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Greater Than Games Spirit Island Core Board Game, 4 players
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Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Greater Than Games |
Material | Paper |
Genre | Strategy |
Number of Players | 4 |
Minimum Age Recomendation | 1 |
About this item
- As spirits, you must grow in power and work together to drive the invaders from your Island. before it's too late!.
- For 1-4 players.
- 90-120 minute playing time.
- Complex and thematic cooperative game.
- The game includes different adversaries to fight against (eg: a Swedish Mining Colony, or a Remote British Colony)
Frequently bought together
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 11.6 x 2.95 x 11.6 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 2.2 pounds |
Country of Origin | China |
ASIN | B01MUHP51S |
Item model number | SISL:CORE |
Manufacturer recommended age | 14 years and up |
Best Sellers Rank | #14,739 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games) #447 in Board Games (Toys & Games) |
Customer Reviews |
4.8 out of 5 stars |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Release date | July 1, 2017 |
Manufacturer | Greater Than Games |
Warranty & Support
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Product Description
Powerful spirits have existed on this isolated Island for time immemorial. They are both part of the natural world and - at the same time - something beyond nature. Native Islanders, known as the dahan, have learned how to co-exist with the spirits, but with a healthy dose of fear and reverence. However, now, the Island has been “discovered” by invaders from a far-off land. These would-be colonists are taking over the land and upsetting the natural balance, destroying the presence of spirits as they go. As spirits, you must grow in power and work together to drive the invaders from your Island... before it's too late!
From the manufacturer
In the most distant reaches of the world, magic still exists, embodied by spirits of the land, of the sky, and of every natural thing
Spirit Island is a complex and thematic cooperative game about defending your island home from colonizing Invaders. Players are different spirits of the land, each with its own unique elemental powers. Every turn, players simultaneously choose which of their power cards to play, paying energy to do so. Using combinations of power cards that match a spirit's elemental affinities can grant free bonus effects.
Faster powers take effect immediately, before the Invaders spread and ravage, but other magics are slower, requiring forethought and planning to use effectively. In the Spirit phase, spirits gain energy, and choose how / whether to Grow: to reclaim used power cards, to seek for new power, or to spread presence into new areas of the island.
The Invaders expand across the island map in a semi-predictable fashion. Each turn they explore into some lands (portions of the island); the next turn, they build in those lands, forming settlements and cities. The turn after that, they ravage there, bringing blight to the land and attacking any native islanders present.
The islanders fight back against the Invaders when attacked, and lend the spirits some other aid, but may not always do so exactly as you'd hoped. Some Powers work through the islanders, helping them (eg) drive out the Invaders or clean the land of blight.
Contents
- 8 different Spirits, each with 4 Power Cards unique to that Spirit
- Over 50 distinct Major and Minor Power Cards which Spirits can grow into
- 4 modular Island Boards, for a variety of layouts
- Over 100 pieces for representing the Invaders and Dahan (native islanders)
- 15 Invader cards, driving a distinctive Invader expansion system
- 15 Fear cards, showing what happens as you terrify the Invader
- 3 multi-tier Adversaries (specific Invaders) for play variety and fine-tuned challenge
- 4 optional Scenarios for even more play variety
The game escalates as it progresses: spirits spread their presence to new parts of the island and seek out new and more potent powers, while the Invaders step up their colonization efforts. Each turn represents 1-3 years of alternate-history.
At game start, winning requires destroying every last settlement and city on the board - but as you frighten the Invaders more and more, victory becomes easier: they'll run away even if some number of settlements or cities remain. Defeat comes if any spirit is destroyed, if the island is overrun by blight, or if the Invader deck is depleted before achieving victory.
The game includes different adversaries to fight against (eg: a Swedish Mining Colony, or a Remote British Colony). Each changes play in different ways, and offers a different path of difficulty boosts to keep the game challenging as you gain skill.
What's in the box
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the replay value, fun, originality, and interactivity of the board game. They mention that it's an amazing, impressive, and satisfying game. That said, they also like the diversity of spirits, saying that it provides a great cooperative experience. Opinions are mixed on the difficulty level, complexity level, and quality.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the board game fun, easy to play, and satisfying. They also describe the game as interesting, impressive, and engaging. Customers also mention that the game is good for cooperative play, with hints to be successful.
