A Touch of Evil: The Supernatural Game

Recently, I was lucky enough to find a smokin’ deal on this game and its expansion at my local entertainment exchange store. I had played it once before and thoroughly enjoyed it, so naturally, I jumped at the chance to pick up an unpunched copy, complete with extra supplements for less than half of store price. I am a huge fan of themed board games, especially horror themed, and this is one of my favorites. “A Touch of Evil” pits a band of brave civilians against an extra-nasty Villain and its Minions in a battle to save the quaint, 19th Century town of Shadowbrook from being overrun by darkness.

Thematically, the game is awesome. Play time usually lasts between 1.5 to 2.5 hours, but it honestly depends on the number of players. The base game can suit 2-8 players, and the “Something Wicked” expansion widens play possibility from 1-12 players. Needless to say, this creates some real versatility. There are various levels of difficulty and optional rules that can be added, so the game can be adapted for an experienced or inexperienced audience. In addition, it can be played competitively, cooperatively, or on teams against various creatures and monstrosities.

Each character has four traits: Spirit, Combat, Cunning, and Honor. Like many other games, these traits change as the game progresses and characters and monsters become stronger. Also, every character and monster has a certain number of Wounds they can take before they are KO’ed, setting them back in their investigation.

As players move through the game board(s), they will find themselves encountering various spaces. Out of these spaces, there are 4 (7 with “Something Wicked”) Location spaces, each of which has its own deck of helpful and harmful cards. These Locations require a draw from the deck, while other spaces may require a dice roll or allow a player to attempt to train and improve their stats.

Throughout the game, players may investigate the secrets of the 6 Town Elders, learning important information about each of them. This could range from learning that a given Elder is a coward and would run away from a combat situation, it could be that the Elder is a peeping tom or a similar fact that has no effect on the game, or it could be that the Elder is a Servant to Darkness, and is in league with the Villain. When a player feels ready to take on the monstrosity head-to-head, he or she may choose up to two Elders to bring along in a hunting party, so it is important that players know who they are bringing before they attempt the final fight. Players can also accuse Elders of being in cahoots with the Villain, possibly resulting in the accused Elder joining ranks with the Villain to fight a Hero to the death.

This one is a standout. One of the finest games I’ve yet to play. The initial setup can take a while, as there are hundreds of cards to be sorted and organized. To a first-time player, “A Touch of Evil” looks pretty intense. The sheer amount of dice, cards, and pieces can be overwhelming, but the game is rather easy to learn. Flying Frog Productions succeeded in making this game very adaptable, including varying degrees of difficulty and styles of play. In this way, it can be adapted for gamers of any experience level.

The game itself is very well made. The box art features eye-catching photo-realistic images of character models (see image of box), and the included pieces are very durable. The board is nice, glossy cardboard, the cards are sturdy and don’t bend easily (though this can make shuffling a challenge), and the figures are nicely detailed and ready to be painted if so desired. But, by far the best part of the game is the CD Soundtrack.

Yes, you read that right. This game has a full-length Soundtrack of creepy background music to enhance gameplay. I’ll be honest; the quality of the music on the Soundtrack isn’t even that good, but it’s just the sheer fact that there IS one. Total selling point, there.

One piece of advice, though. When I was about to purchase this game, I was with a friend who already owned it. He told me that expansion was well worth the money because it enhanced gameplay all the more. He was right. If you plan on getting “A Touch of Evil,” I would recommend getting “Something Wicked” as well. Get ready, though, because, come 2012, the third expansion will be released!

Get your wooden stake ready.

Overall Rating: A

Starcraft: The Board Game

This is one of those love it or hate it types of games. There is not much middle ground. When most gamers first learn about SCBG, their first reaction is, “How would that even work?” Truth be told, I thought the same thing. The idea of taking a Real-Time Strategy computer game and making it into a turn-based board game seems crazy. It’s like making the Mona Lisa into a sculpture, it just doesn’t seem to be its intended form.

Regardless, there is much to be said about this game. First off, you can’t look past its sheer size. Check this out:

It’s about twice as big as Settlers of Catan. And that’s just on the outside. Inside, there are nearly 1,000 gorgeous components to this game. The setup alone can easily take 30 minutes. That isn’t necessarily bad, though; it’s not a hard game, it’s a complex game, if that makes sense.

