This is one of my favourite games at the moment, so I thought I'd add a perspective of a fan of the game. I have played it 17 times now, mostly with my wife (2-player), but also a few times with the kids too (4-player) and I like it equally at both those player counts. I am also a fan of Clank! but I prefer The Hunger (or Fat Dracula as we call it, from Richard Garfield's inspiration for the game), mainly because I prefer the theme. I like the simplicity of gameplay but I also find plenty of strategic options to try out each time I play. Going for the Rose is definitely not a slamdunk best option, but if you get a starter mission that gives you 5 points for getting a rose, then you may sway towards it. I have found that the strategy you pursue has to be driven by the cards available and the missions that you collect and in that respect there are plenty of ways the game can go. It can be really risky to go too far from the castle, but if you do then you get first pick at the humans on offer. As you say in the review, some humans are simply better than others, and I really like that. I think that is the aspect that pushes you to go further from the castle than others so that you can get first pick when a 5-value human comes up. But it comes with the risk of not making it home. And there is real value in even getting to the forest to hunt. 2 extra points per human in the forest can be pretty huge if you do a hunt that gains you 3 or 4 humans (usually the 1-2 pointers that other people leave behind). Or do you wait around the tavern and pick up the drunkards from there, easy points. But ultimately it is all about finding that critical point to start heading home so that you actually make it back and hopefully you haven't eaten too many humans. All that to say, this is a game I always have fun playing and will keep coming back to often. I get that it won't gel with everyone, that's true of all games. Thanks for the review :-)
I agree with pretty much everything said. I think the biggest opportunity missed was that the player characters don't have their own abilities. That could have easily been done. The other thing that the game really missed out on (like was mentioned), there needs to be better rewards for the farther you go away from the castle. On our first game, that was my whole goal, get a rose, prove that I could make it and get back. But every game afterwards, I have just gone the treasure route, and tried to get as many high point humans as treasures as possible. I hate when I say maybe the expansion will fix a game, because a game should be good without an expansion, but maybe some more thought will be put into expansion content. I've even thought about House Ruling some things. Like a different market for different areas of the board, and then seeding them with different humans that have more points. Or making the hunting rewards even more the farther away from the castle, and such. Just my thoughts. Still doesn't replace Clank! for us yet. But a good time nevertheless.
I can see the complaint about going to the end of the track being no better than staying close, but if it were better then wouldn’t it become the only viable strategy? It seems to me that the different approaches should be balanced. My question then is whether there is a penalty for too many players crowding in one area. If everyone stays close to the castle, are there enough opportunities for each of them? Hopefully not, as it forces players to spread out and each try a slightly different strategy while being balanced against one another. Just some thoughts not having played myself. Thanks for the review.
the main aspect of Deck building that people really find enjoyable where you can string together a Large hand is not how this games "Deck Building" works. you'll be lucky to ever have more than more than 3 cards each round and max you can expect is 4-5 and 1-2 of those cards will be useless or Negative effect cards. but you cant discard all your useless cards because that's the only way to gain +Draw or +move functionality in your deck if your going for a Rose just ignore your First 3 rounds of Buys and get to the forest asap stay on the Road to make sure your first to go, the extra points and movement from the rose will more then make up for the cards you missed out on in the first 3 turns. also getting the Power card that grants you the ability to teleport to a well and the Bat form cards are fairly broken when trying to conserve Power for hunting.
Thanks for the review. I was eyeing this game and I appreciate the thoroughness of your reviews. Probably going to pass on this game since those issues you brought up would prob bother several people in my game group
Very good review, and as usual, I really appreciate the honesty. It sounds like the expansion is another opportunity to give this game a chance.. At least based on the opinions that it changes it enough - I suspect you might like it.
