Mansions of Madness vs Cthulhu: Death May Die - Play This, Not That
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ค. 2024
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Cthulhu Death May Die vs Mansions of Madness. Elder god vs elder god. Plastic minis vs plastic minis. Dungeon crawling vs dungeon crawling...and yet they play and feel so differently. Both are expensive and can get even more expensive with expansions added in, a lot of content, a lot of game, and both really well rated. Which one is right for you though?
BGG Link - boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2...
TimeStamps:
0:00:00 - Introduction
0:00:50 - Why Compare These Games
0:02:24 - Our Experience With These Games
0:04:30 - Price
0:05:34 - Ease of Learning/Teach
0:10:35 - Art & Components
0:14:23 - Theme
0:18:09 - Mechanics
0:36:15 - Play This, Not That
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My family LOVES Mansions. It and Sleeping Gods are really the only two games in our collection that all of us (particularly our boys) want to play any time they are suggested. We love not knowing exactly what is going on and the fun of just exploring and figuring things out over time. We find it quite immersive and compelling.
We just got C:DMD so the jury is out on that one as we haven't played it yet, but I'm hopeful that it gives us a visceral experience because it looks like it should.
How was Cthulhu: Death May Die for your family?
@@memesouls8653 We haven't played yet. We are waiting for the kids to be done with finals before we break it out.
@@foodflights1408hey, love. Any updates? I'm really curious about your experience.
Eldritch horror as a whole isn't really about punching an ancient one in the face (at least not literally). When Devon said that death and losing the game is always on the doorstep this is the core of great cosmic horror. CDMD completely misses this with its reliance on combat to solve every challenge. Mansions of Madness recreates the theme in a more meaningful way.
That is my point I was trying to get across to my friends. One of my favorite games is Arkham Horror and I do love Mansions of Madness both editions. Love Craft or Cthulhu is not about going off to fight these creatures is finding a way to defeat them because they are so powerful. Its about unravelling the mystery of what is going on before you go mad or die not become big baddy and fight. So when I played Death May Die I told my friends its a nice fan but doesn't feel like Cthulhu. If one ever plays even the Cthulhu roleplaying game its the same thing. Find out and solve the mystery before you go insane and die. This where Death May Die loses points with me.
@@arakuss1 Absolutely, the real test is in solving the mystery and figuring out the plot before its too late.
One thing I like to consider (or think of) is that CDMD is just a madness-induced fantasy/illusion in the minds of the "investigators" (sanatorium pacients)... Hahaha
That allows for an open and more upfront battle against these monsters! Hahaha :)
@@longeloe The madness once they go insane that they are really just in a padded cell thinking they are killing Cthulhu and his minions. I can by that.
Cthulhu: DMD is like the last act of a long role playing session when everyone is ready to die or to go insane.
I agree. That reminds me of how Rise of Moloch feels to me. It feels like the boss battle right after what I imagine would've been such a cool narrative adventure. I love the theme and characters so much that I want to dive into more of a deeper story with them, and that goes for both games. DMD though is currently my #1 game of all time (past, present, and even future!).
Death May Die is nowhere as easy to teach and learn as MoM 2E. App is an integral part of the game, it basically makes it a family game because it manages so much of the gameplay for you. Also, MOM is investigation game, you're not supposed to know what to do or where to go, it's basically "oh look there's something to investigate here, let's see where it leads us".
MoM gives you a short story before each scenario and a reason why you're there. Imagine if an investigation game gave you the end of an investigation before you even started. I think the guys have misunderstood MoM while the girl is probably a Lovecraftian cultist in disguise because she knows so much.
And finally, Valkyrie app for MoM doesn't work if you have Android 11 or newer, and probably never getting fixed.
Apparently the app was updated and works fine now as of 10 months ago
I play Mansions with my family, and Cthulhu solo. Both have a spot in my collection for the foreseeable future. Cthulhu Death May Die mini's are such a treat to paint and play with. The Mansions of Madness app is such a fun way to increase the thematic presence. Great topic for discussion.
