We are playing it atm and its a lot of fun as a group (3-4). Not sure if I would enjoy it solo. We also decided on only having the „game owner“ seeing and using the app, so its really a board game for the rest of the group.
Great review! I'm really torn on this game. I really like the components and look of the game, but I'm really not a fan of just how much you have to use the app when playing. It almost feels like a video game with some miniatures that you move around once in a while.
Yeah i thought that too but the app feels more like 50/50 or 40/60 because you are mostly using the cards out of everything. Its lots of card planning and use
I'd say go for it. These type of games don't feel like a video game at all. It feels as it is designed, as an "app-assisted" game. Not an app-dominant game. Of course you can't play without the app, but it certainly doesn't feel like a "video game" in the traditional sense.
We play it atm and we solved this by online having the „owner of the game“ only seeing and using the app. This makes it like a true board game experience for the rest of us.
Oh I definitely thought about doing it. But, I also felt I’d somehow be cheating the experience because the game does progress in a unique way based on winning and losing. It felt a bit messy to figure out the right house rule. A friend suggested that you could allow one free pass on your first Last Stand for a scenario.
Still not sure how I feel about this whole App/boardgame mashup genre. I like to get away from the digital world when I play my board and card games. Plus, it's too bad this is ALL campaign and it doesn't have some non-campaign scenarios where you just search and find the bag guys and duke it out. I love LOTR but...still unsure about this system.
Another great review. I agree with both your pros and cons. To expand on the card drawing feeling repetitive a few diff things such as the villains along with the missions feel that way to me as well. I do really enjoy the game but I hope some of the expansions add a few variance to it.
thanks for the review. love LotR but not sure this one is for us. we've already invested heavily into the LCG, because that itself is a wonderful and brilliant system; the way the design abstracts the lore and setting into mechanics like threat and such is wonderfully immersive. i think i'd rather add to the LCG collection than pick this one up.
Great review, thanks! It's only a matter of time before I pick this one up. Question: Is it campaign only? Is there any kind of skirmish mode or anything to play with once the campaign is over?
I didn't get the game because I am not sold on the battle mechanics. Did you see yourself thinking about rolling dice instead of drawing cards at any time during the campaign? A second question, would you houserule that you only loose on a tpk if playing solo? Great vid, keep it up!
Gosh, it's been a while since I played, but I don't think I would do either of those to be honest. But, I can't answer that with any real clarity unfortunately.
this feels like the same FFG formula for games with mini's now, even with the LOTR theme on it, it has that generic FFG feel to it. i still havent gotten on the app-driven train & i don't think this is the one that's going to change my mind, unfortunately. Thanks for the review Joel!
I have no issues with app assisted games. I think people need to get over this hatred of technology. Its still a board game regardless if the app takes care of all the boring bookkeeping (Gloomhaven and SoB would be fantastic with apps), but i'll agree with you that this looks like a complete blender mash up of all previous FFG games. 1. It has the hitpoint and sanity system from MoM (just called diff things) 2. The inspiration tokens are clue tokens from MoM. 3. The app is just an updated version of the same app they keep recycling from Descent, IA, MoM etc. 4. The art is super generic and it's mostly copy pasted from their LCG LOTR game.... 5. The cost of the base game is ridiculously high. 6. It doesn't look like there's a lot of strategy or tactics involved. 7. it's going to be flooded with expansion packs, hero packs, villain packs like IA was.
That's a shame as the have is great fun. Ok I'm not as big a game player as most on here but we have really been enjoying the app which adds atmosphere and takes so much hassle out of the game. It feels a little different from MM2 and it works better.
I haven't played the game so I have no idea what I'm talking about, but regarding the player death = scenario loss issue, would a decent compromise be to say that just for the very last scenario of the campaign, the players lose only if all characters are defeated? For me, this game went from an insta-buy when it was announced to a hard pass the more I learned about the actual game play, and I think you covered the main reason when you mentioned the endless flipping of cards. Thanks for another excellent review!
