5 Reasons to Never Play - Kingdom Death Monster - Confirmation Bias - (Quackalope Games)

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00:00:00 - Hello, hello
00:01:10 - Why Confirmation Bias
00:02:50 - KDM Overview
00:04:03 - Cost
00:05:54 - Theme
00:07:50 - Randomness
00:10:47 - Time Investment
00:13:20 - Hobbyist Game
00:14:20 - Your Only Game
00:14:47 - Cascading Failure
00:17:26 - Dark Accounting
00:21:35 - Delays and Publisher Engagement
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This video is not a sponsored video
Kingdom Death: Monster is a fully cooperative tabletop hobby game experience. Set in a unique nightmarish world devoid of most natural resources, you control a settlement at the dawn of its existence. Fight monsters, craft weapons and gear, and develop your settlement to ensure your survival from generation to generation.
Campaign System
Embark alone or with up to 3 friends (5 with game variant) on a 5-30-lantern-year campaign, with each year consisting of a cycle of the hunt, the showdown, and settlement phases. The settlement phase is an intricate civilization-building game in which you spend very limited resources to build buildings, research new technologies, train your warriors, and set up your strategy for survival. During the hunt, you'll encounter a series of stories in a "choose your own adventure" style journey through various events and encounters. Finally, when you meet the monster you're pursuing, you'll engage it in an a massive arena-style battle where only one party is going to survive. If your party lives, you'll be able to bring the spoils back home to use in expanding your settlement.
Monster AI System
Each of the 7 monsters included are controlled by their own pair of decks that scale to 3 levels of difficulty (except for the final encounter, which has only 1 level and it's HARD!). Every encounter, even with the same monster, is highly variable and no two showdowns will resolve the same way. Players will have to plan their gear and keep their minds sharp to prevail.
Gear System
In Kingdom Death: Monster, survivors will craft gear from resources earned from defeating monsters or found on their hunt. Each survivor has a 3x3 gear grid. The selection and arrangement of your gear cards is critical, as many provided bonuses and activate special rules when aligned correctly.
Story Event System
40+ Story Events plus over 100 hunt encounters will shape and guide your campaign. Story Events detail important evolutions in your civilization, introduce new monsters, and provide rich detail for your campaign. Some will trigger automatically as you progress through the campaign, but most will be entirely based on choices players make.
Story Events cover everything from setting up and fighting a monster to key events that happen within the overall story. Some are triggered directly from the timeline and others from the choices you make in-game.
From - BGG - boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/5...
#KDM #kingdomdeath #Monster

[@ubeinn]

Best way to enjoy KDM: 1) Find a guy that has it 2) Play it with them for free

[@Quackalope]

Haha :) this works

[@daodasbrot4817]

@@Quackalope Would love to, but have none It is not a game I want to own but would looove to play.

[@blaked7532]

i'm that guy :P i have all the wave 1 expansions too

[@furretthefuzzynoodle3896]

I just got my copy for free……

[@Scottyboy003]

@@furretthefuzzynoodle3896 how did you get it for free?

[@Quackalope]

00:00:00 - Hello, hello 00:01:10 - Why Confirmation Bias 00:02:50 - KDM Overview 00:04:03 - Cost 00:05:54 - Theme 00:07:50 - Randomness 00:10:47 - Time Investment 00:13:20 - Hobbyist Game 00:14:20 - Your Only Game 00:14:47 - Cascading Failure 00:17:26 - Dark Accounting 00:21:35 - Delays and Publisher Engagement

[@Quackalope]

Quack.

[@corneal35]

thank you

[@janbigas682]

Oh man, I've been excited for this format! We can finally unveil it!

[@Quackalope]

Hahah - Quack!