Which one do you suggest to play first? I'm gonig to play it with a group of people that don't play board games that much.
@@gothamcity4043 Mansions is definitely easier, but not by a considerable amount. Mansions of Madness was one of the first games I ever played, new folks should enjoy it. If they find it too easy, Cthulhu is a good upgrade.
Mansions of madness was one of my first games. Loved it. After I got cthulhu death may die I sold my mansions of madness. IMO it does everything better. Although the exploration is fun in mansions. The last section of each level is really the most exciting part. Death may die is like playing just that exciting part.
Meg nailed it. Totally soaking in a bathtub of tentacles and incomprehensible knowledge whenever I revisit part of the Cthulhu FF games.
I absolutely loved this review. This is exactly what I was looking for to make up my mind.
Happy we could help!
I like this style of comparison video (even though I haven't much interest in either game).
Comparisons of games with a similar theme are quite useful, since it's fairly easy to see theme from the box cover, but really understanding mechanical/feel differences is much harder. Suggestions for similar comparisons:
* Ark Nova vs. Zoo Tycoon the Board Game
* Parks vs. Trekking the National Parks
* Just One vs. So Clover
I am suprised at the dislike of MoM. I have played it a couple of times years ago and thought that it was great experience and I love the story telling experience. But I haven't played CDmD yet (copy on it's way), so maybe I will have a different view after playing something with a more modern design.
I'd be surprised if anyone but Meg has played and/or liked a rpg.
And what were your thoughts? How's CDmD standing?😊
@@JanDyrda I have not had the chance to play it yet. Too much going on with work right now.
When you give CDMD a go, would genuinely be keen to hear your thoughts on it vs MoM
@@mitchellryan515 I did play CDMD back in November and I really enjoyed. But I think the experience is different from MoM and I enjoyed them both for different reasons. The exploration element seems much higher in MoM and the pace is more thoughtful where CDMD feels more like get in there and get fighting before it all goes to hell. Love them both.
"Just wander around and touch things" has never been a strategy I want to implement in games or real life. C:DMD has been a big hit for me since I got it a month or so ago. I can't get enough of it.
I like both of these a lot. DMD is my #1 game of all time. I think it is so fun and I love the way the theme comes through in all aspects of the game. I find the app to be a little clunky in MoM, but that's probably because I'm not used to playing app-based games. I did have fun in my 2 plays of MoM, but in my second play (of the steamship scenario of Horrific Journeys) we didn't realize that we should be reading the evidence book while going thru it, which would've made a big difference I think. I like them both, but DMD is amazing! Thanks y'all!
It amazes me the difference in game groups because I love both games but I can never play Cthulhu because nobody in my game groups want to play it after they play it the first time where Mansions of Madness has always been a hit with everyone I've played it with.
The second time we played Death May Die (3 players), we were running the Innsmouth one, and we got so close... After Cthulhu was summoned, I died. The other guys kept going. They got really, really close, and got Cthulhu down to his second stage. Then another guy died. The last guy is a strategy player (he's a super hard core board gamer / eurogamer) and he was fascinated enough with the balance that he said "hang on, let's see how this plays out" and we sped up a bit and ran through the rest of the game to see what would happen, rather than calling it quits. I think he made it through two more rounds before he became overwhelmed and eventually died - with Cthulhu at stage 3... It was SO close. Both other times we played, we won, and BOTH times were incredibly close as well. I love how tight it feels, because it keeps you on the edge of your seat, and though combat is a big factor, there's a lot of non-combat strategy (movement, certain items, madness effects, skills, episode effects, etc.) which play into it, and the game feels like a challenge, but it feels ultimately achievable.
Yep :) I love how tight the game can be :)
Congrats on hitting 45K!
Ty for the video!
FINALLY! Someone who agrees with my take on Mansions of Madness. My problem was the app took centre stage and I felt my role as a player diminished. I’m loving Arkham Horror the LCG. I’m definitely checking or CDMD.
What happened to your upcoming kickstarters video? I was paused in the middle of it because I had to get back to work, and now it's unavailable.
