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  • darkmorgado 30 Dec 2012 21:37:42 22,515 posts
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    1Dgaf wrote:
    Arkham Horror isn't that complicated - it's just got lots of pieces. Once you get into the flow, it's quite easy to play.

    The problem is that, for some people, there isn't a lot of gameplay. It's about the experience; discussion and danger, rather than deep decisions. So for a group of drunks, if you can get over the fiddly, it might be right.
    Agree it's probably best avoided for groups that use gaming as a social-lubricant thing, but I sort of disagree (accepting you said "for some" ) that it doesn't offer lots of deep decisions. IME it offer loads of choice and strategic options emphasised by a lack of excessive randomness. Choices might not seem deep on a surface reading but in terms of thinking ahead, comparing options and deciding what is your best method for achieving your short and long term goals, etc., it's very good. Particularly when you take into consideration some of the mechanics introduced in the expansions.

    Edited by darkmorgado at 21:38:28 30-12-2012

    Now with 80% more Cthulhu!

  • repairmanjack 30 Dec 2012 23:39:25 5,770 posts
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    Graveland wrote:
    Hello folks. I'm wondering if you could help me. I'm looking to buy a new board game for my gaming group which consists of 4 people (including myself). We mainly play RPGs like Delta Green and Call of Cthulhu, but we occasionally play board games (Monopoly and Talisman being the main two).

    I've had my eye on a few, along the lines of Zombies! Settlers of Catan and Arkham Horror. I'm wondering what you folks would suggest for four players that isn't too complex for us to quickly pick up and play?

    Arkham Horror is slightly off-putting due to its apparent complexity - we're usually quite drunk when we host our sessions, so anything too cerebral will confound us :) Saying that, it is Cthulhu-based and we love anything to do with Lovecraft. Zombies! sounds quite good, but looks perhaps a little too simplistic for long-term enjoyment.

    Any suggestions?
    I'd forget Zombies, if I were you. It's so simplistic and ultimately incredibly ponderous. People usually end up hating it after a game or two.

    Arkham Horror is a fantastic game/experience, but one of you will really need to chow down on the rules. If you like Role Playing (matron!) you should also find this scratching more than one itch.

    I'd suggest you might like to look at Last Night on Earth for a zombie fix (although it's also pretty simple). A better suggestion might be A Touch of Evil - lighter than Arkham, better theme than LNoE. Can be played competitively or co-operatively, depending on the group's mood.

    Another great game for 2-5, which can be learnt in twenty minutes, is the D&D themed (but barely) Lords of Waterdeep. Have had great success with a range of new/inexperienced players. You can easily knock out a couple of games in an evening, too.
  • darkmorgado 30 Dec 2012 23:49:08 22,515 posts
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    Going further into DnD boardgame stuff, Ravenloft might be worth a look for a more lovecraft flavour in your gaming choices.

    Edited by darkmorgado at 01:45:19 31-12-2012

    Now with 80% more Cthulhu!

  • 1Dgaf 30 Dec 2012 23:51:54 3,554 posts
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    I like AH. But, as I said, for some people, let's say eurogamers in the boardgame sense, the decisions aren't meaty enough. What's more, it's a long game. If it was shorter, the complexity of the decisions given the time might be just right for them.

    I like it because it's like a videogame; it's got different stats for health and speed etc., different characters, discussion about what weapons to use and where to swap them.

    So, actually, it's very good for social gaming as a lubricant - at least for me. But it's not a brain burner. You're not creating complex economic engines, figuring out how to screw opponents by denying resources over several turns or dealing with lines of sight, defensive cover bonuses and splash damage radii.

    What it does have, especially as I play thematic music when I play games, is that it's got great atmosphere. A feeling of oppression and being in danger and at risk.

    I discussed in 2010. Skip to about 57:20

    http://hatchetjob.libsyn.com/hatchet-job-70-psp-3000-halo-reach-fifa-10-arkham-horror

    www.hatchetjob.com - more than games. "Seemingly trivial, surprisingly deep"

  • 1Dgaf 30 Dec 2012 23:55:21 3,554 posts
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    I agree with Repairman on Last Night On Earth. It's too simple for me. The map layout is the problem, since you can't make higgledy-piggledy shapes. I'd also caution against Zombicide, a new game. The scenario difficulty was all out of whack, the characters weren't interesting and there were some silly ideas.