In regards to pieces, they are simply beautiful. Standard Fantasy Flight goodness. Six colors, two factions of each race, each containing several dozen pieces, along with many tokens, chits, and cards. (Surprisingly, SCBG is a diceless game…) The pure number of items makes the game look extremely intimidating, but, especially if they have at least some knowledge of the computer game version, players will find it less intense than it appears.

It’s difficult to effectively explain the turn sequence, but each turn consists of three phases: the Planning Phase, in which players map out their actions for the turn, the Execution Phase, where players strategically employ planned actions, and the Regrouping Phase, in which players resolve the turn and prepare for the coming turn. The game can be won in three ways:

1) [Least common] Be the first to 15 Victory Points. These points are gained by controlling certain territories on given planets.

2) [More or less common, depending on number of players] Eliminate all other players.

3) [Most common] Achieve your faction’s Special Victory Condition. This could be a variety of different objectives, each relatively difficult to accomplish.

A standard game of SCBG can take anywhere between one and four hours, depending on the number of players and their own experience with the Starcraft universe.

Similarly to my earlier review of Roller Coaster Tycoon: The Board Game, part of the fun of this game is the inevitably poor player imitation of character voices from the video game.

“WE REQUIRE MORE MINERALS.”

I have found SCBG to be challenging and fun. There is certainly a lot to think about and the game can be quite mentally exhausting, but it is very well-made. I wouldn’t recommend it for inexperienced gamers, especially if they’ve never played Starcraft the video game.

SCBG can run you a lot of money, often around $70 or more. If you’re a die-hard Starcraft fan, you most likely already have it, so I don’t need to tell you to buy it. However, if you don’t already own it, I would recommend against buying it new. $70 is a lot of money. This game is good, but it’s not very family friendly. Unless your circle of gamers enjoy heavy duty galactic action, think twice before buying Starcraft: The Board Game.

Good game, if you’re playing with the right people. Just be sure you have plenty of Red Bull handy.

Overall rating: B+

Mansions of Madness vs. Betrayal at House on the Hill

This is it. The big one. These are two of the best games I’ve ever played, but which is better? The gloves are about to come off.

VS.

 

 

 

 

Where do I even begin? Basically, these two games have the same basic premise: a group of explorers has, for one reason or another, found themselves in a creepy, old, haunted house, and it is their job to explore the inner depths of the house and survive whatever horrors lurk within. Here is a more specific overview of each game:

(***Side note, in side-by-side comparisons, Mansions will be on the top, Betrayal will be on the bottom. I do not own any of the images used. All images are taken from BoardGameGeek unless linked to their original site.***)

Betrayal at House on the Hill: The group begins in the Entrance Hall of the giant house, only able to see the long hall that lies ahead of them. From there, characters take turns moving into new rooms, flipping over tiles to reveal the newly discovered room. As  the game progresses, characters’ traits (Speed – How many rooms they can move through, Might – How physically strong they are, Sanity – How crazy or sane they are, Knowledge – How smart they are) change for better or worse, and, through the use of an inventive game mechanic, (usually) one player betrays all his friends. At this point, it becomes a battle for survival between the remaining Heroes and the Traitor, along with various monsters or powers he has acquired.

Mansions of Madness: From the beginning of the game, all players can see the entire board. Characters move through the house, unveiling its dark secrets by finding useful items, solving mini-game puzzles and obstacles and coming face-to-face with Lovecraftian monsters and other such horrors, all the while fighting to stay sane. In Mansions of Madness, one player plays as the Keeper, not necessarily a specific character within the story, but rather an omniscient representation of the general evil of the house. The Keeper’s job is to make the story interesting by messing with the explorers, sometimes even causing one to secretly turn against the rest. The players only have a limited amount of time to explore the house, after which, they will either win or lose, depending upon their actions up to that point.

