I have to say that I think this is a “Tom is Wrong” situation only in his assessment that you should play Aeon’s End first. My wife and I love Aeon’s End- so this was a no brainer for us. We loved our playthrough....but.....I may have liked it even better if I’d never played the game before. It starts out with some of the mechanics stripped down- and some not even present. Being aware, I was just waiting for them to be added. If I hadn’t known about them previously, it would have been much more exciting when they came up.
Donald Rowden in the same exact boat. Have only played AE:L and loved it! .. and am just now waiting for the reprint of 2nd edition and then maybe add War Eternal and New Age as well.
I love Tom, but I disagree with most of this review. My girlfriend and I have never played an Aeon’s End game, never played a deck builder, and never played a Legacy game and we absolutely love this game. Sure, the story isn’t amazing but the game mechanics and balance feel nearly perfect. I assume the Legacy aspects are lighter than most but I really looked forward to what upgrades my character would get next. Also, while I’ve heard many people say this is a great solo game, I can’t imagine it’s better than playing 2-players. It feels perfect as a 2-player (1 mage each) game.
I agree. I’ve played the base game solo many times- and it’s great- but it’s never quite as fun as when I play it with my wife. The legacy treatment (while a little lacking in storytelling) was yes- nearly perfect.
I enjoyed it, and couldn't wait to play each chapter. I agree that the story wasn't super compelling, but I found the evolving card market and new abilities / mechanics to be really interesting.
I love most of Tom's reviews and this one is no different. I'm a relatively new gamer so while I did dabble in another deck builder or two, I ended getting this one and it was my first real go at it. I have ordered other AE games through the late pledge manager in KS so haven't played any others yet. Legacy - We played a two player game. I LOVED the first chapter. I was so excited to play and loved how it worked. I felt like the Nemesis deck was set up so perfectly and knew exactly what to do next. It felt like it was reacting to what we were doing and it was perfect. As we played the game over the next weeks, I slowly started to get bored. The story wasn't great (and I'm a HUGE fantasy fan) and as Tom said, it almost felt like you were fighting these things that came out for no reason. As my character gained abilities and stuff, I never got excited about what they got. With two of us playing, I was able to see how we each upgraded them and while mine still seemed pretty weak, my boyfriend's did seem to get stronger. So maybe I was making poor choices as my character evolved. Overall, I love the mechanics, loved how seamlessly the system worked, and am definitely looking forward to playing other Aeon's End games. But this one did not excite me. I hope the others do.
I’m a huge fan of aeons end .. it’s my top rated deck builder ! I also legendary marvel , thunderstone quest , clank, arctic scavanger , legendary aliens , baseball highlights ,Dale of merchants,dragon fire ,edge of humanity, eminent domain, Fantastica,and shadow rift .. aeons end is by far one of the best ..! If you don’t have the game grab this edition it’s a great entry point .. most likely you will buy them all :)
Glad to see others enjoyed the game. Sadly I don't think it's for my wife and I. Not sure what it is but my wife and I just kept loosing each game that we played after the first. We thought we misread the rules so we reread them but we're still having issues. Maybe we just suck at the game but after our 6th consecutive loss, we decided to call it quits which sucks because I've been so excited to try a cooperative legacy deck builder. Maybe we'll try again in the future but we're pretty bummed out at this point
Thanks Tom. I’m a huge Aeons End fan and I just wanted to share my own experience in that the legacy game was the first AE game I ever played (and I too played solo with 2 characters) and I think it might be better that way because I had no idea about charges or the 4th breach so to me it was interesting when they were unlocked. Had I played AE already, I might have been disappointed in the first few games so I think it might be better if you are new to AE. I do agree with you on the theme and story - I don’t care for them either (didn’t really read any of the flavour text) but the mechanics and the challenge of figuring out strategies for each nemesis are what keep me interested. I agree as well that it’s not altogether easy to mix all the cards in the other sets as they are unbalanced but I did it anyway and am still having fun. I do use a turn order app instead of constantly shuffling 6 cards which I recommend.
