I bought this recently second hand and have played it a couple of times solo. I really enjoyed it but have nothing to base it on as I've never played the original or second edition. The one thing I was slightly disappointing with was the 'normal' numbered dice. I think FFG should have reprinted the dice with Eldar Signs and investigation symbols instead of the dots, as they have done with every single game they've put out. Just for keeping with the theme.
I own 2nd edition + all 4 big box expansions. I also own some 3rd party upgrades like Arkham Horror dice, a Cthulhu dice tower, a Cthulhu dice tray, plastic tokens, gate markers etc. I love the game, but it is basically impossible to get to the table with anyone other than another die hard Arkham Horror fan. I would play 3rd edition if someone I know gets it, but I am not going to buy it + what will probably be 8 or 10 expansions for what will be a very similar game to 2nd edition. I do wish I had bought all the small expansions for $20 while I still could.
I've used as an introductory game for casual gamers. You can take care of everything except for their actions so u only have to explain that and the main objective once it's clear. I've played eldritch horror and AH LCG and I rrally enjoy and recommend AH 3E. U should give it a spin, it simplifies many stuff and adds some AH LCG mechanics into the mix like the Agenda driven game 4 example
As long as they keep the Headlines limited in each game, it shouldn’t over-run too much. Hopefully that will make sure the game never runs too long. We’ve enjoyed every play so far.
9:35 - I usually play with 2-3 people and unless we've playing the first scenario of Night of the Zealot, we have never played a game under 2 hours. You sir, have a group of quick precise players.
What's the problem with longer games? Would you want something like this to get over quickly? I like a game I can sink my teeth into and strap in for a long ride with all of its story and adventure. One trick I use is take pictures of the setup and make a 'ready' bag so I can pick up where I left off if I can't finish it in one sitting. Great review, many thanks!
It's still a big time investment though. Who's to say you can't get a great story in 90 min or 2 hours? To have to set aside 3 hours plus setup etc, it's a hassle and if played multiplayer it can drag on downtime wise.
Definitely one of the better reviews out there, especially in terms of format and transparency. I was originally trying to decide between hunting down 2nd, picking up 3rd or pursuing Eldritch Horror, however, Mansions is now on my radar instead. As it stands I'm looking for the next Lovecraft experience. Any input on this would be greatly appreciated.
Insightful review, as always! But I wonder what your thoughts are specifically concerning the pretty radical difference in the the board setup between 2nd and 3rd...viz. what do you think about the look and (especially) the FEEL of the new modular arrangement? One of the real delights of 2nd edition for me is the immersion of moving around that great big board of Arkham and the Outer Worlds, etc., so how does the modular setup affect that feeling and the gameplay for you? Thanks! Always enjoy your reviews.
Having a differentiated map each game is fine, I don't mind it really. Yeah a big epic board has more table presence, but a lot of that board was wasted space. I guess I'll miss the spaces with the Outer Worlds on them.
Great review. Have played two scenarios of AH 3rd ed now, and am really enjoying it. Agree that they should have tried tosqueeze the game lenght a bit, but this will hit the table way more than 2nd ed.
When people know this game better there is not so big difference in game time between one or 6 players. It is more like Pathfinder adventure game. Big croup can cower larger area and do more, but smaller croup gets more game rounds, so bigger Group have to do things faster. The headline deck is basically timer and the bigger play Group the faster your draw headline cards. So this game is definitely better with 6 player than 2nd edition or Eldrich are. But the wait time is still there between your turns so the 1-3 player game is for that reason more interesting to player, because you don`t have to wait your turn so long time as with 4=6 players. But there should not be difference in the actual game time. Nice review! I agree with most part by my self. Yep Lcg is the King for me, but this comes close second. Hopefully the modular structure of this game keeps the scenarios focused like in Lcg even if and when there will be those 1001 expansion that will come in the not so far future. Because the board is modular, the game can always be the same size, even if you Are using expansion boards. The scenarios keeps monsters and events scenario spesifics so no bloat in there. The item and location deck most likely get big bloat eventually. Also the headlines most likely crows bigger. We will get more conditions and so on. But there is a good chance that the scenarios stay focused and game does not become same kind of monster as 2nd edition and Eldrich Are... Hopefully ;)
The most horrifying thing about the second edition was trying to disentangle expansions. I’m lazy by nature. I’ll still play it but probably only once in a blue shoggoth.