Last time we played MoM, we used the minis from C:DMD. I love both games, but they both have their own niche with my player group. But if I had to pick one - it would be DMD and I'm sooo hyped for seasons 3 and 4.
Hey Alex, since you had the chance of playing both Marvel Zombies and C:DMD.. if you will only keep one, which of the two will it be?
I feel like Meg was the only one trying to convey how radically different these games are. C:DMD is a dice chucker (take down them baddies) and MoM is an adventure (experience the story) game.
Exactly. These games aren't in the same category other than the theme - which MoM has in spades over CDMD. They might was well be comparing CDMD to Arkham Horror.
I do not have CDMD, but I knew it was going to win. It's one of those games everyone loves to play, MoM not so much. MoM was /is an awkward game. It was originally an D&D style game with a game master. It was one of the first games converted to use an app to simulate the GM. It mostly succeeded, but using the app slows game play. It's like the players are lined up at an ATM waiting to input their turn. As with many games the experience varies with the number of players. MoM is best with 1-2 players. CDMD the more the merrier.
This has me worried. I love Mansions of Madness. All the things they dislike about MoM are the reasons I like it. A couple of weeks ago I bought Cthulhu: Death May Die and Season 2. I've been to busy to try them yet and now I'm worried if I'll like it.
You might. Those two are very different!
I really like both and like MoM better than CDMD. They scratch very different itches. Also you could use the minis from CDMD in MoM too. :)
@@retroarcadefan I agree with all of that. Played the first CDMD episode last week, and both MoM and CDMD are different but fun experiences. I'll need to play more CDMD before I can say which I prefer, but I expect both to be in my top 5.
@@Misiodziej Played the first CDMD episode last week, and both MoM and CDMD are different but fun experiences. MoM turns up the dread slower and consistently, while CDMD (from my first experience) does it in jumps from: Everything is in control > we are barely hanging on > Kamikaze! it ends this turn one way or the other.
I love Cuthulu DMD and so happy I bought after watching you sing it’s praises for so long. Mansions is a good game for me but it outstays it welcome at times for me.
Side note Devon is really turning into an awesome reviewer recently I’ve been really impressed with how he articulates what he likes and doesn’t like about games.
Super appreciate how supportive you are!
Sounds like I made the right decision on passing on Mansions of Madness
Best trio on TH-cam! As a fan of both games, I really enjoyed the conversation. I have the same issue with MoM - each game seems like an unknown race, which is at odds to me with all the fun stuff to explore and uncover. DMD is more straightforward. I hate the minis in MoM though and would replace them witH DMD's for a much superior experience.
Its funny that Devin says that very few times that he has wanted to get up and walk away from a bad gaming experience. I was talking with a friend just a couple days ago about that. In the last three years that's only happened to me twice. Not long ago with the game Rear Window and the other with Legends Academy
Personally I’ve played both and I enjoy both. A friend of mine owns MoM and I own C:DMD. We play both depending on the mood we are in since they are both such different games. I do prefer DMD, but I enjoy both experiences.
CDMD all the way. No comparison really. Although we still do have a bunch of Mansions of Madness and enjoy occasionally.
I just got Mansions as an early Christmas present. I think that the accessibility of the game will be easier for my current game group. I believe that we will enjoy it.
That said, I suspect that I'll enjoy Death May Die more.
The main disadvantage of Mansions of Madness is, that it´s too big to through it into the garbage can!
Lol ouch
Also I love the insanity cards in mansion are they still on our team or do they need to stab one of us or start a fire to win. All the tensions. Meg if you liked the Innsmouth scenario, try the Hidden Depths scenario from the Horrific Journeys expansion.
This has pretty much talked me out of the DMD kickstater. There are legitimate criticisms of MoM, and they missed all of them.
Do share.
The witness is such a fanatic puzzle game
Cthulhu death may die for me (easily in my top 5 board games of all time), as soon as the word app to play appears I’m not interested, may aswell just turn on my pc.
