I loved Chronicles of Drunagor. I REALLY wanted to want this, but when I saw the choice was get this or send my kids to college I decided to do the responsible thing and start preparing my kids to go directly into the workforce.
The orgnization of the Eternal box is the most appealing thing to me and that is just crazy. I contemplated a huge pledge for a brief moment due to organization??? When it comes down to it, I already own Oathsworn and it's amazing. I don't see this game beating that experience. Thanks for confirming my thoughts weren't simply my own.
@@VaultBoy13 The problem is, I also have Cycles 1-5 of Aeon Trespass Odyssey, and that thing is a monster. Since I have to two kids, I see that taking approximately forever to complete. But you're not wrong about some sweet sweet organization. I wish ATO had that.
@@jalsbrook I might be slightly off in my estimate, but I think that by the time your kids are retired, you should have completed the first run-through of ATO, and should be ready for a new game. 😁
I'll be running a 5e campaign based on the works of Dante so I WANT THOSE MINIS! But I love Inferno and boss battlers so I'm quite enthralled by all of it.
I was tempted by this one, but the biggest red flag i saw was the addendums on One Stop Coop Shop and boardgameco's playthroughs that CGS was looking to "hire a writer" to make the story better. That's just way too big of an unknown. At this point, my mantra with crowdfunding has become...if the game is really good, they'll do a second printing. And I'll pick it up then without the risk.
lol. Hide things from your spouse. I had all-in pledges for Chronicles of Drunagor, Sleeping Gods, and ISS Vanguard all show up in the last month as well as several other games. It's going to be years before I even open some of them
HAHAHA. I am in the exact same boat. The number of boxes for just CoD and Vanguard alone was the tipping point. Maybe I can build a new room by piling all the games together to form some kind of wall ....:D
You are totally right. After watching your video I'm going back and backing a second copy!!! Maybe a third. Depends if my kids actually want to go to college
2 recommend for dante 1. The Good Pledge Design : if you want all story game play you can choose only The Explorer Pledge because the all story complete in this pledge. other pledge you can have beautiful , convenient for gameplay 2. It about stretch pay. You can pledge explorer pledge and pay little money for 10 months, also can buy other game in 10 month
1) Dante is a Super Simp. Do NOT glorify Simpjutsu Masters like Dante. 2) Dont' spend that money on a female either, she most likely is milking you for your resources, 3) spend it on yourself, but NOT Dante's. 4) Go Full Euro and get Inferno, a Dante inspired Euro. Lincoln Osiris says "Never go full Euro" ok so don't late back Inferno, plus it is also literally Dante themed; see reason 1 Dante is a Super Simp, and we don't support Simpjutsu Masters like Dante. 5) Spend your money on another story-driven RPG in a box. Lots of good choices. That said if you look did you know you can get the Chronicles of Drunagor as a Late Back. Yup go check that out.
I was absolutely going to back this - then Primal arrived and I ran out of room, and it’s only the first giant box that’s arriving this year. That was the first thing that made me giggle with shame. Second: I’m all for a success threshold system; roll dice, for every 4 damage you roll, deal 1. This is how Oathsworn works; if armor is 5, then for every 5 damage you generate, you deal a point. Simple. What you described sounds similar, but also super annoying. Particularly because of my burning/freezing luck with dice. Not hot/cold. It’s either 4 nat 20s in a row, or 10 1s (…because there’s no balance in this universe). Also, Oathsworn has 21 scenarios (it’s cool, you aren’t expected to know that). But. I was super pumped for this. It’s INFERNO. Its art meets art meets combat. It looks… flat. I wanted to travel through hell, meet new and interesting people, then have a two stage confrontation with the boss (the chatty phase and the punching phase). That’s not here. And that’s fine. Stretch pay be damned (…get it?) you convinced me that not backing is the right call. I’ll go back to waiting for my Primal Wave 2.
I have Oathsworn and Townsfolk’s Tussle. Both in English. I wanted to pledge Dante, after the update that it will come in my native language. I think this, after the theme, is what I’m most excited about. It would be much easier to convince friends to play boss battler if all of them has clear understanding of rules and narrative.
Great Video. Really clear positives an negatives. You make it really clear which things objectivly may be a problem and which are subjectivly just not your thing. Great narration and many Details.
I'm one of the people who was following the campaign because of the theme (I am a great fan of The Divine Comedy). However I have since had my doubts, mostly on the fact that it is a boss battler amd what seems to be a general weakness in the Chronicle phase ro change the nature of the boss battle or characters in any substantive way, and I'm glad that someone else has seen the same thing. If you are going to follow this sort of theme then I suspect that this is the actual important bit of the game, not the final boss battle. So I'll give it a day, but I think you have suceeded in confirming for me that it's really not going to be the game I had hoped it would be, and shall probably be cancelling my pledge. Thankyou.
I loved the story, I have the dark souls boardgame complete, and I played the Dante’s video game, and I feel, after watching many gameplay reviews, that this interpretation doesn’t bring the IP narrative to the user well and the boss battler medium, while following current market trends, is not the medium best fitted for the IP, but of course a dungeon crawl which would, is also not on trend and would cost more to produce and likely not draw in potentially as many customers because of dungeon crawl market saturation. This easily could have been approached from a ISS vanguard lens, making it a narrative driven adventure game, and go figure that’s what awaken realms big 2024 product is and I for one look forward to seeing even more diversity in the BG3-esque boardgame realm! Also their Victoria dark world tactical boss battler is subcontracted out.
Side note: I just got the “LAST 48 HOURS” email where they - and honestly Chris you nailed it - added 3 more confrontations bringing the total to 12! BACK NOW! I knew it was coming, you said it was coming, and sure enough. Right on time. Following the play book to the letter. Cheers as always my friend.
First, I could listen to you talking for hours and it would not become boring. Second, I am still excited for Dante: Inferno. I love the theme of the game and it is my first boss battler. Maybe their marketing worked too good on me and I am totally hooked. I like the design, setting, story, bosses, that boss fights will be difficult and take a lot of time. That I am not doing a lot of damage to the boss, that there are only 9 circles. I trust CGS for no reason, I never played drunagor. I love the official trailer, it gets me so excited, for nothing I can prove that will really come to the future of the game. But I still want it, even if it is not as good as I expect it to be. And I think you are right with your criticism of the game. But for me it is still the game I want to have. Even if I have a lot of games at home, I didn't play yet, because I didn't have time. I just want to have it at home and not the feeling I passed the opportunity to buy it as eternal edition.