I think that might be too easy... maybe? After discussing with some friends... a good easy mode might be an automatic pass for your first character death... which is easy to house rule. When you first character dies, just don’t tell the app and reset the character’s health.
Joel, what did you think of Descent: Road to Legends? I saw your initial review, but it seemed early, like before you'd really be able to play it a bunch. For me, it was a game changer.
Initially I liked it because it really hasn’t been done before. But having played this and Mansions of Madness, Descent and Imperial Assault feel a bit antiquated in the app department for me.
Drive Thru Games Imperial Assault and Descent existed without the App first. Since this game was designed with only the App in mind it should feel like App 2.0. In those older games, I think the app is just a bonus to a good game. Very honest review, After 8 games in I’d add that all the enemies feel very much the same, they just vary in movement speed and health. Other than that it’s a good game, almost great.
@@BryanKulczycki yep, agree with you on this : "In those older games, I think the app is just a bonus to a good game. "Descent and Imperial Assault are not 'App Assisted Games' by design, The app is a bonus added later as you noted. I love playing Imperial Assault with friends and family, and have a 1 v 4 campaign going on with them, but because of the App I can get in Solo campaigns by myself. So it's really a 'Best of Both Worlds' thing with the IA and Descent apps.
I will definitely try this game out. Never played an app assisted game before. Great review, my expectations of this game was pretty low before watching this review.
We are playing it atm and its a lot of fun as a group (3-4). Not sure if I would enjoy it solo.
We also decided on only having the „game owner“ seeing and using the app, so its really a board game for the rest of the group.
Great review! I'm really torn on this game. I really like the components and look of the game, but I'm really not a fan of just how much you have to use the app when playing. It almost feels like a video game with some miniatures that you move around once in a while.
It looks like that but feels far more integrated and as atmosphere. Takes so much hassle out of gaming.
Yeah i thought that too but the app feels more like 50/50 or 40/60 because you are mostly using the cards out of everything. Its lots of card planning and use
I'd say go for it. These type of games don't feel like a video game at all. It feels as it is designed, as an "app-assisted" game. Not an app-dominant game. Of course you can't play without the app, but it certainly doesn't feel like a "video game" in the traditional sense.
We play it atm and we solved this by online having the „owner of the game“ only seeing and using the app. This makes it like a true board game experience for the rest of us.
When some rules or unlucky event bugs you, you can always house-rule on the spot : One more turn...
Oh I definitely thought about doing it. But, I also felt I’d somehow be cheating the experience because the game does progress in a unique way based on winning and losing. It felt a bit messy to figure out the right house rule. A friend suggested that you could allow one free pass on your first Last Stand for a scenario.
Thanks for sharing. Good points. Yes, the strange errand requests are odd considering you're on a mission to save Middle-earth.
Thanks. That kind of thing always just sticks in my craw in RPGs etc...
Still not sure how I feel about this whole App/boardgame mashup genre. I like to get away from the digital world when I play my board and card games. Plus, it's too bad this is ALL campaign and it doesn't have some non-campaign scenarios where you just search and find the bag guys and duke it out. I love LOTR but...still unsure about this system.
The Midnight in the outro? Niiice.
:D
Another great review. I agree with both your pros and cons. To expand on the card drawing feeling repetitive a few diff things such as the villains along with the missions feel that way to me as well. I do really enjoy the game but I hope some of the expansions add a few variance to it.
Thanks Jason.
thanks for the review. love LotR but not sure this one is for us. we've already invested heavily into the LCG, because that itself is a wonderful and brilliant system; the way the design abstracts the lore and setting into mechanics like threat and such is wonderfully immersive. i think i'd rather add to the LCG collection than pick this one up.
Sorry quick question. What is LCG?
Great review, thanks! It's only a matter of time before I pick this one up. Question: Is it campaign only? Is there any kind of skirmish mode or anything to play with once the campaign is over?
Just a campaign for now. Not sure how the expansions will roll out.