These are both superb games. The atmosphere of play is great, and both games require a refreshing blend of strategy and imagination. Let’s talk about the specifics…

Room Tiles: The room tiles in both games are very nice (examples shown in game descriptions above). Both games’ room tiles show nice overhead views of the rooms, and tiles are very nicely detailed and fun to look at. For example, Betrayal’s “Basement Landing” tile shows the end of the Coal Chute and a pile of coal beneath it, as an explorer who enters the “Coal Chute” tile slides directly there.Mansions’ tiles are two sided, so the board can change both look and layout. Also, when the second edition of Betrayal came out in October 2010, fans were quickly disappointed to see all cardboard components quickly warping. Wizards/Avalon Hill has since fixed the problem and sent replacement tiles on better cardboard to anyone who requested it, but it just seemed to be a careless problem in the first place. Mansions’ tiles are on standard, good quality, Fantasy Flight cardboard, and are not prone to warping or damage under normal circumstances.

Pieces: Once again, Mansions of Madness seems to be better. Fantasy Flight games is known for quality games and components, and this game certainly does not disappoint. While Betrayal’s cards and figures are not bad, take a look at this comparison of monsters:

No comparison. Mansions wins, hands down. In regards to player figures, Betrayal’s figures aren’t bad. They’re nicely pre-colored, though the blue figure of Madame Zostra / Vivian Lopez has a pretty nasty lean to her in many sets, including my own. Mansions’ figures are not colored, but this is not laziness, it encourages players to custom paint their set.

How about the cards? Really, they are both very nice. Take a look.

It’s tough to pick a definitive winner, but I think Mansions probably takes this category, too. Betrayal’s cards have a nice, weathered look, but they are shaped very awkwardly. They are tall, thin, specialized cards, so it’s hard to find plastic sleeves that fit them. Mansions’ cards, though they come in two sizes, use standard game card proportions, and any game store anywhere will sell protective sleeves for them. Also, many cards in Mansions have nice color images on them, another one-up on Betrayal.

Gameplay: So, Mansions certainly looks better. But which game plays better? First, let’s start with the lengths of the games. Betrayal at House on the Hill usually takes about an hour to play. As such, for non-gamers, it’s a good choice, as it’s not mentally exhausting. Mansions, however, can easily take several hours to play, so it my not be as easy for inexperienced gamers to enjoy.

I certainly believe that, in both cases, the quality of gameplay is very contingent on the atmosphere of play. Neither one of these games are meant to be played outside over a midday picnic when it’s a sunny 75 outside. They are best enjoyed at night, preferably by candlelight, and with creepy music playing in the background. In my games of Betrayal, I require players to read text on cards in a creepy voice. Call it a silly house rule, but this simple addition to the game makes it so much better.

As far as suspense goes, I think Betrayal wins hands-down. Because characters can’t see the room that they are about to explore, they have no idea what they are getting themselves into, whether they are about to encounter an attack from something hidden in the dark or draw the final Omen card to make them the traitor. Especially for first-timers, this makes the game a lot of fun, and maybe even a bit creepy. With Mansions of Madness, the characters can see the whole house from the start, so the suspenseful element is more or less lost, or at least limited only to revealing cards hidden in rooms.

Another huge category is replay value. How much fun will the game be the second time? The tenth time? The hundredth time? Well, Mansions of Madness has 5 different playable scenarios, which certainly keeps the adventure going for some time. Also, more experienced players may be inclined to play as the Keeper, rendering the game experience completely different for them. However, I think Betrayal wins in this category, too. While Mansions’ scenarios may be slightly more in-depth than Betrayal’s, it comes down to the difference between 50 pretty good scenarios (okay, maybe there’s a few that suck, we’ll say 45), versus 5 great scenarios, not to mention playing on either “side,” as either the Heroes / Explorers or the Traitor / Keeper. Some gamers may disagree here, but I would personally be willing to sacrifice a bit of complexity and maybe even a touch of quality for some ten times the scenarios. In other words, less is not necessarily more here.

Conclusion: Betrayal at House on the Hill and Mansions of Madness are two fantastic games. They are both well worth a play or 50, but they are both very good for different reasons.

