I've been in the hobby for maybe 3-4 years now, and Clank was a game that always sounded like a lot of fun to me, but never quite made it into my collection. Hearing that people would figure out the ideal path and just run through that every time was a deterrent, for sure. When I heard about the tiles in Clank Catacombs, I was sold right away. I got it for Christmas, and after only one game, I can't imagine playing this game with a set board. I love this game, but feel no need anymore to play the older titles.
I just played this as my family's entry to Clank! By family, I mean me, my 4-year-old son and my 6-year-old son. It wasn't too complicated for them (a source of pride for me as a gaming dad). They LOVE it. The sense of adventure is incredible.
100% agree. Enjoyed Clank; really liked In Space; love Catacombs. The tiles + lockpicks + other map features really make this a winner that addressed all the shortcomings of the previous iterations. Have played several times with various groups and thumbs up from everyone. I even got nailed by the mentioned tile rotation that ruined my egress route, forcing me to go a longer, unexplored route that actually worked out better - but I didn't know that at the time. Looking forward to more plays and expansions.
I’m loving the ‘Just Played’ series. This looks likes a really fun version of Clank - more tactical perhaps which I prefer- the flipping tiles to discover where you going sounds right up my street too and really fits the theme
Thanks! We love to hear feedback like that on our new content experiments. It definitely ratchets up the fun of Clank for me, and the sense of exploration just feels great!
I’d love to try this, thanks for a great first look. I do wonder if the randomness of the tiles might be a bit grating… someone just lucks into a great artefact or secret where someone else struggles through trick tiles. Did you find it balanced out? Have they addressed that somehow?
The tiles aren't such that someone can get a distinctly better one than someone else too much. The artifacts keep coming out, from low to high. So effectively, the more players explore, the better and better the artifacts will be. There's certainly some chance in the game, but it really didn't feel terribly different in that respect from the original--just more fun with the discover of everything as you play.
Thematically this adds so much to the Clank! Series. What I’m still not sure of is a potential trend of players exploring the catacombs in different directions not to get their target artifact stolen… Need to play few more times to better understand!
Also there are the portals which still might enable other players to outrun you and snatch away the artifact you were after, even if you set off in different directions.
Why that's Trolls and Princesses! It's on Kickstarter now, and we actually have a full preview on the channel right here: th-cam.com/video/zJQts2lU36E/w-d-xo.html
It occurs to me that I may get to the point where I will have played all the Clank!s except for the original. I have Clank! In! Space! and Legacy and Catacombs both intrigue me.
The biggest issue is one that enough reviewers are not covering: the component quality is absolutely atrocious. They completely cheaped out in the manufacturing and the component quality is that of a Hasbro game, not something you expect from Dire Wolf. Extremely disappointing and cannot recommend until they come out with a properly produced version that wasn't made to the lowest quality standards.
That is a very good point. While the components weren't offensively bad or anything, I do think there is definite room for improvement on the thickness of tiles, and the insert. These days in gaming, we're spoiled by all the more deluxe games. 😉
Way too long for a light family game, and as in the base game, there are so few ways to trash cards, you just end up with a massive deck with cards you might only see once.
It would be nice if there were more ways to trash cards, but Clank's never really felt like that kind of deck-builder. Our game didn't actually take so long, although I do think the timer mechanic from the original once someone leaves the dungeon was a bit more intense.
This was my biggest disappointment for 2022. I liked original Clank but this felt too random. I died while not pushing my luck and scored 0 points. At least in other Clanks I could strategize my path/turns easier. Glad others like it, but I will not be coming back to this version.
@@meeple Yeah I can see why others like it and that aspect really was something I looked forward to. It is more thematic that you wouldn't know the dungeon layout
For me actually the randomness what was spiced Clank up again. When playing the old Clank a lot i had the feeling that you tend to use very similar paths everytime you play and i didn't enjoy this predictable aspect because a lot of things in clank are random and at least for us the randomness in this game really works well and Catacombs is no exception there.
I've got this coming in next week together with The Wolves from Pandasaurus. (To The Netherlands) and I'm looking forward to both of them. So I found it funny that those two boxes where hanging side by side in the background. So much looking forward to them.
I've been in the hobby for maybe 3-4 years now, and Clank was a game that always sounded like a lot of fun to me, but never quite made it into my collection. Hearing that people would figure out the ideal path and just run through that every time was a deterrent, for sure. When I heard about the tiles in Clank Catacombs, I was sold right away. I got it for Christmas, and after only one game, I can't imagine playing this game with a set board. I love this game, but feel no need anymore to play the older titles.
I’m in the same boat! But only really been in the hobby about 2 years. Definitely considering just going straight to this version
Same same!
I just played this as my family's entry to Clank! By family, I mean me, my 4-year-old son and my 6-year-old son. It wasn't too complicated for them (a source of pride for me as a gaming dad). They LOVE it. The sense of adventure is incredible.