[@snowhateswinter4712]

I think the negatives to this game are really part of the reason I want to play it so badly. Especially the idea of cascading failure and playing repeatedly to truly figure the game out. It reminds me of FromSoft games, my favorite set of games in existence. There's some subconscious draw for me when a game beats me down that badly. I can't help but go back and try to do better, and the satisfaction of seeing something new has always been worth the frustration such a game throws at you. Sadly I haven't had the stability to pick it up yet, but it is a goal of mine and I look forward to the day I find this behemoth of gaming sitting on my doorstep.

[@Quackalope]

One day :) - I am excited for you!

[@dahobdahob]

I really like KD: M, it's the crown of my gaming collection, but man, watching /months/ of game play vanish because of a single bad roll or unfortunate card draw is awful. There is a difference because in FromSoft stuff, the point is that you fail, learn, get better and then prevail. In KD:M, you can do /everything/ right and still randomly fail.

[@gregmorrell2792]

It's exactly like a fromsoftware game interestingly enough this makes Elden Rings lore look like a happy setting in comparison 😂😂😂

[@deadrestos6424]

He: Most money on this game then on your whole collection.... Me: You should see my Wh 40k collection painted .... Believe me, I am a crazy person

[@Quackalope]

Haha

[@JackgarPrime]

At least with KD:M, there is a theoretical cap to how much you can spend until you have everything...assuming Poots is able to put everything up on the store to begin with.

[@Cergorach]

There are a lot of us crazy persons, GW made a $375 million business based on those crazy people. Imho enough room for more crazy people playing KDM. ;-) Also, ever went all in on a CMoN KS project, that can easily set you back $700+. KDM to date is about three of those projects for those of us who backed the intitial KS projects (or late pledge blackfriday deals). If you want it now, you're going to spend a lot more...

[@gornothdragnbone5898]

I appreciate you making a video that gives some tougher critiques to a game that you love. Many of the things you talked about were reasons why I won't consider getting into this game, but I still love seeing content you make about it!

[@Quackalope]

Thanks so much :) I think if you really know and love something - you should be able to know its flaws and why it might not fit others! I don't want you to play and lord forbid by this game - if it is not for you! Or any game in that sense!

[@ScytheNoire]

I like the concept of this video series. I'd love to see Tainted Grail (I see it behind you all the time), and 7th Continent. I also wouldn't mind recent thoughts on Oathsworn, as I'm on the fence about late pledging it.

[@Quackalope]

Glad your digging the idea :) - Tainted Grail and 7th con require some more play! However, I would love to cover them this way! Oath - I need to play a lot before I could criticize it fairly.

[@robinrising9929]

tainted grail and 7th are super good picks

[@matthiash.3749]

Really nice format! I'll leave a sub and am looking forward to your upcoming work.

[@GaijinKnibb]

Great set of videos. Look forward to more in this style. KD was my first board game love. First introduction into mini building, painting, and really board games in general. I play solo, and even enjoy the pen and paper accounting side of it. But the last time i played i got until the last few lantern years of the people of sun campaign and felt way too overwhelmed playing solo with over 50 pages of character sheets and memos around me. Kind of put me off playing for a bit, but a month has passed and I'm ready to jump back into the madness.

[@Quackalope]

More are on the way! Quack!

[@vladdsson013]

I gotta say, you mention nightmare accounting like it’s a bad thing. As a career accountant and avid enthusiast of the macabre, this sounds right up my alley.

[@HeavenlyBumDen]

100%

[@knighthaunter]

wow, well done video, randomly came across you channel and you definitely just got another sub

[@JackgarPrime]

Nice shots of the Gigalion. I actually just ordered that and Echoes of Death 2 from Black Friday!

[@Ornthemycelianth]

Really interesting video. This game seems so cool but I can't get past the time commitment and getting a consistent play group. I appreciate the honesty in the conversation. Just recently getting into board games and trying to find some good ones for my collection.

[@Quackalope]

Glad to have you in this hobby!

[@Touyakun2]

this is my first video of yours i've watched and im subbing! You're so well spoken to do this in one take, and your critiques are sincere and clearly show how much you care about the medium. Looking forward to seeing your other videos ^^

[@Quackalope]

Thank you so much!! Quack!