As is expected of Fantasy Flight Games, Mansions of Madness is gorgeous. The cards, the figures, the tiles, the tokens, everything. It’s a thing of beauty, and the game itself is very fun, too. Where Betrayal has that ever-lovable, hokey, B-Movie feel, Mansions is much more serious. Betrayal’s components aren’t necessarily bad, they just don’t measure up to the stunning figurines and cards of Mansions. However, Mansions doesn’t (in my opinion) measure up to Betrayal in atmosphere. I think Betrayal is wonderful, not despite its corny nature, but because of it! It’s one of those games that is just pure, simple fun. It’s much more appealing to non-gamers, as it usually takes about an hour, as opposed to several hours for Mansions, and it seems to be much simpler to learn.

Having played both games multiple times, I truly believe Betrayal at House on the Hill to be the superior game. Of course, it ultimately comes down to your personal preference. Do you like beautifully crafted, complex strategy games? If so, maybe Mansions is better for you. I, however, love playing games with non-gamers and getting them hooked on the fun of board gaming. Thus, Betrayal is better for me. I certainly don’t mean to downplay the quality or integrity of either game. They are both great, but, when put side-by-side, the House on the Hill beats the Mansion of Madness.

Bang!

Here’s a quick, easy game, good for just about any group. Completely card-based, it is akin to the party game “Mafia,” in which players take on hidden roles, each with their own goals and abilities.

This Spaghetti Western by Da Vinci Games takes place in the Wild West, where 4 to 7 players represent spin-offs of famous cowboys and bandits. There are 3 to 4 roles, depending upon the number of players, and their goals are as follows:

Sheriff: Kill all the Outlaws and the Renegade.
Outlaws: Kill the Sheriff.
Renegade: Be the last one in play.
Deputy (only in large games): Help the Sheriff kill the Outlaws and Renegade.

The Sheriff’s identity is known to all, but all other character’s identities are known only to themselves. Thus, it is important for players to observe the strategies and actions of their fellow players to help identify who they might be. For example, the Sheriff would want to pay attention to other players, to narrow down who might be the Deputy(s), so as not to kill his teammates, while the Outlaws would want to figure out who each other are, so as to team up on the Sheriff.

The game progresses in a standard, turn-based manner, with players able to shoot other players, up to a certain distance away. This is one of my favorite parts of the game, as it actually deals with the physical distance between players at the table. In a game of 6 players, the two players on my immediate left and right are at a distance of 1 from me, the players next to them are at a distance of 2 from me, but only 1 from them, and the other player is at a distance of 3 from me. As the game progresses, certain cards will modify this distance, such as a gun with better range or a scope that allows me to see farther. On the other hand, there are certain cards such as the “Mustang” that can allow me to be farther from other players, while they stay the same distance from me, meaning, for example, that, if I am on a Mustang, I could potentially be able to shoot the player immediately to my right or left, but they would not be able to hit me. The “Dynamite” card is a nice touch, as it passes around the table like a deadly game of Hot Potato once put into play, where eventually, one unlucky player will end up going “boom.”

Each character also has his or her own special abilities that no one else has, such as being able to shoot multiple times per turn (the standard rule is that only one shot can be fired per player turn) or that it takes two “Missed” cards to dodge a shot from a certain character (the standard being that one “Missed” cancels out one “Bang!”).

Each role has its pros and cons. Being the Sheriff is a lot of fun, but it is very challenging, especially when no Deputies are in play, because everyone guns for you. Being the Renegade is also an interesting challenge, and arguably the hardest role to take on. Because the Renegade’s goal is to be the last one in play and the new Sheriff in town, he or she must plan attacks strategically. In the early stages of the game, the Renegade would want to assist the Sheriff (and Deputies, if applicable) to eliminate the Outlaws first, because if the Sheriff dies, regardless of who kills him or when he dies, the Outlaws win, even if they are all dead. Thus, the Renegade might even build up trust with the Sheriff, perhaps making him believe him to be a Deputy, before he turns around and backstabs him.

“Bang!” teaches children great lessons. For example, a “Beer” card increases a playershealth, and can even save their life if they would otherwise die from a fatal shot (and in one of the expansions, the “Tequila” card regains two life points – the harder the drink, the better you feel). Also, when an “Indians!” card is played, all players must play a “Bang!” card to return fire. Not to mention the fact that it is nearly impossible to get through a game of “Bang!” without SOMEONE making an innuendo out of the game’s title…

On the whole, it’s very fun. The replay value is very high, as there are tons of character/role combinations you can have. It’s very simple to learn, and a game rarely lasts over an hour. The biggest problem I have encountered is finding 4+ people to play a game. If you’re a gamer, you know how tough this can be. The game usually costs less than $20, and it’s well worth it. Also, check out the iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch version, seen below!