Thanks for this. Your reviews are very well explained & enjoyable to watch. When you mentioned Mansion of Madness I realised that was exactly what I wanted! but it requires an app & thats no good for me (i need games i can play when theres no electricity) I might still go with AH3 - the board itself isnt that appealing to me, i like a board that feels like you are exploring rooms or streets, not just locations on a globe or abstract locations - for me this immerses my imagination into to the game more.
I've got this gigantic wooden box above my Kallax which holds everything to do with AH 2nd Ed and Eldritch Horror..............and I really need to get rid of it! :P
I really love how the story is focus on what's going on. I went back and played eldritch horror. Oh my god, that game just like kicking you in the balls every mythos and doesnt feel like its following the main baddy. My biggest pro to this game is that when you win, you get rewarded with a story conclusion. I really dont like playing Arkham 2nd or eldritch and wining with no reward except for 20 minutes of cleaning up. Yet if you lose you get a losing conclusion storyline.
The story is a lot better in some respects, however the scenarios have been hit and miss on quality. Some are excellent with branching paths and achievable goals, but I did one recently (upcoming expansion review) where the story didn't matter that much and the final goal was ridiculous.
I am fascinated by folks that view the release of 3rd edition as the death of 2nd edition. Then again, I don't understand folks who were mixing all the expansions and sideboards for 2nd edition into one game. My group still loves playing 2e with the base game and one expansion, plus maybe the content of Miskatonic University. The game still works with newer players, especially if you don't mix all the bloat in at once.
Well occasionally it is fun to have a big giant crazy game of Arkham, but yes usually just one sideboard is the best way to go. Most of the small expansions can be integrated without problem. Personally I'd never play without the curse of the dark Pharaoh expansion.
Great little expansion for me. Adds random events to the streets, so they aren't so useless and you can get some good items occasionally through those events.
Correct me if I’m mistaken, but the 3rd edition* did cause the death of manufacturing of the 2nd edition**. This, sadly, being analogous to stopping selling earlier Star Wars trilogy movies once a new trilogy begins. Perhaps 2E was already on a sort of life support machine of almost nonexistent sales and no further expansion (caused at least in part by Eldritch Horror?), but 3E marked the pulling of the plug. * “AH express”? “AH on rails”? ;-) ** “O.G. AH”?
Because FFG is not going to print 2nd edition or its expansions anymore. Look at prices online to see how clear this is to everyone. 3rd edition fully replaces and displaces 2nd edition. 2nd edition is now a legacy game, period.
Nice review. In my experience this game runs faster than Eldrtich Horror. 2 hours is not far fetched if your people know what they are doing. May be you had one of those guys who takes forever to play! :-P
2 nd second AH AT THE MOMENT is probably the (second) worst FFG Lovecraft game in existence. The reason I say this with confidence ...is because I experienced it AFTER playing Elder Sign, Mansions of Madness1, Eldritch Horror, AH LCG, Mansions of Madness2 and AH 3rd edition... Why? Simple. Between 2005 and 2014 I was OUT of the boardgaming scene and played World of Warcraft day and night. Insanely frankly. Something like 400 DAYS (24/24 hours) went into playing WoW.... So I left the board wargaming and mostly euro gaming scene for that 10 year long period... Only to return at the end of 2014 to boardgaming again and I started to CATCH UP on thematic boardgaming as such ... And so I started to explore the series of FFG Lovecraft games in the exact order I mentioned above ... So for that reason I started playing AH 2nd edition AFTER experiencing all these others and man ... what a TERRIBLE, long winding, boring, affair this AH2nd really is. Terrible rules, NON playable in solo mode unless you play with 4 investigators, not only fiddly but actually terrible components (like stat gliders that can be knocked off their spaces) and ... NO decent specific stories per end boss... Comparing to AH2nd edition, Eldritch Horror was a BREATH of fresh air after playing it again after that headache horror of 4 player AH 2nd . NOSTALGIA and “I have been playing it in my younger days” and “I got everything” are NOT good reasons to compare things, not only boardgames btw... So where does AH3rd edition stands then ? It is not as great as AH LCG, it offers (at the moment) less freedom and space then that world adventure of EH (which now has ALSO too many expansions btw) , it is comparable in tension with Mansions of Madness2 but lacks a bit the fighting detail. It certainly is better than Elder Sign and stands miles above AH2 nd edition for NEW gamers in gaming fun. The price for worst FFG Lovecraft games goes to Final Hour for me. That one has ONE advantage over all the others and that is it is extremely short to play: 45 minutes tops.... Thank God for that. Compared to Final Hour even Pandemic Cthuluh is superb... Happy gaming :) Btw I LIKE your videos a lot and for 90% we have the same taste... :)
AtMoM one of Lovecraft's best story imo is being made into a movie, not holding my breath on if it's going to be awesome or not, they apparently decided to go with a pg13 rating.
