Played this yesterday in two player and we both decided that it should be possible to share knowledge about the portals. Maybe by two players going to a location and using a share knowledge item or something like that. Otherwise it seems one player needs to concentrate on closing portals whilst the other kills the demons off. We played at a board game cafe so I'd happily pick this up if I saw it on sale somewhere as we both enjoyed the theme and the game in general.
Because in this game, there is a VERY important piece of information that you simply can't share with the other players. So while you can cooperate in every other way, it feels a bit jilted.
I have that game and I have played it with and without the "no telling" rule (although we made it so only the one who saw the portal could close it), and it didn't make a big difference.
Tom, great review as always, but can you explain how does the "cooperation without colleboration" mechanic in this game any different than the one in SoC (which features high up in your top 100)? It seems to me all the issues you described with this mechanic apply to SoC as well ("...On Collaboration..."). How are they different? Not trying to troll, just to understand.
objective is: - lock old one with proper items in R'lyeh - and at the same time close portal in University with any artifact - and have hidden portals locked with proper artifacts - and have no artifacts where is solid wall You lose - when necron goes to edge of the board and You don't reveal all old ones - or when necron finish his move - or there is only one player alive I have german version... nive game but I agree that this (not bad) mechanic don't goes nice with this (not bad) theme
Would the co-op element in this game not be the fact that you can openly share information, but be able to read other player's moves based on the information of whether they have looked at a portal or not? This seems like it would need a stronger gaming group to accomplish such a goal. Granted, if your teammates don't really know the game, then their moves would be hard to read. If the game group is experienced, then you can read each other's moves to see where the portals are.
Great review Tom. From what I've seen I think I agree with your assesment although if someone pulled it out I would probably give it a try, of course I'll try just about anything once. One thing though, I don't understand why you think this should be a family game. You mark that as a point against it since you state that it should be a family game but the theme is too dark. Why should it be a family game exactly?
Ok, we played this FIVE times over the weekend and we lost ALL five games. I really like the way the game plays, but damn, its next to impossible to win (from what we experienced).
@kryptx0 : i feel the same way, but he was giving an overview of the original rules. I see it as 1 person is assigned to close portals, 1 is assigned to get items, 1 blah blah...whatever...there's cooperation right there, but I guess he didn't see it that way. He also thinks that ghoulish creatures scare children or something *shrugs* won't even let his daughter come in the room 'shut the door'...for what? really? bah, whatever. love the reviews though.
Yeah, that sounded weird when you said that you cant say about the portal to your teammates.. This is good, when you are sabotaging other team and you have to hide you identity, but in this case i just dont see a motivation for that.
As I looked through it, it...Shut The Door...as I looked through it. So stern. So, the game sound alot like Arkham Horror except not as fun. Seems alot more random and isn't Shub Niggurath of Arkham Horror?
If you don't like the hidden information, don't hide it. You're the one playing the game, and there are plenty of other ways to make the game harder. Personally I like it because it means everyone should want every player to make their own decisions, rather than one player telling everyone what to do, as happens frequently in e.g. Pandemic or Ghost Stories.
Is this the episode that started "Shut the Door"?
So that's where "shut the door" came from!!!
"Shut the door" That is the high point of this video.
Played this yesterday in two player and we both decided that it should be possible to share knowledge about the portals. Maybe by two players going to a location and using a share knowledge item or something like that. Otherwise it seems one player needs to concentrate on closing portals whilst the other kills the demons off. We played at a board game cafe so I'd happily pick this up if I saw it on sale somewhere as we both enjoyed the theme and the game in general.
Because in this game, there is a VERY important piece of information that you simply can't share with the other players. So while you can cooperate in every other way, it feels a bit jilted.
Great review, but I believe most people adopt the house rule where you "can" tell team-members. The game is still difficult even with this house rule.
I bought this game about eight or more years ago and I still have not played it !
You got me to reconsider, will unseal and have a go.
Thanks.
wouah tom looked real pissed when he said shut the door at :33
I have that game and I have played it with and without the "no telling" rule (although we made it so only the one who saw the portal could close it), and it didn't make a big difference.
Tom, great review as always, but can you explain how does the "cooperation without colleboration" mechanic in this game any different than the one in SoC (which features high up in your top 100)?
It seems to me all the issues you described with this mechanic apply to SoC as well ("...On Collaboration...").
How are they different? Not trying to troll, just to understand.
I need to get a shirt with SHUT THE DOOR printed on it...
@thedicetower That mechanic struck me as a major Murphy's Rule's as well 'Did they REALLY think this rule through?" moment.
objective is:
- lock old one with proper items in R'lyeh
- and at the same time close portal in University with any artifact
- and have hidden portals locked with proper artifacts
- and have no artifacts where is solid wall
You lose
- when necron goes to edge of the board and You don't reveal all old ones
- or when necron finish his move
- or there is only one player alive
I have german version... nive game but I agree that this (not bad) mechanic don't goes nice with this (not bad) theme
Would the co-op element in this game not be the fact that you can openly share information, but be able to read other player's moves based on the information of whether they have looked at a portal or not? This seems like it would need a stronger gaming group to accomplish such a goal. Granted, if your teammates don't really know the game, then their moves would be hard to read. If the game group is experienced, then you can read each other's moves to see where the portals are.
Shut the door? :D
TOM VASEL DA BOSS!!!!!
Wow! I didn't know you already had this game! It´s a cool one! I love it. Good revision.
Great review Tom. From what I've seen I think I agree with your assesment although if someone pulled it out I would probably give it a try, of course I'll try just about anything once.
One thing though, I don't understand why you think this should be a family game. You mark that as a point against it since you state that it should be a family game but the theme is too dark. Why should it be a family game exactly?
Ok, we played this FIVE times over the weekend and we lost ALL five games. I really like the way the game plays, but damn, its next to impossible to win (from what we experienced).
@kryptx0 : i feel the same way, but he was giving an overview of the original rules. I see it as 1 person is assigned to close portals, 1 is assigned to get items, 1 blah blah...whatever...there's cooperation right there, but I guess he didn't see it that way. He also thinks that ghoulish creatures scare children or something *shrugs* won't even let his daughter come in the room 'shut the door'...for what? really? bah, whatever. love the reviews though.
can you play a solo mode?
Yeah, that sounded weird when you said that you cant say about the portal to your teammates.. This is good, when you are sabotaging other team and you have to hide you identity, but in this case i just dont see a motivation for that.
As I looked through it, it...Shut The Door...as I looked through it. So stern.
So, the game sound alot like Arkham Horror except not as fun. Seems alot more random and isn't Shub Niggurath of Arkham Horror?
So you're saying the objective of the game is to shut the door on monsters before they enter through portals into our world?
"shut the door!"
The game's gorgeous, too bad that it doesn't seem to live up to that in gameplay.
haha, that "shut the door" scared me :/
0:33 shut the door! Again!
Shut the Portal....I mean Door!!
shut the door?
Shut the door ~~~
Shut the door!
This game unburies real American History.
What is an Eurogamer?!
That 'no telling' rule is TERRIBLE. Completely unacceptable for a co-op game.
at 4:17 was that a racial slur? JUST KIDDING!
Shut the door! ha ha.
If you don't like the hidden information, don't hide it. You're the one playing the game, and there are plenty of other ways to make the game harder.
Personally I like it because it means everyone should want every player to make their own decisions, rather than one player telling everyone what to do, as happens frequently in e.g. Pandemic or Ghost Stories.
SHUT THE DOOR!!!! ^^
Shut the door!