Customer Reviews

Survivor

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The "Survivor" board game says on its cover that it's a game for adults, and it means it. The rules aren't overly complicated once each type of card has been drawn once (there's variants on Pictionary, riddles, To Tell the Truth and so forth), although few groups will understand how important the team play in the beginning will be later on.

But it's when the game gets to individual play and people start getting voted off that you have to watch it. Like the previous reviewer, we had one person voting for himself every round, and we had the first person voted out leave in a mock-huff, although she got over it in a few minutes. Since one isn't trapped on an island for a month with fellow players, there's no reason to form alliances other than to "get" other players, and since the game is presumably being played with friends, one should make sure that they're friends who won't be upset if voted out. (In most cases, that means having something else to do once the game ends, or a motivation to keep watching until the tribal council vote at the end between the final two players.)

This isn't a game with long-term replay value -- how long can a fad really last? -- but I expect my family will be playing this at family gatherings through the spring at least.

The board is attractive, with a 3-D green plastic island in the middle of a round board, and the cardboard board is naturally divided into two rings, for team and individual play, with team play being played in the waves around the island, and individual play on the shore. Some elements of the game are cheaply constructed -- the "coasters" that tell whether a board symbol means "outplay," "outwit" or "outlast" are already peeling apart, and we barely touched them over Thanksgiving weekend -- and the box itself is none-too-sturdy, as though the manufacturer knew the game wouldn't be played more than a few times by most people.

Still, for (thick-skinned) fans of the show, the "Survivor" board game is a fun way to recreate the show and with its blend of challenges, most everyone will find a minigame that they enjoy.

I do not own this game, but I recently played it at a friend's house. Before you think about playing this, you must ask yourself, "How sensitive are my friends?" As in the TV show, you vote people off the game. Unlike the TV show, you usually would be playing the game with those closest to you. I know someone who voted against themselves every time because they didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Aside from the voting issue, while the game was novel and exciting at first, it quickly got boring. Some of the trivia questions are outrageously hard for the average person. (Which I guess merits some educational value.) There are a lot of pieces and cards and rules to this game, and it took three people reading the instructions to figure out what to do. On a positive note, if you absolutely loved the show, and your friends aren't so sensitive, you might enjoy this game the first time you play it. This game is a novelty. I doubt many people will play it more than one time.

I had received this game as a gift and was a little skeptical as to how well it followed the television show, but must say that I was quite surprised. This board game managed to capture the essence of the hit CBS sitcom. You begin the game by splitting into two teams. You can be on either the Pagong or Tagi team. I played the game with my two brothers and my sister-in-law so there was only four of us. You start out in the surf of Pulau Tiga and move clockwise around the board competing in different challenges and collecting survival items. There are many different challenges. You will be faced with riddles, a pictionary type game, as well as questions relating to your teamates. After you have completed one lap around the island you merge the two teams together and individual play begins. This segment of the game takes place along the beach and the object here is to be the first one around the board. The first one around wins immunity and can not be voted out of the game. When someone wins immunity, tribal council is held and someone must be voted out of the game. Hopefully, you will be playing with someone other than family because it can be hard when deciding who to vote for. Anyway, after someone is voted out of the game play continues in the same manner. It continues in this fashion until there are only two people left in the game. At that point, everyone who was voted out of the game decide who the overall winner will be. We had alot of fun with this game. We played it four times in a row and it was never quite the same game twice. It is all about immunity. Anyway, I recommend getting little candles to represent the torches from the show and snuffing them out after each person is expelled from the game. I also recommend some sort of necklace to represent immunity like the show and it would also be nice if you had the soundtrack from the show playing in the background. Use your imagination and have fun with it.

The "Survivor Board Game" is one that started out with a good concept. Up to eight players move around the "island," trying to outwit, outplay and outlast their opponents by answering questions, picking up special cards along the way to help with later in the game and trying to win Immunity. Unfortunately, that's where most of the fun ends.

Now don't get me wrong. "Survivor" is a fun game, but you have to play it with the right people; in other words, those who are easily offended and/or aren't good sports about losing should not play this game.

Fun: Strangely, it depends. In my experience with the game, it has never really been that much fun. The people who win all the time want to play it, and those who know they don't have a chance at becoming the "Ultimate Survivor" don't want to play it. People sometimes make things personal while playing this game too, whether they intend to or not. "The only reason you voted me off is because he's your boyfriend, and you didn't want to make him mad." And blah blah blah. Again, the makers of this game came up with a good concept. But I don't think they took this into consideration.

Educational Value: Not much. Most of what happens to you is either based upon chance or luck. And for some of us, if we didn't have bad luck, we'd have no luck at all! Just like in the game, alliances can be formed between people in the game, and this usually determines the same people getting voted out again and again. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to gang up on someone and get that person voted off.

Durability: It's a standard board game, so it'll hold up for a little while. But depending upon how much you play it, it may hold up for years because, in my opinion, this game has little or no replay value. People make it too personal, and half the time no one wants to play it.

In short, this game is average. I can see where the makers of this game were going and they produced it, but I'm not so sure they anticipated what would come of it. If this game were played with complete strangers, things might be a little different. I don't think people would take things so seriously. But who among us ever does that?

