You miss the point with Cthulhu and other Lovecraft aliens, Tom. Their worshippers believe that, when the aliens/deities awaken,, the cultists will acquire power/wealth/influence, but the aliens are indifferent to human concerns. That's Lovecraft's underlying theme; the insignificance of humankind in the face of the cosmos. You're right however that Eldritch is a wonderful game.
I would make the counterpoint that this game, and many Lovecraft inspired games, take a lot from the post-Lovecraft August Derleth changes to the universe in which the universe took on a more good vs evil bent that tried both to tie the disparate elements together and give the mythos a more general appeal that also gave the universe an even more pulp fiction vibe, with easy evidence being the players being able to rock up and shotgun unknowable creatures in the mouth and the inclusion of several later addition gods that werent a part of Lovecraft's original works. I'm not personally fond of those later added elements myself but I've long since accepted their impact on the mythos and that the Arkham Files games will take from those.
Isn't that the thing with Lovecraft? Tom says he doesn't like scary movies and stuff... But surely the difference between modern horror flicks and Lovecraft, is how Lovecraft is more about the atmosphere, the mood, the creepy lore and the cold feeling down your neck. Modern horror movies are about the monsters and jump scares ;)
The only thing that bugs me about this game is that when you lose, it makes sense to have a board full of monsters, but when you solve the mysteries and win what about these monsters, you just let them be? I know that the game gives you enough choice as to go hunt them and kill as many as you want before you win if you have the time and that rarely happens. Other then that the game is wonderfull, funny and beautifully made. I own a copy, bought it about a month ago (I was going for arkham horror card game but couldnt find it in Greece), already played 10 games, eight of them solo and had fun. If you make a startup box, which i did, it sets up pretty quickly so reducing the time you need to setup and put it all back when you finish is worth it. I do love this game and my husband also like it and I have to say that it is our first game other than monopoly/risk/reversi games. I am a gamer - mostly pc adventure - but he is not - so at first I thought that he would hate it, but he didnt. He even helped me with the box. So I am seeing myself buying the expantions and completing my collection of E.H. someday.
Σοφία το "πρόβλημα" που έχεις με τα τέρατα που μένουν να τριγυρνάνε ελεύθερα αφού νικήσεις το παιχνίδι είναι απλό να λυθεί. Μιας και μιλάμε για παιχνίδι φαντασίας μπορείς να υποθέσεις ότι τα τέρατα υπάρχουν στον κόσμο μας λόγο της "δύναμης" που τους δίνει ο Great Old One που υπηρετούν. Μιας και έχοντας νικήσει έχεις καταφέρει να τον αποκλείσεις από τη διάσταση μας σταματά να μπορεί να διατηρεί τα τέρατα ζωντανά στην διάσταση μας και είτε επιστρέφουν στη δική τους ή πεθαίνουν μόνα τους. Αν το δεις και θεματικά κολλάει. Επίσης βάση της λογικής του παιχνιδιού (και των ιστοριών των βιβλίων) υπάρχουν σε όλο τον κόσμο ομάδες ανθρώπων που πολεμάνε παράλληλα με τον χαρακτήρα σου. Μπορείς να υποθέσεις ότι αυτοί "καθαρίζουν" τον κόσμο από οποίο τέρας έχει ξεμείνει. 😉 Το set up και το μάζεμα του παιχνιδιού με απασχολεί και εμένα κάθε φορά που θέλω να παίξω. Καλή η ιδέα σου για startup box.
I live in miami and i cannot find stores near me to be able to browse and purchase. Usually have to drive to another county to purchase. These reviews help me out. I just watch then order online
I remember when once, fighting Ithaqua (ice Yeti that brings next ice age) my character died. He died while visiting antarctic, because he got bitten by snake hidden in tall grass. Word was doomed because of this.
When playing Task Force Games "Viceroys" my explorations uncovered a tobacco plantation in Antarctica...although it later was under threat from the native (Penguin?) Empire next door.
interesting, but how did that happen? Suppose you play with Antarctica board, therefore you have special encounters not only for Antarctica locations but also for clues! Suppose you get an encounter on the main board, therefore you have distinctive Sea types of them. So... HOW?!
still, the expeditions are bounded with the locations, no way you could get bitten by snake on Antarctica space. Maybe you resolved a Wilderness location encounter on space 4 (a Wind Walker rumor), even if it's up North it's pretty grassy in summer. Or maybe you've just got Paranoia )))
I find that playing this game with two players is a little too light and not enough sense of urgency. Has anyone else found that? I was thinking of a House Rule where cultists when they come through a gate are 'hunters' and move each encounter phase towards the nearest investigator.