“Bang!” overall rating: A-

Munchkin

“Kill the monsters, steal the treasure, stab your buddy,” proclaims the game box. Sounds good.

Like the “Catan” family of board games, this game tends to be somewhat popular among the mainstream game crowd as well as the underground game crowd. Maybe that’s because it’s easy to learn. Maybe it’s because it’s a fairly fast play, usually going no more than an hour, give or take. Or maybe it’s because it’s just pure, silly fun.

“Munchkin” is probably Steve Jackson Games’ biggest hit. Pretty affordable, usually about $20-25 for the base game, it is a very versatile game in regards to customization of deck and theme. There are tons of expansions, spanning themes like pirates, cowboys, space travel, and even the mythos of the Lovecraftian beast Cthulhu.

Essentially, “Munchkin” is a game that makes fun of role playing games. I mean, don’t deny it, when you think of someone who plays “Dungeons and Dragons,” you know you think of a chubby, pimply-faced kid who is always drinking Red Bull and eating Cheetos. This very notion is the premise of the game.

The base game takes place in a dank old dungeon, where a band of brave explorers are searching for adventure. However, instead of giant, epic dragons and cave trolls, they find themselves face to face with giant floating noses, insurance salesmen (shudder), undead horses, and the legendary, dreaded… potted plant. Instead of battle axes, the heroes find themselves fighting with items like the “Chainsaw of Bloody Dismemberment,” a “Limburger and Anchovy Sandwich,” and the “Boots of Butt-Kicking.” The goal is to be the first to get to Level 10, which is done through killing monsters, helping opponents for a price, and shameless cheating.

It’s silly, to say the least. In my experience playing “Munchkin,” the object of the game is not as much to make sure you win as to make sure everyone else loses, if that makes sense. It is very much a game of opponent sabotage, ganging up on the highest-level player, and being all around obnoxious. But it’s oodles of fun. The illustrations are awesome, even the rules are funny and enjoyable (and that’s saying something).

The only gripe I have with “Munchkin” is its components. The cards are nice, the die is fine, but the rules say you need to keep track of eachplayer’s level, and they recommend using poker chips, pennies, or something similar to identify this. WHY COULDN’T THEY HAVE JUST INCLUDED SOMETHING? Little cardboard tokens? A lot of other Steve Jackson games have them! It might have cost them ten more cents per copy, but it would make the game seem complete. It seems wrong to buy a game and not be able to play with the included components, but instead to have to go scrounge for pennies. However, this is a small problem at best.

On the whole, “Munchkin” isn’t bad. It’s a pretty fast play, relatively easy to learn, and very, VERY silly. The expansions can really add to the game too, giving it completely new challenges and strategies.

It’s the kind of thing you play once in a blue moon, when you and your friends really need a good laugh. Don’t play it too much, though, because once the game stops being silly, it’s no longer fun.

Overall rating: B.

Roller Coaster Tycoon: The Board Game

Yes, this is actually a thing. Loosely based on Chris Sawyer’s famous computer game series of the same name, this game has its ups and downs (as well as twists, turns, and corkscrews).

Okay, okay, so it’s by Parker Brothers. But like I said, I don’t hate Parker Brothers. Not all all. I think they are a great company who has made many wonderful board games. The thing that bothers me is when people can’t enjoy other games because they assume all board games are like “Risk.”

That being said, let’s dive in. Imagine “Monopoly,” if it was actually fun and took 45 minutes to play. That’s “RCTBG”. The gameplay is very simple: dice-based movement with a property owning technique. Your goal is to get park guests to visit your rides and attractions, all the while keeping a steady budget and consistently buying new rides and attractions. There is also a nice auction mechanic to the game where players can bid on a ride(s), sometimes not even knowing what exactly they are bidding on. This keeps the game interesting, as risks must be taken to ensure success.

