Seems like a fair appraisal. Thanks for making this review, I was curious about this game when I first heard of it. Shame the gameplay is underwhelming, I can see that they were going for like a more beginner-friendly DnD or mechanic-based RPG for those not confident in their own creativity yet
having played this game, it's definitely for a specific audience and purpose, and definitely feels like the first board game from the company. definitely agree about the drama cards being the most fun and interesting part--and i do also wish the maps had more setting-specific stuff that was like the drama cards. the idea of describing how you unsettle onlookers or how you react to being up way too high are fun and interesting, so more of that would be good. the mechanics only really help insofar as allowing you to kind of strategically "race" to see who it is who gets to end the duel decisively. that was the only purpose of them ime, and it did add that layer to it, at least. in the duel i played, we were arguing to see who it was who had betrayed the other, and we decided we'd let it come out during gameplay. so thinking ahead in terms of action points and completing objectives was helpful in us trying to determine who had betrayed the other, because whoever got there first could decide, basically. so they definitely are clunky and they're not the fun part, but i think in some duels they can be helpful in determining that sort of thing.
This feels like less of a game for board game fans and more of an expanded set of physical materials for a micro RPG concept for roleplaying fans. I remember I read a whole book of one page micro rpgs that were similar to this, where they're not really games so much as they are improv/acting/roleplaying exercises
This game looks pretty interesting! I'm needing some more storytelling games. Doesn't look terribly complex, and the mechanics look neat. My go to recommendation for storytelling is "Arabian nights" or a game I got fairly recently called "Agents of Smersh" which are both a choose your own Adventure sort of games. One being over tales like Aladdin, and the other being like a cheesy spy movie.
As someone who loves both rolrplaying and board games it's a shame this game didnt jell together. Makes me think I should just run Last Shooting instead.
"Help, we need to fill the box with more stuff, but we're out of useful ideas." "What if, instead of saying 'no' normally, they have to tap a separate card for some reason? Just put an X on it or something because commissioning actual art would take effort."
X cards are actually an established TTRPG safety tool. The intent is to reduce people's fear of setting a boundary or stopping a certain direction- instead of requiring the courage and effort of interrupting verbally
@@zacharymorris3775 Too afraid to speak, but I'll tap a card that means the exact same thing and then sit in awkward silence as the rest of the group have to figure out what it is about the scenario I don't like. Sounds more like a cheap marketing ploy.
@@whitesoxMLB correct, that's the idea. Its for a person who is very stressed or anxious about a scenario, and doesn't want to discuss what about it is traumatic or distressing to them, and would prefer to just move on. Its an established system, but if you are someone, like me, who is not afraid to just say "hey guys, im not down to go into X topic, kinda fucks me up, can we move on?" then awesome, but its not a system that's meant for us, its a system thats meant for the people who need it.
@@normieguy3803 I just strongly suspect that the intersection of this venn diagram contains zero actual people. You can equally well verbally state that you don't want to do a thing without explaining why, and you can be a lot clearer about it too. "I don't want to do this specific narrow portion" vs "I object to this whole idea." And as I mentioned, this formalistic "tap the sign" element only adds to any awkwardness. This hypothetical fraction of a percent of players could grab any old object and designate it as such if they realllly needed that. You don't need to pawn extra junk to 100% of players for that purpose. It comes off as so performative and wasteful to me.
@@whitesoxMLB WE can just as easily verbally state that we don't want to do a thing, but cutting off someone who is currently talking to tell them to shut up is beyond the social capabilities of a fair number of people. A few of my friends fall into that category, usually those with anxiety, though one or two of my friends who are autistic find it hard to speak over people to tell them to stop. and yeah, any object works, we use a fuckin bowl in the dnd games i run for lack of anything better lol. i don't think its necessary to include in the box, however, i disagree that the system is unhelpful, just from experience.