Great video as usual. This is actually one I've been watching/waiting on for quite a long time (was my most anticipated new game campaign for the year). Despite that, and how fantastic I think the combat section looks (on top of an amazing theme) I'm actually on the fence more than I expected to be. Once benefit for me is the Coliseum mode, which I wish more games in the genre have. However, if I have that I think I would want more than 9 bosses.... Despite how long I've been waiting on this one, I may end up dropping my pledge, though maybe not for the best reasons! Awaken Realms and Ludus Magnus Studio have both teased upcoming campaigns and I have a sneaking suspicion that both may be offering their own options in the Boss battler genre, and I expect to be pulled in by them both and there is only so much time and money.
Really appreciate this (as always with your shouldnt backs). It's easy to get pulled in by the potential of a game, but even if it lives up to that potential, it still takes away time from the great games we already own.
Really relaxed and good feel video. I was not considering to back DI , I already bought and backed games for my entire life / I hope I will live to my 70s, otherwise those games are scrued.../
After watching the full video and knowing you only made this because of my recommendation and not because it was funded over 2500%, I have some thoughts. All of your reasons are completely true and very poignant. I was sucked in by the theme and I’m not afraid to say it. I have only played a few boss battlers and me personally I think the theme lends itself to the experience on a per player basis. That being said I’m sure I would love playing other boss battlers, but this theme has a personal connection as it being based on material I enjoyed reading as a youthful teen with a fantastical imagination! Now obviously you can play it with me and I hope that it doesn’t grind your gears like other games in this genre. I will still be backing this one as it will be my first boss battler in my pc, and my partner also loves the look of the game and wants to play more campaign games with me. So this game will be the glue that hold my relationship together!
I feel the same about the theme, but is your impression that the game delivers on the theme? The lackimg narrative section of the gameplay is the main thing, apart from pricing, that keeps me restrained.
@@robotradar I think that the game is giving you the recipe to create the narrative yourself, it has the road map laid out for you but it’s up to you on which path to take(from a narrative standpoint). Certain champions may only be able to move in certain directions regardless of traits ie: a mercenary can only move on tiles A1, C4(in the limbo area) so that may get stale quick.
I will still back this, but only the base pledge. 10 months stretch pay makes it not too big of a problem. I really love the theme, I like the look of the cards, I like adventure games in general. But I will not be upgrading to anything higher than that. I want the story and the gameplay, not the bling. Even though I'm sure mini's do look much better on the table, for a boss, than a think piece of cardboard :) I'll just use my imagination for the boss battling part :)
Yeah this is the one time where I was really saw the value of stretch pay at that 100 level. I always fear with subscription sign-ups, in essence that's sort of what it is, because there's a tendency to say oh it's only 10 bucks and then do that a bunch of times, but I have to admit that it is definitely appealing when it feels so minimal. I just always check myself that I don't do that too many times?
@@RoomandBoardReviews true. I fell into that trap, 10 bucks here, 15 there, and then, on a monthly level, it ended up being $150. So I cancelled three pledges and got my money back. It's very easy to fall into that trap.
This kind of analytics what I'm really looking for! Thank you for making this video and sharing it! Before spending $ to something cool head is required to avoid regretting it. The game looks great, the marketing guys made an excellent job... but what's under the hood is way more important! Thanks again!
here are two comments re: how you feel the sameness of boss battles. 1: bosses can be incredibly different. oathsworn is a good example of a game where the bosses are just amazingly different 2:while we are playing a boss battle, yes, you are right, the whittling down can get very repetitive. I wouldn't want a steady diet of boss battlers for that reason. -Toby
What you said about Boss Battlers resonates with me. I love MHW, so when I saw Monster Hunter the board game, I was so drawn in. The minis were sooooo good. But I watched game play...neat mechanisms and all, but it was a slow, hand management game with pretty Monster Hunter stickers on it.
Heh I felt so let down by Oathsworn that I am fearful that this game will be the same which in some ways isn't fair to Dante. That being said the game will surely hit retail/online store so there really is no rush to back.
Interesting that you mention the price (of the core pledge) as a positive. I was actually disappointed by it, given that there's not all that much in there both in playtime (~30 hours for the campaign) and components. It would be ~€145 for me with tax and shipping. Meanwhile Oathsworn for example as a very similar game, has the core box for around €200 and that actually includes far more terrain, 27 miniatures, and double the amount of gameplay. And that's in retail now with limited availability; it was lower even in the KS (~€180 with tax and shipping). Dante also has some uninspired stretch goals, with random scenery you might or might not encounter, characters that use the exact same class and stories as the existing ones, and stuff that is only relevant outside of the main game (for random one-off fights). Component upgrades you'd otherwise expect as stretch goals, such as dual layer player boards, are available only as paid add-ons. I'm definitely waiting for retail on this one as it just does not seem worth the price on the campaign sadly. *Edit: I commented before I got to the end of your video and saw you made pretty much the same point actually 😅 and yes, your point 1 applies too (I like the current Chronicle mode and don't want Ordeals to change), and especially 1c haha (although I don't have any boss battlers 😜)
Base dante is $100, standee oathsworn is $125, minis dante is $185, and miniatures oathsworn is $225. So dante should be cheaper, but I can see oathsworn got more value For me, the two game is different enough that I would want both
@@goldsmeeth2771 yes Dante is cheaper if you ignore the contents altogether 😅 The point was that for only ~25% higher price, Oathsworn delivers 100% more playtime AND more/better components in their standee box than Dante does. The value just is not there for me to make it worth the price, although that is of course a personal decision.
@Zomerdromen sure, we will see once dante releases. For me, I skip half of oasthsworn battles because they were samey, and gone through 50% of the story since you know the story has to loop around so it took a lot of suspense out From Chronicles, I say creative studio minis are better looking. And the thick AI cards and battlefield branching hopefully mean more replayability We will see, oathsworn does have good value
The core pledge only for me atm. 9 scenerio is feasible vs some 20+ but the story for my primary game group (my kids) maybe a little to much so when it arrives in ‘26/‘27, maybe that won’t be an issue. Possibly add the mini’s but running out of room but the $400 deluxified box - pass.