When my fun-loving husband brought this game home, my first thought was, "he's gonna pull a Richard". Any excuse to be clothing optional draws him in, in much the same manner as the popular Survivor series did to millions.

Caution: This can be an easygoing fun game or this can be a cut-throat-have-your-strategy-locked-and-loaded game. It's wise to choose out loud before you start to play with your hope-to-keep friends. Things get dicey if the ground rules are not pre-set. But, sometimes, our aggressive group goes for the gusto and delights in shredding someone, kicking them off the "island" and banishing them to an area we provide, complete with drinks and tissues! (remember Sue's tribal ending scathing speech?)

Sort of a cross between truth or dare, pictionary, and just being quick witted--Survivor is a richly tactile board game that certainly keeps things interesting. As long as your spouse doesn't pull a "Richard" everything should be kosher. We're ready for Australia mate, are you?

My husband received this game for his birthday! I do agree you can't be sensative! I imagine this game being the best on a hot summer night with about 4-5 couples! Having a theme party where everyone dresses in island wear and you have tiki lights and appetizers! We played this game today with only 4 people so it was fun but could have been more fun with 2 more couples! I recommend it highly! I feel bad for anyone that gets voted off the first time unanimously......that could be the end of a perfect evening! :0 But I find that hard to believe!

I have a way to make it better. I own both first and second editions. If you are a competitive person, I have a few suggestions. If it is legal where you live, have every player pitch in 5 bucks or so, then play winner take all. Plan the game about a day or so in advance in order to give everyone a chance to form strategies. It is alot more intense, and fun. Don't play with sensative people or it could get ugly.

This game is great fun for those who are playing. However, once you get voted off the "island" there isn't anything to do until the final tribal council so your guests will need something to do until that time. Best if played with the maximum number of people possible. If you've ever seen the TV show, then you know what it's all about. There are brain teasers and pictionary elements to this game. But the most fun is that you get to vote players out of the game! You get small dry-wipe cards so you can secretly write who you want to vote off the island! Cool game board and sure to ignite lots of conversation! This is fun to see who will stand by you til the end. I had a lot of fun with my friends and family battling til the end, until I got kicked off!!

I originally purchased this game because I'm a fan of the show. I knew that the board game wasn't going to be quite like the game show, but I wasn't intending to really play it more than a few times. Since that time, we have played this game several times and had a lot of fun every time. It is true that some people get upset when they get voted off and there isn't much for them to do once they're gone, but that's the case with other board games (MONOPOLY and RISK e.g.).Like a lot of games, the pieces are very attractive, but not extremely durable. But like anything, if your respect the game and take care of it, it will last a long time.There isn't a whole lot of educational value to the game. Education isn't the point of the game. However, a lot of the trivia questions are difficult and if you're seeking for knowledge you can always soak up one or two facts each time the game is played.It is true that this game is based on a popular television show and will soon just become another piece or nostaligaic pop culture. However, I have found that many of the most entertaining family/friend game times evolved around playing games from our pop culture's past.Overall, a really fun game to play, that does the best a board game can to re-inact the show. And hey, it's only a game.

Survivor is an awesome game! It?s not a Risk-like game, where you pummel each other for hours, or a monopoly-type game, where a veteran player camps sets up and just banks off of everyone else. It?s a game that requires a strategy and ability to improvise. It changes every time you play.
You break up into two teams, and go through a round of 'team play', in which you attempt to gather items that will help you out later. Once around the board you begin team play.
'Individual play' begins the free-for-all, in which you all attempt to get around the island to earn immunity. If your tribe did well in team play, you and you former tribe mates will have an edge over the other tribe?s players. Whoever gets to the finish line first can not be voted out that round. At the vote comes the strategy! If you merely vote by yourself, you put yourself at risk of leaving quickly, but if you and one or two other players vote the same way, you can assure yourself a chance to win. Winning immunity is important, but if you win it to often, people will gun for you early. After a player is voted out, the remaining players start the race around the isle again. When only two remain, the players voted out vote on who is the ultimate survivor. And then, you don?t win a million! (The only thing that really disappointed me.)
Here are my tips for playing to win...
1. Stay under the Radar
If you?re the type of player who does the 'Carlton' every time
you take a country in risk, TONE IT DOWN. People WILL vote
you out if you are annoying them.
2. Get an Alliance early
Get an ally or two as soon as possible. I've seen people
voted out with only two votes in the 1st round. (He who wins
immunity holds the tie-breaker) The best way to protect
yourself is to get as many votes on another player as
possible.
3. Use 'Tribal' Unity
Another way to get safely through early stages is to
your tribe to stick together in the vote. If you can manage
this, you can 'Pagong' the other tribe. (Vote them off one
after the other) After you thin down the other tribe, you
can use them to remove any 'threats' from your own tribe.
4. Honesty is the best policy
In my playing, I found if you LIE, you LOSE. Remember, the
players you vote out have the final say. If you give someone
your word you'll take them to the final two, you better do
it. You need 3 votes to win, and you just lost one. Better
yet, don?t promise much, and never give the final two promise
unless you a) totally trust them, or b) your in real
trouble.
This game is well worth the $6. Enjoy, and click yes if this review helped ya!