus on certain aspects of governing, while allowing the game’s AI to tackle parts that interest them less. I like this inclusion. Sometimes, I want to focus on trade over military, or the other way around. It’s great to have options.
One can get lost in the sheer volume of things they can control. Europa Universalis V makes Civilization look like Tic-Tac-Toe. Being able to focus on a couple of things, while automating the rest, is a godsend. I’ll say it again, great addition. Europa Universalis V has received great reviews and is available on PC. I will most likely pick up Europa Universalis V in the future (when it goes on sale), play on the easiest setting, and still find a way to finish in last place. I like this game series a lot, but I am not gud. Womp-womp.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Releases
The Warriors series is more my speed, and specifically, the Hyrule Warriors corner of the Warriors series is one of the strongest. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment was released exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2. I’ll have to wait until after I pick up a Switch 2. But look-it! Zelda is a playable character. What?
I love a good hack-and-slash video game, and that’s what the Hyrule Warriors series is. I can’t wait to fight hordes of enemies as Princess Zelda. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment has received favorable reviews. Sounds like a great time.
Unbeatable Releases Today on Multiple Platforms
I saved the most interesting video game for last. Unbeatable takes place in a world where music has been outlawed by a fascist agency known as H.A.R.M. (Harmonious Audio Reduction Maintenance). Nice! Gamers take the role of Beat, a mysterious vocalist who spends her time producing new songs and fighting the occasional cop. She plays in a band with guitarist Quaver, keyboardist Treble, and percussionist Clef. Unbeatable blends a rhythm game–naturally–with plenty of adventure.
I love Unbeatable’s aesthetics. We haven’t gotten a great rhythm game in years, so I can’t wait to get my hands on Unbeatable. The theme sounds cool. The graphics and gameplay look amazing. Unbeatable’s demo received great reviews. Rock Paper Shotgun may agree with me as they wrote in their review (of the demo), “Unbeatable has the best hook of any game ever.” Since Unbeatable is releasing the day of this post, we’ll have to wait for full reviews. This one’s a fresh, new game. Unbeatable is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
That’s all the news we have for you this week. I’m Geek News short during November. Novel in November has been a slow roll, but I’m making some progress with my edits from this past year’s book. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
You’ll want to shed your hand of cards quicker than anyone else in L.L.A.M.A. The Card Game, but you might not be able to play what you want. Strategic quitting, which freezes the cards in your hand, may be the key to victory in this silly, engaging (German Game of the Year) Spiel des Jahres-nominated game. Don’t get stuck with a llama!
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I mentioned L.L.A.M.A. The Card Game in a previous Whatcha Playing post and figured we should cover the game with a full review. I’m unsure if we’ll continue doing this with future board game reviews, but I’ve played a lot of L.L.A.M.A. The Card Game (also known as Don’t L.L.A.M.A. The Card Game) in the past several months. Board game design legend Reiner Knizia made another rules-light, fun game, but before we discuss L.L.A.M.A., we don’t want to skip the fine print.
Above is the designer Reiner Knizia dressed as a llama.
The Fiddly Bits
Designer: Reiner Knizia Publisher: AMIGO Date Released: 2019 Number of Players: 2-6 Age Range: 6 and up Setup Time: Almost none Play Time: Less than 20 minutes
Shuffle all the cards and deal six cards to each player. The remaining cards make up the face-down draw pile. Turn over the top card to start the discard pile. Have the tokens nearby to give all players access, and you’re done.
Game Flow
L.L.A.M.A. has an easy-to-read and brief rulebook, so I’ll borrow heavily from it. L.L.A.M.A. is played over several rounds. Randomly choose who goes first. During your turn, players may take one of these three actions:
* Play a card * Draw a card * Quit
Play a Card
Cards are numbered 1-6, and there’s a seventh, specialty card (the Llama). The top card on the discard pile determines which cards can be played. You can play a card with the same value as the top card or a value that’s one more than the top card. Llamas can be played on 6s or other llamas. On top of a llama, you can play another llama or a 1.
Draw a Card
You may draw 1 card from the draw pile. You can’t play this card on the same turn, so the turn passes to the next player. If the draw pile runs out, don’t create a new one. From now on, you can’t choose this action.
Quit
If you can’t play a card or don’t want to, and you don’t feel like drawing a card either, you can quit for the current round. Place your cards in front of you, face down. You are no longer playing this round.
End of Round
The round ends if:
* One player has played all of their cards. * All players have quit for the round.