I initially backed eternal pledge, then realized for me the value was not there. I thought about lowering my pledge level but ended up cancelling altogether. After Oathsworn I can't See paying this price for what seems like less bang for the buck, so so chronicle phase or lack of champions.
I would critique the tests where you add and subtract cards in a slightly different way. first, this test gives an illusion of skillful choice. Players are trying to decide which cards to keep and which cards to get rid of, and in order to do that skillfully, they really need to play the entire campaign several times. and how many people will do that? again, this is an illusion that the players are acting skillfully. Second, the business of adding and subtracting is a horrible abstraction. It has nothing to do with the game fantasy and will probably draw the players out of the fantasy to a certain extent , what am I doing here? Am I trying to persuade a monster to do something? Am I trying to control my fate? No, I’m just adding and subtracting. -Toby
I like the base Monster Hunter World, but I feel a similar vibe on the death by 1000 cuts angle. It was a good time though, and I'd be more inclined to play my copy of MHW instead of back Dante from what I've seen.
One big question here: how different will the bosses be? they might be a lot more different than you fear. I’m going to wait till the game is delivered and see some playthroughs to decide whether the variety in the bosses makes the game worthwhile. -Toby .
Backing at the core level. I feel its good value and will likely get my moneys worth. Feels different enough from other boss battlers. For one, the boss is reactionary. Two, I like stamina system the best. Three, battle scape changes, dont mean the terrain, but additional characters comes into mid battle depending on what choices you made. If the boss cards are unique enough, it seems like there is replayability value similar to KDM, beyond the scripted story within the battle which I never seen in other boss battlers Whats holding me back is oathsworn 2, even though i think dante combat is better than oathsworn, dont know how oathsworn 2 improved on its predecessor. And if Dante is actually great upon release, usually there's a reprint with errata and balance correction, plus maybe an expansion
Nice Review! I think you bring up some salient points about the industry and FOMO in general. Good stuff! I will say I enjoyed my playthrough. I like that the boss battle feels like a legit wrestling match, complete with being hit with a folding chair. (Throne but still)
Great Video. I had some doubts about backing this, but your Video gave me the final push to drop my pledge. Not feeling great about it now, but my later self will thank me 😂.
Always appreciate these videos. 1C is definitely the reason I’ll pass on this game even though it does look fun. I’m just getting the original Sleeping Gods to the table with my game group. I have Oathsworn, Kinfire Chronicles, Descent 3rd Ed, ISS Vanguard, Nova Aetas, Primal, etc in the queue. Also, as you briefly mentioned, there was a second printing of Drunagor. If this game turns out to be amazing, I’m sure it’ll come back to crowdfunding.
Two or three of those games would already be enough for the next 10+ years for me...and what does "etc" mean? How many more games are in that list??? 😂
The boss health pool being the card pool is very similar to The Witcher Old World. But seems odd to me is that its dice rolling rather than card play. In the Witcher your cards is your health pool as well as your attacks, just like the boss'. I was a little tempted by this game but talked myself out of it before even watching this video.
I was very interested based on the art style, and doubly so because of the standee edition. But I watched a bunch of playthrough videos and it didn't grab me. I also have multiple boss battle games that aren't getting played right now already, so I'm passing. Edit: also the dumb math test is dumb and would absolutely make me not want to play that section.
I like the theme and look of the game but your Reason 4 is the primary reason that I am not backing this game. Of course, its also not a wise financial choice either at the moment. Great coverage as always!
I think chronicles of drunagor was good and novel with the cube system. but Inferno looks boring and tarot choices in the first phase is boring. The main reason i didnt back is that there is only like x circles of hell and only 12 bosses. The question is how many expansions and much replaybility is there ?
Glad I watched this. I have Primal The Awakening coming. Gonna pass here. Only other game I’m for sure backing is going to be Celestial (if it comes out this year) and I expect to pay $$$. Not sure what AR has planned but they usually find a way to get me too…
I am happy this campaign is doing so well, because that means we got another 5 reasons video! :D This game never really appealed to me though. I will need help getting talked out of Conservas, plus Galactic Cruise coming next month.
@@sarahracicot2299 haha blame Jeremy Howard, he was hyping it up to me! Do you like Lacerda games? The designers apparently playtest a lot of his games
@@RoomandBoardReviews So I'm a bit odd because while I like heavy Euros (particularly stuff from Mindclash and Alban Viard), I just can't seem to find a Lacerda game I like. For me, they tend to come off as being complex just for the sake of being complex, and the brain-burning doesn't translate to fun. in those situations But, I watched Paul Grogan's Galactic Cruise playthrough yesterday, and all the decisions seem to fit together really nice and make thematic sense. So, I am thinking that this is going to be a perfect fit for me.
I was really looking at this game because of the theme, i looked more into it and saw the shipping very high end at about $100 and just wasnt really feeling it so i decided not to back. I am still wanting to late pledge Elder Scrolls. I think i am i just need to decide it i want the playmat. I love playmats i just dont love $60 ones lol
Most of elder scrolls is already neoprene so I don't think you'd need the additional elements personally. But gameplay wise, oh yeah Elder Scrolls looks significantly more fun for my tastes
The Question is, if you already have Oathsworn, do you really need Dante: Inferno? I mean its basically the same game! Sure, the details are different, but the simalarities are obvious. Ok the chronicle phase has a little bit of tainted grail in it. That's it. I don't get the unique selling point, except the ability to use and destroy the terrain more. For me it's Oathsworn 0.5. So I won't back it.
I’m glad it’s a success, but the monochromatic, bland game board and the 33%-50% shipping for the base pledge makes it a hard pass for me. Plus, I love my Oathsworn and this ain’t gonna beat it.
I love Carbuncles of Drunken Boars but this game never really pulled me in. It looks incredible but I just wish the mechanics of the game were a bit more polished. Plus that early bird not being available anymore is dumb. Early birds are dumb. I’ve been busy during tax season and overlooked the campaign until just now. Last hour. I made it but decided to pass. Thanks for the video and the info that confirmed my thinking.
