I've only played this once. My man Corbin started as an English Thief, then died as he lived most of his life: Miserable, angry, confused and covered in someone else's blood. It was beautifully tragic.
This is precisely why SU&SD is the best gaming site bar none. Such a smart and poetic review that gets under the hood (or should that be cloak?) of the interminable sadness of the vampire curse. Also, as a 59-year-old whose short-term memory is not my sharpest attribute (and yet I can still remember the theme tune to Screen Test and Animal Magic from the 70s), I'll be able to forget loads of things without even trying. Thanks Tom. Nice work.
Oof, when you did give the final warnings and were like "hey if memory loss is hitting a lil bit too close to home this ain't for you", it kind of dawned on me this could be a quite triggering game for some people and... damn, felt like a bucket of cold water all of a sudden to think of that.
I finally played this and got one of the best endings, first, the cult I've founded with my vampire daughter that hates me found me, they brought the original key of the Sultan's garden that was trusted to me when I was alive. I gifted them a skeleton key in return. Then my daughter found me, but I didn't remember her... face. I knew her only by her name and our time from the cult. I thought she was going to strike me down but instead... she found me to make peace... and we were friends till the end of the time. My whole adventure just deepens this two particular, special scenes. Now, I'm going to cry *happily*.
Mate, you make great videos - don't keep picking holes in your work. Most of us aren't media students or professional producers etc. calling out stuff like too much empty space just draws attention to things we hadn't even noticed. You're great at what you do, own it.
I've been running myself and a few friends through this experience via Discord, just giving each one unique prompts and letting them write out their story. It's been a bunch of fun!
I'm so glad I pulled the trigger on getting a physical copy after hearing your initial thoughts on the podcast. Can't wait to sit down and start playing!
"This is getting a bit bleak so let me tell you about my character :)." 5 sec later: "And so during their mourning, he made the parents unknowingly use the candle wax made off of the bodies of their death childeren"
I think this video, this specific game review, with all of it's in-jokes, superb script writing, and immense personality cements Tom as a true SU&SD host, and I am so glad to have him reviewing for my favorite reviewers. You're doing great man, keep up the phenomenal work.
I know there is talk about doing print on demand copies of the book, so there may be a more reasonable way to get it in the hands of all your buddies. (That said, I own the physical version and it is an absolute treasure.)
@@robertchmielecki2580 last I've checked there are print on demand copies already available on drive-through RPG and they are definitely cheaper when compared to the premium print version.
The idea of forgetting is horrifying to me. But (or especially because of this) this game seems really neat. I was always keen on solo RPGs and this seems... a good starting off point.. Love the video!!
Once again, brilliant work Tom. Thanks for your coverage of more niche stuff like this and the Quiet Year. You sold me on this so quickly, I placed an order for Thousand Year Old Vampire halfway through this review.
You've got it man -- the writing and performance. I think you can go beyond board games, though I hope you don't. I was genuinely creeped out about the nothingness aspect, then the cheesey rolling Vampre game, then back to nothingness on your blank wall -- I'm impressed, man. All four of you guys are hilarious, but I think you bring it to the next leve. Thanks.
I just got this game and did my first play through. I ended up remaining a good vampire without ever killing or hurting people and got kind of a happy ending. The ending actually said my body fell apart, but because I encountered spirits and gained magical powers and my last remaining unused skill was related to seeing the spirit world, I interrupted that to be that I slowly became a spirit myself and faded from the world.
I bought the physical book and it is the most gloriously over the top execution of a game book. It is a blast to carry around all the time and look at. Couldn't get any better materials for this.
@SaisukeMutsu I bought it from itch.io timhutchings.itch.io/tyov but the physical book has been sold out for a while now. I don't know any more about it. sorry.
Fantastic review. I had just gotten into solo RPGs before the virus hit, and now it is my favorite niche of the tabletop universe. What a great escape--into your own head to create a story--when you can barely escape your own home. I just ordered the print copy. I hope you review more solo RPGs. Ironsworn is a hoot.
I love solo RPGs and I havent heard of this! This looks great and I'll definitely pick it up! It kind of gives me a planescape torment vibe but you are literally updating your journal the whole time.