Totally agree, I can go play video games if I want. But I choose to play board games with amazing minis and mechanics. DmD is also in my top 5, so good
I’m downloading the video now to watch on my commute. But I’ll say now that I own and enjoy both games. I’m eager to get MOM back to the table though.
I have played 3 games of mansions of madness. We horribly lost the tutorial scenario so had to play it twice. Since we knew what was going on, we rushed the ending and won quite handily. The second scenario we did better in, and I feel we would have won without the few cheats we did. Knowing how the big baddie moved in the second scenario I think we could mostly ignore it.
I just got in Cthulhu death may die and I do like the materials a bit more, but one thing I really like about mansions is the exploration aspect. I also like the puzzles a bit, it can break up the monotony of the game. The one thing I don’t like about mansions is the constant dumping on the players. If you just had a horrible mythos phase, took a savage beating, get ready for more, there is still the madness checks. I do like the companion app, and I like the randomization.
I sold MoM recently because I wasn’t enjoying it. I backed the new C:DMD at the $1 tier and am very close to pulling the trigger on it.
I own both, and I love both.
This one's easy. You need both, lol.
Man, I really agree with pretty much everything Devon said. I absolutely adore the theme/narrative aspects of MoM, I just don't feel motivated to pull it out anymore when I have C:DMD and Arkham Horror LCG where I think I'll have more fun within the Lovecraftian universe. I'm curious how Deep Madness (or Dawn of Madness) compare to MoM. I put $1 down on Deep Madness. Considered late backing Dawn of Madness. Do they offer something similar to MoM without being app driven? If I sold off MoM but had C:DMD, AH:LCG, and DM/DoM would I feel like MoM was unnecessary? Or maybe I'm missing out big time not trying any of the MoM expansions?
Deep Madness is great but it's has nothing to compare with MoM (except the monsters background).
Eldritch Horror blows both these games off the box. Just my opinion. Killer video and thanks.
Sure EH best Lovecraft game ever
Eldritch horror is the lovecraftian game that i should sell..almost never gets played. We prefer cthulhu death may die, mansionsnof madness and even elder sign gets played more😅🥰
I know you bought that longsleeve at Kohls because I'm wearing one, too. They're pretty comfy. That's all I got.
Ya I did :)
Have not played CDMD yet but, even though it's certainly not perfect (nor is any game), thematically I think it makes complete sense to have to unravel what the hell is going on in this insane and confusing world you suddenly find yourself in. This comparison honestly seems a little like apples to oranges after hearing your conversation about them both. CDMD seems more like the boss battle you might endure after you've figured out what the hell is going on lol
I've played through pretty much through every MoM sceanrio at least twice at this point except for maybe the Path of the Serpent expansion. We have a great time! I have a group of 2 others that enjoy the Lovecraftian horror games with me. We played through every episode of DMD. That's also really fun! We're all ready for season 3 & 4.
You know what's interesting... I've loved Death May Die since the first time I played it - love every bit of it. Played 3 different scenarios so far in the base game, and working through them with a couple friends. But in this comparison, y'all point out how C:DMD is much more combat-oriented compared to MoM's Investigative and Puzzle-driven gameplay. In most TTRPG games, I vastly prefer investigation and puzzle-solving over combat. Sometimes I dread combat. As a result, I prefer "Pure" Call of Cthulhu over Pulp Call of Cthulhu. I prefer Delta Green, etc. But in this board game case, the idea that DMD is almost wholly combat driven didn't even occur to me. I've never played MoM, but based on the descriptions I suspect I would prefer DMD anyway. Part of it could be the execution, part of it could just be that it's a different mode / medium than TTRPGs. It's funny.
Interesting, I've always loved it the most In the genre because of that
Admittedly this has swayed me towards Cthulhu: Death May Die as I'm already heavily invested into Arkham Horror: LCG. I think my next step though will be to look into the possibility of tracking down a copy of Arkham 2nd ed.
I own and enjoy both for different reasons. The same way I love the first two Alien movies. MoM is Alien, suspenseful, the odd scare then big monster at the end. CDMC is Aliens - Let’s Rock!!!