"...The solo games are incredibly fun and since there are no pesky victory points in this game, you are just trying to win!..." Read more
"...The fear cards themselves are a lot of fun. Since you never know what effect they have, they give you random boosts to your strategy...." Read more
"...Such a great game. I can't wait to try out the expansions and I can't wait until R. Eric Reuss comes out with whatever his next creation will be." Read more
"Is it an amazing game? Yes! Will you become addicted and play it over and over? Yes!..." Read more
Customers find the board game very high replayability, with loads of replay value. They say the base game has years of replayability even without the expansion. Customers also say the game has excellent gameplay, a strong theme, lots of variety, and is very fun.
"...comes packaged with so many variant options that the replay value is just off the charts here...." Read more
"Love the strategy and deck building aspect. Very fun game!" Read more
"...The game is, like I said, highly thematic, and a ton of fun to play - with a huge variety of game setups and play choices - no two games are ever..." Read more
"...Though many factors help the game's replayability, including randomized board layouts, invasion patterns, and card draws, what I love most about the..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the difficulty level of the board game. Some mention that it's a deep, puzzly and very hard game, with many different ways to increase the difficulty as you play through it. They also say it'd be a tough game for solo play vs. AI, but the co-op gameplay is incredibly solid. However, others say that it is a hard game that is difficult to win, but does not feel crushing.
"...of this gives Spirit Island immense replay value and allows players to adjust the difficulty to the exact level they need...." Read more
"...It builds to a nice climax...." Read more
"...But the game seems to fail to have a satisfying end.You fight back on the island until the spirits become stronger than the invaders...." Read more
"...It feels like every game is very intense, and defeat/victory is never certain until the last few turns...." Read more
Customers like the originality of the board game. They mention that the theme is unique, the spirits vary in style and complexity, and the story is awesome. They also say the game is thematically rich, artistically breathtaking, and mechanically perfect. Customers also say that the collaborative gameplay and diverse spirits ensure endless replayability. They say the creative premise and easy to understand rules allow for different strategies.
"...Not only that but the game comes packaged with so many variant options that the replay value is just off the charts here...." Read more
"...PRO, 5 out of 5: SPIRIT DIFFERENTIATION. Each spirit has unique setup rules, abilities, growth and power options, innate powers if they get combos..." Read more
"...1. Theme - It's a cool theme, but more importantly it feels like you're actually fighting back invaders...." Read more
"...The collaborative gameplay and diverse spirits ensure endless replayability, while the balance between accessibility and complexity keeps the..." Read more
Customers find the game provides a great cooperative experience with few suitable contemporaries. They also appreciate the collaborative gameplay and diverse spirits that ensure endless replayability. Customers also say the mechanics promote cooperative play and ensure one player doesn't lose. They describe the game as a cooperative multi player game that makes them happy.
"...The collaborative gameplay and diverse spirits ensure endless replayability, while the balance between accessibility and complexity keeps the..." Read more
"...I enjoy the collaborative aspect, yet you have individual strengths and moves...." Read more
"...3. Can be played by a SINGLE PLAYER...." Read more
"...Even though the game is fully cooperative, I never get the feeling that the spirits are supposed to like each other...." Read more
Customers like the replay value of the board game. They say it's worth the money, has good production value, and is well worth the time. Some mention that the game is great for couples and larger groups.
"...All of this gives Spirit Island immense replay value and allows players to adjust the difficulty to the exact level they need...." Read more
"...Definitely worth the money" Read more
"...(which is why it has so much replay value!!),..." Read more
"Great price and shipped item arrived faster than expected" Read more
Customers are mixed about the complexity level of the board game. Some mention that it's excellent albeit complicated, with captivating gameplay, beautiful artwork, and exceptional components. However, others say that it is complicated, challenging, and requires a fair bit of thought. They also mention that the learning curve is a little daunting and the game is really hard to setup.
"...The game also comes with scenarios and different blight cards and other kinds of invader options and the thematic side of the boards to create more..." Read more
"...PRO, 5 out of 5: VALUE AND VARIETY. Spirit Island comes with 4 scenarios that drastically change the rules of the game...." Read more
"...2. Asymmetry - This game should be the very definition of asymmetric gameplay...." Read more
"...It still took about 4 hours to play, after setup, and that only got us through about 1/2 of each of the game timer decks before we won outright...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the quality of the board game. Some mention that the colors are vibrant, the construction is terrific, and the game pieces are of great quality. However, others say that the box arrived a bit damaged, the transparent cover is already ripped apart, and that the plastic inserts were damaged in transit.