I believe it depends on the elder one you're up against, but I haven't played that much with 2 investigators. When me and my wife are playing we usually pick 2 investigators each for a total of 4 investigators - that way we have more to do each round, it's not so painful to get stuck with cursed and crippled helpless investigator if it's not the only one you have and certainly no balance problems there.
I recommend playing with two investigators each that really make it tougher and more engaging. Or just play against the Yig(if you have it) or cthulhu.
Hi! I have the Forbidden Lore, Cities in Ruin and Mountains of Madness expansion and I think it´s one of the greatest combination you can get. I played a game 2 days ago with 2 cahracter. The nett playtime was around 1 hour and I had a very good flow. It was like a complete story without some really strange fiasco.Most of the events were near to the central point of the game and I did lot`s of things with my investigators. I am gonna buy a new expansion and I think that`s it, I do not need more.
WE worship Cthulhu for the same reason we worship the Alien, with an added bonus: Lovecraft stopped after the first story (OK, I would be partial to "Cthulhus", by James Cameron... :D)
Don't you understand that C'thulhu isn't a "GIANT SQUID MONSTER" as you mistakenly said. C'thulhu is something infinitely more powerful the "squid" form that is just a assumption of what he is, he is being that you are unable to comprehend, a being that don't have a "face", that your mind can see whithout breaking a literal GOD, he is THE END and our little minds would never be able to understand. This is the c'thulhu of H.P. Lovecraft, not a giant squidward or something else you said.
Nice video! I preffer other FFG Cthulhu games exactly for the same reasons why Tom likes Eldritch: because it looks like more of an Indiana Jones game than a horror game (and I love horror!). About the editting "tricks" used during the video, I don't like them so much...
For us AH is still better than EH. Yes, it is a beast to set up, the fighting and monster managment is clunky, but it has a lot more to do: change your stats, go to the police station and sell portals/monsters. If you want to heal - go to the hospital, need a spell - to the library etc. EH was pitched as streamlined AH, but is's really not. It went more global and cut corners here and there, but added the hussle with tickets, expeditions and random with closing the gates.
AlexeyTea For us as well. Lots more choices to make, less of a rail game than EH. And it allows to switch strategies. In EH you have to solve the mysteries. Period. And the end game in EH is so boring. The final battle alone in AH beats the whole EH experience. So intense.
I agree, but I see a reason to own both EH and MoM. EH and AH are similar, so just stick with EH, but EH and MoM are different enough to warrant them both.
EH in the base game have 16 Mystery Cards (4 backs, 4 each) with the expansion Forsaken Lore you have 6 mysteries more that mean 22 mysteries. is just a little bit repetitive if you play it usualy and expensive but is better than MoM thats for sure.
MoM is too much of a video game. At least that's the feeling I'm getting from all the reviews that spend most of the time explaining the app, one that makes you wonder if simple in-app dice roll would actually remove any need for the board game itself.
I wanted to like this game so much just like Tom does, but it was not to be. My first game quickly had a quest pop up that was impossible to complete or even try to complete. Wow, what fun, a game you can't interact with! Then instead of forming a story the game plays out like a script written by an alien. A not too bright alien. You get involved in seedy deals in back alleys of India, after surviving the danger you get... a revolver! Sure couldn't buy one of those in stores during the 20s. Meanwhile on the other side of the world another character gets a loan from the Mafia so he can buy... a shotgun! Yup, better call Lucky Luciano to finance that small purchase, because that is how life is on Earth. Subsequent games weren't any better. No story, no fun mechanisms, no actual interaction with the Lovecraftian theme beyond some poorly written card flavor text, not my kind of game.
You miss the point with Cthulhu and other Lovecraft aliens, Tom. Their worshippers believe that, when the aliens/deities awaken,, the cultists will acquire power/wealth/influence, but the aliens are indifferent to human concerns. That's Lovecraft's underlying theme; the insignificance of humankind in the face of the cosmos. You're right however that Eldritch is a wonderful game.
I would make the counterpoint that this game, and many Lovecraft inspired games, take a lot from the post-Lovecraft August Derleth changes to the universe in which the universe took on a more good vs evil bent that tried both to tie the disparate elements together and give the mythos a more general appeal that also gave the universe an even more pulp fiction vibe, with easy evidence being the players being able to rock up and shotgun unknowable creatures in the mouth and the inclusion of several later addition gods that werent a part of Lovecraft's original works. I'm not personally fond of those later added elements myself but I've long since accepted their impact on the mythos and that the Arkham Files games will take from those.
i love it too!! i can't wait to finally beat an elder god and also get some small expansions to fill up the story
Funny thing that you post this on H.P.Lovecraft's birthday. (August 20th, 1890)
MrE10000g yeah and he didn't even mentioned the Master at all...
4:27 that Yog-sothoth pun deserves an award.
Totally missed that, so thanks!