If all but one player has quit the round, that player continues on their own. However, this player may no longer draw cards.
Scoring
Your remaining cards give you negative points, no matter if you have them in front of you (quitting) or in your hand. Each card is worth its value in points. Llamas are worth 10 points.
However, you count each card value only once per round, so if you have four 1s, for example, you only get one point. Likewise, all of your llamas would only give you a total of 10 points.
Taking Tokens
Tokens denote your negative points. There are white 1-point tokens and black 10-point tokens, which you may swap at any time.
Returning Tokens
If you played all your cards during a round and you have tokens from a previous round, you may return one of them (either a 1-point or 10-point token).
Shuffle all the cards and deal another six cards to each player for the next round. Start a new discard pile with the top card from the draw pile. The last player to play a card in the previous round starts off the new round.
End of Game
Continue playing until one of you has collected 40 or more points. The player with the fewest points wins the game. If there is a tie, the players share the victory.
Review
L.L.A.M.A. The Card Game may play a touch like Uno, but it has just enough juice to hold my attention. Players need to shed the cards in their hand, much like Uno, but the option to quit for the round and discarding the right cards makes all the difference. Sure. Most games of L.L.A.M.A. revolve around the right cards showing up in the deck. In fact, the first couple of times I played L.L.A.M.A. I had either forgotten about the quitting rule or the person who taught me the rules forgot to explain the rule. L.L.A.M.A. played without the quitting rule plays like a less backstabby Uno. But after learning about (or remembering) the quitting option, I’ve experienced enough rounds where strategic quitting works.
I’ve been dealt a stellar hand at the beginning of a round (five 1s and another card). As soon as I can play the one card that isn’t a 1, I’d quit for the round and take one point. Quitting puts a ton of pressure on one’s opponents to shed cards quickly and then quit themselves. While it may seem at first like an advantage to be the final player in a round, you can no longer draw cards. If you can’t go out with what’s in your hand, you’re scoring with whatever cards remain, and you don’t want to get caught with any llamas. Hence the game’s alternate name, Don’t L.L.A.M.A..
The game’s odd theme, silly titular mascot, and bright colors add to L.L.A.M.A.’s charm. And llama is a fun word to say. Llama, llama, llama, llama. L.L.A.M.A. is a hit with multiple game group types. I’ve played with numerous demographics and ages. The game is easy enough to quickly grasp and allows for interesting choices for more serious gamers (like strategic quitting or going out one round and discarding a token of your choice). L.L.A.M.A. is light enough that many of my Monday Game Nights begin with this game, and everyone chats while they throw down a card from time to time. It’s games like this that remind us of the social aspect of board games.
Too Long; Didn’t Read
More than just a less cutthroat Uno, L.L.A.M.A. The Card Game adds strategic quitting for the round, which adds pressure to your opponents. While I can’t see myself playing too many rounds of Uno, I’ll gladly play a game or two of L.L.A.M.A. The Card Game.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another month of Whatcha Playing. Our writers will be sharing what they’ve been playing–board games and video games–over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been playing over the past month, because you’re part of the Geekly Gang, too. I’ll start by sharing my month’s games.
Kyra’s Video Games
I mentioned Slime Rancher 2 a couple of months ago, during one of these lists, but I finally finished the game this past month. In fact, I picked up Slime Rancher 2’s platinum trophy on PlayStation 5. Oh, yeah!
While I like Slime Rancher 2’s new method of farming for materials (just use your vacuum to harvest science material like wild honey or jelly stone), Slime Rancher 2’s map took longer to click than the original’s, and I didn’t care for how rare drones became. I do appreciate Slime Rancher 2 adding drones back into the gameplay; Monomi Park included drones in Slime Rancher 2’s final update. I love automating my ranch.
The original Slime Rancher will always hold a special place for me. Despite eliminating certain features (the speed run mode is missing, and all special gameplay modes like glitch slimes and quicksilver slimes disappeared), Slime Rancher 2 does a great job of building on the original. Still, fewer gameplay elements can make the game repetitive. I never realized how much I’d miss Viktor’s research. I didn’t care for Slime Rancher 2’s puzzles as much. The reflector puzzles within the Gray Labyrinth pulled attention away from the slimes. That’s why I liked the special gameplay modes from the original. The focus never wavered from the slimes.
Slime Rancher 2 is an amazing game. I just don’t see myself returning to the title as much as I did the original.
I don’t know if I’ve played any new video games this past month. I have a few on my to be played list. Looks like they’ll have to wait until December.