Seems like a fair appraisal. Thanks for making this review, I was curious about this game when I first heard of it. Shame the gameplay is underwhelming, I can see that they were going for like a more beginner-friendly DnD or mechanic-based RPG for those not confident in their own creativity yet
Thank you for another level headed review. Always makes me want to buy a set since I aready know what I'm getting into.
having played this game, it's definitely for a specific audience and purpose, and definitely feels like the first board game from the company. definitely agree about the drama cards being the most fun and interesting part--and i do also wish the maps had more setting-specific stuff that was like the drama cards. the idea of describing how you unsettle onlookers or how you react to being up way too high are fun and interesting, so more of that would be good.
the mechanics only really help insofar as allowing you to kind of strategically "race" to see who it is who gets to end the duel decisively. that was the only purpose of them ime, and it did add that layer to it, at least. in the duel i played, we were arguing to see who it was who had betrayed the other, and we decided we'd let it come out during gameplay. so thinking ahead in terms of action points and completing objectives was helpful in us trying to determine who had betrayed the other, because whoever got there first could decide, basically.
so they definitely are clunky and they're not the fun part, but i think in some duels they can be helpful in determining that sort of thing.
I love ‘Till the Last Gasp’! Thank you so much for the review!
This feels like less of a game for board game fans and more of an expanded set of physical materials for a micro RPG concept for roleplaying fans. I remember I read a whole book of one page micro rpgs that were similar to this, where they're not really games so much as they are improv/acting/roleplaying exercises
This feels EXTREMELY similar to the tabletop Thirsty Sword Lesbians and I'd be shocked if it wasnt the inspiration.
@@TheKingNaesala thirsty sword lesbians?? that is literally my brand. i might have to give that one a look
@@EntameWitchLulu For sure! Glad I could let you know about it!
IT WAS GREAT SEEING IN BLACKBERRY!!
This game looks pretty interesting! I'm needing some more storytelling games. Doesn't look terribly complex, and the mechanics look neat.
My go to recommendation for storytelling is "Arabian nights" or a game I got fairly recently called "Agents of Smersh" which are both a choose your own Adventure sort of games. One being over tales like Aladdin, and the other being like a cheesy spy movie.
This feels EXTREMELY similar to the tabletop Thirsty Sword Lesbians and I'd be shocked if it wasnt the inspiration.
As someone who loves both rolrplaying and board games it's a shame this game didnt jell together. Makes me think I should just run Last Shooting instead.
Very Nice 🎲🎲
meanwhile people wish to have an option to romance the character.......
You have a lot of models
Oh boy
banger
Pog
When therapists make a game
*"And Then We Held Hands" has entered the chat*
"Help, we need to fill the box with more stuff, but we're out of useful ideas."
"What if, instead of saying 'no' normally, they have to tap a separate card for some reason? Just put an X on it or something because commissioning actual art would take effort."
X cards are actually an established TTRPG safety tool. The intent is to reduce people's fear of setting a boundary or stopping a certain direction- instead of requiring the courage and effort of interrupting verbally
@@zacharymorris3775 Too afraid to speak, but I'll tap a card that means the exact same thing and then sit in awkward silence as the rest of the group have to figure out what it is about the scenario I don't like. Sounds more like a cheap marketing ploy.
@@whitesoxMLB correct, that's the idea. Its for a person who is very stressed or anxious about a scenario, and doesn't want to discuss what about it is traumatic or distressing to them, and would prefer to just move on. Its an established system, but if you are someone, like me, who is not afraid to just say "hey guys, im not down to go into X topic, kinda fucks me up, can we move on?" then awesome, but its not a system that's meant for us, its a system thats meant for the people who need it.
@@normieguy3803 I just strongly suspect that the intersection of this venn diagram contains zero actual people. You can equally well verbally state that you don't want to do a thing without explaining why, and you can be a lot clearer about it too. "I don't want to do this specific narrow portion" vs "I object to this whole idea." And as I mentioned, this formalistic "tap the sign" element only adds to any awkwardness.
This hypothetical fraction of a percent of players could grab any old object and designate it as such if they realllly needed that. You don't need to pawn extra junk to 100% of players for that purpose. It comes off as so performative and wasteful to me.
@@whitesoxMLB WE can just as easily verbally state that we don't want to do a thing, but cutting off someone who is currently talking to tell them to shut up is beyond the social capabilities of a fair number of people. A few of my friends fall into that category, usually those with anxiety, though one or two of my friends who are autistic find it hard to speak over people to tell them to stop.
and yeah, any object works, we use a fuckin bowl in the dnd games i run for lack of anything better lol. i don't think its necessary to include in the box, however, i disagree that the system is unhelpful, just from experience.