Octopus Overlords

Taught my 7-year-old to play A Touch of Evil this past weekend, and was reminded that it's a pretty enjoyable, somewhat overlooked game in my collection. I'm a big fan of Flying Frog's Last Night on Earth, and Touch of Evil is different enough to make it stand out. Plays very similar to Arkham Horror, which in this case actually seems to make the game go faster. We played to cooperative game to team up against the Scarecrow, and our first showdown with him was a slaughter, especially as one of our town elders turned out to be in league with the villian. We were both knocked out in the first turn, and the Scarecrow was able to fully heal before we were able to make it back. The second fight was, admittedly, a terrific convergence of amazing luck with the die rolls, but sometimes that's how it goes. We crushed the Scarecrow and his traitorous minion thanks to my son's greatly buffed soldier and my arcane amulet-wielding Shakespearean actor. Huzzah!

what are your guys' thoughts on the DC Comics deck builder? I really enjoy the Marvel one....but the DC one looks kinda cool, also...

The reviews from Gencon demo game players have been rather lackluster, although if you read the BGG forums the supporters are very vocal about how much they love it. I'm going to try and get in a demo game this weekend so I can decide for myself.

edit: nm...looks like I'm getting it for christmas.

Boudreaux wrote:Taught my 7-year-old to play A Touch of Evil this past weekend, and was reminded that it's a pretty enjoyable, somewhat overlooked game in my collection. I'm a big fan of Flying Frog's Last Night on Earth, and Touch of Evil is different enough to make it stand out. Plays very similar to Arkham Horror, which in this case actually seems to make the game go faster. We played to cooperative game to team up against the Scarecrow, and our first showdown with him was a slaughter, especially as one of our town elders turned out to be in league with the villian. We were both knocked out in the first turn, and the Scarecrow was able to fully heal before we were able to make it back. The second fight was, admittedly, a terrific convergence of amazing luck with the die rolls, but sometimes that's how it goes. We crushed the Scarecrow and his traitorous minion thanks to my son's greatly buffed soldier and my arcane amulet-wielding Shakespearean actor. Huzzah!

I need to play this again. My AToE figures were my first foray into mini painting... and I just finished all of them (plus the two main expansion).

Talked my son (9 years old) into playing Legendary with me last night. We did the suggested first game setup, which was pretty easy. He absolutely loved it, and grasped the mechanics much more quickly than I thought he would (I've never attempted a deckbuilder with him before). We beat the Red Skull fairly handily, and he beat me on victory points by 1 point. So I think this one is going to be hitting the table again pretty soon.

Plus, my 13 year old daughter was wandering by as I was setting up and said "Marvel superhero game? Cool! I want to play!" but she had to go to scouts. So, I may finally have a game that I can get a couple of my kids to play.

Yesterday, and then today, my oldest boy (11 years old) and I played Yggdrasil. So much fun, but we got stomped yesterday (my first game in quite awhile). We came somewhat close today (had 11 cards left in the Enemy deck), but we ended up losing.

I have Legendary, and I am thinking my kids would like that one too.

This next Sunday or Monday, my group and I plan on playing Descent 2nd Edition...so, I am looking forward to that. I also got those figure meeples for Lords of Waterdeep coming, AND...Agents of Smersh will be shipping in a few days!!

Lots of game fun!!

Played another game of Legendary with my son last night. I let him pick out who we were going to bring to the party, and he chose Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye, Iron Man and Thor to go up against Loki (wonder where he got that particular combo from?) Villain groups were Enemies of Asgard, Doombots, and Masters of Evil. Scheme was Portals to the Dark Dimension.

Once again, my son had a blast playing this game (and I did as well.) He understands that the cards chain off of each other, but doesn't play them in what I would call a "proper" fashion. Instead he lays out all of his cards, and then (with some occasional solicited advice from me) will decide who got played first to determine special effects that come into play. We ended up winning the game, and he trounced me on VPs, 47 to 33. I did go a little easy on him once, because he gets kind of worked up on the number of wounds that he takes, so instead of taking out Ultron (which would have helped me VP wise) I took out Ymir the Frost Giant King (which I used to help him discard 3 wounds he had in his discard pile.) But I think it's all part of the learning process.