This is by far the best Legacy game out there. That said, I agree to an extent that I had a hard time finding myself a reason to play Aeon's end over and over UNTIL New Age was released as it continues the "adventure" system introduced in Legacy which really helps you want to play over and over as you sort of "level up" between games and it makes all the difference to me at least. Do yourself a favor an try this game...its 100% worth it.
R Beriault I would have said something similar until I played Clank! Legacy. I am glad I had played this one first or I would have been very disappointed. I would have given this a 9 previously but I think a 7 is about right. New Age is fantastic and I will never pull out my Legacy version again. Clank! Has the best writing I have seen in a Legacy game (by far) and really sets a high bar for Legacy games going forward.
@@TheDarktater Havent played clank legacy but I played clank AFTER playing Aeon's end and I cannot for my life imagine why anyone would play clank over aeon's end. The deck building is so simple and meh that both my wife and I were like...ok...cool game but not worth pulling out over other deck builders. So im worried that Clank Legacy will strike the same notes. Now to my biggest surprise, I played Pandemic Legacy S1 after Aeon;'s end legacy and did 2 months of legacy and have 0 desire to continue. So I pretty much assumed that if pandemic legacy was the epitome of legacy, Aeon's end leaves it in its dust as far as fun is concerned. But then again, I love Roguelike games where you gradually evolve your hero so Aeon's end hit all the right notes.
R Beriault The deck building in Aeon’s End is better for sure. The deck building combined with the story, changing world map, and character progression in Clank! is outstanding. I would play Aeon’s End over base Clank any day. I would choose Clank legacy over Aeon’s End legacy every time. If you can find it for a good price it is completely worth picking up. Plus when you are done you have a game of Clank much better than the original.
Its so interesting to see the opposite ends of the spectrum. I have clank/clank legacy and aeons end/legacy and after having played clank and clank legacy after aeons end I have no desire to play aeons end because I find clank just way better. More theme, more variety (imo) and way way way more fun. Its just such a better experience. Every game I play has great moments that I remember and I just think its a better designed game too. I like aeons end/legacy but I'm definitely not playing them again because of clank. I do like to see it get some love and glad someone has the opposite opinion so it continues to get love
I agree--this feels like Sentinels of the Multiverse (with a splash of Dominion). That's the first thing I thought of when playing Aeon's End. And, I really enjoy Sentinels of the Multiverse!
We’re a little over halfway through this one, and it doesn’t feel like a legacy game so much as it does a step by step tutorial on how to play the regular version of the game.
I have to completely disagree with you in that this is a bad starting point for Aeons end. This was the first I played and I think it was smart to use the legacy aspect to teach a simpler version of the base game and then ramp up to and beyond the base game. Absolutely love this game.
Side question for Aeon’s End fans who have played this: Is Chapter 1 fan service-y? I know in the base game you play as established mages, and I assumed that all the names in the first chapter were supposed to mean something to fans of AE and they (fans) would probably slightly be happy with the nods to the mages they know and love...?
You are correct. All the mages in the first chapter who help out are from previous installments. AE legacy is a new starting point form the next era of the AE story. So the first chapter is a send off
I played this with my father (75) as our entry to Aeons end. And it went very well, must be easier than normal Aeons end to learn. The teach was great and smooth but difficulty ramped up fast!
Aeon's End's mechanics elevate it above most other deckbuilders, I'm really surprised at the rather cold reception here. I think it has to come down to having played it solo, as this game really shines in cooperating with other people. The turn order deck ensures that everyone is engaged during every turn. I haven't played the Legacy version, but I have a mild to strong dislike of fantasy themes in general. Even so, I think Aeon's End is one of the more interesting/unobtrusive fantasy products I've experienced, at least in the not-story-driven boxes. I can actually feel the awe and terror of being a breach mage wielding unmasterable powers against a horrific foe when playing this; I feel like my partner and I are defying odds to pull off a win together. I hope this video doesn't discourage other people from trying the game.
