Scythe (2016)

“Scythe is a meaty and satisfying game that will appeal to gamers of all stripes. Every time I play this game, whether I win or lose, I am left excited and wanting to play again.”

“Scythe has been the best experience of any game I have played in 2016 so far. Well designed, awesome production, tight finishes, and I love the reward system.”

“Scythe may not be the best board game of all time, but it’s definitely the best of 2016. From its beautiful, evocative artwork, to a combination of euro and combat-based mechanics that will draw in players from both camps, this behemoth from Stonemaier Games will be around for a long time to come.”

“All in all, Scythe’s ability to drag me into its theme and core mechanisms has seen it become my favourite game I’ve ever played. I enjoy the engine building, intimidation before the war, and the sheer amount of choices available to players.”

“There are plenty of games where the theme and mechanics have a wonderfully symbiotic relationship, and I’d rank Scythe right up there near the top.”

“Scythe is an incredibly well-designed game that will give you a great experience if you meet it where it stands. It’s earned my Golden Shield Award.”

“Go back Scythe right now. You won’t regret it. Scythe is a fantastic game and I was really bummed out when I had to pack it up and send it on to the next reviewer.”

“This is one of the best expansions I have ever played. It makes Scythe, a game I love, better in ways you cannot really imagine.”

“But if you want a deep, puzzly, interactive—and overall, very fun—Euro-style board game that plays in about two hours, Scythe should absolutely be on your shelf. It’s early in the year as far as board game releases go, but Scythe is the best new game I’ve played in 2016.”

“Scythe is a masterpiece in my opinion, and a game that I would happily play, any time, anywhere. It offers a unique blend of cold war tension and engine building bliss.”

“If you’re looking for a medium-heavy Euro with a solid solo mode (by Automa Factory), oodles of replayability, and one that’s absolutely dripping with theme, you really can’t do any better than Scythe. It’s a modern masterpiece, and one that everyone should own and play.”

“I want to play Scythe until I’ve worn out all its moving parts, but it might just be too fine a game to stop even then.”

The reviewer enthusiastically praises Scythe as an amazing 4X game, highlighting its simple yet deep and strategically rich gameplay, and declaring it their favorite and the best game of 2016 to date.

The reviewer enthusiastically praises Scythe as one of his new favorite games of all time, highlighting its excellent blend of engine building, open-map strategy, and the dynamic choice between economic development and warfare. He finds its complexity surprisingly smooth after a few plays and appreciates the many strategic options.

The reviewer enthusiastically praises Scythe as one of his favorite board games, highlighting its beautiful art, strong theme, surprising accessibility despite initial complexity, and deep strategic gameplay that creates a compelling narrative experience.

The reviewer considers Scythe an 'absolute classic' that redefined expectations for board game production and gameplay, praising its phenomenal artwork and successful integration of various mechanics, despite some players potentially finding its early pace slow.

The reviewers enthusiastically praise Scythe as their favorite board game, highlighting its deceptive simplicity despite its appearance, quick turns, and immense replayability stemming from asymmetric factions and diverse strategic options, making it an excellent gateway to complex strategy games.

The Game Boy Geek enthusiastically praises Scythe as an 'absolute design masterpiece' and a potential 'milestone in gaming' for its immersive world, fantastic production, asymmetrical factions, streamlined combat, and satisfying engine-building mechanics, declaring it worthy of his highest 'Saxophone serenade' rating.

“There are so many wonderful things to say about Scythe. It really is a phenomenally designed game.”

“If you have a group of friends, that you play together regularly, this is a great addition to your library.”

The channel dedicated a full playthrough to Scythe, indicating a strong appreciation for the game's depth and engaging gameplay, suggesting it's a highly recommended experience.

The reviewer highly praises Scythe as one of his favorite solo games, emphasizing its engaging tactical movement, the satisfying puzzle of efficient action sequencing, and the strong sense of progression. He notes that while combat is tense, it's not the primary focus, and the game offers significant replayability, especially with the Automa system.

Scythe is lauded for its deceptive nature, presenting as a conflict-heavy game but functioning as a highly strategic engine-builder with nuanced combat. Reviewers highlight its exceptional production, innovative action selection, and the engaging tension it creates through efficient gameplay and varied paths to victory.

The reviewer expressed strong enjoyment of Scythe, praising its innovative mechanics, particularly the dual-layered player boards. They highly recommend the game, stating it offers interesting strategic depth that will keep players engaged for years to come and is a definite keeper for their collection.