I don't understand the love affair with Destinies. I don't hate it but it doesn't feel like it's an evolution of MoM, it feels like a huge step backwards. All you do in that game is move and interact with a single thing every turn. There's very little strategy.
Couldn't agree more with the conclusion 😜
Cthulhu DMD is more comparable to Zombicide, although much better.
MOM is more like an advanced clue. Again much better.
I think MOM is more varied than DMD. DMD is more consistent of an experience.
Components DMD is the clear winner, by a lot.
MOM is the more unique game. Primarily because of the app, and what it does.
It is some time ago since I've last played pur copy of 1st edition MoM, but to me Lovecraft never was about fighting but about the mystery, uncertainty and the unexpected. It serves a different type of game, like comparing an RPG to an FPS? Now this comes from somebody who hasn't played 2nd edition MoM or C:DmD
The one vs many aspect negates a bit of the scenario building I think since that one player plays as the evil presence lurking.. I don't know. But like Meg said, for an app driven adventure I'd go for Destinies but for 1 vs many, MoM is my standout game :)
Though I loved the thematic presentation of MoM, I got frustrated with the health and sanity cards continually weakening my character at every turn - just sucked the fun out of it for me. (And the figs desperately need to be updated to current standards ... really hurts the emersion.). But happy it hits the mark for many. There is a game out there for everyone!
Although I should focus on the content of the video, I feel compelled to call out how nice the Professor's hair looks.
Alex scores second place in the "best hair" competition today.
I've played Mansions of Madness a lot. I own everything for it, I've played every scenerio FFG has released, most multiple times. Both first and second edition, I do prefer second I don't know anyone who does not. Cthulhu DMD I've only played twice but want to explore more because I don't think those first two scenarios give me enough to keep me hooked. Maybe that's because those plays were more than a year apart. Mansions replaced Betrayal for me and I prefer it to Arkham Horror and Eldritch Horror. I could say something similar to what Devon said about mansions just being generic FFG about the gameplay of DMD I played a lot of the games CMON was releasing at the time DMD hit and they all played similarly the others, massive darkness, zombicide, smog. After my initial play I said this game makes me want to play the others. Now DMD makes me want to play it more because it has the staying power where the other CMON titles don't(besides Zombicide). I disagree with Devon's if you don't solve that mystery in time you die. Sometimes that is the case but more often than that it turns into okay in order to win you need to defeat this huge monster and if you do it's a very good feeling. Each scenerio has 3 or 4 possible endings in mansions. Mansions will never leave my collection it's my preference between the two at the moment. If anyone(Meg) is going to Dice Tower East and wants to try a fully painted copy let me know.
Cthulhu death may die is the successor to The Others: 7 deadly sins. The madness and corruption tracks work similarly. The bosses get stronger the more you beat them up. Etc.
That intro is why I follow 🤣🤔😅🥳
To Devon’s point, I’ve found that I don’t enjoy boardgames where a significant part of the game loop is wandering around aimlessly hoping to stumble across something that moves the story forward. I want to have some level of agency and make meaningful decisions that logically tie into the story for my narrative driven games. Or, have the random encounters occur as part of a logical game sequence based on the mechanics/win conditions.
My one experience of MoM, was that it was fiddly, random, and way overstayed its welcome. I didn’t enjoy Destinies either and agree with Meg that there are some shared fundamentals with these games.
Having yet to play CDMD I can't comment on that. For MoM, valid criticisms were raised, but for me it has plenty of replay value IF you own the expansions. With expansions future playthroughs of the same scenario adds a few random monsters/tiles/items/spells from the expansions. The final battle is basically the same but the experience differs enough to keep me interested. Admittedly, I like both MoM and Eldritch Horror because EH was one of the 1st hobby games I played and immensely enjoyed it, and due to not at all enjoying the FF Lord of the Rings LCG I've stayed away from Arkham LCG.
To start I really don't like comparisons with apples to orange like games. They may both have the same theme but different games.