I like Aeons End. But the legacy aspect feels pretty poor. The whole game felt like a Build-a-Mage game. It didnt really add anything to base Aeons End. Also you should play a game or two of Aeons End so you dont build a mage you just dont enjoy.
Aeon's end is the better deckbuilding game in my opinion. Very good ideas: no deck shuffling, turn order randomized, well balanced and very challenging, with a lot of replayability. This version of Aeon's end is the best, as you can create your own character and make him evolve in a very powerful sorcerer at the end of the campaign. The Enemies are very powerful too. The team's strategy is essential. Besides, if you don't like regular Aeon's end, you won't like this game either. The mechanisms are quasi-exactly the same. But, fans of Aeon' end, beware: only 30% of the cards can be played in regular Aeon's end. The other 70% are overpowered or underpowered. But it's a great experience.
You should do a top 10 stepping stone games. or top 10 stepping stone games into (insert category). Games such as Mage Knight, Scythe, and Gloomhaven are so intimidating to new players. Go back to Level 1 and what game would you recommend that's a weight 2 or less(or insert number requirement) to get people into gaming or a certain genre of a game. Keep up all the fantastic work.
Good review. As a fan of Aeon's End I disagree with Tom, but I understand his arguments. I will admit that the story in Legacy is not good, and is only an excuse to chain the nemesis. I would recommend to play a couple of times with the base game Aeon's End first, to learn the basics and the characters. If you like the base game, go in Legacy.
I am a huge fan of AE. I own everything they make for it, and have played through Legacy. In end I would say this is a fair review, overall. Lots of subjective things, such as style and theme, that are hard to argue with. I do think it is very fun to play through, and disagree that the legacy aspects for characters aren't fun. But, Tom is spot-on when it comes to the story. Trite is an appropriate adjective. It feels pasted on. 7 out of 10 seems quite reasonable.
I’m a long time Aeons End fan. I have everything ever released (and next installment on its way). I can agree that AE legacy is not pulling me back in. Fans will like it, but new players should indeed first go for one of the other core boxes.
"Fans will like it, but new players should indeed first go for one of the other core boxes." - Based on various comments, I'm finding the opposite to be the case. New players of Aeon's End are the main people I hear praising Aeon's End Legacy. Old fans of Aeon's End are the ones that tend to not be very impressed with it.
I agree with newbreedcreator. I’ve only played Legacy and loved it. I’m sure I’ll love the base games when I get them but I think this system is really laid out well for newcomers. The upgrades weren’t AMAZING but I did look forward to making my mage a tad bit stronger in each chapter. My GF’s mage was quite OP by chapter 5, especially with my mage primary function to just keep setting her up early on. Anyways, yeah I think newcomers who are into these types of games are less likely to dislike this game than diehard Aeon’s End fans who will notice some major problems (compelling story, lack of interesting mages, weaker artwork).
I'm a huge Aeon's End fan, but this is probably one of the weaker ones for me, too. I think the Expedition mode they released in New Age was a better implementation of a campaign setting for me. It's absolutely not going to set the world alight with it's story, and the Legacy aspect felt a little shoehorned in for me. I'd much sooner recommend War Eternal ahead of it, or even New Age if you want a story/campaign version of the game.
I'm an Aeon's End fan, and I felt like it was... Good but not great? I finished the campaign with my friends, and we had a fun time overall. It's just that it felt like "play X games in a row" without much agency in the path the campaign takes. Sure, your characters get stronger, monster cards get swapped for stronger ones, and you pick cards that go in your market. None of the story or newly introduced mechanics wow'd me, though. Maybe I was just hoping for different paths from a legacy game. Not a bad thing, really. The game also holds your hand in the first game or two, so veteran Aeon's End players have to wait til game 3+ to really get into the interesting stuff. Up until then, it acts like you're new to Aeon's, which is odd since I felt like Legacy wasn't really aimed at newcomers. It's nice that it's welcoming for sure, but it makes it slow for those expecting new stuff right out the gate. But by the end of the campaign, we essentially had more stuff to add to the regular game, which adds more replay ability (if there already wasn't enough for you, anyway lol).
