Thanks for the review, Chris. When I read the publishers announcement of the game, I was afraid that it was a direct re-skin of Aeon's End (of which I have everything but the legacy content), but it's nice to see that they made some effort to distinguish it, while keeping the good bits of AE. I'm glad they are trying to make a great game system more accessible.
The game and theme look pretty fun and less finicky compared to AE (which is still great). Hoping the difficulty can be upped to a challenging level. Nice overview.
I own a lot of Aeon's End content, we loved it but over time we've grown tired of it because it doesn't have the strategic depth of something like Spirit Island or other games, the setup time is too long and it's made even longer by having too much content. Setting up a nemesis, and the variety that comes from random nemesis cards especially at 2 players actually is a detriment that makes the game a lot more swingy. I've decided to buy Astro Knights in the hope that its lighter, more accessible and more quick fun with a better controlled design from the developers. I don't want to have to create house rules or create artificial difficulty levels to enjoy the game. In addition, having a wider variety of market cards, available in smaller quantities helps build a role whereas the market system in Aeon's End feels very limiting because there's very little need to adapt. I hope I'm right in my decision, and I will add a comment after some plays.
Definitely let me know if it fits the bill, but judging by my plays of Astro Knights I feel like it should do very much what you're hoping for it to do. I would say it's a little easier because of the streamlining as well.
I always read it as E ons End lol Not the first mispronunciation (Agri COLA!) Friendly is always my go to. So, thanks for the review. Ps love that shirt
kickstarter reviews, oh no. I mean it makes quack money because people click those titles, but it's terrible as it's a prototype copy with prototype components (if you do minis games they tend to send hq resins and blingy dice) and any rules are subject to change to the point games sometimes end up completely redesigned with new developers before launch.
Great review. I haven't even finished my AE: Ware Enternal box, but I do love it very much... but now I have Tiny Epic Dungeons to explore so idk when I'll get to it!
aeons end is 35 right now, sometimes reaches near 25 on sales. this is 54 (but comes with a small expansion) aeons end has 8 characters, 4 bosses, and 27 item decks. but yes... aeons end has... so many expansions.
I have all of Aeon's End so I'm struggling to justify getting this. The only reason I can think of is that my wife likes light games so maybe she'd enjoy this? But for me, I'm gonna just stick with what I have. There's so much content I haven't even gotten to yet, and many bosses I've yet to defeat.
Yeah I think if you already own Aeon's End, it would take a lot to make this one worth it, especially doing it now vs getting it on sale at retail later.
I'm really glad you covered this, or I probably wouldn't have noticed it. I really love Aeon's End, but the setup and tear down are a beast, especially because there's basically no carry over from game to game. I actually tend to only change 1 aspect of the main 3--mages (specific cards), nemesis (selecting 3 stacks of basic and specific cards, shuffling each and stacking them? And digging out custom googaas? Insane) and market--because the setup-to-play ratio is so out of whack otherwise. The fact that I bother with this is a testament to how good the game is, because setup time is one of my main concerns, especially as a solo gamer who has no one to share the burden with. Does the game strike you as easier to set up? I own 3 boxes and 1 expansion of Aeon's End, but I might just give this a try because of those mixed stack markets. Also, and this is not an attack on you because I've never heard anyone else but myself pronounce it this way, but when was the decision made to pronounce "Aeon" wrong? I mean, the publisher doesn't just get to decide how a real word is pronounced, though I think that's what happened. Am I right? There's no one else on the internet I can find even mentioning this, and there are so many pedants like myself in this hobby that I am afraid that maybe I've just gone crazy and I'm wrong in pronouncing it the same as "eon", but I can find no resource that gives it as anything else.
I think it will be easier to setup for all the reasons you mentioned. There's no common monsters you have to shuffle into the boss decks, and you'll never be deciding which cards to play with because of the preconstructed randomized decks. But I don't find Aeon's End all that all encompassing to set up, although Zach has done a really decent job with his storage and making dividers for everything. But even still, I think this will be quicker. I don't know about the pronunciation. I guess I've always just said it that way and never had any reason to think to change it. I think making it eh-ons end sounds more fantastical and otherworldly too, instead of related to time which it isn't. Maybe that's why?
Have you tried to consolidate your cards into one box? I bought a BCW monster box and it does a good job of holding pretty much everything. My only gripe is that the dividers are by cost and not by card name, so finding the specific card is tough. But at least it's all together.
Thanks for the review, Chris. When I read the publishers announcement of the game, I was afraid that it was a direct re-skin of Aeon's End (of which I have everything but the legacy content), but it's nice to see that they made some effort to distinguish it, while keeping the good bits of AE. I'm glad they are trying to make a great game system more accessible.
Seems very fun! Adding to wishlist haha
The game and theme look pretty fun and less finicky compared to AE (which is still great). Hoping the difficulty can be upped to a challenging level. Nice overview.
I think it should be, basically all the minions will spawn with more health, which is definitely significant.