With me with this genre I like Mansions of Madness better because well you really don't punch Cthulhu. I forgot who had said something the near the same and put it better. To me Death May Die is a skirmish with Cthulhu. Mansions is more of the Mystery and well fear of dying. Never felt detached from the game but to each there own. Oh and to add I normally dislike app games but I liked this one. My experience with Death May Die it just felt like ok get ready go kill monsters. Sorry to me its not Cthulhu to me. I have played the roleplaying game even in that its more about trying to solve what going on and not go insane and get killed not go kill. Now saying I think Mansions of Madness does need an update or revised but hopefully to better portray the narrative. Oh I don't mind the pause to set up things I like mystery and maybe that is because I am also use to doing that playing roleplaying games.
My conclusion is if one was going to ask me to play a Cthulhu themed board game I would instantly want to play Arkham Horror 2nd edition over Death May Die and Mansions of Madness. Eldritch Horror is maybe tied with Mansions. Death May Die would be the last one I would think of with this theme.
I had to rebase the Mansions minis because those oversize stock black bases with miss-sized peg holes are absolutely horrible. CDMD has some of the best mini's for a boardgame to date.
Play with Valkyrie, change everything in MoM.
Nice :)
CMD vs Zombicide or The Others makes a bit more sense. MoM is more narrative/exploration focused. CMD is more combat focused.
On replayability, through the Valkyrie app, there are hundreds of free fan-made scenarios (with player ratings) that are often even better than official scenarios.
I own all of MoM and I never play it anymore. The constant pausing the game to lay out the tiles and tokens really sucks the fun out of the whole experience. After getting into Arkham Horror: The Card Game, I’ll likely never play MoM again. AG:TCG killed both Eldritch Horror and MoM for me. For me, it’s peak Fantasy Flight Arkham Files for me.
Cthulhu: Death May Die is just non-stop fun. The ease of teach & play puts it over the top of MoM and as well as many other games in my collection. And the way it front loads the setup together with the scenario + elder god pairing system is brilliant.
The only question is if there is room for Machina Arcana in my collection or not. 😅
if we consider that all about H.P is unknown, unspeakable, obscure and vague, I guess Mansions stays in the genre, I didn't play Cthulhu may die, but the games where everything is straightforward, are more fun on platforms like PC. Just my 5 cents... Btw played Zombicide, which of course is not even close in depth, but didn't find it fun, exactly because everything is about doing the obvious things all the time.
I had the exact same unfun experience with MoM and have hard time seeing what others like that much about this game.
Cthulu DMD vs The Others (I want to see :P)
Do you guys think the fact that you have to use an app is the biggest drawback from MoM ?
Owned both still have cdmd.
Hearing about these both honestly just makes me wan to play Call of Cthulhu more. I lean more towards MoM, as it is ostensibly a rigid RPG. Both games, IMO, fall pretty neatly into the pulpy "shotguns & shoggoths" style of the Mythos.
I wonder if they’ll ever make a third edition with better miniatures
Have played MoM many times 6+ times 2nd edition and 3 times first edition, and do not like the app driven part of it at all, it bogs down so much, and takes away from interacting with the other players and interacting with the board. 1st edition was better, but was way too complicated.
I prefer Eldritch Horror so much more.
We own MoM and our first attempt to play was a disaster. I found myself nodding a lot to the points you made about the game. I think it is time for MoM to leave our collection even though it has not been truly played.
I sold off my Mansions of madness, it wasn't hitting the table as much as Call of Cthulhu so it had to go. It wasnt getting played at all tbh. Call of Cthulhu is one of my favorite games.
It is happening again, right? Alex, am i right? 😂
I have to say I really prefer MoM and Arkham files games over say C:DmD. When I play Lovecraftian games I want to feel as if I am part of a Lovecraftian story which never ends with them beating up the big baddies, hell even the Delta Green RPG doesn’t play out like that. If I want to do a beat ‘em up game there are far better themes such as zombies which apply.