I mean, most of these things is just "do you like boss battlers or not?" and "don't back because it might change" (which is true for most crowdfunding games and you shouldn't back anything if you got a problem with that). Sure there's SOME crowdfunders that have a finished game and are just looking for funds to make it, but the majority of games is more "we have a concept" and you are a part in making that concept come to life. And you saying it's a part of "buying in advance" is not quite true since all disclaimers with kickstarter make it clear it's NOT a store, you're NOT just buying a game. If people don't understand that, DON'T BACK ANYTHING and buy something that is already out. You could have named this "5 reasons why you shouldn't back anyting" really.
Yeah, not going with this one. Minis are always tempting, but I've got enough boss battlers already that I haven't yet been able to play, and the theming doesn't really excite me. Thanks as always for the great overview and counter-FOMO programming!
That chronicle phase was just not interesting enough for me. I really wanted to like the game, as the theme and minis are cool. But unless the narrative improves I’ll just open up my other 100 unplayed campaign games. 😂 😭 💀
Sounds like a lot of your issues with boss battlers are solved by other more mechanically intensive games in the genre ie KDM, ATO, etc. Better more dtnamic Ai that's also more variable and more options in terms of gear, items, upgrades, etc.
What intrigues me is that ATO and KDM doesn't have events or story in the middle of the fight where another boss might jump into the fray depending on what choices you made during battle The reactionary system also feels more life like
Honestly that’s why it’s pulling me in 😅 I think boardgameco said it was a little simpler which I don’t mind but the combat of oathsworn isn’t my favorite, but I’m trudging through. Dante looks interesting combat wise but I love the theme and story which is the only reason I’m still continuing oathsworn.
Yes, it's a double edged sword! I've heard people who skipped the Oathsworn encounters just to focus on the story (or other way around). The theme for Dante is certainly unique and a great selling point.
@kanalune at first I thought oathsworn story was dull and the combat was cool, then later in the campaign I auto win the samey battles and focus on the story ha
I won’t back, but the theme is actually what keeps me off. I have kids I would play with and trying to explain hello and the cardinal sins is not where I want to go on a game night.
That's it! I'm out! Phew! I went from being enticed by the all in (that box and the organization!), to convincing myself that the crusader pledge with the environment pack would be enough (because standees are nice and the environment is "part" of this game), to just the crusader (because they keep adding furniture, so how many times will you need each one in 9 scenarios), to just the standee w foreteller for about $16CAD/mo plus shipping (because that price is so much nicer than the others), to thinking that it will just print again if it is actually that good, and I can get other stuff now for that $ that is tested and true. I think I considered all of your reasons before seeing this, and talked myself into the base pledge anyways. Hearing them again outside my own head was very helpful! I have some reservatioms about boss battlers being repetitive, about the replayability of 9 levels, I'm not sure I want to colliseum mode at all but have no choice, and I don't think the ordeals mechanic looks fun (and if they replace it now, what will it be replaced with?). I do love the theme and a lot of the other things I see, but in the meantime... I was waiting to see how this went before making a final decision about The Old King's Crown. I guess I have to go figure that out now...
Reason #5 Check Reason #4 Fail Reason #3 Wash Reason #2 Fail Reason #1 a Check Reason #1 b Check Reason #1 c Check Reason #0 Check Reason #0 a (No Money) Check Reasons to not back Dante's Inferno check out. *I'm officially not backing this game.* Thanks!
Than you again. Although I didn't back it (yet), I was still on the edge. Good reasons and I am out, yet again :D Thanks. ... btw, yes, I am not as excited about 7th Citadel that should reach me tomorrow as when I was backing it ...
Reasons not to back - #1 CGS made stretch pay a thing. #2 There was so much negativity and issues when the last CoD pm opened with wrong pricing and backers were left hanging for answers. I didn't even back it but it still sticks with me just from reading the comments.
But I WANTS it!
I loved Chronicles of Drunagor. I REALLY wanted to want this, but when I saw the choice was get this or send my kids to college I decided to do the responsible thing and start preparing my kids to go directly into the workforce.
Okay, you convinced me, I won’t back it.
The orgnization of the Eternal box is the most appealing thing to me and that is just crazy. I contemplated a huge pledge for a brief moment due to organization??? When it comes down to it, I already own Oathsworn and it's amazing. I don't see this game beating that experience. Thanks for confirming my thoughts weren't simply my own.
But, by the time this delivers you'll have been able to play Oathsworn multiple times. So, you need that sweet, sweet organization.
@@VaultBoy13 The problem is, I also have Cycles 1-5 of Aeon Trespass Odyssey, and that thing is a monster. Since I have to two kids, I see that taking approximately forever to complete. But you're not wrong about some sweet sweet organization. I wish ATO had that.
@@jalsbrook I might be slightly off in my estimate, but I think that by the time your kids are retired, you should have completed the first run-through of ATO, and should be ready for a new game. 😁
I'll be running a 5e campaign based on the works of Dante so I WANT THOSE MINIS! But I love Inferno and boss battlers so I'm quite enthralled by all of it.
same here... but I still want to play the game
I was tempted by this one, but the biggest red flag i saw was the addendums on One Stop Coop Shop and boardgameco's playthroughs that CGS was looking to "hire a writer" to make the story better. That's just way too big of an unknown.
At this point, my mantra with crowdfunding has become...if the game is really good, they'll do a second printing. And I'll pick it up then without the risk.
It's a good strategy, and pretty much what I do anymore. I barely ever back a 1st printing unless it's for a system I already know I like
Love this series! I’m going to hold off on this one because I have an all in of Primal coming in and no time as it is for that one
lol. Hide things from your spouse. I had all-in pledges for Chronicles of Drunagor, Sleeping Gods, and ISS Vanguard all show up in the last month as well as several other games. It's going to be years before I even open some of them
HAHAHA. I am in the exact same boat. The number of boxes for just CoD and Vanguard alone was the tipping point. Maybe I can build a new room by piling all the games together to form some kind of wall ....:D
I had the same and my wife has banned anymore games being ordered and threatened to throw any that arrive into the trash!!!!!