    I didn't like Waterdeep at all. It normally takes a few plays for me to warm up to eurogames, but just something about it fell flat. The cubes, the pasted-on theme and so on.

    www.hatchetjob.com - more than games. "Seemingly trivial, surprisingly deep"

  • Metalfish 30 Dec 2012 23:56:13 8,279 posts
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    Played a single game of City of Horror over the holiday. Zombie flavoured and pretty well reviewed. Might have been better if we weren't trying to learn the rules as we went along, as it wasn't the sort of thing any of us were used to. I'd definitely play it again, if that helps any.
  • darkmorgado 30 Dec 2012 23:56:23 22,515 posts
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    It really depends on how fussy you are about what you consider I think. I'm happy to consider all sorts of games with different levels of playtime, complexity etc, but just as many people focus exclusively on epic games (twilight imperium/ 4x fans) or others depending on taste. It's not until you become an enthusiast that you realise just how broad a church the hobby actually is!

    Now with 80% more Cthulhu!

  • repairmanjack 31 Dec 2012 00:54:01 5,770 posts
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    1Dgaf wrote:

    I didn't like Waterdeep at all.
    That's a shame, mate. I honestly have people beating a path to my door for a rematch. Have you tried Stone Age? It's a similar weight worker-placement game, but the theme is a little more congruous.
  • AccidentProne 31 Dec 2012 01:33:25 939 posts
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    I love Stone Age, but never get to play it anymore. Most of my mates would rather play Agricola and to be fair, in most cases I would too. Just not when drinking!
    Stone Age is doable on booze, Agricola clearly isn't.
  • McGeeza 31 Dec 2012 02:59:05 753 posts
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    Graveland wrote:
    Hello folks. I'm wondering if you could help me. I'm looking to buy a new board game for my gaming group which consists of 4 people (including myself). We mainly play RPGs like Delta Green and Call of Cthulhu, but we occasionally play board games (Monopoly and Talisman being the main two).

    I've had my eye on a few, along the lines of Zombies! Settlers of Catan and Arkham Horror. I'm wondering what you folks would suggest for four players that isn't too complex for us to quickly pick up and play?

    Arkham Horror is slightly off-putting due to its apparent complexity - we're usually quite drunk when we host our sessions, so anything too cerebral will confound us :) Saying that, it is Cthulhu-based and we love anything to do with Lovecraft. Zombies! sounds quite good, but looks perhaps a little too simplistic for long-term enjoyment.

    Any suggestions?
    Mansions of Madness may suit your group. It's a boardgame but is also quite RPG-like as one player plays the keeper against the other players who play as the investigators. As with most FFG games it is fairly fiddly and has lots of decks and sprawling boards so i'm not sure i'd want to play it if i was pissed.

    Worth a quick look on BGG though.
  • repairmanjack 31 Dec 2012 03:09:32 5,770 posts
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    Trying to learn Race for the Galaxy at 3am might not be my smartest move ever... Glad I covered Eminent Domain first though.
  • darkmorgado 31 Dec 2012 03:17:34 22,515 posts
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    McGeeza wrote:
    Mansions of Madness may suit your group. It's a boardgame but is also quite RPG-like as one player plays the keeper against the other players who play as the investigators. As with most FFG games it is fairly fiddly and has lots of decks and sprawling boards so i'm not sure i'd want to play it if i was pissed.

    Worth a quick look on BGG though.
    I haven't played it myself, but based on reviews and user feedback I've read, and looking at the box it strikes me as a middle-ground between the (arguably compromised) simplicity of Elder Sign and the more epic/complex Arkham Horror. I'm pretty sure it ships with a small amount of scenarios though and is more of a roleplay type game (so you might want to take potential cost of future expansions into account on top of the initial price if you're looking for a good go-to with variety), but I could be wrong.

    It's also in Arkham Horror territory when it comes to pricing - youre looking at dropping between £40-£50 notes on it so I would recommend doing some serious internet searching before just strolling in somewhere and buying it.

    Edited by darkmorgado at 03:19:18 31-12-2012

    Now with 80% more Cthulhu!

  • darkmorgado 31 Dec 2012 03:20:08 22,515 posts
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    repairmanjack wrote:
    Trying to learn Race for the Galaxy at 3am might not be my smartest move ever... Glad I covered Eminent Domain first though.
    Could be worse, you could be trying to learn Twilight Imperium at 3am!

    Edited by darkmorgado at 03:21:06 31-12-2012

    Now with 80% more Cthulhu!