Just listened to the latest podcast. Just wanted to say that your writing is great, your work is every bit as good as that of the more experienced of the SUSD gang, and I'm afraid I didn't personally like the movie "A Ghost Story". (I kept on going after they had that long dull shot of the actress eating an entire pie, but I gave up when they introduced 'ghost subtitles'.) Keep on being awesome. We all think you are great! :D
I played this during lockdown as well and it's amazing. Aging, the loss of people and things that were once important, bittersweet feelings about mortality. Even though it's a solo RPG, it was easily my most profound roleplaying experience. Backing the sequel -- So, You've Met a Thousand Year Old Vampire -- was a no-brainer. Looking forward to playing a puny mortal being absolutely ruined by a toxic vampire "friend."
I can't believe how perfectly timed this video is. I just received the book at my front doorstep minutes after watching this review. Thanks for getting me hyped! Time to dive in!
Is that Juice Springsteen?!? He's the coolest! I agree with Tom on the memory aspect. One of the cool thing in Vampire the Masquerade is that the older a vampire gets, the more disconnected they get from mortals because they die so quickly. Affection gets replaced by interest, memories fade and give way to insanity and the political games are just a way to stay busy and resist the call of staring at the sun. A vampire needs to have some tragedy, otherwise you are playing Twilight RPG. YMMV
Fantastic review, Tom. You fit in so nicely with the boys I must say...with a style all your own. Lovely. I haven't yet dived into the world of RPGs. This one perhaps is not one to tackle on my first go. I did back ' Our Innermost Thoughts: a mostly-solo zine of small RPGs' on Kickstarter which should be arriving soon. I believe you mentioned that one on a recent podcast. :)
This game is almost perfect in theme and execution and it has opened up previously undiscovered rooms of my imagination. You might be surprised how much creativity and darkness the game can pull out of you, which can feel super-satisfying and empowering, but also overwhelming and exhausting at times. It is a demanding exercise that nonetheless can turn into somewhat of an obsession if you fully immerse yourself in the experience. The only criticism I have has got more to do with randomness and my short attention span than anything else, I suppose. As of now, I have played five quite long sessions and the fate of the dice has had me jumping back and forth between the first 12 prompts. Which has halted the story and character progression quite a bit, almost to a grinding halt. I don't know if my "bad luck" in rolling the dice has kept me from experiencing the designer's intent(?) to subtly push me along a story arc of sorts, or if I have just drained myself of all creativity (and life force?). Whatever the case may be, I cannot recommend this game enough as it has the potential to give you a remarkably intense experience that I haven't felt in any other solo game. I haven't played Bluebeard's Bride, but I've heard it's also well worth checking out (don't know if it works solo, though?)
My first game, I ended up rolling really high, so skip really far ahead and all the mortals I started with were dead by the 2nd prompt and things passed by very quickly but then I spent a long time in the 40's.
I am only 3 minutes into this clip and already on the website and buying it directly from Tim Hutchings. *There is something so romantic about true loneliness that this stirs in me*
Love the idea behind this game, and the book just looks incredible. Come the end of the month, I think I’ll be getting this (Already did Lockdown and War of Whispers in June)
There is a common saying that every 7 years each one changes enough to basically be a nearly different person living nearly a different life. Would you imagine living 1000 years that way?
And coincidentally (or maybe not) it is also true that about every 7 years most of the cells in your body are changed (the old ones die and new ones grow and take their place). So you actually become a different person every 7 years!
Bought it after the review on the podcast, just got my copy last night and made my first vampire. Game is amazing so far, great little creative writing exercise and a reminder why I used to love vampire fiction so much.
Purchased the book and pdf, had an amazing time making my first two vampires, writing their stories with fun and intriguing developments. Trying to play a few more stories before i break into the alternate prompts, something i love as already ive noticed there is the occassion to hit the same prompts in different playthroughs. The PDF is a grand time but honestly the book is the best rpg purchase ive made in a long time. A gorgeous book packed with interesting art and literature, amazing resourses for group play and mental health check ins, i think its a magnificent piece for any narrative driven roleplay enthusiast. This book has made me think of Vampires in a whole new way and i cant stop exploring how each vampire approaches their existance.
