Updated Books and Board Games Tier Lists

(Edit: Updated Top 10 Board Games can be found in this youtube video (posted Dec 2023). Putting this here because this post is the "My Favorite Board Games" link sends you to)

Interesting things I find interesting:

Shadows of Self jumped up that high?? (It was previously in C tier). Yeah, I know, it surprised me too. I wrote about it a bit in a previous post, but, man, did I love my reread of Shadows of Self. So good.

Dawnshard was okay. Not sure why I didn't like it more.

So so excited for The Lost Metal.

Scythe is number 7?? Yeah, I know, it surprised me too. I love the game mechanically whole bunches, but I realized I simply have more fun playing the other games above it. 

Dominion is my number 1 again. It's been a while since it's been up there, but it deserves it. I love that game. I find each individual game a fascinating puzzle laid out before me. Dominion Online has really helped. It makes the game quicker, which is fantastic. I enjoy how I can see an active count of my opponent's points; it does spoil some of the suspense at the end of the game, but I feel like it adds suspense throughout the game as I try to race people out. I've also been really enjoying the Daily Dominion they offer. Dominion online is both on Steam and as an app; I highly recommend.

Spirit Island and Terraforming Mars make their first appearances. I love them both so so much.

Surprisingly, Spirit Island isn't even my favorite cooperative game. The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is just so good.

A few other games make their first appearances. Some stellar games too. Magic Maze and The Mind are absolute blasts to play. I just have so much fun (almost) every time I play them.

The Chameleon is fascinating to me, but I have a couple problems with the game that make it difficult to have a truly fun experience with it. You need a really good group to make the game work, and that's just difficult to find.

My Man on a Mission Episode Rankings/Thoughts

Hello!

If you aren't aware, Man on a Mission is a series me and my wonderful companion, Elder Niutupuivaha, created while we served together at the beginning of the covid pandemic.

Please please if you haven't watched them, watch them here. If you have watched them, I fully recommend doing so again.

I want to write some of my thoughts about the episodes and rank them :)

I could go on and on about the details of these episodes. Perhaps I will someday. There is so much I could talk about. Behind the scenes stuff, expanded canon, various memories, and probably more.

For purposes of this post, I'll try to keep my thoughts a bit briefer for each episode. Followed by my rankings/tier list.

All the stats are current as of 10/14/22

Episode 1: Meet the Missionaries

Stats: 257 reactions, 10 comments, 7k views.

What a foundational episode. Really kick boosted the whole series.

It created so many tropes used throughout the course of the whole series. Dramatic Zoom-In. Dramatic Reveal. Bike Guy having extraordinary powers (seeing a guy from forever away that happens to be in a building but that doesn't matter). Me putting on Elder Niutupuivaha's clothes so it feels like he is in two places in one shot. Magically become Suit Guy in the last scene. Elder Niutupuivaha playing multiple characters. Breaking the fourth wall at the end.

All pivotal things to the entire series.

Episode 2: The missionaries just wanna help

Stats: 495 reactions, 18 comments, 12.5k views

So many good laughs in this one. The pacing does slow down a bit too much in the middle. Introduces perhaps my favorite character, mechanic (whom we call mechanic even though this is the only episode he does mechanic things). Toilet paper line fit perfectly with the time the video was released.

I could talk so much more, but I want to keep my thoughts brief. There's 10 episodes after all. These small paragraphs are going to add up.

Episode 3: You're never alone

Stats: 413 reactions, 31 comments, 9.4k views

Talking to himself on the video camera; really well done. Suit up scene into wheelie scene; absolutely beautiful. Mechanic with toilet paper continuity. Yessah got introduced, which is at the end of every episode going forward.

Episode 3 is oh so good. I love this episode. When it was created, I thought it was going to be impossible to top. I was wrong.

Episode 4: Turn to the Book of Mormon for Comfort

Stats: 1.2k reactions, 33 comments, 23.6k views

Episode 4 is absolutely golden. When it was created, I thought it was going to be impossible to top. I was right. Kind of. There are solid arguments for Episode 5 topping it.

Episode 4 also finishes off this three episode arc that starts in Episode 2. It is beautiful.

Seriously, this episode is incredible.

Episode 5: Families Can Be Together Forever

Stats: 1.15k reactions, 30 comments, 23.5k views

Introduces Son, who is another fantastic character. This episode is perhaps the funniest episode. Solid stuff.

Two fun facts of the day:

1. I had to re-edit the entirety of this episode (on a side note, we used Google Photos for every episode) due to our first edit becoming corrupted somehow.

2. During the re-edit, I accidentally put in the wrong bearing testimony/invitation clip. They're pretty much the same, but the one we wanted to use referenced the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which we felt was important to include.

Episode 6: Going to Church

Stats: 398 reactions, 10 comments, 8.5k views

Definitely the weakest episode so far. But it still has its moments. Bike is pretty much it's own character at this point, haha. The very end with the blurry video and words on top I think is hilarious.

So originally we had something completely different planned for this episode. But then we were informed that missionary attire would now be mandatory in all videos, so we took this episode to transition from their clothes they've been using to missionary attire.

Episode 7: Know Your Roots

Stats: 335 reactions, 5 comments, 8.1k views

I love this episode. Definitely one of the best, imo. So funny, it's shorter, which is nice, the invitation at the end is fantastic and keeps you engaged. Good stuff.

And the plot twist! Red Hat Guy and Mechanic are brothers?! We actually had that twist planned since, like, episode 2 or 3, haha.

Episode 8: The Holy Ghost is Personal

Stats: 297 reactions, 2 comments, 7.4k views

Also a weak episode, although the falling asleep scene is hilarious and the Jesus reveal is fantastic. 

Also, if you haven't noticed already: Every episode has one or more pineapples in it. We failed to get a pineapple in this one until the last second, so the pineapple barely looks like a pineapple. 

The pineapple is supposed to be the vase (which is vaguely pineapple-shaped) with the papers (which are supposed to be leaves) sticking out of it. Haha, yeah. Not a good pineapple.

Episode 9: The Spirit is a Guide

Stats: 293 reactions, 4 comments, 6.8k views

Stats wise, I honestly think this is the most underrated episodes, although it is hard to compare against the best of the best.

I definitely think this is the best invitation. The multiple shots keep it interesting and perky.

Episode 10: And Christ is the Way

Stats: 340 reactions, 16 comments, 9.5k views

Love the fact that Red Hat Guy is called Uncle here; I think that's awesome.

As an individual episode, this episode is weak. But as a series finale, I think it's pretty satisfying. You learn who the companion is (look, it's me!), Son gets baptized and the whole family is there for it. It's just nice.

My Official Rankings:

S-Tier: 4, 5, 7, 3, 9

A-Tier: 2, 1

B-Tier: 6, 10, 8

22

I was planning on having a post yesterday about my birthday or something something. Then I realized I don't know what I would really want to write about.

Still have that same problem, of course. Not sure what I was expecting to change, but I still want to write something, at least. Feel like I should.

In the course of a day, I'm suddenly a whole year older. Crazy how that works.

2 Biggest Things From General Conference For Me

 1. NEW FOR STRENGTH OF YOUTH PHAMPLET I AM SO EXCITED IT IS AWESOME (granted, I've only read a small part of it thus far, but it is so good).

2. Hope, I suppose? Self-Confidence? 

I mean, I guess I always feel those emotions whenever walking out into the world after a general conference weekend, but I feel this is more sturdy. Helping myself have a better core view of myself. 

This is building off of recent events/conversations I've had, but certain messages continued to push it forward. I could dig deeper about it, but I'd prefer to leave it at just that for now.