PG-13 for Arkham Horror will be the biggest crime in movie history. But an solid R rated movie with one of the major Elder Gods, WOW! I'd pay money to watch that!
@@TheBrokenMeeple exactly, I mean Lovecraft's tale aren't excessively gory or violent, but in AtMoM literally has 1 guy found cut into pieces and very violent imagery, like I wanna be hopeful, but I'm already expecting mediocrity
(Disclaimer: I did not give a dislike) You can ask, but people are simply allowed to dislike your videos. It’s also in the binary nature of the like/dislike nature of the RUclips rating system that a dislike can mean many, many things, from complete disgust to mild disapproval. Heck, someone in a light blue polo shirt with a maladjusted collar explaining to me FFG’s expansion business model WITH A SMILE probably deserves a thumbs down...
Have my thumb up and don't take it too seriously, there are many reasons to dislike for different people as *Wants to thumb up, but klicked the wrong button by accident, *dislikes your British accent/clothing/playstyle enter whatever reason here and madly down thumbs all your videos, *hates Arkham Horror/Ameritrash games..... Asking for the reason is fine, but I would not expect to get an answer from those who thumb down, as the won't likely read your question and IF they wanted they could have give constructive negative feedback in the comments...
No board forget it .Tiles ? Suck . Couldn't even hack Elder signs on Android . One thing I've never understood is why isn't there an actual Call of Cuthulu game based on the actual classic story ??? One guy played Arkham horror 300 times solo .
I bought this recently second hand and have played it a couple of times solo. I really enjoyed it but have nothing to base it on as I've never played the original or second edition. The one thing I was slightly disappointing with was the 'normal' numbered dice. I think FFG should have reprinted the dice with Eldar Signs and investigation symbols instead of the dots, as they have done with every single game they've put out. Just for keeping with the theme.
This or mansions of madness 2nd edition for a mainly solo player. ?? Many thanks.
I own 2nd edition + all 4 big box expansions. I also own some 3rd party upgrades like Arkham Horror dice, a Cthulhu dice tower, a Cthulhu dice tray, plastic tokens, gate markers etc. I love the game, but it is basically impossible to get to the table with anyone other than another die hard Arkham Horror fan. I would play 3rd edition if someone I know gets it, but I am not going to buy it + what will probably be 8 or 10 expansions for what will be a very similar game to 2nd edition. I do wish I had bought all the small expansions for $20 while I still could.
I've used as an introductory game for casual gamers. You can take care of everything except for their actions so u only have to explain that and the main objective once it's clear. I've played eldritch horror and AH LCG and I rrally enjoy and recommend AH 3E. U should give it a spin, it simplifies many stuff and adds some AH LCG mechanics into the mix like the Agenda driven game 4 example
As long as they keep the Headlines limited in each game, it shouldn’t over-run too much. Hopefully that will make sure the game never runs too long. We’ve enjoyed every play so far.
9:35 - I usually play with 2-3 people and unless we've playing the first scenario of Night of the Zealot, we have never played a game under 2 hours. You sir, have a group of quick precise players.
Ha ha oh boy they aren't quick but I'm pretty fast. 2 is more likely to be below 2 just if we know what we are doing.Solo easily.
What's the problem with longer games? Would you want something like this to get over quickly? I like a game I can sink my teeth into and strap in for a long ride with all of its story and adventure. One trick I use is take pictures of the setup and make a 'ready' bag so I can pick up where I left off if I can't finish it in one sitting. Great review, many thanks!
It's still a big time investment though. Who's to say you can't get a great story in 90 min or 2 hours? To have to set aside 3 hours plus setup etc, it's a hassle and if played multiplayer it can drag on downtime wise.
Definitely one of the better reviews out there, especially in terms of format and transparency.
I was originally trying to decide between hunting down 2nd, picking up 3rd or pursuing Eldritch Horror, however, Mansions is now on my radar instead.
As it stands I'm looking for the next Lovecraft experience. Any input on this would be greatly appreciated.
Mansions of Madness and The Card Game are the two best Arkham experiences to date.
Insightful review, as always! But I wonder what your thoughts are specifically concerning the pretty radical difference in the the board setup between 2nd and 3rd...viz. what do you think about the look and (especially) the FEEL of the new modular arrangement? One of the real delights of 2nd edition for me is the immersion of moving around that great big board of Arkham and the Outer Worlds, etc., so how does the modular setup affect that feeling and the gameplay for you? Thanks! Always enjoy your reviews.
