I bought Odin's Ravens after playing and enjoying Lost Cities with my girlfriend. She really liked it, probably because of the fact that she can win, and win lots. I decided to try another Kosmos 2-player game, and had a look at Balloon Cup, Jambo, and Kahuna. None were quite what I was looking for, so I kept looking and eventually stumbled across Odin's Ravens. I have only played the game a couple of times but thought I would like to share my opinion and give a nice, short, simple review for others wondering about this game. I'm not going to write out the rules and what not for the game, as other reviews contain these, as well as files here on BGG.
Components = 8/10
Upon opening the box, you see a really nice insert that keeps the cards separated into three piles that are easy to place in and remove from the box. There are 112 cards in total that are a bit irregular for normal cards. They are rather long and skinny, but having played a couple of games, this feels completely normal and is nothing to worry about. The cardstock is rather thin, but sturdy enough that they should hold up to repetitive play. All of the cards contain rounded corners which is always nice. The artwork contained on both the front and back of the cards are all colorful and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
The 2 wooden ravens and Odin Marker are made of a nice thick wood and fit nicely into their storage space underneath one set of cards. The paint is already wearing thin on the ravens and the wood is starting to show through a bit already. This does not affect the gameplay in anyway but detracts from the overall aesthetics just a bit.
Also included is a rulebook that flips open measuring 3 pages long for a total of 6 pages (front and back). There are quite a bit of rules and I kind of felt overwhelmed having to read them all to my girlfriend. I had not played the game previously so this took about 10 - 15 minutes. There seem to be a lot more rules compared to Lost Cities, and for the first few plays you will no doubt need them out to refer to. I also really liked the fact that at the end of most sections of the rules, they provided a clear example with a picture. This definitely helps you visualize things before you get started.
Overall, I was pleased with the components contained in the Odin's Ravens box, and was happy to see that the box could stack neatly with Lost Cities. (As with most in the Kosmos 2 player series I am thinking?)
For what you get for the cheap price you pay, I think it is a rather good deal.
Fun Factor = 7.5/10
I like the theme of Odin's Ravens, reading the Overview gives you kind of a background story and provides you with a reason as to why you are playing, so you are not left wondering why the heck you are moving Ravens across Snowy Mountaintops and Rivers. To me, when a game such as Odin's Ravens does this, it makes the game more fun, and easier to introduce non-gamers too.
Once the gameplay begins though, the fun really starts. There are multiple things you can do to hamper your opponent as well as make life easier for yourself. I found it quite fun to rotate a land card 180 degrees and here the scowl from my opponent. Or when their raven is within 3 cards of ending the race, you put the Odin Marker down blocking their path. To me I think the game can contain quite a bit of confrontation if you really want it. On every Odin Card you can do something to alter the flight path or the ravens themselves. This keeps you constantly on your toes with your full attention on the game. The fun can be ended rather quick as a raven as far back as 6 cards from the finish can win in one swift play, with 3 cards from your auxiliary stack and 3 from your hand. This is rare but can very well happen and may leave you feeling like what the heck just happened? The gameplay can also be really short, 3 turns or less to decide a single race. This may take the fun factor down quite a bit, but the fact that it is a race to 12 total points helps the game by having multiple races in a single session. Our games usually last 3 - 5 games, which is perfect in my opinion.
Overall, I think this game may sound dry after reading the rules, but once engaged in gameplay with two highly competitive players, the game can get fun in a hurry.
Replayability = 8.5/10
Replayability. One of the most important traits of a good game. I want games in my collection that will be played and played lots. Ones that may sit on the shelf but at any time can be pulled down and want to be played. Replayability is an area where I think Odin's Ravens may be underrated. Every race is different, every race may force you into a different tactic. Sometimes you can go on the offense trying to race your raven down the flightpath, and at other times when you aren't getting the right cards, you can play defensively and focus on slowing up your opponents raven. Even when luck of the draw seems not on your side, you can still help yourself out by playing to the magic way stack and guaranteeing yourself 3 points for the round. I found that in our first couple of games, the ravens would only win by a margin of 3 - 5 cards, so the magic way is an important part of gameplay. Add to this the fact that at the end of your turn you have the ability to extend the flightpath, makes the game that much more different each time.
Overall, I think Odin's Ravens really excels in the replayability factor. Because of all of the decisions made available to you on your turn, it really does seem like much more than just a card game.
Overall = 8/10
Overall I rate Odin's Ravens a solid 8/10. Yes I think it is a very good game. I enjoy playing it, and I would suggest it as a quick, fun 2 player game. When playing with a non-gamer, I would probably play Lost Cities first as a primer, than move onto Odin's Ravens next. I feel much more involved with Odin's Ravens when compared to Lost Cities. As of this review, Odin's Ravens only has a 6.8/10 rating here at BGG. Overrated? I think not. This game is an underrated game not only in the Kosmos 2 player lineup of games, but in the large scope of 2 player games as well. I think lots of people have not even bothered to check it out here at BGG and it is a shame that it is not owned by more people. I'd even go as far as saying, I enjoy Odin's Ravens more than Lost Cities. I appreciate each for what they try and do, but would nominate Odin's Ravens as a deeper, more fun game. A bit of the Lost Cities hype I had has worn off and it hasn't been played for quite awhile. Odin's Ravens I may have just got, but I can see it garnering more table time in the long run.
Bottom Line - If you enjoy 2 player card games like Lost Cities, but are looking for something a bit deeper, with more variance and will keep you coming back for more, why not pick up Odin's Ravens, a value game at a value price, and in my opinion: a highly underrated game.
Posted Wed May 21, 2008 9:44 pm
