The Kickstarter Group Thread

[Tourist]

I don't know if that's what I mean. I mean, can I sit down and play it alone, against the board?

[revlob]

Yes. It supports 1-4 players. There's nothing to stop players from playing multiple characters.

[LaParka]

The KS has as an add on some solitaire scenarios, so he knows people are interested in playing it that way. Any coop game can be solo'd if you're willing to control multiple characters

[therearerules]

I've forked out extra for the solo scenarios. I'll also get the restickable stickers, mainly so I can sell it on in the future. Or replay it at some point once I've forgotten everything.

[Exit Chamber]

5 hours ago, Tourist said:

Wait... Can gloomhaven be played one player?

 

(I have had to keep this thread open on my phone to keep looking up all the games referenced in it. Good job my wife is in charge of our spending money or I would be destitute.)

 

Yep, this is one of the main reasons I want it #nomates

[LaParka]

I think I prefer some games solo regardless. I love Mage Knight for example but I'd hate to play it multiplayer. I take quite a while on my go and I'd be nervous of making someone wait so I'd end up rushing. Mage knight normally takes a few days for me to finish because I leave it set up. 

 

 

[cavalcade]

I wouldn't try Gloomhaven one player. The interlaced strategies for each character to integrate with the others are hard enough to compute when you're looking at a single set of cards, let alone 2 or 3.

 

Mage Knight is a better bet if the mechanics appeal. But Gloomhaven is very, very good. Very much lives up to its hype. 

[Exit Chamber]

UK copies of Dark Souls are shipping!

 

*Zoidberg whooping noise*

[LaParka]

I've cancelled my Gloomhave pledge. I want to like Dungeon Crawlers and RPG-ish games but if I have the choice I think i'd rather play something else or crack open my Lord of the Rings LCG vault. And for something i'm not too sure on, £100 is a lot of money! 

 

I have backed Hardback because I love a good word game and I can use the excuse that its educational for playing with my kids

 

 

[LaParka]

Oh and Bios Genesis because I really want to try a Phil Eklund game.

[Professor Rob]

I've also backed Hardback. I always regretted not getting Paperback before it went out of print.

 

I do like heavy games, but I don't think I'm quite ready for Phil Eklund.

[Exit Chamber]

Cancelled my Gloomhaven pledge too. I just don't have time for it, as much as I'd love to pick it up.

 

I also backed Bios: Genesis because it sounds great and has a solo mode.

[Benny]

Gloomhaven is one of the greatest board games I have ever played. But it will eat your life.

 

I've been very fortunate to be involved in the campaign with a friend with his copy and two other people. But it's a major investment in more ways than one. However it is absolutely glorious. Also, play it on normal mode. Failing some quests from time to time adds drama and feels like learning and getting better was the way it was meant to be played. A bit Dark Souls like in some ways...

[Exit Chamber]

*covers ears*

 

SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

[Benny]

I'm considering buying it despite having absolutely no need to and it being pointless considering I'm already playing another copy. It's just that good. Like a piece of gaming history. I literally can't understand how it can be so good but it is.

[Mortis]

Yeah I've cancelled my Gloomhaven as well since I just can't see our group managing to get it to the table enough to justify it. 

 

I am backing hardback though - pledge depends on how the P&P version he has up works out with the other half though. 

 

 Still also sticking with City of Kings - the mix of player choice to level up, random enemy skills which increase as the game goes on and the Diablo feel to the whole thing is just too much of a draw to ignore. 

[therearerules]

I'm sticking with Gloomhaven, I relish something so indepth. Especially given its reviews.

[Mystacon]

I've backed Gloomhaven for now.

 

For those that have played it, how complex is it? Is it at a similar level to something like Mage Knight or is it a bit more forgiving?

[Benny]

It's far easier to understand than Mage Knight, yet still incredibly rich mechanically. I think Mage Knight is actually far too complex for its own good. Gloomhaven is almost beautifully elegant.

[Kzo]

I've backed Gloomhaven but have the same reservations re getting it to the table. I'm not sure my group would be able to commit to a whole campaign, but hopefully it will hook them after a couple of scenarios! We are getting to the end of our first IA campaign, which I will take as a good sign.