This game has really captured his imagination, like no other game I've ever tried to get him to play. He really wants to get his sister to play, so we can do a 3 player game. I'm just waiting for him to actually ask me to play, instead of me asking him. I don't think it will take long.

Do you happen to have the Fantasy Flight Games Marvel Heroes board game? It is out of print now, but it is kinda fun, and may be up his alley....

MythicalMino wrote:Do you happen to have the Fantasy Flight Games Marvel Heroes board game? It is out of print now, but it is kinda fun, and may be up his alley....

He knows I have it and he picks on me FOR having it...

hepcat wrote:

MythicalMino wrote:Do you happen to have the Fantasy Flight Games Marvel Heroes board game? It is out of print now, but it is kinda fun, and may be up his alley....

He knows I have it and he picks on me FOR having it...

I love War of the Ring unconditionally. I bought the Marvel Heroes game hoping for the same quality. It was not the same quality. It was full of sorrow and shattered dreams, plus some pretty nice minis.

...and now Chaz is picking on me for having it.



I didn't think it was THAT bad. I had some fun with it. It hasn't been requested on game nights since its debut though.

There are worse games. There are many far better. Granted, I only played two half games, but that's because we quit both of them halfway through because they sucked.

I owned it too. Then I got rid of it somehow. So I share part of your shame.

Chaz wrote:There are worse games. There are many far better. Granted, I only played two half games, but that's because we quit both of them halfway through because they sucked.

I owned it too. Then I got rid of it somehow. So I share part of your shame.

This. I thought I still had a copy of it, but I appear to have [traded it off/sold it off/it spontaneously combusted from the awfulness] sometime in the past few years.

Hep, I share your shame, then...and take more, I guess, because I still have it, refuse to get rid of it, and still want to play it

Lots of new games for me…

Clash of Cultures is my most-played of the Essen releases. It’s a great civ-building game. It’s not the same sort of experience as my favorite game(Through the Ages), but it’s really neat. The tech tree is the best I've yet played. And it plays in around 2 hours for 3 if everyone is familiar, and isn't too indecisive.


Terra Mystica is another Esssen release I’ve been enjoying. Heavier euro with a interesting “neighbor” mechanic: You want to build next to your opponent’s buildings, because they’re cheaper, but if you do, you give them “power points” – a very neat mancala-like mechanic. Of course, all players have the same neighbor problems. With 14 races in the base game, I can see myself playing this a bunch.

Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar is like Stone Age’s bigger brother, with a genius “waiting” mechanic: The longer your worker sits in a gear, the better stuff you’ll get when you remove him. The dynamic of placing/removing workers is great.

hepcat wrote:...and now Chaz is picking on me for having it.



I didn't think it was THAT bad. I had some fun with it. It hasn't been requested on game nights since its debut though.

My group use to play it..well not a bunch, but more than a little.. I also own it, and while I do not have the great hair that hepcat does, I apparently have the same taste in games, as I have now bought all the games I ever played with Hepcat...

Agents of SMERSH arrived yesterday...and I am really enjoying it, now that I have played a few games (solo) and pretty much understand the rules.

Also, the DnDeeples (the small meeples shaped like adventurers) for Lords of Waterdeep arrived today in the mail, also. Very cool, so I am really looking forward to pulling that one out again VERY soon.

Right now, the games that are getting the most attention from me and my family (namely, my two boys) is Agents of SMERSH, Yggdrasil, and Lords of Waterdeep (which quickly turned into one of our favorite games after I finally put it on the table). Now, with the DnDeeples to use instead of the cubes, I think thematically, that game will be very good (not that it wasn't to begin with).

Chris

I got in another game of Agents of SMERSH with Tommy last night. Man, that's a fun game. It's the game that I wish Fortune and Glory was.

I VERY much agree with you. When I first got Fortune & Glory, I thought it was just an awesome game...but after a few tries at playing it, I realized I just did not like it...at all.

But this one is very fun. I need to up the difficulty, I think, though...