Tom has blossomed by doing solo videos. I think it's what he needed, a chance to find his own voice. And I think, given some more freedom, he'll create an amazing persona that'll add a new dimension to SUAST. GO TOM.
That realization section was what kept egging at my mind from the start of 1000 year old. Truely sad how things pass. One moment only lasts for that. So many things you won't ever see, so many things you can't ever see. Haaaah
Please don’t play this in bed on your laptop. I’m an occupational therapist and can confirm you will lose track of time playing this game and develop a back injury. My ergonomically minded Vampire would not have been impressed with my actions... if he could remember them
I like how he talks about player safety... in a solo RPG. AFTER extensively describing his character abusing his position of authority to cannibalize children, make candles from their bodies, and gaslight their parents about it. I poke fun, but this was an interesting review overall. I think I'll be taking a look into this game.
This looks like a fascinating game. It's theme seems to go along with the ending of the HBO series The Outsider. Also, you really seem to have found your voice. One more thing, moving during the pandemic sucks. Just did it myself, so you have my sympathies.
Hmm, picked this up today after this recommendation. It's really, really good. Can anyone recommend similar solo RPG / journal experiences of any genre that I can try too?
“Enough fonts to baptize a hundred babies.”
JESUS, that’s subtle but brilliant!
A+ pun
@@GazzyW007 I don't get it. What does it reference?
@@aetherblades2368 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptismal_font
Aetherblade s Fonts as in Baptismal Fonts. Like I said, subtle.
Oh man I feel so slow. Why did I not see that?
This initial jab at Matt and his box is just killing me.
I've only played this once. My man Corbin started as an English Thief, then died as he lived most of his life: Miserable, angry, confused and covered in someone else's blood. It was beautifully tragic.
"Quinns has been reviewing games bigger than his table and sticking bits of paper together, and Matt turned into a chicken."
This is precisely why SU&SD is the best gaming site bar none. Such a smart and poetic review that gets under the hood (or should that be cloak?) of the interminable sadness of the vampire curse. Also, as a 59-year-old whose short-term memory is not my sharpest attribute (and yet I can still remember the theme tune to Screen Test and Animal Magic from the 70s), I'll be able to forget loads of things without even trying. Thanks Tom. Nice work.
Oof, when you did give the final warnings and were like "hey if memory loss is hitting a lil bit too close to home this ain't for you", it kind of dawned on me this could be a quite triggering game for some people and... damn, felt like a bucket of cold water all of a sudden to think of that.
That “Cool Transition” was the coolest transition I’ve ever seen. 10/10
I'd love more of this kind of non traditional shut up and sit down content, thou. Also more Tom! He's great as always.
I finally played this and got one of the best endings, first, the cult I've founded with my vampire daughter that hates me found me, they brought the original key of the Sultan's garden that was trusted to me when I was alive. I gifted them a skeleton key in return. Then my daughter found me, but I didn't remember her... face. I knew her only by her name and our time from the cult. I thought she was going to strike me down but instead... she found me to make peace... and we were friends till the end of the time. My whole adventure just deepens this two particular, special scenes. Now, I'm going to cry *happily*.
It's cool how you add a new unique flavor to SUSD while also feeling like you are and always have been at the core of its lovely goofy heart.
DIY What We Do In The Shadows. I'm in.
I want to RP an energy vampire
"Bat fight!"
"Oh, yeah, I had a horse! I loved that horse! Whatever happened to him...oh..."
Imagine playing this as a group with fiasco-like relationships between players as they journal their daily escapades and struggles as housemates
*forgets native country language* oops
It’s like a cross between a “choose your own adventure” book and Vampire: The Masquerade
It really is. The writing prompts are brilliant and thought provoking.
Mate, you make great videos - don't keep picking holes in your work. Most of us aren't media students or professional producers etc. calling out stuff like too much empty space just draws attention to things we hadn't even noticed. You're great at what you do, own it.
I've been running myself and a few friends through this experience via Discord, just giving each one unique prompts and letting them write out their story.
It's been a bunch of fun!
Loss of memory is terrifying for me. I forget why though
Ah! I'm so glad you are part of the team. These videos have been so enjoyable.
I'm so glad I pulled the trigger on getting a physical copy after hearing your initial thoughts on the podcast. Can't wait to sit down and start playing!