"...Excellent, excellent components. The board pieces are made of a sturdy thicker cardboard and the energy and fear tokens are also made of the same..." Read more
"...came in the plastic bag (not the amazon cardboard box) and the game's box was damaged...." Read more
"...With its captivating gameplay, beautiful artwork, and exceptional components, this game is a must-have for board game enthusiasts...." Read more
"...My problem was the damage to the box. When I received it from Amazon there was a large hole punched in the box...." Read more
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1-4 players, Cooperative
Overview-
You play as a spirit working to rid your island of colonists! They are invading your land and you are not having it so you must work to either scare them off or destroy them. Very deep, very strategic and VERY fun!
Win Condition /Length-
So for you to win you have to achieve your victory condition listed on the current Fear tab on the board. Starting out you must fully clear the board of all explorers, towns and cities. Lol good luck on that. Luckily as you spread more and more fear throughout the island these victory conditions become easier as the game progresses. The next fear condition is just clearing out the towns and cities and the 3rd is just clearing out the cities. If you get ALL the fear cards removed it’s an instant win! I love the fact that the win conditions become a tad bit easier as the game progresses. It really makes it seem like you are making progress within the game with all your efforts.
That’s not to say the game is easy though. There are three ways you can lose which are by either completely having your presence removed from the board, all the blight tokens are added to the board or if you need to draw an Explore card and cannot. So as you are working against the invaders, they are working against you and time is not your friend.
The game plays in about an hour and a half which for me is perfect. Luckily since all players take their actions at the same time, adding more players doesn’t really increase the game length which is also awesome. That said, the more players, the more discussion so you will still see a slight increase in time played.
Components –
Excellent, excellent components. The board pieces are made of a sturdy thicker cardboard and the energy and fear tokens are also made of the same stuff and almost feel like wooden tokens but they’re not. There are some wooden presence and Dahan (the natives) tokens which are pretty cool. The wooden Dahan pieces are little huts. The rest of the pieces are plastic invader pieces which are comprised of little explorers and towns and cities. Those are all pretty detailed and look great on the board. There are some super tiny plastic pieces for the Blight that you add as well but these are kinda meh for me. I feel like they could have been bigger and maybe like green? The gray color doesn’t really fit in my eyes as a blight.
The player boards are also a nice sturdy thick cardboard and look and feel great. There are also a ton of cards that all have a nice linen finish so they feel premium. Not to mention the abundance of extra game stuff such as scenarios and events that you can optionally use to play. Top notch stuff.
Setup/Takedown –
Setup is pretty fast honestly and can vary based on number of players and if you want to do any scenarios. If you are setting up for a 2 player game its SUPER fast. The insert the game comes with allows you to easily remove 2 trays that hold all the components and sit them next to the game board. Most of the time during setup is just shuffling the power cards and discussing which spirit each player wants to use since they are all completely different. Takedown is just as fast.
Box/Storage –
The box is average sized and comes with a really nice insert that holds all the cards, player boards and pieces nice and secure. Once you have all the pieces in the trays, just slap the oversized instruction booklet on top of them and then the game board pieces on top of that. It should create enough of a seal that you can store the game on its side and nothing should spill out of their respective places.
Visual Appeal /Theme --
I go wild for the look and theme of this game. Actually that is the main thing that drew me to buy it. I freaking love the idea that I am playing as a spirit trying to scare colonists off my island because it seems like it’s usually the other way around. The artwork is very well done for the most part and actually doesn’t look as cartoony as you would think based on the outside box cover.
Rulebook –
Great Rulebook! It has oversized glossy pages that match the size of the box. It’s super easy to read and understand and the way it’s written and the order of the instructions are perfect. Lots of colors and pictures to make it easy to understand the points that are being conveyed. Of course I don’t think any rulebook is 100% perfect so there will of course be SOMETHING that isn’t quite clear. The different phases in the game rotation can be kinda confusing at first but luckily there are rules reference cards included which are always a great thing in games. Also the turn order is printed directly on the fear board so any player can easily see what needs to be done.
Table Presence/Game Board –
The game boards consist of 1 up to 4 island tiles all connected depending on number of players. You can play a solo game and it uses 1 island tile and so on. These island tiles all have different colored sections based around what kind of land like mountains or desert. Also you can flip them to create more difficult thematic land tiles. The art on this side looks more realistic and terrain zones are combined instead of separated. I love the variety this game provides in pretty much all aspects. There is also a small board that holds the fear cards, blight and explore cards. This board is the one that has the turn order listed on it.
Table presence grows the more players you have as the island becomes bigger with every added player. On a solo game it has a rather small footprint so you can whip it out on a coffee table if you want, although you still need to place your token holders somewhere. A 4 player game can take up a decent amount of space but honestly not any bigger than ohhh like Monopoly.