[@soulgoodman3008]

Thank u for your previus work! I d love to see this format for middara too! Great job man!

[@zxlime]

Only 6 minutes in the video, but I can already say that this is an absolutely brilliant idea and fills an important hole within the boardgame youtubers. Personally, when I try to decide if I want to get a boardgame or not, I can quickly identify the elements that appeal to me. It is usually much more complicated to figure out why said game would be a bad fit. (Actually that's true for anything, not just boardgames). I think analyzing flaws in a product and deciding if you can live with them is a very mature and intelligent way of shopping. Knowing that you love KDM makes your Confirmation Bias video much more weight too, and it also gives you more credibility as a whole. I will be using these videos in the future when I'm on the fence about a game. Keep it up.

[@mikeglasswell-gameplay]

A great video series. It has been the kind of game I like to watch gameplay of. A visual novel, I would never have the time, playgroup, money or paint tome. Beasts of war stopped their series. I have felt a bit lost without a new series. Looking forward to your KDM videos

[@Gorditospree72]

Great content! I've had the game for over 5 years now and never opened it because I have so many other games and it's also so intimidating to open and learn a new long and tedious mechanic. Also I would have to play solo and this video help me put things in a better perspective to actually open it up and play it. At the moment I am enjoying tainted grail so once I complete it or at least half then I'll take a peak at KDM. Thanks again for the content!

[@theworldlywarrior]

Did you end up ever playing it?

[@cynr2344]

Love the format of this video, can’t wait to see the other side. Every point you made is valid and spot on... and yet the game is so worth it all !

[@Quackalope]

Haha - I agree with you! Still worth it for sure!

[@akairibbon4658]

Great video and channel! I'm only vaguely interested but you speak very well and ya, subbed. Lol

[@shachna]

I really liked this video concept. It really works for me. It's like an expanded right for you wrong for you, but also a deeper conversation. I would love to see one like this for Gloomhaven and other big-box higher-priced games (like the games of Vital Lacerda) or games with just a ton of additional content (like Arkham Horror the card game).

[@Quackalope]

I hope I can keep it up :) - need to play them a lot! Quack!

[@Denkono]

After reading the Berserk manga, KDM allows me to come to terms with existentialism and unspeakable horror in a game format

[@thundergun27]

Solid video, info always appreciated. Gotta this man more subs!

[@JeffreyQProductions]

Great video. When I play my copy of KDM, I have to make a mental flip in my mind that I am no longer meta'ing a game, that I am instead just along for an incredible story. It helps me deal with the difficulty of the game and the constant failure.

[@Quackalope]

I think that is needed sometimes!

[@bartdevuyst]

Excellent format idea, keep it going!

[@Quackalope]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Manny-M]

Thank you for finally putting my mind at ease with the continual challenge I have of wrestling with buying this game.

[@jasong1610]

Love the format

[@PACEUK22]

Love this format. Thanks for uploading

[@johnpanagos5835]

What a great video. Cant w8 for the next game in this format :-)

[@Quackalope]

Haha have any ideas?

[@johnpanagos5835]

@@Quackalope Terraforming Mars, Cloudspire, Dominion, Massive Darkness 1, Tainted Grail, Eclipse

[@ruindavidson901]

The point about hunting White Lions over and over again is a fair point - base game has two many nemesis and not much quarry monsters to stop it from feeling repeatable (saying as a person who plays KDM at least once a week during last 2.5 years), without expansions like Gorm it's ok for 1-2 first successfull campaigns. As for growing older and delays - same thing, cant agree more. Perfect requires time, not all however will make this far. Thank you for this honest review, it's what many gamers experience if they own at least the core box. Nevertheless I dont own other big board games so it is probably a per-life hobby game ;)

[@Quackalope]

The expansions help for sure! I think KDM is my . . . hobby game! That and RPGS

[@RarecuisineGaming]

Amazing video. Tabletop Simulator has made the time and accounting point a little less painful for me. Going to check the other video now.