Me too!
"This is getting a bit bleak so let me tell you about my character :)."
5 sec later:
"And so during their mourning, he made the parents unknowingly use the candle wax made off of the bodies of their death childeren"
"Infinite lifespan, finite memory - it makes for an awkward social life..." - Ashildr
I think this video, this specific game review, with all of it's in-jokes, superb script writing, and immense personality cements Tom as a true SU&SD host, and I am so glad to have him reviewing for my favorite reviewers. You're doing great man, keep up the phenomenal work.
Fun fact: The spine of the book actually glows in the dark (if it was previously exposed to light).
I went and bought the pdf of this right after hearing you guys talk about this on the podcast.
Same! It's been a fun journaling game
Did exactly the same!
I first went "Whoa! I have to buy one such beautiful book for every one of my gamer friends!"
Then I checked availability and prices... :((((((
I know there is talk about doing print on demand copies of the book, so there may be a more reasonable way to get it in the hands of all your buddies. (That said, I own the physical version and it is an absolute treasure.)
@@robertchmielecki2580 last I've checked there are print on demand copies already available on drive-through RPG and they are definitely cheaper when compared to the premium print version.
I love your reviews. Such a good addition to shutup and sit down
I really love Tom's more philosophical perspective on concepts and games!
The idea of forgetting is horrifying to me.
But (or especially because of this) this game seems really neat.
I was always keen on solo RPGs and this seems... a good starting off point..
Love the video!!
Once again, brilliant work Tom. Thanks for your coverage of more niche stuff like this and the Quiet Year. You sold me on this so quickly, I placed an order for Thousand Year Old Vampire halfway through this review.
Brilliant.
Fantastic video, this is vintage Shut Up and Sit Down. Entertaining and I learned something quite new.
You've got it man -- the writing and performance. I think you can go beyond board games, though I hope you don't. I was genuinely creeped out about the nothingness aspect, then the cheesey rolling Vampre game, then back to nothingness on your blank wall -- I'm impressed, man. All four of you guys are hilarious, but I think you bring it to the next leve. Thanks.
Great video and great taste for music! (spoted the UMO poster beside your bed)
“Bleak, nihilistic forgetting” is my #1 character trait
Such a great review, Tom. You’re an asset to a great team.
First, The Quiet Year. Now this. I must say that i'm super hooked on your vids now!
Interesting review. Glad you are on the team.
I just got this game and did my first play through. I ended up remaining a good vampire without ever killing or hurting people and got kind of a happy ending. The ending actually said my body fell apart, but because I encountered spirits and gained magical powers and my last remaining unused skill was related to seeing the spirit world, I interrupted that to be that I slowly became a spirit myself and faded from the world.
I bought the physical book and it is the most gloriously over the top execution of a game book. It is a blast to carry around all the time and look at. Couldn't get any better materials for this.
@SaisukeMutsu I bought it from itch.io timhutchings.itch.io/tyov but the physical book has been sold out for a while now. I don't know any more about it. sorry.
I couldn't purchase the book of his site did you get it from anywhere else??
Fantastic review. I had just gotten into solo RPGs before the virus hit, and now it is my favorite niche of the tabletop universe. What a great escape--into your own head to create a story--when you can barely escape your own home. I just ordered the print copy.
I hope you review more solo RPGs. Ironsworn is a hoot.
I love solo RPGs and I havent heard of this! This looks great and I'll definitely pick it up!
It kind of gives me a planescape torment vibe but you are literally updating your journal the whole time.
Just listened to the latest podcast. Just wanted to say that your writing is great, your work is every bit as good as that of the more experienced of the SUSD gang, and I'm afraid I didn't personally like the movie "A Ghost Story". (I kept on going after they had that long dull shot of the actress eating an entire pie, but I gave up when they introduced 'ghost subtitles'.) Keep on being awesome. We all think you are great! :D
Masterful review, well written and acted, damn that ending got me right in the feels!
I played this during lockdown as well and it's amazing. Aging, the loss of people and things that were once important, bittersweet feelings about mortality. Even though it's a solo RPG, it was easily my most profound roleplaying experience.