I love this game so much . For me its the only game that really recreate the whole HP Lovecraft story
Perfectly put! Fully agree. Great game! Indiana Jones style.
Isn't that the thing with Lovecraft?
Tom says he doesn't like scary movies and stuff... But surely the difference between modern horror flicks and Lovecraft, is how Lovecraft is more about the atmosphere, the mood, the creepy lore and the cold feeling down your neck. Modern horror movies are about the monsters and jump scares ;)
One of my favorite games. I want to play now!
The only thing that bugs me about this game is that when you lose, it makes sense to have a board full of monsters, but when you solve the mysteries and win what about these monsters, you just let them be? I know that the game gives you enough choice as to go hunt them and kill as many as you want before you win if you have the time and that rarely happens. Other then that the game is wonderfull, funny and beautifully made. I own a copy, bought it about a month ago (I was going for arkham horror card game but couldnt find it in Greece), already played 10 games, eight of them solo and had fun. If you make a startup box, which i did, it sets up pretty quickly so reducing the time you need to setup and put it all back when you finish is worth it. I do love this game and my husband also like it and I have to say that it is our first game other than monopoly/risk/reversi games. I am a gamer - mostly pc adventure - but he is not - so at first I thought that he would hate it, but he didnt. He even helped me with the box. So I am seeing myself buying the expantions and completing my collection of E.H. someday.
I'd be interested to see a photo of your 'Start Up Box'. It's a good idea!
How can I send it to you?
Σοφία το "πρόβλημα" που έχεις με τα τέρατα που μένουν να τριγυρνάνε ελεύθερα αφού νικήσεις το παιχνίδι είναι απλό να λυθεί. Μιας και μιλάμε για παιχνίδι φαντασίας μπορείς να υποθέσεις ότι τα τέρατα υπάρχουν στον κόσμο μας λόγο της "δύναμης" που τους δίνει ο Great Old One που υπηρετούν. Μιας και έχοντας νικήσει έχεις καταφέρει να τον αποκλείσεις από τη διάσταση μας σταματά να μπορεί να διατηρεί τα τέρατα ζωντανά στην διάσταση μας και είτε επιστρέφουν στη δική τους ή πεθαίνουν μόνα τους. Αν το δεις και θεματικά κολλάει.
Επίσης βάση της λογικής του παιχνιδιού (και των ιστοριών των βιβλίων) υπάρχουν σε όλο τον κόσμο ομάδες ανθρώπων που πολεμάνε παράλληλα με τον χαρακτήρα σου. Μπορείς να υποθέσεις ότι αυτοί "καθαρίζουν" τον κόσμο από οποίο τέρας έχει ξεμείνει. 😉
Το set up και το μάζεμα του παιχνιδιού με απασχολεί και εμένα κάθε φορά που θέλω να παίξω.
Καλή η ιδέα σου για startup box.
I like how pretty much everyone who plays this seems to instinctively stack the gates on top of the circular compass on the board
I never did that, but now I'm going to!
Great vid as usual. Just wondering what miniatures you added/where you got them?
I live in miami and i cannot find stores near me to be able to browse and purchase. Usually have to drive to another county to purchase. These reviews help me out. I just watch then order online
LOL when he deadpans: "I get scared easily."
Never played a tabletop game, but this one seems interesting might give it a shot
Not even Monopoly?
I remember when once, fighting Ithaqua (ice Yeti that brings next ice age) my character died. He died while visiting antarctic, because he got bitten by snake hidden in tall grass. Word was doomed because of this.
Durley wow. I might have pushed for a redraw. But I guess it could be some sort of magic elder snake. Who comes with his own grass, apparently.
When playing Task Force Games "Viceroys" my explorations uncovered a tobacco plantation in Antarctica...although it later was under threat from the native (Penguin?) Empire next door.
interesting, but how did that happen? Suppose you play with Antarctica board, therefore you have special encounters not only for Antarctica locations but also for clues! Suppose you get an encounter on the main board, therefore you have distinctive Sea types of them. So... HOW?!
Koba Koba If i remember correctly, it was through expediction. There was some bit about snakes around world moving to South Pole.
still, the expeditions are bounded with the locations, no way you could get bitten by snake on Antarctica space. Maybe you resolved a Wilderness location encounter on space 4 (a Wind Walker rumor), even if it's up North it's pretty grassy in summer. Or maybe you've just got Paranoia )))
Do more of this series please... I want to see why you love viticulture, gloomhaven, ....
I find that playing this game with two players is a little too light and not enough sense of urgency. Has anyone else found that? I was thinking of a House Rule where cultists when they come through a gate are 'hunters' and move each encounter phase towards the nearest investigator.
I believe it depends on the elder one you're up against, but I haven't played that much with 2 investigators. When me and my wife are playing we usually pick 2 investigators each for a total of 4 investigators - that way we have more to do each round, it's not so painful to get stuck with cursed and crippled helpless investigator if it's not the only one you have and certainly no balance problems there.