You are totally right. After watching your video I'm going back and backing a second copy!!! Maybe a third. Depends if my kids actually want to go to college
Perfect! Finally someone who GETS it!
2 recommend for dante
1. The Good Pledge Design : if you want all story game play you can choose only The Explorer Pledge because the all story complete in this pledge. other pledge you can have beautiful , convenient for gameplay
2. It about stretch pay. You can pledge explorer pledge and pay little money for 10 months, also can buy other game in 10 month
I was waiting for this video!
1) Dante is a Super Simp. Do NOT glorify Simpjutsu Masters like Dante. 2) Dont' spend that money on a female either, she most likely is milking you for your resources, 3) spend it on yourself, but NOT Dante's. 4) Go Full Euro and get Inferno, a Dante inspired Euro. Lincoln Osiris says "Never go full Euro" ok so don't late back Inferno, plus it is also literally Dante themed; see reason 1 Dante is a Super Simp, and we don't support Simpjutsu Masters like Dante. 5) Spend your money on another story-driven RPG in a box. Lots of good choices. That said if you look did you know you can get the Chronicles of Drunagor as a Late Back. Yup go check that out.
I’m definitely backing this but this video has made me rethink going all in 😅
That eternal box though. ;)
The take about not being excited to buy a similar game rings so true.
This made me think of KDM in terms of boss battling and how the health worked.
I was absolutely going to back this - then Primal arrived and I ran out of room, and it’s only the first giant box that’s arriving this year. That was the first thing that made me giggle with shame. Second: I’m all for a success threshold system; roll dice, for every 4 damage you roll, deal 1. This is how Oathsworn works; if armor is 5, then for every 5 damage you generate, you deal a point. Simple. What you described sounds similar, but also super annoying. Particularly because of my burning/freezing luck with dice. Not hot/cold. It’s either 4 nat 20s in a row, or 10 1s (…because there’s no balance in this universe). Also, Oathsworn has 21 scenarios (it’s cool, you aren’t expected to know that). But. I was super pumped for this. It’s INFERNO. Its art meets art meets combat. It looks… flat. I wanted to travel through hell, meet new and interesting people, then have a two stage confrontation with the boss (the chatty phase and the punching phase). That’s not here. And that’s fine. Stretch pay be damned (…get it?) you convinced me that not backing is the right call. I’ll go back to waiting for my Primal Wave 2.
I have Oathsworn and Townsfolk’s Tussle. Both in English.
I wanted to pledge Dante, after the update that it will come in my native language. I think this, after the theme, is what I’m most excited about.
It would be much easier to convince friends to play boss battler if all of them has clear understanding of rules and narrative.
Great Video. Really clear positives an negatives. You make it really clear which things objectivly may be a problem and which are subjectivly just not your thing. Great narration and many Details.
Thanks! I'm very glad all that comes across :)
I'm one of the people who was following the campaign because of the theme (I am a great fan of The Divine Comedy). However I have since had my doubts, mostly on the fact that it is a boss battler amd what seems to be a general weakness in the Chronicle phase ro change the nature of the boss battle or characters in any substantive way, and I'm glad that someone else has seen the same thing. If you are going to follow this sort of theme then I suspect that this is the actual important bit of the game, not the final boss battle. So I'll give it a day, but I think you have suceeded in confirming for me that it's really not going to be the game I had hoped it would be, and shall probably be cancelling my pledge. Thankyou.
Right off the bat hitting us with your impression of The Gatekeeper from Atmosfear.
That's why they call me Chris "Gatekeeper" George!
I loved the story, I have the dark souls boardgame complete, and I played the Dante’s video game, and I feel, after watching many gameplay reviews, that this interpretation doesn’t bring the IP narrative to the user well and the boss battler medium, while following current market trends, is not the medium best fitted for the IP, but of course a dungeon crawl which would, is also not on trend and would cost more to produce and likely not draw in potentially as many customers because of dungeon crawl market saturation.
This easily could have been approached from a ISS vanguard lens, making it a narrative driven adventure game, and go figure that’s what awaken realms big 2024 product is and I for one look forward to seeing even more diversity in the BG3-esque boardgame realm! Also their Victoria dark world tactical boss battler is subcontracted out.
Ahhh, just what I was looking for!
Side note: I just got the “LAST 48 HOURS” email where they - and honestly Chris you nailed it - added 3 more confrontations bringing the total to 12! BACK NOW! I knew it was coming, you said it was coming, and sure enough. Right on time. Following the play book to the letter. Cheers as always my friend.
Haha awesome, I'm glad I predicted correctly 😁
First, I could listen to you talking for hours and it would not become boring. Second, I am still excited for Dante: Inferno. I love the theme of the game and it is my first boss battler. Maybe their marketing worked too good on me and I am totally hooked. I like the design, setting, story, bosses, that boss fights will be difficult and take a lot of time. That I am not doing a lot of damage to the boss, that there are only 9 circles. I trust CGS for no reason, I never played drunagor. I love the official trailer, it gets me so excited, for nothing I can prove that will really come to the future of the game. But I still want it, even if it is not as good as I expect it to be. And I think you are right with your criticism of the game. But for me it is still the game I want to have. Even if I have a lot of games at home, I didn't play yet, because I didn't have time. I just want to have it at home and not the feeling I passed the opportunity to buy it as eternal edition.
Haha awesome, :) I hope it ends up being everything you're hoping for AND more!
I have backed this game, but I really appreciate your delivery and honesty and will be checking out your channel more.
Thanks! I hope you end up loving it :)
*the game I mean haha, well and the channel too ;)
Great video as usual. This is actually one I've been watching/waiting on for quite a long time (was my most anticipated new game campaign for the year). Despite that, and how fantastic I think the combat section looks (on top of an amazing theme) I'm actually on the fence more than I expected to be.
Once benefit for me is the Coliseum mode, which I wish more games in the genre have. However, if I have that I think I would want more than 9 bosses....
Despite how long I've been waiting on this one, I may end up dropping my pledge, though maybe not for the best reasons! Awaken Realms and Ludus Magnus Studio have both teased upcoming campaigns and I have a sneaking suspicion that both may be offering their own options in the Boss battler genre, and I expect to be pulled in by them both and there is only so much time and money.