I also have to disagree with the idea the investigators are all the same. I am not sure if you are getting some rules wrong or just have incredibly lucky rolls and situation, but all of the investigators feel very different. Your powers and even just having a single difference in a stat makes a huge difference. To the point that if your don’t necessarily have the right balance to your group build you can be destined to lose simply because you can’t get enough successes in the right areas, or don’t have the right abilities to mitigate luck, to progress the story properly.
Just had to comment that Meg is right... Arkham Horror 2e is a great (even though llooooonnngg) game!
CDMD is easily the better of the two games for me. Its easier to play, easier to learn, easier to set up / take down and is a lot more fun.
Enjoyable. You made the right decision! 😊. Now try in the next one not to use “like” and “you know” in every other sentence! 😅
I have backed CDMC and am on the point of selling MoM. I have enjoyed my time with MoM and have a soft spot for ii but it’s way too long, and not all that time is exciting. Combat feels super random and players feel they can’t do enough on a turn. Replayability is v low and expansions v expensive. Minis are terrible. The thing I will miss is the exploration and fun twists in the creepy mansion - I love the tiles and the fun things done in different scenarios.
Alex, you like green eggs and ham? Really? 😂
I like Mansions in concept, but the execution ALWAYS lets me down. Every time I try to introduce it to a playgroup, we have the same experience: everyone's having fun, exploring the clues, putting things together, talking about the mystery... and then the app says "You have taken too long to investigate. The Elder One appears and devours all your souls. Game over."
There is nothing more off-putting than losing repeatedly and not knowing why. If the game wants me to investigate, why doesn't it let me investigate? Conversely, if it's a race to get the bare minimum number of clues to win, then why aren't the missions structured to encourage that with appropriate pressure? The game design is super frustrating, and since I picked up Death May Die I haven't looked back at Mansions even once.
I personally love both games (and also Arkham Horror TCG). However, Arkham Horror TCG and C:DMD are both in my Top 10, and MoM is not.
I found mansion of madness so annoying trying to remember the 7 actions you can take. There isn't a player reference card.
DMD is the winner for me hands down.
Not really a fair comparison given the age of MoM and also that it's a dead platform.
That said we like both games for different reasons.
MoM is more thematic and tells a better story. CDMD is a pure single session brawler. They both generate sufficient tension and excitement to make it to our table on a regular basis.
Also unfair to include FoTU for CDMD on the discussion as 98% of the world doesn't have it yet.
This should be easier to explain a this not that.
If both games have a game master who can explain how to play:
If the gamers are new to gaming and want to experience a real game (not monopoly or clue) for the first time, Mansions Of Madness is better.
If the gamers are familiar with many real games and game mechanics, Cthulhu: Death May Die is better.
Mansions is a better gateway game. Cthulhu a better game.
I really like MoM. I want to like CDMD but I've found it punishingly difficult to the point that all the fun is sucked out of it. Any tips?
MoM is far more like a Lovecraftian mythos game than CDMD. CDMD is more of a parody of a Lovecraftian story. How many Lovecraft mythos stories are Zombicidesque all guns blazing experiences? - None. If you want an experience much closer to a rpg, grab MoM. If you want only a surface paint version of Cthulhu on an action story, go for CDMD. As far as replayability goes, there are many dozens more of fan based scenarios available for MoM so you can't go wrong with either if you want a wealth of different experiences. The minis quality got much better in later expansions but never gets to CMON level. The bases though... that was something that FFG should have chucked right off the bat. Rebasing them on clear or just normal round bases is an easy and quick upgrade. Meg very much nails the appeal of MoM. The argument that you don't know what you are supposed to do isn't completely true as there is an introduction to each scenario and is part of the mystery of the mythos. Also the comments on placing tokens in rooms sounds like you ignore the text that gives you clues about the story. In addition, the tokens are almost always exactly placed on the item in the rooms artwork on each and every tile.
To me the point is that CDMD is a better game' but MoM is a better cthulu game. When i played the first i hai fun but constantly felt like "this is definitely not something that looks like lovecraft" with the other i felt inside the book.