I recommend playing with two investigators each that really make it tougher and more engaging. Or just play against the Yig(if you have it) or cthulhu.
Hi!
I have the Forbidden Lore, Cities in Ruin and Mountains of Madness expansion and I think it´s one of the greatest combination you can get. I played a game 2 days ago with 2 cahracter. The nett playtime was around 1 hour and I had a very good flow. It was like a complete story without some really strange fiasco.Most of the events were near to the central point of the game and I did lot`s of things with my investigators. I am gonna buy a new expansion and I think that`s it, I do not need more.
Lovecraft's writtings are not about horror: more about fascination ... like poetry , athmosphere ,
I mean, they are also about inducing fear. Lovecraft was pretty explicit about that.
How you guys deal with the strict and low 33% success chance? Rolling 5 or 6 to succeed being required to do ANYTHING seems awfully frustrating.
Well, it's only 33% chance if you are rolling one die. Other than that, your odds go up!
We're getting this to the table today for #cthulhugameday!
Love this game too.
I agree with Tom.
WE worship Cthulhu for the same reason we worship the Alien, with an added bonus: Lovecraft stopped after the first story (OK, I would be partial to "Cthulhus", by James Cameron... :D)
We don't worship Cthulhu or your false gods fool cultist...
We fight Cthulhu and his worshippers. Mankind will never fall to your tentacles again.
Love the Dice Tower. Not loving the random photos popping up throughout the video. Just give us some game images and I'm happy.
"I get scared easily" heh
Don't you understand that C'thulhu isn't a "GIANT SQUID MONSTER" as you mistakenly said. C'thulhu is something infinitely more powerful the "squid" form that is just a assumption of what he is, he is being that you are unable to comprehend, a being that don't have a "face", that your mind can see whithout breaking a literal GOD, he is THE END and our little minds would never be able to understand. This is the c'thulhu of H.P. Lovecraft, not a giant squidward or something else you said.
I think I’m going to sell my copy as it’s too long and tedious for my friends
find new friends then
Yog ready for this ...
Nice video! I preffer other FFG Cthulhu games exactly for the same reasons why Tom likes Eldritch: because it looks like more of an Indiana Jones game than a horror game (and I love horror!).
About the editting "tricks" used during the video, I don't like them so much...
For us AH is still better than EH. Yes, it is a beast to set up, the fighting and monster managment is clunky, but it has a lot more to do: change your stats, go to the police station and sell portals/monsters. If you want to heal - go to the hospital, need a spell - to the library etc.
EH was pitched as streamlined AH, but is's really not. It went more global and cut corners here and there, but added the hussle with tickets, expeditions and random with closing the gates.
I hope by "for us" you mean your gaming group and not all gamers as a whole. Because the majority of players who have played both prefer Eldritch.
BigBryan of course I do)
AlexeyTea For us as well. Lots more choices to make, less of a rail game than EH. And it allows to switch strategies. In EH you have to solve the mysteries. Period. And the end game in EH is so boring. The final battle alone in AH beats the whole EH experience. So intense.
Elder Char
ChaChaCha
Mansions of Madness 2nd. ed. beats any Elder/Eldritch/Arkham game there is.
Would play Elder Sign and Eldritch Horror before Mansions of Madness, but would take MoM before Arkham Horror for sure.
I agree, but I see a reason to own both EH and MoM. EH and AH are similar, so just stick with EH, but EH and MoM are different enough to warrant them both.
Not really, MoM has little replayability unlike EH
EH in the base game have 16 Mystery Cards (4 backs, 4 each) with the expansion Forsaken Lore you have 6 mysteries more that mean 22 mysteries. is just a little bit repetitive if you play it usualy and expensive but is better than MoM thats for sure.
MoM is too much of a video game.
At least that's the feeling I'm getting from all the reviews that spend most of the time explaining the app, one that makes you wonder if simple in-app dice roll would actually remove any need for the board game itself.
I wanted to like this game so much just like Tom does, but it was not to be. My first game quickly had a quest pop up that was impossible to complete or even try to complete. Wow, what fun, a game you can't interact with! Then instead of forming a story the game plays out like a script written by an alien. A not too bright alien. You get involved in seedy deals in back alleys of India, after surviving the danger you get... a revolver! Sure couldn't buy one of those in stores during the 20s. Meanwhile on the other side of the world another character gets a loan from the Mafia so he can buy... a shotgun! Yup, better call Lucky Luciano to finance that small purchase, because that is how life is on Earth. Subsequent games weren't any better. No story, no fun mechanisms, no actual interaction with the Lovecraftian theme beyond some poorly written card flavor text, not my kind of game.