Discoveries

Today's review is of the 2015 release, Discoveries (The Journeys of Lewis & Clark).  For 2-4 players, it takes 60 minutes.

Overview
You are part of the famed Lewis & Clark expedition, charged to explore the Louisiana Purchase.  To do so, you'll use your dice to recruit Indian tribes, explore terrain (mountains and rivers in different combinations), and journal about your discoveries. 

Each player has 5 workers (dice) in their color.  To start the game, each player rolls these dice and places their workers in their main supply area.  On your turn, you either place workers or 'rest' by getting dice.
- you can place the workers, based on their face, on appropriate spaces to recruit Indians, explore terrain, etc.  You can place only one type of face at a time (though you may place multiple dice of that face) and take a specific action (like recruiting friendly Indians) only once per turn.  Once you spend your dice, they go to either the right or left banks of the board (as indicated by their face). 
- you can rest by taking all workers (regardless of color) from the right bank (regardless of color), left bank (regardless of color), or all your color dice back (regardless of location).  You roll them and place them in your supply.  Thus, you could end up with some of your opponent's workers, or neutral ones (which are introduced as Indian tribes are recruited).

game in progress; image from here

Ultimately, the game is about completing exploration cards (some combination of mountains and rivers), which grant victory points or scientific finds (like new flora and fauna).  Once the card deck is gone, points are totaled based on stated victory points on the cards, number of teepees (differing values are found on each Indian tribe), and sets of scientific finds.  Highest score wins!

Review
Last year, I read an excellent account of the Lewis & Clark expedition.  Ever since, I've been drawn to Lewis & Clark board games (you'd be surprised how many there are), though I didn't get a chance to play one until yesterday.  I was looking forward to this, but sadly disappointed.  The art is great, the dice 'rotation' mechanic is novel and interesting, I like how Indian tribes are incorporated, and there are some cool history-based things included.  But as a friend said, the overall gameplay feels dry.  A good strategy wasn't clear, either- I was convinced I was getting hammered, but ended up winning.  I don't know what else to say about it; it doesn't grab you like a good game should.

Rating: B-