Really appreciate this (as always with your shouldnt backs). It's easy to get pulled in by the potential of a game, but even if it lives up to that potential, it still takes away time from the great games we already own.
Excellent points. Excellent analysis, altogether. -Toby
Really relaxed and good feel video. I was not considering to back DI , I already bought and backed games for my entire life / I hope I will live to my 70s, otherwise those games are scrued.../
After watching the full video and knowing you only made this because of my recommendation and not because it was funded over 2500%, I have some thoughts.
All of your reasons are completely true and very poignant. I was sucked in by the theme and I’m not afraid to say it. I have only played a few boss battlers and me personally I think the theme lends itself to the experience on a per player basis. That being said I’m sure I would love playing other boss battlers, but this theme has a personal connection as it being based on material I enjoyed reading as a youthful teen with a fantastical imagination!
Now obviously you can play it with me and I hope that it doesn’t grind your gears like other games in this genre. I will still be backing this one as it will be my first boss battler in my pc, and my partner also loves the look of the game and wants to play more campaign games with me. So this game will be the glue that hold my relationship together!
I feel the same about the theme, but is your impression that the game delivers on the theme? The lackimg narrative section of the gameplay is the main thing, apart from pricing, that keeps me restrained.
@@robotradar I think that the game is giving you the recipe to create the narrative yourself, it has the road map laid out for you but it’s up to you on which path to take(from a narrative standpoint). Certain champions may only be able to move in certain directions regardless of traits ie: a mercenary can only move on tiles A1, C4(in the limbo area) so that may get stale quick.
I will still back this, but only the base pledge. 10 months stretch pay makes it not too big of a problem. I really love the theme, I like the look of the cards, I like adventure games in general. But I will not be upgrading to anything higher than that. I want the story and the gameplay, not the bling. Even though I'm sure mini's do look much better on the table, for a boss, than a think piece of cardboard :) I'll just use my imagination for the boss battling part :)
Yeah this is the one time where I was really saw the value of stretch pay at that 100 level. I always fear with subscription sign-ups, in essence that's sort of what it is, because there's a tendency to say oh it's only 10 bucks and then do that a bunch of times, but I have to admit that it is definitely appealing when it feels so minimal. I just always check myself that I don't do that too many times?
@@RoomandBoardReviews true. I fell into that trap, 10 bucks here, 15 there, and then, on a monthly level, it ended up being $150. So I cancelled three pledges and got my money back. It's very easy to fall into that trap.
This kind of analytics what I'm really looking for! Thank you for making this video and sharing it! Before spending $ to something cool head is required to avoid regretting it. The game looks great, the marketing guys made an excellent job... but what's under the hood is way more important! Thanks again!
here are two comments re: how you feel the sameness of boss battles. 1: bosses can be incredibly different. oathsworn is a good example of a game where the bosses are just amazingly different 2:while we are playing a boss battle, yes, you are right, the whittling down can get very repetitive. I wouldn't want a steady diet of boss battlers for that reason. -Toby
What you said about Boss Battlers resonates with me. I love MHW, so when I saw Monster Hunter the board game, I was so drawn in. The minis were sooooo good. But I watched game play...neat mechanisms and all, but it was a slow, hand management game with pretty Monster Hunter stickers on it.
Heh I felt so let down by Oathsworn that I am fearful that this game will be the same which in some ways isn't fair to Dante. That being said the game will surely hit retail/online store so there really is no rush to back.
Interesting that you mention the price (of the core pledge) as a positive. I was actually disappointed by it, given that there's not all that much in there both in playtime (~30 hours for the campaign) and components. It would be ~€145 for me with tax and shipping. Meanwhile Oathsworn for example as a very similar game, has the core box for around €200 and that actually includes far more terrain, 27 miniatures, and double the amount of gameplay. And that's in retail now with limited availability; it was lower even in the KS (~€180 with tax and shipping). Dante also has some uninspired stretch goals, with random scenery you might or might not encounter, characters that use the exact same class and stories as the existing ones, and stuff that is only relevant outside of the main game (for random one-off fights). Component upgrades you'd otherwise expect as stretch goals, such as dual layer player boards, are available only as paid add-ons. I'm definitely waiting for retail on this one as it just does not seem worth the price on the campaign sadly.
*Edit: I commented before I got to the end of your video and saw you made pretty much the same point actually 😅 and yes, your point 1 applies too (I like the current Chronicle mode and don't want Ordeals to change), and especially 1c haha (although I don't have any boss battlers 😜)
Base dante is $100, standee oathsworn is $125, minis dante is $185, and miniatures oathsworn is $225. So dante should be cheaper, but I can see oathsworn got more value
For me, the two game is different enough that I would want both
@@goldsmeeth2771 yes Dante is cheaper if you ignore the contents altogether 😅 The point was that for only ~25% higher price, Oathsworn delivers 100% more playtime AND more/better components in their standee box than Dante does. The value just is not there for me to make it worth the price, although that is of course a personal decision.
@Zomerdromen sure, we will see once dante releases. For me, I skip half of oasthsworn battles because they were samey, and gone through 50% of the story since you know the story has to loop around so it took a lot of suspense out
From Chronicles, I say creative studio minis are better looking. And the thick AI cards and battlefield branching hopefully mean more replayability
We will see, oathsworn does have good value
Backed it, sounds fitting for me
Convinced me. Thank you so much
The core pledge only for me atm. 9 scenerio is feasible vs some 20+ but the story for my primary game group (my kids) maybe a little to much so when it arrives in ‘26/‘27, maybe that won’t be an issue. Possibly add the mini’s but running out of room but the $400 deluxified box - pass.
Oathsworn is definitely the exception. The monsters/bosses are always unique.
Unique sculps, but the mechanics isn't all that different, and the tactics used to defeat the monsters is very samey
I initially backed eternal pledge, then realized for me the value was not there. I thought about lowering my pledge level but ended up cancelling altogether. After Oathsworn I can't See paying this price for what seems like less bang for the buck, so so chronicle phase or lack of champions.