 

Maybe could convince the gf to play and do it 2 player, if it comes to that. In the meantime, I can paint the minis

[Benny]

The Dark Souls boardgame is out and it's getting some good reviews. However, Tom Vasel has reviewed it from the perspective of someone who has never played Dark Souls so is taking it just on its board game merits, and was scathing:

 

 

[LaParka]

I've no dog in the fight, but I've found the majority of Dice Tower reviewers to be way wide of the mark. 

 

There's a UK podcaster who consistently says things as gospel, which are then proven wrong. He said a card in Dominion was broken and should be removed. A poster linked to a ranking of cards by pro players and it's rated really lowly as its basically a shiny trap. 

 

He said Blue faction in Scythe is shit, and then lots of people gave examples of how Blue is amazing but hard to play because it's got subtle tactics. 

 

There's more, and I don't know why it annoys me so but when a reviewer doesn't know the IP or the intention of the game, I just ignore them. 

 

Oh and he couldn't get his head round the victory condition in Churchill. To win, you need to come second because it's thematically all about alliances and surviving post wwII. He said it was crap because he 'dominated' and therefore deserves the victory. But that's not a working alliance, he'd be isolated and post war could then be USA & Russian alliance with Britain isolated. It was like talking to a brick wall and he maintained it makes the game crap

[revlob]

Which podcaster is that, @LaParka?

 

Dice Tower's okay. I don't find myself disagreeing with Vasel too often, but he'll often get worked up about the oddest things. I do find myself agreeing with him about Dark Souls though. We have so many miniature-heavy attack-and-move dungeon crawlers these days, you've really got to do something interesting to get noticed, and I couldn't see what DS's USP was.

[therearerules]

I find myself agreeing with Vasel more than Shut Up& Sit down, even though I prefer their podcast. If anything I find him too effusive with praise for big, pretty but flawed games. 

 

And being extremely critical of fine components, like the new Roborally.

[Benny]

Vasel always seems to me to be overall more knowledgeable about a broader range of games and the history of their mechanics than the SU&SD guys, though they have funnier videos. I think sometimes it feels like the SU&SD reviewers limit themselves arbitrarily depending on what they are excited about in their group as opposed to the community at large, whereas Vasel takes the time to investigate a lot more stuff.

 

Gloomhaven is a good example: Quinns added news about it after being reminded in their comments on a recent news story that they had missed out on talking about the second printing, as they seem to be actively avoiding talking about probably one of the most important releases in years. It's baffling, and apparently they have reasons for not reviewing it, which Quinns made great pains to say, but the details are only part of their subscribers newsletter. Given they reviewed Kindom Death though, it's still baffling.

[LaParka]

I watched SU&SD for entertainment only these days (same as Actualol). I find myself watching play throughs instead of reviews and using them to make my mind up. There are some really good channels that work that way, some underrated German youtubers like JPlay and Michael Wisneir. 

 

The grumpy dice Tower chap hated evolution climate because of the theme (he's a minister who doesn't believe in evolution). 

 

The DT podcaster is Luke Hector. He's currently using any opportunity to crap on Brass with some wonderful twitter hash tags as #notformeboredoutofmyhead. Whilst stay saying he's 'giving it a chance'. Why would you review heavy games if you don't like them other than to be contrary about it? 

[Professor Rob]

I always skipped past his segments on the Dice Tower podcast. Couldn't stand listening to the guy (Luke Hector, that is).

 

Is the 'grumpy Dice Tower chap' Sam Healy?

[Benny]

I would assume Sam Healy. He made an off hand comment apparently about it and tends to have inconsistent opinions on a lot of games. Vasel is a much better reviewer.

[LaParka]

I think he is called Sam, whenever I watch anything with them he's just moaning about anything. The only one I'll pay attention to is Zee. There's another chap who seems to just do videos with Tom who acts like a man child when they do those gaming marathons. 

 

 

 

Have a look at this from about the 1 hour mark. He's also playing with two guests (one being the publisher who he tells that the game is rubbish) and is being streamed. I couldn't play a game with anyone who acts this way. 

[therearerules]

Yeah, I now just ignore the other people doing the Dice Tower videos, and only really listen to the podcast. Just remembered about Vasel, he seems to talk up certain (American) developers games more than others. I bought Dragon & Flagon because they went on about it on the show, and it's not that good with massive flaws. Suasd remind me of games TM refusing to review Half Life2 with their contempt for popular kickstarter games. Before watching the Scythe review everyone knew it was going to be grudging acceptance at best.