Having a differentiated map each game is fine, I don't mind it really. Yeah a big epic board has more table presence, but a lot of that board was wasted space. I guess I'll miss the spaces with the Outer Worlds on them.
Great review. Have played two scenarios of AH 3rd ed now, and am really enjoying it. Agree that they should have tried tosqueeze the game lenght a bit, but this will hit the table way more than 2nd ed.
When people know this game better there is not so big difference in game time between one or 6 players. It is more like Pathfinder adventure game. Big croup can cower larger area and do more, but smaller croup gets more game rounds, so bigger Group have to do things faster.
The headline deck is basically timer and the bigger play Group the faster your draw headline cards. So this game is definitely better with 6 player than 2nd edition or Eldrich are. But the wait time is still there between your turns so the 1-3 player game is for that reason more interesting to player, because you don`t have to wait your turn so long time as with 4=6 players. But there should not be difference in the actual game time.
Nice review! I agree with most part by my self.
Yep Lcg is the King for me, but this comes close second. Hopefully the modular structure of this game keeps the scenarios focused like in Lcg even if and when there will be those 1001 expansion that will come in the not so far future.
Because the board is modular, the game can always be the same size, even if you Are using expansion boards. The scenarios keeps monsters and events scenario spesifics so no bloat in there. The item and location deck most likely get big bloat eventually. Also the headlines most likely crows bigger. We will get more conditions and so on. But there is a good chance that the scenarios stay focused and game does not become same kind of monster as 2nd edition and Eldrich Are... Hopefully ;)
The most horrifying thing about the second edition was trying to disentangle expansions. I’m lazy by nature. I’ll still play it but probably only once in a blue shoggoth.
Thanks for this. Your reviews are very well explained & enjoyable to watch.
When you mentioned Mansion of Madness I realised that was exactly what I wanted! but it requires an app & thats no good for me (i need games i can play when theres no electricity)
I might still go with AH3 - the board itself isnt that appealing to me, i like a board that feels like you are exploring rooms or streets, not just locations on a globe or abstract locations - for me this immerses my imagination into to the game more.
1st edition Mansions doesn't require an app and is pretty similar to 2nd. Super fun game, highly recommend.
Elder Sign had a fairly short play time.
IF you played with 3 players or less.
Is there a new expansion coming ?
There's been two already.
What was your storage solution for arkham horror second edition?
I've got this gigantic wooden box above my Kallax which holds everything to do with AH 2nd Ed and Eldritch Horror..............and I really need to get rid of it! :P
I don't get the dice tower beef on longer games. Short games feel throwaway to me. I don't feel invested.
I really love how the story is focus on what's going on. I went back and played eldritch horror. Oh my god, that game just like kicking you in the balls every mythos and doesnt feel like its following the main baddy.
My biggest pro to this game is that when you win, you get rewarded with a story conclusion. I really dont like playing Arkham 2nd or eldritch and wining with no reward except for 20 minutes of cleaning up. Yet if you lose you get a losing conclusion storyline.
The story is a lot better in some respects, however the scenarios have been hit and miss on quality. Some are excellent with branching paths and achievable goals, but I did one recently (upcoming expansion review) where the story didn't matter that much and the final goal was ridiculous.
Great Review!
Great honest review
1 hour per scenario of LCG? last time i played it with my girlfriend we took 3 hours to complete the second scenario XD
Solo is a lot quicker and certainly a two player should never take 3 hours.
I am fascinated by folks that view the release of 3rd edition as the death of 2nd edition. Then again, I don't understand folks who were mixing all the expansions and sideboards for 2nd edition into one game. My group still loves playing 2e with the base game and one expansion, plus maybe the content of Miskatonic University. The game still works with newer players, especially if you don't mix all the bloat in at once.
Well occasionally it is fun to have a big giant crazy game of Arkham, but yes usually just one sideboard is the best way to go. Most of the small expansions can be integrated without problem. Personally I'd never play without the curse of the dark Pharaoh expansion.
I have yet to try that expansion, but own it after tracking it down and overpaying
Great little expansion for me. Adds random events to the streets, so they aren't so useless and you can get some good items occasionally through those events.
Correct me if I’m mistaken, but the 3rd edition* did cause the death of manufacturing of the 2nd edition**. This, sadly, being analogous to stopping selling earlier Star Wars trilogy movies once a new trilogy begins. Perhaps 2E was already on a sort of life support machine of almost nonexistent sales and no further expansion (caused at least in part by Eldritch Horror?), but 3E marked the pulling of the plug.