[@Klatubarada1979]

I was on the fence about this game now I'm definitely getting it.

[@BL_SR]

I really really appreciate this format! It is not only honest but also accurate. Keep going on ;)

[@Quackalope]

Glad to hear it! Quack!

[@rjayc1485]

Knowing how much you like KDM and seeing how much of the content you still have in shrink wrap is a visceral feeling. I am trying to not glance at my hobby shelf with un-assembled sprues and half painted quarries....

[@Quackalope]

Haha I am sorry for both of us

[@kimdeathmonster435]

Its funny. We made a similar podcast on my german kdm channel and we came to the same results. I really enjoyed your view on the things and i totally agree. Its the holy grail of boardgaming for me but i understand eveyone who cant engage as much into the game as we did, mainly because of the theme or the money and time invest this game provides. And its not the classic hero rushing crushing monster destroying game many people would search for. Keep going, and greetings :)

[@Quackalope]

Nice! I am glad we matched up - thank you and I will keep it up!

[@christianbortolini1466]

Great format indeed!

[@Quackalope]

More to come!

[@jedfromyourlocallibrary]

What an interesting video series! I hope it does well and we get more really high profile games. For my part, your last point hits the hardest especially in the world we're living in. Who knows where we'll be a year down the line much less three or five!

[@Quackalope]

Yea . . . I feel that. I have changed so much and my life has changed so much over the last few years - who knows when I am 30 :)

[@alvincenzo4892]

This is hands down one of the best formats on board games i've ever seen. I started watching board game related videos about 10 years ago, but just after I watched this I realized how much I want more diverse oppinions on board games and in general. And I think it helped a lot that you know the game so well and that you do love it, because thats why your critique is very in depth and on point. I strongly believe that more diverse oppinions help our hobby to be more inclusive and mature. Changing perspectives even playing devil's advocate can help understanding oppinions that are not your own. And that is the dawn of empathy. And thats what our hobby needs. And probably our world. BTW first time I've watched your channel.

[@Quackalope]

Oh . . . well thank you

[@CeePhour]

Don't know who you are, your pedigree, or your usual format. Stumbled onto this video randomly and LOVE IT! Thank you for this. Subscribed and will be checking out your catalog.

[@Quackalope]

Glad to have you :) more of this format will be coming soon!

[@Tharukan]

Great format!

[@Quackalope]

Thanks!!

[@inuyashaloveskagomeh]

First time on this channel and I have got to say, you have one of the most in depth descriptions of a review I have ever seen. Listening to your opinions seem very honest and unbiased. This video was 5 reasons not to buy this game but instead what I took was a bunch of reasons why this game is cool and a bunch of reasons why it is not. If I was planning on buying this game you would have legit told me everything I needed to know before my purchase. I'm deff going to be looking at this channel for more of your reviews!

[@defiantj975]

Love this format. Super interested in KDM so this was really helpful. Would love to see more vids like this especially of games you really like. Keep up the good work!

[@Quackalope]

That is the plan! Quack!

[@nothing3376]

What an interesting concept. When I finish this video- I’ll respond to add to the conversation!

[@Quackalope]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@curtoverton9431]

My friend actually got the game so I"m super excited to sit down and play. Been looking into it and we can't wait!

[@Quackalope]

I hope you have a blast!

[@thundergun27]

Really appreciate this channel, really like this format!

[@Quackalope]

Thanks! Working on more of them now :)

[@dokonaut]

wonderful video, was having a tough time with deciding on this game and based on the time points you brought up, i believe i will wait a year or two before i try getting into this

[@travisc9575]

Love this format! You did convince me to not buy KDM but I was almost there anyway. Hearing about all the delays and the lack of communication from the company and the price tag to be honest made me hesitant. I am a Gloomhaven fan and I think that I will be kick happier starting with that. Waiting for Frosthaven got next year. I would over to see you do this with Gloomhaven, even though I like it I think you have some awesome opinions. Great job brother!