  • McGeeza 31 Dec 2012 15:16:05 753 posts
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    darkmorgado wrote:
    I haven't played it myself, but based on reviews and user feedback I've read, and looking at the box it strikes me as a middle-ground between the (arguably compromised) simplicity of Elder Sign and the more epic/complex Arkham Horror. I'm pretty sure it ships with a small amount of scenarios though and is more of a roleplay type game (so you might want to take potential cost of future expansions into account on top of the initial price if you're looking for a good go-to with variety), but I could be wrong.

    It's also in Arkham Horror territory when it comes to pricing - youre looking at dropping between £40-£50 notes on it so I would recommend doing some serious internet searching before just strolling in somewhere and buying it.
    Complexity wise agreed although it doesn't play like either. It ships with 5 scenarios but you can choose 3 different goals and 2 different paths through each one so replay is extended a little. Pricey, but you are paying for FFG components (which are excellent as usual). Shame the same can't be said for their manual proofreading, so be prepared to print off FAQs and Erratas.
  • Rhythm 31 Dec 2012 15:52:04 2,042 posts
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    Got Escape, absolutely love it, had plans to play it at family new year get-together tonight only to get a text from the missus telling me our youngest has Norovirus and that we should be quarantining ourselves up :-(

    Fuck 2012
  • darkmorgado 31 Dec 2012 16:03:03 22,515 posts
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    McGeeza wrote:
    darkmorgado wrote:
    I haven't played it myself, but based on reviews and user feedback I've read, and looking at the box it strikes me as a middle-ground between the (arguably compromised) simplicity of Elder Sign and the more epic/complex Arkham Horror. I'm pretty sure it ships with a small amount of scenarios though and is more of a roleplay type game (so you might want to take potential cost of future expansions into account on top of the initial price if you're looking for a good go-to with variety), but I could be wrong.

    It's also in Arkham Horror territory when it comes to pricing - youre looking at dropping between £40-£50 notes on it so I would recommend doing some serious internet searching before just strolling in somewhere and buying it.
    Complexity wise agreed although it doesn't play like either. It ships with 5 scenarios but you can choose 3 different goals and 2 different paths through each one so replay is extended a little. Pricey, but you are paying for FFG components (which are excellent as usual). Shame the same can't be said for their manual proofreading, so be prepared to print off FAQs and Erratas.
    Anything from FFG is pricey, even by modern boardgame standards. It's not made much better by their reluctance to dgitise their games (elder sign aside). If you want an idea of how something plays there might be an analogue on Vassal or something.

    I wasn't aware it had multiple goals and things, I guess that at least adds some interesting player choices to play around with, which are always good.

    I guess the lack of scenarios could be worked around through custom stuff. There's probably a sizeable amount of variants on the net if you look into it.
    be prepared to print off FAQs and Erratas.
    I take this as a given for any FF game :)

    Now with 80% more Cthulhu!

  • darkmorgado 31 Dec 2012 16:04:42 22,515 posts
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    Rhythm wrote:
    Got Escape, absolutely love it, had plans to play it at family new year get-together tonight only to get a text from the missus telling me our youngest has Norovirus and that we should be quarantining ourselves up :-(

    Fuck 2012
    Got a link? Not heard of that one, unless you actually mean "Level 7: The Escape" in which case I love it and it is excellent despite what BGG will tell you.

    Now with 80% more Cthulhu!

  • repairmanjack 31 Dec 2012 16:14:07 5,770 posts
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    Glad you're liking Level 7. I think it's really underrated. Escape is the timed escape from the temple game, I'd guess. Don't think I can take the stress of trying to beat the clock.



    Twilight Struggle back-order arrived today. As did my gift from the US of Cards Against Humanity! Wasn't expecting that at all!

    Edited by repairmanjack at 16:14:47 31-12-2012
  • LeoliansBro 31 Dec 2012 16:34:09 35,034 posts
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    Thought Waterdeep was ace, although I see what you mean about the pasted on theme. Still, solid, competitive and fun game you can put to bed in an hour. Plus who is going to pass up the quest to 'domesticate owlbears'?

    LB, you really are a massive geek.

  • RichieTenenbaum 31 Dec 2012 16:49:30 1,621 posts
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    repairmanjack wrote:
    Glad you're liking Level 7. I think it's really underrated. Escape is the timed escape from the temple game, I'd guess. Don't think I can take the stress of trying to beat the clock.