* “AH express”? “AH on rails”? ;-)
** “O.G. AH”?
Because FFG is not going to print 2nd edition or its expansions anymore. Look at prices online to see how clear this is to everyone. 3rd edition fully replaces and displaces 2nd edition. 2nd edition is now a legacy game, period.
Nice review. In my experience this game runs faster than Eldrtich Horror. 2 hours is not far fetched if your people know what they are doing. May be you had one of those guys who takes forever to play! :-P
They are common place - but 2 hours would mean you are practically zooming through the scenario with no setbacks at all.
2 nd second AH AT THE MOMENT is probably the (second) worst FFG Lovecraft game in existence. The reason I say this with confidence ...is because I experienced it AFTER playing Elder Sign, Mansions of Madness1, Eldritch Horror, AH LCG, Mansions of Madness2 and AH 3rd edition...
Why? Simple. Between 2005 and 2014 I was OUT of the boardgaming scene and played World of Warcraft day and night. Insanely frankly. Something like 400 DAYS (24/24 hours) went into playing WoW....
So I left the board wargaming and mostly euro gaming scene for that 10 year long period...
Only to return at the end of 2014 to boardgaming again and I started to CATCH UP on thematic boardgaming as such ...
And so I started to explore the series of FFG Lovecraft games in the exact order I mentioned above ...
So for that reason I started playing AH 2nd edition AFTER experiencing all these others and man ... what a TERRIBLE, long winding, boring, affair this AH2nd really is.
Terrible rules, NON playable in solo mode unless you play with 4 investigators, not only fiddly but actually terrible components (like stat gliders that can be knocked off their spaces) and ... NO decent specific stories per end boss...
Comparing to AH2nd edition, Eldritch Horror was a BREATH of fresh air after playing it again after that headache horror of 4 player AH 2nd .
NOSTALGIA and “I have been playing it in my younger days” and “I got everything” are NOT good reasons to compare things, not only boardgames btw...
So where does AH3rd edition stands then ? It is not as great as AH LCG, it offers (at the moment) less freedom and space then that world adventure of EH (which now has ALSO too many expansions btw) , it is comparable in tension with Mansions of Madness2 but lacks a bit the fighting detail.
It certainly is better than Elder Sign and stands miles above AH2 nd edition for NEW gamers in gaming fun.
The price for worst FFG Lovecraft games goes to Final Hour for me. That one has ONE advantage over all the others and that is it is extremely short to play: 45 minutes tops.... Thank God for that. Compared to Final Hour even Pandemic Cthuluh is superb...
Happy gaming :)
Btw I LIKE your videos a lot and for 90% we have the same taste... :)
AtMoM one of Lovecraft's best story imo is being made into a movie, not holding my breath on if it's going to be awesome or not, they apparently decided to go with a pg13 rating.
PG-13 for Arkham Horror will be the biggest crime in movie history. But an solid R rated movie with one of the major Elder Gods, WOW! I'd pay money to watch that!
@@TheBrokenMeeple exactly, I mean Lovecraft's tale aren't excessively gory or violent, but in AtMoM literally has 1 guy found cut into pieces and very violent imagery, like I wanna be hopeful, but I'm already expecting mediocrity
And 4 dislikes........for why?
(Disclaimer: I did not give a dislike)
You can ask, but people are simply allowed to dislike your videos. It’s also in the binary nature of the like/dislike nature of the RUclips rating system that a dislike can mean many, many things, from complete disgust to mild disapproval. Heck, someone in a light blue polo shirt with a maladjusted collar explaining to me FFG’s expansion business model WITH A SMILE probably deserves a thumbs down...
Have my thumb up and don't take it too seriously, there are many reasons to dislike for different people as *Wants to thumb up, but klicked the wrong button by accident, *dislikes your British accent/clothing/playstyle enter whatever reason here and madly down thumbs all your videos, *hates Arkham Horror/Ameritrash games..... Asking for the reason is fine, but I would not expect to get an answer from those who thumb down, as the won't likely read your question and IF they wanted they could have give constructive negative feedback in the comments...
The Broken Meeple c’mon man, you don’t need to be so sensitive about dislikes. This is RUclips.
Where are you from Luke, cant place your accent.
Somerset UK
No board forget it .Tiles ? Suck . Couldn't even hack Elder signs on Android . One thing I've never understood is why isn't there an actual Call of Cuthulu game based on the actual classic story ??? One guy played Arkham horror 300 times solo .