So in the end if you don't care about cthulu' go for CDMD. If you do like the atmosFEAR of lovecraft go for MoM. (Sorry if i do some mistakes' but i am rusty with english =) )
Ok as someone who dove in on C:DMD and has eyed Mansions of Madness from afar, thank you, this helps me realize that MoM is not for me and that I already have the right game for me. :)
Mansions is ok but I think it has aged significantly. The minis are terrible. The tiles aren’t numbered which destroys setup time with any expansions. The app is polarizing and presents just as many problems as it solves.
It’s not a bad game, but at this point even within the Arkham files universe I’d just rather play Ah2, Ah3, Eh, and AhLCG. MoM just doesn’t make the cut anymore.
I think the arkham lcg murdered both of these games for me.
I'm team Meg here. Although I understand all your reasoning, I still believe MoM fits more my needs for story and exploration. Not a really big fan of big battles.
Reading comments and hearing the group, I do not think they are compatible. One is a straight dice chucker with so little exploration. The other is more exploration with some fighting. I have had sessions of CDMD where one person won or lost the game for us. I have had experiences where luck in CDMD was so bad that I constantly had an enemy in my space that I could not explore and get items that would make me more powerful. In Mansions, I have played scenarios where we were looking for clues and solving puzzles the whole time and learning about the characters back story with only two fights the entire 3 hour session. I love Mansions for the story and the twists. Is it game I want to replay each scenario over and over? No. I like CDMD and I can see myself playing scenarios over and over. But the story is just ok. It’s all fight and survive. CDMD will likely stay in my collection longer due to replay ability, but Mansions will be a game I measure others to for theme and story.
I recently got MoM and like it but find it quite punishing. Expansion are way overpriced
CDMD is a fun dungeon crawler but the Lovecraft theme is very light. It doesn’t reflect the IP all that well. It would equally be as good (and arguably better) with another theme attached.
MoM is much closer to the IP in theme. I don’t like the use of an app of 2e, but MoM 1e is still amazing and has continued to be a favourite at our table even after all these years. It’s as close to playing a Cthulhu story as you can get in a board game.
You should probably stop having Devon comparing similarities. He likes puzzle games but hated MoM because he didn't get to complete them in one round. Also likes puzzles, but doesn't like it when puzzles are vague? It's a fricken puzzle! You would've been more saying you hate tile exploration problem solving. It's a cooperative tile exploration puzzle solver; you explore the map to maximize team efficiency and figure iut how to win. I will say the intro scenario isnt great cuz it presses you more for time to complete which is an intro fumble. The app text is lengthy but you should be going in knowing that before playing otherwise your friends are kinda jerks for making you play with mechanics you know you dislike. I play MoM because it's more real because you're just humans, who are different because they all have different character abilities to help in game btw. The only reasons DMD is better is the fault of Fantasy Flight, 1. MoM is dated it could certainly be easily streamlined 2. Minis are subpar. 3. The app could be upgraded and it would be even more amazing. FF is just corporate greed at this point but personally realism vs superhero scenario play is where MoM is excels and is better at and has more variety.
Interesting. I'm not impressed much with Cthulhu:DMD, I'd much rather play the Others: 7 sins (for imho better impelementation of similiar mechanics + better theme), or Eldritch Horror/ Mansions of Madness for Cthulhu flavor. Sure, the minis in CDMD are better than in MoM, but the game is newer and CMON is a miniature focused company, so that's to be expected :)
I dont like MoM because of the app
I prefer to play with no app
MoM 1e has no app and plays great.
Easy win for Mansions of Madness imo. I find MoM to be an exponentially more thematic and immersive experience, despite it's flaws. I find CDmD to be a boring, simple game hidden behind piles of cheap plastic and a bucket of dice. Maybe if I would have played C:DmD before playing MoM or any of the countless other skill check dice chuckers out there, I would have thought it was cool. But by the time I played it, it was all frosting and no cake...and while I do love me some frosting, I don't like it made of plastic. So it's an easy win for Mansions of Madness...a cakewalk even.