[@Quackalope]

Hey :) I am glad I could show it off - if you do ever get KDM . . . you should be confident and not cautious! Gloom would be a fun one to dive into!

[@papagarouge]

I picked this up on during their yearly Black Friday sale. This is worth mentioning as it lessens the price issue a little. I was waiting to play this with a friend but after watching you other video I may just forge ahead and play on my own as i think it looks awesome!

[@LeganFuh82]

Hey Quack! First of all in imho this is one of your best videos on this channel. Only a big love can provide big pain. And - honestly speaking, this video is full of pain. But I'm with you. Ervey word is totally true and could also be my words. But something more positive. I won, sry played, this game through 2 times and still love it more then all other games I own. Keep on track Quack, it wont make you happy but it's worth it playing through. Thanks for this Video. I'm exited which games provide enough soul to talk in this kind of format. Greetings from Austria.

[@Quackalope]

Thanks so much :) your words are 100% true! Quack!

[@buellrichardson5222]

Watching this video makes me want to play my base copy of KDM. The only reason I can't is that I am working on moving so I have been packing. Also I'm almost 50 and I still enjoy playing my games.

[@Quackalope]

And you . . . are a true KDM fan :)

[@Urek968]

Im suprised someone your age plays this game I wont get it because the theme is a bit too much and if my 50 year old dad saw the content of the game he you flip out saying its demonic probably. And the price is just so much I might as well get a bunch of huge games for 100 dollars a piece like gloomhaven.

[@yannickbeaule6942]

@@Urek968 Boardgames are for everyone if you enjoyed it :)

[@thebrewgeek]

51 here and I have all of it. It’s amazing and Adam Poots always overdelivers, so I went big on his latest Kickstarter too. I also have lots and lots of resins. 😂😂

[@moofin9700]

Yeah! I think this format is fantastic. Especially when the subject of the topic is a game people love and/or have a personal love for it. I've never played KDM, only found out about it thru your channel (is it right for your video), and I seriously can see myself getting the game if I had people around me who would love to put some hours with it. After doing some research and watching your videos, I believe this game is a type of a game in which, you must commit not only time but, put an effort to get immersed within the game. I'm definitely happy that this game exists, I just hope @kingdomdeath would reply to your tweets sometime soon lol.

[@Quackalope]

Yes - I would never do this format on a game that is already getting beet up or people don't care about. This is 100% one that takes over for a time :) and I love that about it! I also with they would talk to me.

[@gregbulow6281]

I would love to see you do these dual format videos on Gloomhaven and Frosthaven!!

[@williamlafleur1145]

Finally got a chance to watch this, great points and basically everything I was thinking, especially time, people and money. I'll probably still get it in the future, but I don't NEED it immediately. Thank you 😊

[@TigerVent]

Great video. I have been wanting this game forever and trying to not spoil anything I feel you have gave me great enough insight to understand what I'm getting into without major spoilers! Fantastic!

[@siriactuallysara]

I just watched both videos on KDM and you are really selling it well. Do more games like this

[@crystulas2598]

Gloomhaven, Middara, Oathsworn, Eitherfeilds... really anything that you may need to commit a year or two to play would be ripe choices to pick. I love the content! Keep it up!

[@Quackalope]

Hahah xD - I’ll have all of those ready . . . In about a year

[@Aphaedon]

Seconded.

[@gulnaga4386]

I think I’m realizing some ‘bad’ choices when all the huge campaigns you mentioned I’ve backed or preordered. I really hope my son grows up to like boardgames so I can play with him.

[@crystulas2598]

@@gulnaga4386 my gaming group is joking that I'm set well into retirement age with all of the "big campaign" games I've backed. But with games like Monopoly, Life, Sorry... they just don't hold interest the way Kingdom Death does. This video inspired me to go prime my Dragon king so I can paint it and start my first People of the Stars campaign and take up my Fall gaming schedule.