The reviewer found Scythe to be an excellent, streamlined, and refined game, impressing him with its execution despite minor thematic and combat critiques, and noting that everyone he played with thoroughly enjoyed it.

“Scythe is an amazing game that has superb production values. It straddles the lines between several genres, so it can take a few plays to really grasp, but it just gets better and better with each subsequent play.”

“Scythe, when all is said and done, is captivating. It never gets old (at least, it doesn’t for me), and I could play it again and again.”

“Scythe is a great game, but it isn’t just a game; it’s an experience. The tension, the choices, and the thematic richness make it a standout title.”

The reviewer highly praises Scythe as an incredibly well-designed and multifaceted game that masterfully blends engine building, territory control, and resource management. They emphasize that players should approach it as a strategic game of threat and interaction, rather than solely a combat-focused one, to fully appreciate its unique design and excellent components.

“Still, there’s no denying that this is a wonderfully crafted experience, and yet another piece of stellar design from Jamey Stegmaier that’s backed up by stunning artwork from Jakub Rozalski. Everything comes together to form a cohesive, beautifully wrought package.”

The reviewer highly praises Scythe, describing it as a fantastic and must-have game that provides a deep and enjoyable experience, offering good value for its price and accommodating different playstyles.

The reviewer praises Scythe for its gorgeous aesthetics and unique blend of engine building and area control, recommending it as an excellent resource and action management game, particularly for those new to the hobby, despite its appearance suggesting more combat than it offers.

The reviewer highly recommends the Scythe: Fenris expansion, praising its engaging campaign and the valuable modules that can enhance future games of Scythe, despite finding the cooperative mode less compelling.

“I really love to hate this game and can’t wait to play it again – it has been too long.”

The reviewer expressed strong enjoyment for Scythe, particularly highlighting its engaging solo play as a 'lovely puzzle' and praising the varied faction and player board combinations that enhance replayability and strategic depth.

“You'll still find Scythe in the Top 20 on Board Game Geek almost ten years after it's release. It gives you feel good actions, a level of depth that stands up to “casual” scrutiny, and a potent mixture of proven mechanisms.”

The reviewers, Monique and Naveen from Before You Play, convey an enthusiastic and highly positive reception of Scythe, highlighting its strategic depth and unique blend of mechanics, making it a compelling experience for board game enthusiasts.

The reviewer found Scythe to be a unique and deeply engaging game that rewards repeated plays, offering a distinctive experience due to its complex systems and compelling aesthetics, even if not directly comparable to other titles.

The reviewer highly praises Scythe, noting that it's a beautifully designed and engaging game that is unexpectedly deeper and more strategic than its combat-heavy appearance suggests, making it one of their favorite titles.

The reviewer found Scythe to be an excellent, streamlined, and refined game that consistently impressed them and was enjoyed by various groups, despite minor wishes for more brutal combat and thematic depth.

The reviewer initially had mixed feelings about Scythe but ultimately found it to be a rewarding and complex game after multiple plays, highlighting its successful blend of mechanics and theme.

“Scythe is a fun, fast-paced game that looks fantastic and provides some real scope for strategy without drowning players in complexity.”

The reviewer praises Scythe for its impressive aesthetics, grand feeling, and unique blend of Euro and American game design, highlighting the artwork and world-building as its strongest features. However, they note that the hybrid nature and level of conflict might not appeal to all players.

The reviewer highlights Scythe as a beloved staple of their game nights, providing a comprehensive assessment to help viewers determine if the game is a good fit for their preferences.

Tom Vasel highly praises Scythe as a great, meaty, and interactive Euro-style game, noting its brilliant upgrade mechanism, superb artwork, and overall value, making it a strong recommendation for a collection.

The reviewer found Scythe to be a visually appealing and accessible game with strong engine-building elements, but felt its incremental progress could sometimes make it feel more like a grind than an exciting experience, despite its replayability and strategic depth.

“The overall experience ends up somewhere in the middle, creating an enjoyable game, albeit one I wouldn't bring to the table all that often.”

The reviewer found Scythe to be a solid and enjoyable engine-building and resource management game with good components, but felt its combat system was underdeveloped and that the game, while excellent, was somewhat overrated.

Scythe is lauded for its fantastic components, clever action system, and unique blend of engine-building and area control, creating a tense atmosphere despite not being a combat-heavy 4X game. The reviewer highlights its strategic depth as an economy race.

“While the gameplay in Scythe isn’t as innovative now as it may have been then, there’s enough in the base box to keep gamers engaged in a tight efficiency and area control dance.”