I love the theme and lore of Aeon's End. It gives me a Matrix vibe. However, I feel like the theme tells enough of a story without the designers having tell a story (if that makes sense). I haven't played legacy, but I have played New Age and, for sure, the story seems like an afterthought.
I have everything Aeon's End that has been released and this is my least favorite of all of them. The character art on the heroes was so bad compared to everything else that they have released that it makes me not want to use these ones in additional games. The Legacy experience was serviceable but it got boring after a while. It quickly lost that "I can't wait until we unlock the next scenario" to it feeling like "when will this grind be over?". Aeon's End: The New Age, the sequel in the AE universe, was way better at implementing a campaign mode. I will never revisit this version of the game, as The New Age basically does everything introduced in Legacy both cleaner and better. I love Aeon's End..but this IS NOT a slam dunk for me...it was a big whiff.
Aeon's End is one of my favorite games, but I did not like it. It felt like a tutorial of the normal game. I'm unlocking stuff I've already seen in the base game, why would I play that?
Warning! You can only use 30% of the cards in normal Aeon's End. The other 70 % are either overpowered or underpowered. And I personally love Aeon's End, HAAAAATE this one.
Not exactly. The overpowered cards are overpowered only if used together. Having only 1 gem or 1 spell with pulse token is not more powerful than regular cards. In a game with up to 3 players, we never use the 9 decks, so having 1 of them underpowered is no big deal. I say 100% of player cards can be used in a regular game.
I've played all of Aeon's End, and I think Legacy is the weakest entry. I think the world of Aeon's End is pretty cool, but the story is atrocious in this one. I can't even imagine somebody finding it compelling. The custom mages aren't as interesting as the other mages. It's also tuned way too easy. Some of the bosses are trivial. I only lost once, because of a fluke 4 nemesis turns in a row on one boss where I couldn't respond to anything. Side note: The design space for Aeon's End isn't that big, and there isn't a need to own it all. You end up with a bunch of gems and spells that are nearly identical to the ones you already own. So just buy the best content (I would recommend New Age then War Eternal at this point).
i skipped this onr but i own everything else inc being a new age kickstarter backer. new age was excellent. i did t buy it for the story tbh, i bought it cause its a superb game and probs the best deck builder out there. every boss is unique and needs a diff strategy to beat them. thats why its so good. most other deckbuilders are just buy and build and attack etc etc. this game as a whole adds strategy and replayability. however i just didnt fancy the legacy aspect of it.
I agree, the story is like its pasted on, after playing the first 2 aeons end and then playing this it felt like aeons end is just giving more of the same nothing new and innovative anymore. i stopped buying aeons end after this one
WTF is Tom talking about randomness? Marvel Legendary is way more more random and if you mix expansions, only needs 1 expansion to release the chaos. Tbh i think Tom don't understand this game, and don't know how to play it properly.
Tom, I also do not like original Aeon's End, simply because the graphics in the original game is blah..., and because the engine-building is VERY VERY slow. I wish they had Japanese anime in the game, and make the card smaller for Asian taste.
I have to say that I think this is a “Tom is Wrong” situation only in his assessment that you should play Aeon’s End first. My wife and I love Aeon’s End- so this was a no brainer for us. We loved our playthrough....but.....I may have liked it even better if I’d never played the game before. It starts out with some of the mechanics stripped down- and some not even present. Being aware, I was just waiting for them to be added. If I hadn’t known about them previously, it would have been much more exciting when they came up.
I had not played Aeons End first. Loved this and now I am waiting for the reprint of the others.
Donald Rowden in the same exact boat. Have only played AE:L and loved it! .. and am just now waiting for the reprint of 2nd edition and then maybe add War Eternal and New Age as well.
@@DeGarmo2 You can go straight into War Eternal or New Age.