The pieces are the best part.  The board is nicely detailed, the money pieces look good, but the Whoa Belly and Roller Coasters take the cake. Literally three dimensional and very fun to assemble and admire, the completed park looks awesome. One problem I noticed, however, is that there is a lot of stuff. Lots of tokens, lots of chips, lots of cards; while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it does make the set up of the game much longer than it needs to be. Also, you can’t drown your guests, charge for the bathroom, or take out a piece of roller coaster track and watch the train fly. Too bad.

All in all, it’s not a bad game. Short and sweet, nice looking, and pretty fun, “Roller Coaster Tycoon: The Board Game” is something of a diamond in the rough. It can appeal to a wide audience. Because it is easy to learn, quick to play, and based on a well-known computer game, non-gamers will most likely enjoy it as much as hard core gamers, a rare but wonderful trait for a board game.

Overall rating: B-. It’s not worth going out of your way to find it, but if you happen to come across a $7 copy at an entertainment exchange store like I did, it’s worth a try.

Pandemic

For my first game review, I thought I’d discuss one of my personal favorites, a fairly new game: Z-Man’s “Pandemic.” This 2-4 player game takes about an hour, maybe less. The basic premise is this: four deadly diseases have broken out across the globe, and it is up to you, a team of experts to solve the crisis before the viruses wipe out all of humanity. No pressure.

One of my favorite aspects about this game is  its cooperative play. In “Pandemic,” all the players are on a team, a rare mechanic for a board game. Players take turns taking up to four actions, which can consist of movement, treating infected cities, building research stations at which cures can be found, sharing knowledge with teammates, and officially curing a disease. The trick is that cities are constantly getting infected as the diseases spread and the rates of infection grow. And then there’s the dreaded “Epidemic” card…

When a player draws an “Epidemic” card, one city gets hit particularly hard. This can lead to outbreaks, in which one city overflows with disease victims and infects all surrounding cities, sometimes even beginning nasty chain reactions that can quickly ravage a whole continent.

Sweet.

There are three ways to lose “Pandemic:”

1) Players run out of “Resource Cards,” used to help in transportation and curing diseases
2) Eight outbreaks occur, leaving the world utterly devastated
3) All the disease markers of one color are on the board, meaning a specific disease has expanded beyond control.

The game ends in victory for the players if all four diseases have been cured before any of the above conditions are met. This makes “Pandemic” a tricky game. Players need to really work together and communicate amongst themselves to strategize a way to beat the diseases before it’s too late.

The cooperative mechanic of the game is very nice. Yes, I understand that part of the fun of a board game is pwning your oppwnents, but there is certainly something to be said for the element of teamwork. (If you MUST pwn other players, check out the expansion: “Pandemic: On the Brink.”)

The game is very simple to learn. Whether or not you are familiar with board games, “Pandemic” can be learned in under 10 minutes. The setup time is minimal, usually about 5 minutes. The rulebook is short and sweet, and the included pieces are very nice. Sometimes, the pawns can be a little too big for the city markers on the board, especially if two or more pawns are in one city, but this is a small problem at best.

One of the best parts of “Pandemic,” in my opinion, is the intensity of the game. While very lightweight and easy to learn, players get very into it, nervously awaiting the next “Epidemic” or trying to decide how to best prevent future outbreaks.

My favorite part of the game is coming up with specifically what the diseases are, as the rulebook never says. So far, here are my conlusions:

Red – Asian Bird Flu
Black – The Black Plague (obviously)
Yellow – Yellow Fever (duh)

And, my personal favorite:

Blue – Bieber Fever

“Pandemic” overall rating: A. If you’ve never played it, it’s worth a try. (Just don’t get infected by this kid…)

Where Mainstream Games Go to Die

Every household seems to have a copy of the board game Monopoly, don’t they? When the average person thinks of board games, this is the first game that comes to mind, and with good reason. It is certainly one of the most well-known board games ever made, despite the fact that no one has ever actually finished a full game of Monopoly. Or had fun trying.

What many people fail to realize is that there are thousands of other games out there, from various companies besides Parker Brothers and Milton Bradley. It’s not that I have anything against Candy Land. It’s just that games like Ticket to Ride and Bang! are so wonderful in their own way. That is what this blog is for. There is an underground revolution of board gaming, a modern resurgence of a seemingly outdated phenomenon.

Die, Monopoly.