Backing the sequel -- So, You've Met a Thousand Year Old Vampire -- was a no-brainer. Looking forward to playing a puny mortal being absolutely ruined by a toxic vampire "friend."
I can't believe how perfectly timed this video is. I just received the book at my front doorstep minutes after watching this review. Thanks for getting me hyped! Time to dive in!
Another video hit out of the park by Tom, great stuff! First heard about this on the podcast, can't wait to give it a try.
Might have been hard to do, but tieing in your moving to the games process of storing memories and forgetting would have been supremely on point.
Oh my. If any there was any doubt about Tom...
Stellar review! The existential ending had me slapping my thigh.
The void. The void. The void..
I just read someone's vampire story and it started out with a bisexual greek pirate and ended in a broken heart just beautiful.
1:51 I didn't expect the hollow knight reference but it is a truly fantastic game! I guess I need to do another run of it now
Excellent review as always, Tom.
Loving Tom's reviews more and more, fantastic addition to the team!
Me too! Brilliant and fantastic!
4:14 Nandor the Relentless is that you?
I think this is my most favourite video review of, well, anything.
Is that Juice Springsteen?!? He's the coolest!
I agree with Tom on the memory aspect. One of the cool thing in Vampire the Masquerade is that the older a vampire gets, the more disconnected they get from mortals because they die so quickly. Affection gets replaced by interest, memories fade and give way to insanity and the political games are just a way to stay busy and resist the call of staring at the sun.
A vampire needs to have some tragedy, otherwise you are playing Twilight RPG. YMMV
Fantastic review, Tom. You fit in so nicely with the boys I must say...with a style all your own. Lovely. I haven't yet dived into the world of RPGs. This one perhaps is not one to tackle on my first go. I did back ' Our Innermost Thoughts: a mostly-solo zine of small RPGs' on Kickstarter which should be arriving soon. I believe you mentioned that one on a recent podcast. :)
Fantastic.
This game is almost perfect in theme and execution and it has opened up previously undiscovered rooms of my imagination. You might be surprised how much creativity and darkness the game can pull out of you, which can feel super-satisfying and empowering, but also overwhelming and exhausting at times. It is a demanding exercise that nonetheless can turn into somewhat of an obsession if you fully immerse yourself in the experience. The only criticism I have has got more to do with randomness and my short attention span than anything else, I suppose. As of now, I have played five quite long sessions and the fate of the dice has had me jumping back and forth between the first 12 prompts. Which has halted the story and character progression quite a bit, almost to a grinding halt. I don't know if my "bad luck" in rolling the dice has kept me from experiencing the designer's intent(?) to subtly push me along a story arc of sorts, or if I have just drained myself of all creativity (and life force?). Whatever the case may be, I cannot recommend this game enough as it has the potential to give you a remarkably intense experience that I haven't felt in any other solo game. I haven't played Bluebeard's Bride, but I've heard it's also well worth checking out (don't know if it works solo, though?)
My first game, I ended up rolling really high, so skip really far ahead and all the mortals I started with were dead by the 2nd prompt and things passed by very quickly but then I spent a long time in the 40's.
I’d got the pdf based solely on a few minutes discussion of this on the podcast but now you made order the physical version.
I am only 3 minutes into this clip and already on the website and buying it directly from Tim Hutchings.
*There is something so romantic about true loneliness that this stirs in me*
Love
1)the Courtney Barnett poster
2)the I Hate Everything intro music
3)your shirt
4)the game
This is so unrelated to the game, but I NEED to know where that King Lear print is from. Please SUSD, you're my only hope
She's legal officer I swear! She's actually 1000 years old!
"Pulls you down to it's inky depths"
Well played. You win this round of English.
Is there a deposit of people story with this game? I would be curious to read what other have created and to share my own!
I’ll forever thank the SUSD crew for introducing me to the concept of solo rpgs.
Love the idea behind this game, and the book just looks incredible. Come the end of the month, I think I’ll be getting this (Already did Lockdown and War of Whispers in June)
There is a common saying that every 7 years each one changes enough to basically be a nearly different person living nearly a different life. Would you imagine living 1000 years that way?
Meanwhile watching everyone you've ever known or cared about die-off in cycles.