@@DeGarmo2 or maybe legacy of gravehold? ^^
@@CrovaX31 I ended up getting original AE & Outcasts and am in on LoG
I love Tom, but I disagree with most of this review. My girlfriend and I have never played an Aeon’s End game, never played a deck builder, and never played a Legacy game and we absolutely love this game. Sure, the story isn’t amazing but the game mechanics and balance feel nearly perfect. I assume the Legacy aspects are lighter than most but I really looked forward to what upgrades my character would get next. Also, while I’ve heard many people say this is a great solo game, I can’t imagine it’s better than playing 2-players. It feels perfect as a 2-player (1 mage each) game.
I agree. I’ve played the base game solo many times- and it’s great- but it’s never quite as fun as when I play it with my wife. The legacy treatment (while a little lacking in storytelling) was yes- nearly perfect.
Going through all the legacy reviews Tom! This is probably my favorite legacy game I have played so far, but I am an Aeons End fan.
I enjoyed it, and couldn't wait to play each chapter. I agree that the story wasn't super compelling, but I found the evolving card market and new abilities / mechanics to be really interesting.
9:06 what I heard: "something... something... 10 out of 10!" Tom Vasel :-)
I love most of Tom's reviews and this one is no different. I'm a relatively new gamer so while I did dabble in another deck builder or two, I ended getting this one and it was my first real go at it. I have ordered other AE games through the late pledge manager in KS so haven't played any others yet.
Legacy - We played a two player game. I LOVED the first chapter. I was so excited to play and loved how it worked. I felt like the Nemesis deck was set up so perfectly and knew exactly what to do next. It felt like it was reacting to what we were doing and it was perfect. As we played the game over the next weeks, I slowly started to get bored. The story wasn't great (and I'm a HUGE fantasy fan) and as Tom said, it almost felt like you were fighting these things that came out for no reason. As my character gained abilities and stuff, I never got excited about what they got. With two of us playing, I was able to see how we each upgraded them and while mine still seemed pretty weak, my boyfriend's did seem to get stronger. So maybe I was making poor choices as my character evolved.
Overall, I love the mechanics, loved how seamlessly the system worked, and am definitely looking forward to playing other Aeon's End games. But this one did not excite me. I hope the others do.
What's going on at 6:05 ?
Hi, Great video! I have one question - is it possible to get scan of "Setup sheet" (I lost mine :) ).
Thank you =)
I’m a huge fan of aeons end .. it’s my top rated deck builder ! I also legendary marvel , thunderstone quest , clank, arctic scavanger , legendary aliens , baseball highlights ,Dale of merchants,dragon fire ,edge of humanity, eminent domain, Fantastica,and shadow rift .. aeons end is by far one of the best ..! If you don’t have the game grab this edition it’s a great entry point .. most likely you will buy them all :)
This will be me for sure. This was my entry point and will def grab 2nd edition once it’s reprinted and then WE and NA as well.
Glad to see others enjoyed the game. Sadly I don't think it's for my wife and I. Not sure what it is but my wife and I just kept loosing each game that we played after the first. We thought we misread the rules so we reread them but we're still having issues. Maybe we just suck at the game but after our 6th consecutive loss, we decided to call it quits which sucks because I've been so excited to try a cooperative legacy deck builder. Maybe we'll try again in the future but we're pretty bummed out at this point
My wife and I played Legacy twice, with two different sets of friends. Enjoyed it very much both times.
Thanks Tom. I’m a huge Aeons End fan and I just wanted to share my own experience in that the legacy game was the first AE game I ever played (and I too played solo with 2 characters) and I think it might be better that way because I had no idea about charges or the 4th breach so to me it was interesting when they were unlocked. Had I played AE already, I might have been disappointed in the first few games so I think it might be better if you are new to AE. I do agree with you on the theme and story - I don’t care for them either (didn’t really read any of the flavour text) but the mechanics and the challenge of figuring out strategies for each nemesis are what keep me interested. I agree as well that it’s not altogether easy to mix all the cards in the other sets as they are unbalanced but I did it anyway and am still having fun. I do use a turn order app instead of constantly shuffling 6 cards which I recommend.