Kyra’s Board Games
I played all the monsters in Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons. Each one perfectly captures the monster. Of course, the Red Dragon has a horde. The Beholder is a menace with all of its eyebeam powers. Gamers need to discover the Mimic by revealing treasure. Yes! Similarly, Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons does a great job with hero abilities. The Wizard can zip around the board through teleportation spells. The Fighter gets a boost in combat. And the Bard can beckon villagers to their call. Unfortunately, these powers can place the game on easy mode, especially if you’re facing weaker monsters.
Balance issues can crop up as they did with the previous Horrified entry: World of Monsters. But I’ve had a blast playing Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons. I may have had the most fun against the Red Dragon. We had no chance of winning. Woo hoo!
Deadlines is an interesting party game. It includes over 200 cards with famous people. On one side, you get the person’s name (and a quick description of who they were), and then, you must place them in one of three columns: Birth, Death, or Lifespan. You’ll need to place the person on your card in chronological order based on when they were born, when they died, or how long they lived (going shortest to longest). For instance, Napoleon was certainly born before Princess Diana, so you would place Napoleon’s card before Princess Diana’s. Deadlines was a blast. It’s unlike most trivia games, and you can get some fun interactions.
During one turn, I picked up Janis Joplin. I knew she was a member of the 27 Club (rock ‘n rollers who died at 27 years old), and placed her between someone who died at 23 years old (River Phoenix) and another who passed at 30. Ka-ching! If you screw up the timeline, you keep the card. It counts as a point. The player with the fewest points wins. But some cards, like Janis Joplin’s, will allow you to say (or guess) how they died. If you get the cause of death correct, you can add one of your kept cards to one of the available columns for free. This accelerates the game as a column can only be 12 cards long. We played with columns of 10.
Deadlines won’t be for everyone. But I liked it a lot. We may need to get Deadlines to the table more often.
I love certain elements of Nevermore. The Edgar Allen Poe theme shines through Nevermore, and the game’s better for it. But Nevermore–at its core–is a Take That game. I’m not a big fan of Take That games, especially ones that last longer than twenty minutes or so. Nevermore took over an hour to play with the teach.
Despite my dislike of longer Take That games, Nevermore has one of the most interesting card drafting mechanisms. Most card drafting games (like Sushi Go) have players pick one card, pass the rest, and then play the card they picked. In Nevermore, you draft every card for your hand upfront, and then play your hand of cards. Begin by picking two cards to keep and then pass the other three to the next player. Then, you pick three cards in your hand to keep and pass two. Finally, you pick four cards to keep in your hand and pass one. This final hand is yours. I love building my hand over time.
And I love the idea–in theory–of claiming an action by having the most cards of that action-type. If you have the most daggers, you can stab another player. If you have the most hearts, you can heal damage. And so forth. I just wish there wasn’t so much Take That in Nevermore, or that Nevermore took less time to play. Take That games can get mean, especially when gamers play cutthroat. I don’t like being in that headspace for long.
Still, I love many of Nevermore’s gaming elements.
I check in with Season and Skye, and it looks as if they didn’t play too many new games last month because they were dealing with an illness. Yikes! We’ll give them a week to recover. But feel free to share which games (video games and board games) you’ve been playing this past month, Geekly Gang.
Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Terra Nil flips the city/civilization builder on its head. The world has been sapped of its resources, and it’s up to the player to return the world to its former lush landscapes, complete with wildlife, and then leave without a trace, allowing life to begin anew. Can you bring the world back to life Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Today’s cozy video game is Terra Nil. I wish listed this one on Steam when its demo dropped, and then forgot about it. It wasn’t until Terra Nil popped up on Netflix, of all places, that I tried the full game. Terra Nil doesn’t have much of a story, so I’ll merge those two elements. Let’s see how Terra Nil rates on our review criteria.
Game Mechanisms: 9/10
Like I said in the introduction, Terra Nil deconstructs the city/civilization builder video game genre. Players start with a barren wasteland (similar to the picture above), and they must clean the (nuclear?) waste with items like scrubbers and then replenish the Earth using various gadgets like propagators, seeders, and hydroponics. Each stage of Terra Nil plays out like an elaborate puzzle. Depending on the climate you’re trying to achieve, you may need to lower or raise the region’s temperature. Balance between biomes is crucial, and you can monitor animals and the animals’ desires when they return.