MythicalMino wrote:I VERY much agree with you. When I first got Fortune & Glory, I thought it was just an awesome game...but after a few tries at playing it, I realized I just did not like it...at all.

But this one is very fun. I need to up the difficulty, I think, though...

Ouch..You don't like Fortune and Glory? that one is on my wish list for Christmas... Should I remove it?

I don't know, to be honest with you. The game is colorful, great components...the map (game board) is just an awesome sight to behold. I **should** like the game. But...for some reason, I just don't like it. I really cannot figure out why. Some ppl really seem to enjoy it, but I just, for some reason...don't.

Yeah, I have some games like that. Like Descent 2nd edition. I can't stand it. I have played five or six times now, and I hate it...

ah, now see...I really enjoy Descent 2nd Edition (in fact, I have the new expansion coming tomorrow). I did not like the 1st edition, though...too many bits, I think.

In regards to Fortune & Glory...I think part of my problem is to me, the rules and/or mechanics to some parts of the game (temples, especially) just do not click with my brain.

My problem with Fortune and Glory is that it suffers from too many "unless"es.

Do this to resolve an adventure, unless you are in the deep jungle, then do this. Unless it's a temple, then do this. Unless there's a villain there, then do this. Unless there's a zeppelin adjacent, then do this. Unless you're playing the co-op version of the game, then do this.

That really isn't an exaggeration. This game should be fun, exciting, seat of your pants, easy to resolve action from beginning to end. It ends up being a constant referral to flow charts and the rule book.

It does ooze theme. It has great components. The base game mechanic is solid. And it has the potential for so many expansions, it isn't even funny. I was really taken by this game the first couple of times we played, even to the point of wanting to create my own adventurers based on some favorite pulp characters. We gave the game like 7 plays, and the only way we had even a modicum of fun out of it was when we played the competitive game, not the co-op.

You may love it. I keep hoping someone takes the base components and re-writes the rules to make a fun game out of it.

RMC wrote:Yeah, I have some games like that. Like Descent 2nd edition. I can't stand it. I have played five or six times now, and I hate it...

Well, that answers ONE question about this Saturday...

Played some Last Night on Earth, uh, last night.

4 players, truck scenario: We need to fill up the truck with two gas cans, and then have a guy with the keys + another guy end their turns in the truck space.

Great setup: One of my guys, the Sheriff, doesn't have the starting building on the board. So, he gets a bonus item card. I look at it, and can't believe my eyes - he's got the keys! Even better, the fuel stop (or whatever) is on the board, so all we have to do is run over there, pick up two gasoline cans, run back to the truck and win in 4 turns. The zombie players started with just three zombies on the board, so there's really no way we can lose here.

Turn 1: Two guys get to the gas station. Sheriff shoots at and misses zombie.
Turn 2: Two guys pick up the gasoline. Sheriff has parkinson's disease or something because not only does he miss the zombie, his revolver runs out of ammo. Whatever, it's irrelevant.
Turn 3: Two guys and the Sheriff with the keys are at the truck.
Turn 4: Two zombies and the fourth guy make it to the truck. Here's what has to happen:
- Gas #1 and #2 have to survive.
- Sheriff has to survive. How can he die? There are only two zombies on the square, so we literally can't lose!

Now, in a single zombie fight without any other modifiers, you have a little under 3/4 odds of not getting bit. First fight, Sheriff gets bit. Ok, whatever, he can suck it up. Zombie player plays a "next time you get bit, you're a zombie" card. Fine, so we went from a 100% chance of winning to a slightly under 3/4 chance of winning. No big deal. Roll dice.

The Sheriff gets brained.

The rest of the game is the survivors frantically trying to dodge the horde of zombies. Spoiler alert: the humans lose. Although, Father Joe was quite the whirlwind with that meat cleaver.

Oooh...hope Trent doesn't read that. I keep telling him the Truck scenario for LNoE is probably easier than just straight-up killing 15 zombies.