This is by far the best Legacy game out there. That said, I agree to an extent that I had a hard time finding myself a reason to play Aeon's end over and over UNTIL New Age was released as it continues the "adventure" system introduced in Legacy which really helps you want to play over and over as you sort of "level up" between games and it makes all the difference to me at least. Do yourself a favor an try this game...its 100% worth it.
R Beriault I would have said something similar until I played Clank! Legacy. I am glad I had played this one first or I would have been very disappointed. I would have given this a 9 previously but I think a 7 is about right. New Age is fantastic and I will never pull out my Legacy version again. Clank! Has the best writing I have seen in a Legacy game (by far) and really sets a high bar for Legacy games going forward.
@@TheDarktater Havent played clank legacy but I played clank AFTER playing Aeon's end and I cannot for my life imagine why anyone would play clank over aeon's end. The deck building is so simple and meh that both my wife and I were like...ok...cool game but not worth pulling out over other deck builders. So im worried that Clank Legacy will strike the same notes. Now to my biggest surprise, I played Pandemic Legacy S1 after Aeon;'s end legacy and did 2 months of legacy and have 0 desire to continue. So I pretty much assumed that if pandemic legacy was the epitome of legacy, Aeon's end leaves it in its dust as far as fun is concerned. But then again, I love Roguelike games where you gradually evolve your hero so Aeon's end hit all the right notes.
R Beriault The deck building in Aeon’s End is better for sure. The deck building combined with the story, changing world map, and character progression in Clank! is outstanding. I would play Aeon’s End over base Clank any day. I would choose Clank legacy over Aeon’s End legacy every time. If you can find it for a good price it is completely worth picking up. Plus when you are done you have a game of Clank much better than the original.
Its so interesting to see the opposite ends of the spectrum. I have clank/clank legacy and aeons end/legacy and after having played clank and clank legacy after aeons end I have no desire to play aeons end because I find clank just way better. More theme, more variety (imo) and way way way more fun. Its just such a better experience. Every game I play has great moments that I remember and I just think its a better designed game too. I like aeons end/legacy but I'm definitely not playing them again because of clank. I do like to see it get some love and glad someone has the opposite opinion so it continues to get love
Love Aeons End and this feels like a very fair review.
I agree--this feels like Sentinels of the Multiverse (with a splash of Dominion). That's the first thing I thought of when playing Aeon's End. And, I really enjoy Sentinels of the Multiverse!
We’re a little over halfway through this one, and it doesn’t feel like a legacy game so much as it does a step by step tutorial on how to play the regular version of the game.
I have to completely disagree with you in that this is a bad starting point for Aeons end. This was the first I played and I think it was smart to use the legacy aspect to teach a simpler version of the base game and then ramp up to and beyond the base game. Absolutely love this game.
Side question for Aeon’s End fans who have played this: Is Chapter 1 fan service-y? I know in the base game you play as established mages, and I assumed that all the names in the first chapter were supposed to mean something to fans of AE and they (fans) would probably slightly be happy with the nods to the mages they know and love...?
You are correct. All the mages in the first chapter who help out are from previous installments. AE legacy is a new starting point form the next era of the AE story. So the first chapter is a send off
Karsa37 !! That’s pretty awesome. I kinda wish I had played the first game to care about all these experienced breach mages lol
I played this with my father (75) as our entry to Aeons end. And it went very well, must be easier than normal Aeons end to learn. The teach was great and smooth but difficulty ramped up fast!
Aeon's End's mechanics elevate it above most other deckbuilders, I'm really surprised at the rather cold reception here. I think it has to come down to having played it solo, as this game really shines in cooperating with other people. The turn order deck ensures that everyone is engaged during every turn.
I haven't played the Legacy version, but I have a mild to strong dislike of fantasy themes in general. Even so, I think Aeon's End is one of the more interesting/unobtrusive fantasy products I've experienced, at least in the not-story-driven boxes. I can actually feel the awe and terror of being a breach mage wielding unmasterable powers against a horrific foe when playing this; I feel like my partner and I are defying odds to pull off a win together. I hope this video doesn't discourage other people from trying the game.