This game loop is satisfying and familiar. For being the opposite of a city builder, Terra Nil uses plenty of city builder game tropes. This makes the game easier to get into, even if what you’re doing is the exact opposite of a city builder. Finding the right balance between biomes gets tricky–Who am I kidding? It can be rage-inducing. I lost count of the number of times I was off on a certain biome and had to add an acorn to a tree to create more forest, or I had to burn more green area with a solar panel incinerator. Ugh!
And just when you’ve almost figured out how one region works, Terra Nil will add a twist like adding tundra and lava floes to the mix. I binged Terra Nil on Steam and Netflix (I still can’t get over how Netflix has a video game of Terra Nil’s caliber), and it only took about forty or fifty hours to complete the game. There was a lot of trial and error. Terra Nil’s tutorial level teaches the basics, but you’re on your own after that level, and I got stuck. A lot. But Terra Nil made getting stuck fun.
Above Image from GameDesigning.Org
Gameplay Loop: 7/10
The frustration Terra Nil can create at higher levels keeps the Gameplay Loop score from claiming top honors, but outside of that, it’s fantastic. Terra Nil shuffles the gameplay enough to keep gamers on their toes for a good forty to fifty hours. Later levels combine elements of former levels in intriguing ways, building a super puzzle. Unlocking as many animals as you can for each region is a mini-game unto itself. I forget how many times I was rooting for a frog or otter to populate.
Terra Nil is a good, chill time. I would crank up the sound effects to hear the sounds of the forests, streams, and lakes. Perhaps Terra Nil is a new way to Netflix and chill.
Narrative/Storytelling: 3/10
Because Terra Nil doesn’t have much of a story, I’m lumping Narrative and Storytelling into one element. Despite being mostly a straightforward building a green space game, Terra Nil’s premise suggests a greater story. That keeps this score from being any lower than a three. Terra Nil gives hints to what happened to the planet and drives home the idea that humans should be stewards of the environment.
User Interface: 7/10
Terra Nil’s volume of information causes the game to falter with its user interface. Despite an easy-to-navigate heads-up display and well-crafted menus, I got lost in Terra Nil’s mountains of options and data I needed to parse. The game does a good job of easing players into its cavernous menus at first, but after the first three regions, you’re thrown to the wolves. Good luck.
Terra Nil offers a detailed rulebook with phenomenal detail. I would flip through this rulebook even if I weren’t lost on what to do. The page above does a great job of showing and telling gamers how a turbine and a toxin scrubber work. I love Terra Nil’s attention to detail.
Graphics: 8/10
For what it is (a city builder game where you’re not building a city), Terra Nil’s graphics are on point. Despite how pretty Terra Nil can be, it still uses an isometric, top-down view of the environment. Sure, there’s an option to view your creation at the ground level, and that’s fun, but Terra Nil’s graphics stop shy of top marks.
Terra Nil pours in a lot of detail. The geese in the picture above are geese who reinhabited the area. If you look closely at wetlands, you can spot a frog hopping. You can find deer, bears, and wolves roaming the forests and mountains. You don’t even need to zoom in at the ground level, even though I love doing this after I finish a region. Terra Nil works as an interactive background. It’s soothing, cozy.
Audio: 10/10
Terra Nil is one of the few games I will always play with the sound. While the game’s soundtrack is relaxing and memorable in its own way, the sound effects of the environment give Terra Nil a high score. Even the noises the gadgets (like the scrubbers and terraformers) make satisfy. Putting down a ditch borer and listening to it create a future river feels great. The crackling of fire as it makes way for new growth makes me smile.
Terra Nil spares no expense with its audio effects. From the animals to the wind and snow, I’ve spent hours listening to one of my regions, trying to pinpoint which sounds I’m hearing. In short, Terra Nil may have some of the best sound editing I’ve ever heard in a video game.
Replay Factor: 7/10
Even though Terra Nil plays like a puzzle, it’s one of those games I can see replaying after multiple months or years have passed. It won’t take long for me to forget how to complete each region. In fact, I played Terra Nil within the last couple of months, and I’m pretty sure it would take me a couple of playthroughs before remembering how each gadget works and when best to use them. Terra Nil also includes scenarios, variable difficulties, and each region is randomly generated during each playthrough. That last point alone gives Terra Nil better than average replay value. I enjoyed my time with Terra Nil and look forward to playing it again.
Aggregated Score: 8
Even though I gave Terra Nil a story/narrative score, I’m omitting that score from its aggregated score. Terra Nil offers dozens of hours of calming gameplay. It functions like an interactive desktop background. I’m shocked Netflix picked up the rights to Terra Nil. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come for the streaming giant.
jkgeekly.com 