Table Talk/Fun Factor –
This game is made for table talk, actually it’s basically a requirement if you hope to win! Since the game is fully co-op and each spirit plays completely different you will want to discuss your plans with your teammates and vice versa. That said, this become more and more difficult at higher player counts due to all the different possible strategies. I can say I had more fun playing this game 2 player and less just because of that fact. But I had a TON of fun! I spent one entire day just playing this solo trying out all the different spirits to see how they played and the strategies they could use. The game is almost like a puzzle and you are seeing all the different ways of solving it. There is a small amount of chance involved with the draw of the explore card as you don’t know where new invaders will explore but that’s it! From then on you have to plan out the best way of dealing with the invaders based on your powers and any new power cards you draw.
Optimal Player Count –
For sure 2 players with solo being a close second. As I mentioned above 3 player or even 4 player games get bogged down significantly with strategy for new players or players that suffer from analysis paralysis. You could spend so much time looking over the board, discussing options, looking at your cards, looking over the board, discussing options rinse repeat. This becomes more a problem at 3 and 4 players because the amount of options increases. However at 2 players it’s simple to discuss options with 1 other person and come to an agreement quickly. The solo games are incredibly fun and since there are no pesky victory points in this game, you are just trying to win! The game also comes with scenarios and different blight cards and other kinds of invader options and the thematic side of the boards to create more difficult games if you manage to dominate the regular style. Also there are other rule options in the direction booklet to edit the difficulty of the game.
The one thing I can say for 3 and 4 player games is that you can really create a nice rounded out spirit selection. Since each one plays differently you can choose spirits that work well together and really create a killer combo.
Final Thoughts –
This game is excellent and I cannot recommend it enough. The theme is just so rich and the gameplay is so unique. Not only that but the game comes packaged with so many variant options that the replay value is just off the charts here. I mean 8 COMPLETELY DIFFERENT spirits to play as not to mention the varying island boards and all the options with cards. The powers decks are extremely varied and there are a ton of fear cards and you don’t use all of them in a single game so each game will be different. In fact the game can be pretty deep in terms of strategy so I wouldn’t recommend it for a younger audience. But clever teens should be able to get into this, especially if they like to solve puzzles.
OVERVIEW: You play Spirit Island on a board made up of one map per player. Each map is seeded with enemy settlements and allied Dahan natives. Players take their turns simultaneously, beginning by choosing one of their spirit’s growth options which will place presence on the board to allow them to use powers. Doing this lets players often increase either their energy income or the number of cards they can play per turn. They will then select the power cards that they will play for the turn, paying their cost (if any). Some cards are fast and will activate immediately. The invaders then take their turn ravaging some land types, defeating any Dahan there, and blighting the land. They will then build new settlements and other land types, and then send out explorers to repeat the process. The players then resolve any slow powers they played for the turn and discard all cards used for the turn. If the players can defeat enough of the invaders before too much of the land is blighted, they win.
PRO, 5 out of 5: FOCUSED SIMULTANEOUS PLAY. Because each player begins on their own separate board with limited range on their powers, they can generally focus on the problems facing them on their map. This reduces analysis-paralysis and speeds up the game. But as the game progresses, players will be able to extend their presence to their neighbor’s maps, which slowly ratchets up the cooperation and creates more of a tactical puzzle as the game goes on.
PRO, 5 out of 5: FEAR EFFECTS. Players have a pool of fear tokens. As settlements are defeated and card effects are resolved, the tokens are moved down to the “generated fear” section. When all of the fear has been earned, the tokens are moved up and one fear card is moved down, waiting to be activated later in the turn. When 3 fear cards have been earned, the terror level for the game increases. Increasing the terror level makes both the victory conditions for the game easier and also levels up the powers of the fear cards you earned. The fear cards themselves are a lot of fun. Since you never know what effect they have, they give you random boosts to your strategy.
PRO, 5 out of 5: TACTICAL PUZZLE. The tactical richness of Spirit Island really is unparalleled. The invader actions are telegraphed multiple turns in advance, giving you time to defeat them. The tactical puzzle gets even more interesting with the use of fast and slow powers. Trying to coordinate how to best use your powers to address the telegraphed invader actions makes this one of the best tactical puzzles in co-op board gaming history.
PRO, 5 out of 5: VALUE AND VARIETY. Spirit Island comes with 4 scenarios that drastically change the rules of the game. It also comes with 3 different European adversaries for you to face. Each adversary has unique abilities and step-by-step upgrades to provide the exact challenge you want. As if that wasn’t enough, you can even flip the game boards over to get a more challenging but more geographically realistic alternate board setup. All of this gives Spirit Island immense replay value and allows players to adjust the difficulty to the exact level they need.