I like Aeons End. But the legacy aspect feels pretty poor. The whole game felt like a Build-a-Mage game. It didnt really add anything to base Aeons End.
Also you should play a game or two of Aeons End so you dont build a mage you just dont enjoy.
I might still get this game. I love deck building and don’t mind solo games.
Aeon's end is the better deckbuilding game in my opinion. Very good ideas: no deck shuffling, turn order randomized, well balanced and very challenging, with a lot of replayability. This version of Aeon's end is the best, as you can create your own character and make him evolve in a very powerful sorcerer at the end of the campaign. The Enemies are very powerful too. The team's strategy is essential. Besides, if you don't like regular Aeon's end, you won't like this game either. The mechanisms are quasi-exactly the same. But, fans of Aeon' end, beware: only 30% of the cards can be played in regular Aeon's end. The other 70% are overpowered or underpowered. But it's a great experience.
Probably the mini campaigns introduced in The New Age fits better with the game.
You should do a top 10 stepping stone games. or top 10 stepping stone games into (insert category). Games such as Mage Knight, Scythe, and Gloomhaven are so intimidating to new players. Go back to Level 1 and what game would you recommend that's a weight 2 or less(or insert number requirement) to get people into gaming or a certain genre of a game. Keep up all the fantastic work.
Good review. As a fan of Aeon's End I disagree with Tom, but I understand his arguments. I will admit that the story in Legacy is not good, and is only an excuse to chain the nemesis.
I would recommend to play a couple of times with the base game Aeon's End first, to learn the basics and the characters. If you like the base game, go in Legacy.
I am a huge fan of AE. I own everything they make for it, and have played through Legacy. In end I would say this is a fair review, overall. Lots of subjective things, such as style and theme, that are hard to argue with. I do think it is very fun to play through, and disagree that the legacy aspects for characters aren't fun. But, Tom is spot-on when it comes to the story. Trite is an appropriate adjective. It feels pasted on.
7 out of 10 seems quite reasonable.
I’m a long time Aeons End fan. I have everything ever released (and next installment on its way). I can agree that AE legacy is not pulling me back in. Fans will like it, but new players should indeed first go for one of the other core boxes.
"Fans will like it, but new players should indeed first go for one of the other core boxes." - Based on various comments, I'm finding the opposite to be the case. New players of Aeon's End are the main people I hear praising Aeon's End Legacy. Old fans of Aeon's End are the ones that tend to not be very impressed with it.
I agree with newbreedcreator. I’ve only played Legacy and loved it. I’m sure I’ll love the base games when I get them but I think this system is really laid out well for newcomers. The upgrades weren’t AMAZING but I did look forward to making my mage a tad bit stronger in each chapter. My GF’s mage was quite OP by chapter 5, especially with my mage primary function to just keep setting her up early on. Anyways, yeah I think newcomers who are into these types of games are less likely to dislike this game than diehard Aeon’s End fans who will notice some major problems (compelling story, lack of interesting mages, weaker artwork).
Cool tie, Tom!
I'm a huge Aeon's End fan, but this is probably one of the weaker ones for me, too. I think the Expedition mode they released in New Age was a better implementation of a campaign setting for me. It's absolutely not going to set the world alight with it's story, and the Legacy aspect felt a little shoehorned in for me. I'd much sooner recommend War Eternal ahead of it, or even New Age if you want a story/campaign version of the game.
I'm an Aeon's End fan, and I felt like it was... Good but not great? I finished the campaign with my friends, and we had a fun time overall. It's just that it felt like "play X games in a row" without much agency in the path the campaign takes. Sure, your characters get stronger, monster cards get swapped for stronger ones, and you pick cards that go in your market. None of the story or newly introduced mechanics wow'd me, though. Maybe I was just hoping for different paths from a legacy game. Not a bad thing, really.