I would critique the tests where you add and subtract cards in a slightly different way. first, this test gives an illusion of skillful choice. Players are trying to decide which cards to keep and which cards to get rid of, and in order to do that skillfully, they really need to play the entire campaign several times. and how many people will do that? again, this is an illusion that the players are acting skillfully. Second, the business of adding and subtracting is a horrible abstraction. It has nothing to do with the game fantasy and will probably draw the players out of the fantasy to a certain extent , what am I doing here? Am I trying to persuade a monster to do something? Am I trying to control my fate? No, I’m just adding and subtracting. -Toby
1st of your vids I watch - super informative and well made thank you :)
Ah, a board game channel that tells us not to buy mindlessly! W
I will be receiving a bunch of monster hunter world ice born. How do you think they stack up?
I like the base Monster Hunter World, but I feel a similar vibe on the death by 1000 cuts angle. It was a good time though, and I'd be more inclined to play my copy of MHW instead of back Dante from what I've seen.
That's where I'm standing. I don't think I need this. But I was really looking forward to it because we loved Drunadoor.
One big question here: how different will the bosses be? they might be a lot more different than you fear. I’m going to wait till the game is delivered and see some playthroughs to decide whether the variety in the bosses makes the game worthwhile. -Toby .
That's a huge question. Each circle of hel is very different. I hope they will play out very differently. From the boss sculps indicates some variety
Backing at the core level. I feel its good value and will likely get my moneys worth.
Feels different enough from other boss battlers. For one, the boss is reactionary. Two, I like stamina system the best. Three, battle scape changes, dont mean the terrain, but additional characters comes into mid battle depending on what choices you made. If the boss cards are unique enough, it seems like there is replayability value similar to KDM, beyond the scripted story within the battle which I never seen in other boss battlers
Whats holding me back is oathsworn 2, even though i think dante combat is better than oathsworn, dont know how oathsworn 2 improved on its predecessor. And if Dante is actually great upon release, usually there's a reprint with errata and balance correction, plus maybe an expansion
Nice Review!
I think you bring up some salient points about the industry and FOMO in general. Good stuff!
I will say I enjoyed my playthrough. I like that the boss battle feels like a legit wrestling match, complete with being hit with a folding chair. (Throne but still)
Great Video. I had some doubts about backing this, but your Video gave me the final push to drop my pledge. Not feeling great about it now, but my later self will thank me 😂.
Your reasons are all valid and accurate, but.... but.... but....
I WANT IIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTT!
Thanks think you talked me out of it , as primal is showing up soon anyways
Always appreciate these videos. 1C is definitely the reason I’ll pass on this game even though it does look fun. I’m just getting the original Sleeping Gods to the table with my game group. I have Oathsworn, Kinfire Chronicles, Descent 3rd Ed, ISS Vanguard, Nova Aetas, Primal, etc in the queue.
Also, as you briefly mentioned, there was a second printing of Drunagor. If this game turns out to be amazing, I’m sure it’ll come back to crowdfunding.
Two or three of those games would already be enough for the next 10+ years for me...and what does "etc" mean? How many more games are in that list??? 😂
The boss health pool being the card pool is very similar to The Witcher Old World. But seems odd to me is that its dice rolling rather than card play. In the Witcher your cards is your health pool as well as your attacks, just like the boss'. I was a little tempted by this game but talked myself out of it before even watching this video.
Chronicles of Drunagor is so good and so fun and available right now. Folks should just go pick that up instead.
I was very interested based on the art style, and doubly so because of the standee edition. But I watched a bunch of playthrough videos and it didn't grab me. I also have multiple boss battle games that aren't getting played right now already, so I'm passing.
Edit: also the dumb math test is dumb and would absolutely make me not want to play that section.
I backed the other Inferno game!
same here. To me it looks a lot more fun with better replayability than this one.
32:15 I got my AOE:AO box set forever ago in Canada
I like the theme and look of the game but your Reason 4 is the primary reason that I am not backing this game. Of course, its also not a wise financial choice either at the moment. Great coverage as always!
Hey man merci!
3 and 4 are my main reassons to not back this.
I think chronicles of drunagor was good and novel with the cube system. but Inferno looks boring and tarot choices in the first phase is boring. The main reason i didnt back is that there is only like x circles of hell and only 12 bosses. The question is how many expansions and much replaybility is there ?
I think 2-3 times replays is fair, assuming all the boss cards are unique, so as you whittle it down, you only see about half of what the boss can do
10 reasons why you should back Dante Inferno.
I want to see this video. Someone should make it.
@@nathanmartinez6639 Maybe if this post gets enough likes Room and Board will make it 😝
Glad I watched this. I have Primal The Awakening coming. Gonna pass here. Only other game I’m for sure backing is going to be Celestial (if it comes out this year) and I expect to pay $$$. Not sure what AR has planned but they usually find a way to get me too…
I only needed one - it's another boss battler game
I am happy this campaign is doing so well, because that means we got another 5 reasons video! :D This game never really appealed to me though.
I will need help getting talked out of Conservas, plus Galactic Cruise coming next month.
I heard that Galactic Cruise is great, I'm looking forward to checking it out
@@RoomandBoardReviews This comment gets a 0 out of 10 for helping talk me out of it! D:
@@sarahracicot2299 haha blame Jeremy Howard, he was hyping it up to me! Do you like Lacerda games? The designers apparently playtest a lot of his games
@@RoomandBoardReviews So I'm a bit odd because while I like heavy Euros (particularly stuff from Mindclash and Alban Viard), I just can't seem to find a Lacerda game I like. For me, they tend to come off as being complex just for the sake of being complex, and the brain-burning doesn't translate to fun. in those situations But, I watched Paul Grogan's Galactic Cruise playthrough yesterday, and all the decisions seem to fit together really nice and make thematic sense. So, I am thinking that this is going to be a perfect fit for me.
@@RoomandBoardReviews Psst! They released the shipping estimates for it now and Canada is cheaper than for the US! :O
I was really looking at this game because of the theme, i looked more into it and saw the shipping very high end at about $100 and just wasnt really feeling it so i decided not to back.
I am still wanting to late pledge Elder Scrolls. I think i am i just need to decide it i want the playmat. I love playmats i just dont love $60 ones lol
Most of elder scrolls is already neoprene so I don't think you'd need the additional elements personally. But gameplay wise, oh yeah Elder Scrolls looks significantly more fun for my tastes
@@RoomandBoardReviews This is why I watch you, you save me money. I am not going to get the play mat. Thanks bud and have a good one!