I own a lot of Aeon's End content, we loved it but over time we've grown tired of it because it doesn't have the strategic depth of something like Spirit Island or other games, the setup time is too long and it's made even longer by having too much content. Setting up a nemesis, and the variety that comes from random nemesis cards especially at 2 players actually is a detriment that makes the game a lot more swingy.
I've decided to buy Astro Knights in the hope that its lighter, more accessible and more quick fun with a better controlled design from the developers. I don't want to have to create house rules or create artificial difficulty levels to enjoy the game.
In addition, having a wider variety of market cards, available in smaller quantities helps build a role whereas the market system in Aeon's End feels very limiting because there's very little need to adapt.
I hope I'm right in my decision, and I will add a comment after some plays.
Definitely let me know if it fits the bill, but judging by my plays of Astro Knights I feel like it should do very much what you're hoping for it to do. I would say it's a little easier because of the streamlining as well.
Looks like a really good game, but I'll have to wait for retail - 39$ for core (good price) + 27$ shipment + 13$ taxes = 79$ 😭
Yup definitely wait for retail on that one, that's way too much
Shipping just kills the value. Will try to get my local retailers to back the KS.
It'll be on coolstuffinc after it fulfills for 1/2 of what you'd pledge for if you trigger that free shipping.
6:55 you haven’t even began peaking
A great balanced review mate. You've offered lots of points to consider between AE which is important. Thank you
I always read it as E ons End lol Not the first mispronunciation (Agri COLA!)
Friendly is always my go to. So, thanks for the review.
Ps love that shirt
Yeah; that was helpful. I liked the breakdown and the comparison of Aeon’s End and Astro Knights. Thanks for the review. Nice job 👍
kickstarter reviews, oh no. I mean it makes quack money because people click those titles, but it's terrible as it's a prototype copy with prototype components (if you do minis games they tend to send hq resins and blingy dice) and any rules are subject to change to the point games sometimes end up completely redesigned with new developers before launch.
Great review. I haven't even finished my AE: Ware Enternal box, but I do love it very much... but now I have Tiny Epic Dungeons to explore so idk when I'll get to it!
Thank!
Aeon's End kicked our butts so often, and we kicked back. Looking forward to this game.
Super valuable content again! Clever but informative! How do we get every game in existence into your hands?
I wish I’d known this was coming before I went quintuple all in on AE.
aeons end is 35 right now, sometimes reaches near 25 on sales. this is 54 (but comes with a small expansion) aeons end has 8 characters, 4 bosses, and 27 item decks. but yes... aeons end has... so many expansions.
Oh my, I laughed so much at knight of the round asteroid. I would love to knighted to the round asteroid hahaaa.
"...power it up over a hundred episodes." Dead. 😂 Great vid.
Got me again, Chris George, with comedy gold in the first 0:47 seconds! Good show!
I have all of Aeon's End so I'm struggling to justify getting this. The only reason I can think of is that my wife likes light games so maybe she'd enjoy this? But for me, I'm gonna just stick with what I have. There's so much content I haven't even gotten to yet, and many bosses I've yet to defeat.
Yeah I think if you already own Aeon's End, it would take a lot to make this one worth it, especially doing it now vs getting it on sale at retail later.
I'm really glad you covered this, or I probably wouldn't have noticed it. I really love Aeon's End, but the setup and tear down are a beast, especially because there's basically no carry over from game to game. I actually tend to only change 1 aspect of the main 3--mages (specific cards), nemesis (selecting 3 stacks of basic and specific cards, shuffling each and stacking them? And digging out custom googaas? Insane) and market--because the setup-to-play ratio is so out of whack otherwise. The fact that I bother with this is a testament to how good the game is, because setup time is one of my main concerns, especially as a solo gamer who has no one to share the burden with.
Does the game strike you as easier to set up? I own 3 boxes and 1 expansion of Aeon's End, but I might just give this a try because of those mixed stack markets.
Also, and this is not an attack on you because I've never heard anyone else but myself pronounce it this way, but when was the decision made to pronounce "Aeon" wrong? I mean, the publisher doesn't just get to decide how a real word is pronounced, though I think that's what happened. Am I right? There's no one else on the internet I can find even mentioning this, and there are so many pedants like myself in this hobby that I am afraid that maybe I've just gone crazy and I'm wrong in pronouncing it the same as "eon", but I can find no resource that gives it as anything else.
I think it will be easier to setup for all the reasons you mentioned. There's no common monsters you have to shuffle into the boss decks, and you'll never be deciding which cards to play with because of the preconstructed randomized decks. But I don't find Aeon's End all that all encompassing to set up, although Zach has done a really decent job with his storage and making dividers for everything. But even still, I think this will be quicker.
I don't know about the pronunciation. I guess I've always just said it that way and never had any reason to think to change it. I think making it eh-ons end sounds more fantastical and otherworldly too, instead of related to time which it isn't. Maybe that's why?
Have you tried to consolidate your cards into one box? I bought a BCW monster box and it does a good job of holding pretty much everything. My only gripe is that the dividers are by cost and not by card name, so finding the specific card is tough. But at least it's all together.
Co-op deck builder, you say.
Great info. Thank you!
Thanks