100% agree. Enjoyed Clank; really liked In Space; love Catacombs. The tiles + lockpicks + other map features really make this a winner that addressed all the shortcomings of the previous iterations. Have played several times with various groups and thumbs up from everyone. I even got nailed by the mentioned tile rotation that ruined my egress route, forcing me to go a longer, unexplored route that actually worked out better - but I didn't know that at the time. Looking forward to more plays and expansions.
Yeah, expansions should be really fun!
Very interested to play this. It is now a true explore game.
Exactly
I’m loving the ‘Just Played’ series.
This looks likes a really fun version of Clank - more tactical perhaps which I prefer- the flipping tiles to discover where you going sounds right up my street too and really fits the theme
Thanks! We love to hear feedback like that on our new content experiments. It definitely ratchets up the fun of Clank for me, and the sense of exploration just feels great!
I’d love to try this, thanks for a great first look. I do wonder if the randomness of the tiles might be a bit grating… someone just lucks into a great artefact or secret where someone else struggles through trick tiles. Did you find it balanced out? Have they addressed that somehow?
The tiles aren't such that someone can get a distinctly better one than someone else too much. The artifacts keep coming out, from low to high. So effectively, the more players explore, the better and better the artifacts will be. There's certainly some chance in the game, but it really didn't feel terribly different in that respect from the original--just more fun with the discover of everything as you play.
@@meeple Good to know, thanks!
Thanks for showing this one. Was very curious what was going on with it.
Thanks for watching David!
Thematically this adds so much to the Clank! Series. What I’m still not sure of is a potential trend of players exploring the catacombs in different directions not to get their target artifact stolen… Need to play few more times to better understand!
That might happen, but you run the risk of getting stranded with no one nearby placing tiles. So it’s a risk either way.
Also there are the portals which still might enable other players to outrun you and snatch away the artifact you were after, even if you set off in different directions.
It kind of reminds me of Tsuro mechanics added to Clank. Very interesting game I’ll have to check out.
It's worth checking out for sure.
that game on the wall behind the guy with the blue shirt (***esses something), what is that?
Why that's Trolls and Princesses! It's on Kickstarter now, and we actually have a full preview on the channel right here: th-cam.com/video/zJQts2lU36E/w-d-xo.html
@@meeple thanks! Will check it out.
"They get zany" Ryan 2023. Put it on the box
It occurs to me that I may get to the point where I will have played all the Clank!s except for the original. I have Clank! In! Space! and Legacy and Catacombs both intrigue me.
You’ve played enough you don’t necessarily need to go back to the original lol
The biggest issue is one that enough reviewers are not covering: the component quality is absolutely atrocious.
They completely cheaped out in the manufacturing and the component quality is that of a Hasbro game, not something you expect from Dire Wolf.
Extremely disappointing and cannot recommend until they come out with a properly produced version that wasn't made to the lowest quality standards.
That is a very good point. While the components weren't offensively bad or anything, I do think there is definite room for improvement on the thickness of tiles, and the insert. These days in gaming, we're spoiled by all the more deluxe games. 😉
Hello. Is it possible to play it solo ?
I’m not sure if Clank! ever had solo rules or if there was a variant on BGG but if so it should still work with Catacombs.
I don't believe so. It seems to be a 2-4 player experience.
@@meeple this is not true. They came put with an app for solo play 🙂
Way too long for a light family game, and as in the base game, there are so few ways to trash cards, you just end up with a massive deck with cards you might only see once.
It would be nice if there were more ways to trash cards, but Clank's never really felt like that kind of deck-builder. Our game didn't actually take so long, although I do think the timer mechanic from the original once someone leaves the dungeon was a bit more intense.
This was my biggest disappointment for 2022. I liked original Clank but this felt too random. I died while not pushing my luck and scored 0 points.
At least in other Clanks I could strategize my path/turns easier.
Glad others like it, but I will not be coming back to this version.
Fair points. I don't mind the element of surprise or randomness at all. The feeling of discovery it brings, just makes it more fun for me.
@@meeple Yeah I can see why others like it and that aspect really was something I looked forward to. It is more thematic that you wouldn't know the dungeon layout
For me actually the randomness what was spiced Clank up again. When playing the old Clank a lot i had the feeling that you tend to use very similar paths everytime you play and i didn't enjoy this predictable aspect because a lot of things in clank are random and at least for us the randomness in this game really works well and Catacombs is no exception there.
Not tried it but perhaps you could play a variant where all the tiles are placed at the start of the game to reduce the randomness?
I've got this coming in next week together with The Wolves from Pandasaurus. (To The Netherlands) and I'm looking forward to both of them. So I found it funny that those two boxes where hanging side by side in the background.
So much looking forward to them.
What a coincidence! I bet you’ll enjoy both games and I hope you check out our video on The Wolves too.