The Question is, if you already have Oathsworn, do you really need Dante: Inferno? I mean its basically the same game! Sure, the details are different, but the simalarities are obvious. Ok the chronicle phase has a little bit of tainted grail in it. That's it. I don't get the unique selling point, except the ability to use and destroy the terrain more. For me it's Oathsworn 0.5. So I won't back it.
I’m glad it’s a success, but the monochromatic, bland game board and the 33%-50% shipping for the base pledge makes it a hard pass for me. Plus, I love my Oathsworn and this ain’t gonna beat it.
I love Carbuncles of Drunken Boars but this game never really pulled me in. It looks incredible but I just wish the mechanics of the game were a bit more polished. Plus that early bird not being available anymore is dumb. Early birds are dumb. I’ve been busy during tax season and overlooked the campaign until just now. Last hour. I made it but decided to pass. Thanks for the video and the info that confirmed my thinking.
Should have gone for 9 reasons on this one... :D
I mean, most of these things is just "do you like boss battlers or not?" and "don't back because it might change" (which is true for most crowdfunding games and you shouldn't back anything if you got a problem with that). Sure there's SOME crowdfunders that have a finished game and are just looking for funds to make it, but the majority of games is more "we have a concept" and you are a part in making that concept come to life. And you saying it's a part of "buying in advance" is not quite true since all disclaimers with kickstarter make it clear it's NOT a store, you're NOT just buying a game. If people don't understand that, DON'T BACK ANYTHING and buy something that is already out.
You could have named this "5 reasons why you shouldn't back anyting" really.
Hahaha I love your style.
Yeah, not going with this one. Minis are always tempting, but I've got enough boss battlers already that I haven't yet been able to play, and the theming doesn't really excite me. Thanks as always for the great overview and counter-FOMO programming!
I don't have many campaing games, but you won, I won't back it :)
Well canceling my pledge now. Thanks I guess.
That chronicle phase was just not interesting enough for me. I really wanted to like the game, as the theme and minis are cool. But unless the narrative improves I’ll just open up my other 100 unplayed campaign games. 😂 😭 💀
Sounds like a lot of your issues with boss battlers are solved by other more mechanically intensive games in the genre ie KDM, ATO, etc. Better more dtnamic Ai that's also more variable and more options in terms of gear, items, upgrades, etc.
What intrigues me is that ATO and KDM doesn't have events or story in the middle of the fight where another boss might jump into the fray depending on what choices you made during battle
The reactionary system also feels more life like
To me it looks too similar to Oathsworn, and I'm nowhere near finishing Oathsworn yet haha.
Honestly that’s why it’s pulling me in 😅 I think boardgameco said it was a little simpler which I don’t mind but the combat of oathsworn isn’t my favorite, but I’m trudging through. Dante looks interesting combat wise but I love the theme and story which is the only reason I’m still continuing oathsworn.
Yes, it's a double edged sword! I've heard people who skipped the Oathsworn encounters just to focus on the story (or other way around). The theme for Dante is certainly unique and a great selling point.
@kanalune at first I thought oathsworn story was dull and the combat was cool, then later in the campaign I auto win the samey battles and focus on the story ha
Too many boss battlers too little time. The setting/theme is interesting but this game would be at the end of a very long list.
He said all these but probbaly gonna back himself lol
Haha not this time, it's pretty low interest for me at the moment.
I won’t back, but the theme is actually what keeps me off. I have kids I would play with and trying to explain hello and the cardinal sins is not where I want to go on a game night.
yOu HaVe ToO mAnY cAmPaIgN gAmEs!!1!
Going all-in! Don’t give into his hate Colin.
I’m all in!
@@colinmorey *high five*
You know who the 80 games was for....
@@colinmorey oh Colin, how far you've fallen!
@@RoomandBoardReviews cheap shot there Chris, but I laughed
That's it! I'm out! Phew!
I went from being enticed by the all in (that box and the organization!), to convincing myself that the crusader pledge with the environment pack would be enough (because standees are nice and the environment is "part" of this game), to just the crusader (because they keep adding furniture, so how many times will you need each one in 9 scenarios), to just the standee w foreteller for about $16CAD/mo plus shipping (because that price is so much nicer than the others), to thinking that it will just print again if it is actually that good, and I can get other stuff now for that $ that is tested and true.
I think I considered all of your reasons before seeing this, and talked myself into the base pledge anyways.
Hearing them again outside my own head was very helpful!
I have some reservatioms about boss battlers being repetitive, about the replayability of 9 levels, I'm not sure I want to colliseum mode at all but have no choice, and I don't think the ordeals mechanic looks fun (and if they replace it now, what will it be replaced with?).
I do love the theme and a lot of the other things I see, but in the meantime...
I was waiting to see how this went before making a final decision about The Old King's Crown. I guess I have to go figure that out now...
Reason #5 Check
Reason #4 Fail
Reason #3 Wash
Reason #2 Fail
Reason #1 a Check
Reason #1 b Check
Reason #1 c Check
Reason #0 Check
Reason #0 a (No Money) Check
Reasons to not back Dante's Inferno check out. *I'm officially not backing this game.* Thanks!
I don't understand why this game has minis. They're completely unnecessary.
in which game are they necessary? P.s. the base pledge of Dante has no minis
Than you again. Although I didn't back it (yet), I was still on the edge. Good reasons and I am out, yet again :D Thanks. ... btw, yes, I am not as excited about 7th Citadel that should reach me tomorrow as when I was backing it ...
Reasons not to back - #1 CGS made stretch pay a thing. #2 There was so much negativity and issues when the last CoD pm opened with wrong pricing and backers were left hanging for answers. I didn't even back it but it still sticks with me just from reading the comments.
What happened during the PM?
There were issues with incorrect pricing, and CGS "fixed" the problems (but they weren't really fixed) and it took a long time between communications.
1. Dante
2. Inferno
3. campaign
4. cashgrab
5. too expensive
Reason #6: The bland, muted, boring, mostly black-and-white visual aesthetic of the game board and 3d components - YAWN!
I feel like number 5 was targeted at me…🥸
It's ALL for you!
Don’t listen! Stay strong