PRO, 5 out of 5: SPIRIT DIFFERENTIATION. Each spirit has unique setup rules, abilities, growth and power options, innate powers if they get combos from certain cards, and an entirely unique set of 4 power cards that only they can use. It’s a staggering amount of differentiation, and the game really feels almost completely different each time. And I haven’t even mentioned the ridiculous variety of minor and major powers that you can upgrade your spirit with throughout the game. This can culminate into ridiculous superpowers like lightning bearing down on the land or floods to wash enemy cities away. The variety in how your spirit will play game to game is truly spectacular.
OVERALL SCORE, a resounding 5 out of 5. Spirit Island is absolutely one of my top co-op games of all time. I just love this game. Both serious and casual players that I’ve introduced the game to have loved it as well. The combination of incredible variety, fast gameplay, and deep tactical puzzles is amazing. To keep my thoughts brief, Spirit Island is a co-op that every gamer should have in their collection. As a side note, the expansion “Branch & Claw” adds a ton of content to the game. I honestly don’t play the game anymore without it. It should also come as no surprise that Spirit Island is excellent when played solo. When I play with just one spirit, I can complete a game in about 30 minutes, which is an amazing amount of gameplay for such a short time invested. Adding in a second spirit makes the puzzle that much tougher and exciting. All of my previous recommendations hold for people who want to play Spirit Island solo. It is GREAT.
Happy gaming! This is Dr. D, and I’m out!
Top reviews from other countries
En cuanto el juego, es un juego difícil de ganar y con mucha rejugabilidad ya que tienes varios personajes con los cuales jugar. El juego es MUY dependiente del idioma o al menos una persona debe de saber inglés para traducirles a todos. Como es cooperativo se puede hacer esto, pero va a ser muy cansado para la persona que traduce.
Por la complejidad, aunque no sea muy complicado el juego, no es algo que se pueda sacar como primer juego para alguien que no esté acostumbrado a jugar juegos de mesa modernos.
Con: don't buy it if you are not a hardcore board game player. It's too complex for a casual player.
This game is very good. People who are experienced with board games can pick this game up and play fluidly in just a few turns, but it can initially be overwhelming for casual players. The game is quite difficult, especially at first, but everything is tied together very well thematically and is very much less luck based than most cooperative board games; therefore, the (base) game is easier to play and win the more you play, but there are several ways to increase the difficulty once it feels too easy. Everyone playing feels important and all choices matter. Replay value is very high, and nobody I've played it with has had anything negative to say about it.
Pros:
+ Thematically Consistent
+ Truly 1-4 players (even single player is fun and challenging)
+ Various difficulty levels and options for gameplay variation offer high replay value
+ High-Quality pieces with great art
+ Very hard to take control of other players - everyone feels important and their choices matter
POSSIBLE Cons:
- Overwhelming at first (many different pieces and gameplay elements)
- Can be difficult to teach because of the above point
- Seemingly few 'scenarios' and 'adversaries' (but ultimately enough once you understand how they work)
- Generally very challenging for new players even with the most simple set-up
Neutral Points:
~ Long play time for casual players (30-40 minutes for single player, 60+ minutes with 2 players, and easily 90-120+ minutes with 3 or 4 players, especially if playing with new players)
~ In-box dividers/piece holders are flimsy and bulky, but box includes many resealable plastic bags for pieces
~ Random elements are a small part of the game, but are very predictable, fit with the theme, and don't feel 'luck-based'
~ NOT kid friendly. Don't be fooled by the colourful art - This game is challenging and complex for many adults, and I wouldn't even want to try playing it with anyone younger than a board game savvy 13 year old (I'm thinking of my younger siblings and cousins around that age as examples: some are definitely able to play and some I wouldn't let touch the box)
Things to keep in mind when first playing the game:
* If you can, learn the game with 2 players first, with the rule book and online FAQ open - learning with a single player will likely result in a quick and brutal loss that won't teach you enough, and learning with more than 2 players will likely result in a jumbled mess which will take far too long. Playing with several people is much easier when at least one person already knows how to play.
* USE THE 'EASY' CHARACTERS - Seriously, their rules and powers are much easier to manage, and you can eliminate the deck building portion of the game as you learn the more integral elements
* Don't be discouraged by the difficulty of the game. This game is hard to beat at first. Once you learn some strategy through trial and error, victory is much easier (which is why scenarios, adversaries, and blighted island cards are in the game, all of which increase the difficulty and/or complexity)