This is one of my favourite games at the moment, so I thought I'd add a perspective of a fan of the game. I have played it 17 times now, mostly with my wife (2-player), but also a few times with the kids too (4-player) and I like it equally at both those player counts. I am also a fan of Clank! but I prefer The Hunger (or Fat Dracula as we call it, from Richard Garfield's inspiration for the game), mainly because I prefer the theme. I like the simplicity of gameplay but I also find plenty of strategic options to try out each time I play. Going for the Rose is definitely not a slamdunk best option, but if you get a starter mission that gives you 5 points for getting a rose, then you may sway towards it. I have found that the strategy you pursue has to be driven by the cards available and the missions that you collect and in that respect there are plenty of ways the game can go. It can be really risky to go too far from the castle, but if you do then you get first pick at the humans on offer. As you say in the review, some humans are simply better than others, and I really like that. I think that is the aspect that pushes you to go further from the castle than others so that you can get first pick when a 5-value human comes up. But it comes with the risk of not making it home. And there is real value in even getting to the forest to hunt. 2 extra points per human in the forest can be pretty huge if you do a hunt that gains you 3 or 4 humans (usually the 1-2 pointers that other people leave behind). Or do you wait around the tavern and pick up the drunkards from there, easy points. But ultimately it is all about finding that critical point to start heading home so that you actually make it back and hopefully you haven't eaten too many humans. All that to say, this is a game I always have fun playing and will keep coming back to often. I get that it won't gel with everyone, that's true of all games. Thanks for the review :-)
The extra points on the Forest really kick in if you hunt on Wells - you get an extra Hunt (Column 1) on a Well, and that really adds up
I agree with pretty much everything said. I think the biggest opportunity missed was that the player characters don't have their own abilities. That could have easily been done. The other thing that the game really missed out on (like was mentioned), there needs to be better rewards for the farther you go away from the castle. On our first game, that was my whole goal, get a rose, prove that I could make it and get back. But every game afterwards, I have just gone the treasure route, and tried to get as many high point humans as treasures as possible.
I hate when I say maybe the expansion will fix a game, because a game should be good without an expansion, but maybe some more thought will be put into expansion content.
I've even thought about House Ruling some things. Like a different market for different areas of the board, and then seeding them with different humans that have more points. Or making the hunting rewards even more the farther away from the castle, and such.
Just my thoughts. Still doesn't replace Clank! for us yet. But a good time nevertheless.
I can see the complaint about going to the end of the track being no better than staying close, but if it were better then wouldn’t it become the only viable strategy? It seems to me that the different approaches should be balanced. My question then is whether there is a penalty for too many players crowding in one area. If everyone stays close to the castle, are there enough opportunities for each of them? Hopefully not, as it forces players to spread out and each try a slightly different strategy while being balanced against one another.
Just some thoughts not having played myself. Thanks for the review.
Hey Graeme!
Haven't see you for a while..
Your honesty is, as always, most welcome!
Thanks for the review..
Thank you, appreciate that!
I wish this video came out before I bought it.
I do like the game, but it’s certainly not a must play
It is definitely not a "bad" game, but like you said, it is certainly not a must play! Thanks for watching!
Very good review.
I hope for another review if/when you will revisit it with the expansion.
the main aspect of Deck building that people really find enjoyable where you can string together a Large hand is not how this games "Deck Building" works. you'll be lucky to ever have more than more than 3 cards each round and max you can expect is 4-5 and 1-2 of those cards will be useless or Negative effect cards. but you cant discard all your useless cards because that's the only way to gain +Draw or +move functionality in your deck if your going for a Rose just ignore your First 3 rounds of Buys and get to the forest asap stay on the Road to make sure your first to go, the extra points and movement from the rose will more then make up for the cards you missed out on in the first 3 turns. also getting the Power card that grants you the ability to teleport to a well and the Bat form cards are fairly broken when trying to conserve Power for hunting.
Seems like everyone says this one just isn't that fun. I'll just stick with Clank! Thanks!
Thanks for the review. I was eyeing this game and I appreciate the thoroughness of your reviews. Probably going to pass on this game since those issues you brought up would prob bother several people in my game group
It is unfortunate because I think there is a good idea in the game, but just can't recommend it! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the review! I like your style.
Very good review, and as usual, I really appreciate the honesty.
It sounds like the expansion is another opportunity to give this game a chance..
At least based on the opinions that it changes it enough - I suspect you might like it.
The only clank alternative for 6 players
100% agreed