    Twilight Struggle back-order arrived today. As did my gift from the US of Cards Against Humanity! Wasn't expecting that at all!
    How the flip did you manage to get hold of a copy of cards against humanity?
  • Alastair 31 Dec 2012 16:50:14 11,930 posts
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    LeoliansBro wrote:
    Thought Waterdeep was ace, although I see what you mean about the pasted on theme. Still, solid, competitive and fun game you can put to bed in an hour. Plus who is going to pass up the quest to 'domesticate owlbears'?
    I think you've just sold it to me!

    Not as nice as I used to be

  • McGeeza 31 Dec 2012 17:42:36 753 posts
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    LeoliansBro wrote:
    Thought Waterdeep was ace, although I see what you mean about the pasted on theme. Still, solid, competitive and fun game you can put to bed in an hour. Plus who is going to pass up the quest to 'domesticate owlbears'?
    You can say that about most Euros though. I think most of the theme hate for Waterdeep came from the use of cubes instead of minis for the classes, but that would have upped the price considerably. As it is you get a solid game for a reasonable amount of money.

    It's a keeper for me anyway.
  • RichieTenenbaum 31 Dec 2012 17:43:44 1,621 posts
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    It's got a nice box
  • repairmanjack 31 Dec 2012 17:48:17 5,770 posts
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    RichieTenenbaum wrote:
    repairmanjack wrote:
    Glad you're liking Level 7. I think it's really underrated. Escape is the timed escape from the temple game, I'd guess. Don't think I can take the stress of trying to beat the clock.



    Twilight Struggle back-order arrived today. As did my gift from the US of Cards Against Humanity! Wasn't expecting that at all!
    How the flip did you manage to get hold of a copy of cards against humanity?
    Gift from a pal in the US. But, bizarrely, you can buy a legit version for thirty quid from amazon uk right now!
  • repairmanjack 31 Dec 2012 17:51:04 5,770 posts
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    RichieTenenbaum wrote:
    It's got a nice box
    It's got a nice insert; the box itself is pish!

    I have one of those pals who likes to take a box off the shelf and flip it over to read the back. Fine in the shop; a hanging offence in the house.
  • McGeeza 31 Dec 2012 17:51:50 753 posts
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    RichieTenenbaum wrote:
    It's got a nice box
    Yeah, and the insert is probably the best one i own. Although i don't get upset about shite inserts as much as some of the obsessives on BGG.
  • darkmorgado 31 Dec 2012 17:59:17 22,515 posts
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    repairmanjack wrote:
    Glad you're liking Level 7. I think it's really underrated. Escape is the timed escape from the temple game, I'd guess. Don't think I can take the stress of trying to beat the clock.



    Twilight Struggle back-order arrived today. As did my gift from the US of Cards Against Humanity! Wasn't expecting that at all!
    I've wondered what both of those are like for ages. Had a chance to play them yet?

    Now with 80% more Cthulhu!

  • repairmanjack 31 Dec 2012 18:15:01 5,770 posts
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    Twilight Struggle I'm coming to from 1960: tMotP, so I expect to love it.

    Had a look through CAH earlier and almost laughed up a lung - but I can have a grim sense of humour. It's not quite as horrible as its reputation suggests - but you can fix that with your choice of answers. Random example:

    Q: what gets better with age?

    First three cards I flipped over:

    1. Auschwitz
    2. Kids with ass cancer
    3. Poor lifestyle choices

    You should be able to make up your mind if you want it from that...
  • RichieTenenbaum 31 Dec 2012 18:20:21 1,621 posts
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    Bought
  • darkmorgado 31 Dec 2012 18:25:59 22,515 posts
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    repairmanjack wrote:
    Twilight Struggle I'm coming to from 1960: tMotP, so I expect to love it.

    Had a look through CAH earlier and almost laughed up a lung - but I can have a grim sense of humour. It's not quite as horrible as its reputation suggests - but you can fix that with your choice of answers. Random example:

    Q: what gets better with age?

    First three cards I flipped over:

    1. Auschwitz
    2. Kids with ass cancer
    3. Poor lifestyle choices

    You should be able to make up your mind if you want it from that...
    From what I hear, CAH is excellent, though I agree that its style is a bit marmite. If you example is representative of the whole thing I can think of just as many mates that would love it as hate it.

    Now with 80% more Cthulhu!

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