I didn't get the game because I am not sold on the battle mechanics. Did you see yourself thinking about rolling dice instead of drawing cards at any time during the campaign? A second question, would you houserule that you only loose on a tpk if playing solo? Great vid, keep it up!
Gosh, it's been a while since I played, but I don't think I would do either of those to be honest. But, I can't answer that with any real clarity unfortunately.
this feels like the same FFG formula for games with mini's now, even with the LOTR theme on it, it has that generic FFG feel to it. i still havent gotten on the app-driven train & i don't think this is the one that's going to change my mind, unfortunately. Thanks for the review Joel!
I have no issues with app assisted games. I think people need to get over this hatred of technology. Its still a board game regardless if the app takes care of all the boring bookkeeping (Gloomhaven and SoB would be fantastic with apps), but i'll agree with you that this looks like a complete blender mash up of all previous FFG games.
1. It has the hitpoint and sanity system from MoM (just called diff things)
2. The inspiration tokens are clue tokens from MoM.
3. The app is just an updated version of the same app they keep recycling from Descent, IA, MoM etc.
4. The art is super generic and it's mostly copy pasted from their LCG LOTR game....
5. The cost of the base game is ridiculously high.
6. It doesn't look like there's a lot of strategy or tactics involved.
7. it's going to be flooded with expansion packs, hero packs, villain packs like IA was.
That's a shame as the have is great fun. Ok I'm not as big a game player as most on here but we have really been enjoying the app which adds atmosphere and takes so much hassle out of the game. It feels a little different from MM2 and it works better.
I haven't played the game so I have no idea what I'm talking about, but regarding the player death = scenario loss issue, would a decent compromise be to say that just for the very last scenario of the campaign, the players lose only if all characters are defeated?
For me, this game went from an insta-buy when it was announced to a hard pass the more I learned about the actual game play, and I think you covered the main reason when you mentioned the endless flipping of cards.
Thanks for another excellent review!
I think that might be too easy... maybe? After discussing with some friends... a good easy mode might be an automatic pass for your first character death... which is easy to house rule. When you first character dies, just don’t tell the app and reset the character’s health.
Joel, what did you think of Descent: Road to Legends? I saw your initial review, but it seemed early, like before you'd really be able to play it a bunch. For me, it was a game changer.
Initially I liked it because it really hasn’t been done before. But having played this and Mansions of Madness, Descent and Imperial Assault feel a bit antiquated in the app department for me.
Drive Thru Games Imperial Assault and Descent existed without the App first. Since this game was designed with only the App in mind it should feel like App 2.0. In those older games, I think the app is just a bonus to a good game. Very honest review, After 8 games in I’d add that all the enemies feel very much the same, they just vary in movement speed and health. Other than that it’s a good game, almost great.
@@BryanKulczycki we will probably find the expansion enemies and characters feel different
@@BryanKulczycki yep, agree with you on this : "In those older games, I think the app is just a bonus to a good game. "Descent and Imperial Assault are not 'App Assisted Games' by design, The app is a bonus added later as you noted. I love playing Imperial Assault with friends and family, and have a 1 v 4 campaign going on with them, but because of the App I can get in Solo campaigns by myself. So it's really a 'Best of Both Worlds' thing with the IA and Descent apps.
Very cool way to explain the game.
definitely i will buy it.
Are you going to do a gameplay explain the process?
Thanks. No plan to do a playthrough right now.
I will definitely try this game out. Never played an app assisted game before. Great review, my expectations of this game was pretty low before watching this review.
It's really good. So easy to set up, it as atmosphere and didn't feel like it takes over completely
Best review of LotR: JiME yet! Thanks, Joel!
Thanks Darth!
This game fixes everything wrong with mansions 2nd edition so thumbs up here
Great review!
Thank you!
Don't you get 1 turn to finish the objective after 1 character has been eliminated?
After next shadow phase, the game ends.
Any other app assisted games like this?
Mansions of Madness, Descent, and Imperial Assault.
Awesome!
I think we will just stick with Gloomhaven. =)
This or Descent LoTD?
Descent.
well done !!!!