The game also holds your hand in the first game or two, so veteran Aeon's End players have to wait til game 3+ to really get into the interesting stuff. Up until then, it acts like you're new to Aeon's, which is odd since I felt like Legacy wasn't really aimed at newcomers. It's nice that it's welcoming for sure, but it makes it slow for those expecting new stuff right out the gate.
But by the end of the campaign, we essentially had more stuff to add to the regular game, which adds more replay ability (if there already wasn't enough for you, anyway lol).
I love the theme and lore of Aeon's End. It gives me a Matrix vibe. However, I feel like the theme tells enough of a story without the designers having tell a story (if that makes sense). I haven't played legacy, but I have played New Age and, for sure, the story seems like an afterthought.
I have everything Aeon's End that has been released and this is my least favorite of all of them. The character art on the heroes was so bad compared to everything else that they have released that it makes me not want to use these ones in additional games. The Legacy experience was serviceable but it got boring after a while. It quickly lost that "I can't wait until we unlock the next scenario" to it feeling like "when will this grind be over?". Aeon's End: The New Age, the sequel in the AE universe, was way better at implementing a campaign mode. I will never revisit this version of the game, as The New Age basically does everything introduced in Legacy both cleaner and better. I love Aeon's End..but this IS NOT a slam dunk for me...it was a big whiff.
The story was bad the unlocks even worse. The only good thing about this legacy is that you can add the cards to your aeons end set for more choices.
Aeon's End is my BEST co-op deck-building game in my massive library. Aeon's End Legacy... was a hard pass from me.
Fungal.... Spoiler!
Aeon's End is one of my favorite games, but I did not like it. It felt like a tutorial of the normal game. I'm unlocking stuff I've already seen in the base game, why would I play that?
Warning! You can only use 30% of the cards in normal Aeon's End. The other 70 % are either overpowered or underpowered.
And I personally love Aeon's End, HAAAAATE this one.
Not exactly. The overpowered cards are overpowered only if used together. Having only 1 gem or 1 spell with pulse token is not more powerful than regular cards. In a game with up to 3 players, we never use the 9 decks, so having 1 of them underpowered is no big deal. I say 100% of player cards can be used in a regular game.
I've played all of Aeon's End, and I think Legacy is the weakest entry. I think the world of Aeon's End is pretty cool, but the story is atrocious in this one. I can't even imagine somebody finding it compelling. The custom mages aren't as interesting as the other mages. It's also tuned way too easy. Some of the bosses are trivial. I only lost once, because of a fluke 4 nemesis turns in a row on one boss where I couldn't respond to anything.
Side note: The design space for Aeon's End isn't that big, and there isn't a need to own it all. You end up with a bunch of gems and spells that are nearly identical to the ones you already own. So just buy the best content (I would recommend New Age then War Eternal at this point).
i skipped this onr but i own everything else inc being a new age kickstarter backer. new age was excellent. i did t buy it for the story tbh, i bought it cause its a superb game and probs the best deck builder out there. every boss is unique and needs a diff strategy to beat them. thats why its so good. most other deckbuilders are just buy and build and attack etc etc. this game as a whole adds strategy and replayability. however i just didnt fancy the legacy aspect of it.
I love AE and I have played alot of Legacy games. This is the worst legacy game I have played yet. It is also the worst AE game.
"EE-on" -- It's pronounced "EE-on"
I agree, the story is like its pasted on, after playing the first 2 aeons end and then playing this it felt like aeons end is just giving more of the same nothing new and innovative anymore. i stopped buying aeons end after this one
WTF is Tom talking about randomness? Marvel Legendary is way more more random and if you mix expansions, only needs 1 expansion to release the chaos. Tbh i think Tom don't understand this game, and don't know how to play it properly.
It will never be as good as Sentinels. The theme is just too generic and the portal mechanic is an extra level of fiddling about.
Tom, I also do not like original Aeon's End, simply because the graphics in the original game is blah..., and because the engine-building is VERY VERY slow. I wish they had Japanese anime in the game, and make the card smaller for Asian taste.
You really should put an actual human face in your video thumbnails. It will increase clicks a lot.