Nothing illustrates this better than Borges' "The Immortal"
And coincidentally (or maybe not) it is also true that about every 7 years most of the cells in your body are changed (the old ones die and new ones grow and take their place). So you actually become a different person every 7 years!
I feel like I’ve been waiting a thousand years for this.
Bought it after the review on the podcast, just got my copy last night and made my first vampire. Game is amazing so far, great little creative writing exercise and a reminder why I used to love vampire fiction so much.
Yeah the 'Co-Op adventure' music!
WE NEED MORE OF IT.
I didn't even make it into the mechanics before pulling the trigger. This is a book that needs to be on my shelf.
I should know better than to take a drink while watching any SUSD video. At least water doesn't burn much coming out the nose! :)
Purchased the book and pdf, had an amazing time making my first two vampires, writing their stories with fun and intriguing developments. Trying to play a few more stories before i break into the alternate prompts, something i love as already ive noticed there is the occassion to hit the same prompts in different playthroughs.
The PDF is a grand time but honestly the book is the best rpg purchase ive made in a long time.
A gorgeous book packed with interesting art and literature, amazing resourses for group play and mental health check ins, i think its a magnificent piece for any narrative driven roleplay enthusiast.
This book has made me think of Vampires in a whole new way and i cant stop exploring how each vampire approaches their existance.
I was so ready for him to end with "all in all, this game is a BLAST to play"
Dang, that was a cool transition
Tom has blossomed by doing solo videos. I think it's what he needed, a chance to find his own voice. And I think, given some more freedom, he'll create an amazing persona that'll add a new dimension to SUAST. GO TOM.
That realization section was what kept egging at my mind from the start of 1000 year old. Truely sad how things pass. One moment only lasts for that. So many things you won't ever see, so many things you can't ever see. Haaaah
Really enjoyed the review. Going to pick this up. I enjoy Tom's reviews.
Bought the print copy based on your review. Thanks!
thanks for the quiet year review me and my friend swear by it now!
The void huh, sounds positively delightful!
Found the warlock
My memory fails me so much that it’s become seriously concerning. Time to live out my nightmares? YES INDEEDY!
we need more of these!
Another great Tom review! Thank you : )
I've just now started playing this, and I have to share that it is deeply engaging, stimulating, and fun! The physical book itself is stunning.
Please don’t play this in bed on your laptop. I’m an occupational therapist and can confirm you will lose track of time playing this game and develop a back injury. My ergonomically minded Vampire would not have been impressed with my actions... if he could remember them
I like how he talks about player safety... in a solo RPG.
AFTER extensively describing his character abusing his position of authority to cannibalize children, make candles from their bodies, and gaslight their parents about it.
I poke fun, but this was an interesting review overall. I think I'll be taking a look into this game.
Fangs a lot for this review. Looks like a fascinating game
😂
I immediately bought this, you bastard, thank you
I'm jealous of that drawing? of a Guardian on your shelf
Oh, and the RPG looks interesting lol
4:15 Reminds me of Nandor from "what we do in the dark" xD
This looks like a fascinating game. It's theme seems to go along with the ending of the HBO series The Outsider. Also, you really seem to have found your voice. One more thing, moving during the pandemic sucks. Just did it myself, so you have my sympathies.
This concept as a game is so cool, I really love the creativity in it!
Ordered the physical book version. Well presented to get me hooked
Love the framed Bon Iver!! I knew Tom was a man of culture!
Hmm, picked this up today after this recommendation. It's really, really good. Can anyone recommend similar solo RPG / journal experiences of any genre that I can try too?
Your wish is our command! th-cam.com/video/hCfmQP01Ixk/w-d-xo.html
2:32 Tom has the opener! LETS GET EXTRAVAGANT.
The Video where Tom won the internet. Loved this i bought the pdf and you were so right. Im imediately interested in any similar games like this
A board game enthusiast wearing a synth shirt?! I knew there others of my kind out there 😊
Just had so much fun with this. I backed the stand alone sequel.
Anyone know of where I can get the physical book in the UK? $25 shipping is a bit of a no no for me.
10:40 Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize SU&SD was doing a crossover with Welcome to Night Vale
I think you've been hearing it plenty but yay Tom! You're such a great addition 😁
Looks AMAZING, not sure I can argue the price of the physical copy