If you were expecting that scenario to be that easy to win, you're searching wrong. Read Pick Up on Page 6:

Although Heroes can Search in any Building to draw a Hero Card, some buildings have the additional ability to instead pull a specific card out of the Hero Discard Pile.
...
The most important note about the Pick Up: ability is that to be able to use it, the listed card must already be in the Hero Discard Pile (You do not get to pull it out of the deck).

Isgrimnur wrote:If you were expecting that scenario to be that easy to win, you're searching wrong. Read Pick Up on Page 6:

Although Heroes can Search in any Building to draw a Hero Card, some buildings have the additional ability to instead pull a specific card out of the Hero Discard Pile.
...
The most important note about the Pick Up: ability is that to be able to use it, the listed card must already be in the Hero Discard Pile (You do not get to pull it out of the deck).

Thaaat's what we got wrong. Ultimately, we still would have had all our brains eaten in that case, so, no harm no foul (except for the guys who got eaten).

Still, starting out with the keys already in hand makes that scenario about 33% easier.

BTW, Reverend with that "Faith" card that gives you an extra fight die "permanently" and the "Meat Cleaver" is a freaking monster in combat. The best part about the meat cleaver is that it doesn't break or run out of ammo on its own.

MythicalMino wrote:ah, now see...I really enjoy Descent 2nd Edition (in fact, I have the new expansion coming tomorrow). I did not like the 1st edition, though...too many bits, I think.

Gygax give me strength, Descent 2nd edition is on sale via Amazon Prime for $35...

hepcat wrote:

RMC wrote:Yeah, I have some games like that. Like Descent 2nd edition. I can't stand it. I have played five or six times now, and I hate it...

Well, that answers ONE question about this Saturday...

I will play board games with Hep on Saturday, and not be memorized by his hair. I promise. mostly. kinda...Well I have no hair, so I might stare a little...

Smoove_B wrote:

MythicalMino wrote:ah, now see...I really enjoy Descent 2nd Edition (in fact, I have the new expansion coming tomorrow). I did not like the 1st edition, though...too many bits, I think.

Gygax give me strength, Descent 2nd edition is on sale via Amazon Prime for $35...

I'm actually very fond of it. It's so streamlined and easy to learn that it takes me 5 minutes to review the rules after a long time away from it.

Hepcat has enough hair to share. Wish I could be there, RMC.

My copy of the Eclipse expansion arrived today, but my sister is more likely going to want to play Lords of Waterdeep again. Last time she demolished the rest of us.

RMC wrote:I will play board games with Hep on Saturday, and not be memorized by his hair. I promise. mostly. kinda...Well I have no hair, so I might stare a little...

hepcat's hair has an eidetic memory. Once it gets a good front and profile look at you, it will forever have you memorized. There is no escape.

Isgrimnur wrote:

RMC wrote:I will play board games with Hep on Saturday, and not be memorized by his hair. I promise. mostly. kinda...Well I have no hair, so I might stare a little...

hepcat's hair has an eidetic memory. Once it gets a good front and profile look at you, it will forever have you memorized. There is no escape.

Maybe that is only in Chicago. He is in my state now... Ohio..Which is actually a pretty boring for a state, but we have a river that caught on fire and sports teams that always lose. So what else is there?

Hey, I'm an Ohioan born and raised. It's my state too, pal.

RMC wrote:Maybe that is only in Chicago. He is in my state now... Ohio..Which is actually a pretty boring for a state, but we have a river that caught on fire and sports teams that always lose. So what else is there?

A college team with a perfect record that ruled itself out of a bowl game?

hepcat wrote:Hey, I'm an Ohioan born and raised. It's my state too, pal.

How long have you lived in Chicago? It changes you...Makes you different...

hepcat wrote:I'm actually very fond of it. It's so streamlined and easy to learn that it takes me 5 minutes to review the rules after a long time away from it.

I think I might have dodged a bullet. My buddy had a birthday last week and was given an Amazon gift card -- he couldn't resist. Some day I will get him to take a picture of his game room / office. We're like-minded so I don't say this lightly -- he needs help.

Zarathud, have you bought the DnDeeples? The little painted meeples for LoW?

You should check them out....

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/807 ... es-updated" target="_blank

30 bucks gets you a full set (25 of each color), painted.

Chris