[@gulnaga4386]

@@crystulas2598 Yeah, I feel KDM will always be there. I need to finish assembling the expansion creatures and actually start painting them.

[@drummerdanny1269]

Damn! Now I'm glad that I cancelled my pledge when the second edition came out. Way too much randomness for my taste. I'll stick with Frostgrave and Rangers of Shadow deep instead 😁

[@Quackalope]

Haha - I need to look them up! :)

[@MrEdwood32]

Great discussion. I enjoy the format; an honest discussion on the problems with a game. There should be more of this, as gamers we tend to over look these issue due to our rose covered glasses for a game we love.

[@Sir_Dabsalot]

This was a really good video. I too am a die hard KDM fan but I whole heartedly agree with this review.

[@Quackalope]

Thanks so much :) I am glad you checked it out!

[@gamegraves]

This is a really cool concept

[@excusitis4156]

This is fantastic! But you won’t scare me away! Kingdom Death has already twisted my mind. I play on TTS for reasons already discussed in this vid lol I want the physical game for sure. Two games I would love to see you cover in this format are D&D and Kilforth. In the past two months I have put over 100 hours into Gloom of Kilforth and Shadows of Kilforth (both games combined together) And prior to those games I put almost 100 hours into KDM on TTS. I have only ever played KDM solo and have only gotten to the Phoenix. Wonderful job! Have you tried the Kilforth games or any games from Hall or Nothing Productions?

[@Quackalope]

I have not tried them yet - but I am googling them now :)

[@arcubal]

I love this format! And it's so well researched, presented and produced. Well done. I'm fully aware of the irony then when I say that the reason why I love this format so much is because I think there are too many reviews and 'deep digs' that are flat-out love letters to a particular game or, at the very least, mixed bags of back-and-forth positive and negative points. A straight-up 'con' review is rare. I understand why. It's not traditionally popular within our friendly cottage industry to criticize the creation of a fellow game afficianado. Unlike book, movie and video game reviews, board game reviews tend to play nice (even with our British-based game channels who tend to create lavish pro-con productions with sharp wit and dry humor). Still, I think there is an audience for professional and well-researched constructive criticism such as yours to balance out the safe and tested waters of positive reviews. And that is NOT to say you dislike the game or think it's bad. No, as you pointed out yourself, you love the game and it's from this love that you feel confident and well-positioned to offer an honest viewpoint of why the game may not indiscriminately be for everyone. No game is truly universal so it's healthy to acknowledge that. Finally, just a note of honest envy. Last year, I wanted to do a podcast with a fellow gaming buddy of mine in the style of 'Spy Vs Spy' where we dress up in black and white suits and we discuss games from radical sides of the good/bad spectrum. He was a strategic, balanced player while I'm a thematic, experience-focused player so we would always be diametrically opinionated about every game in our podcast reviews. Alas, he moved to D.C and I moved to Ireland before we could get the podcast off the ground, so I'm a little jealous of your new segment (and channel in general). Having said that, I really am an avid subscriber and an of what you do and if you ever want to explore a new segment with a fellow gamer, game designer and Europe-based critic, then I'm on board. Take care and keep producing awesome content!

[@ScytheNoire]

You talk about turning 30 like it's turning 90. Jeesh, making me feel old. :) I agree though that priorities do change throughout life. The stupid shit I wasted my money on in my youth.

[@Quackalope]

Hahah - yea is more . . . How much of my life has changed in just a few years. I hope I’m somewhere different by 30 :)

[@ShaolinTechnoMage]

Yeah, hah, I felt the same thing. I'm in my mid-40's and I'm playing more board games than I ever did before. It goes in circles though.. when my two sons were born, there was no time for anything else. Now they are older... I play games with them. (Can't wait to play KDM with them... some day... I tell them when they are 25 they might be ready :) )

[@tabletopgeeks]

I'm almost 50 with 4 children, I'm never giving up gaming, the way I look at it, my kids get it all when I die. :)

[@Urek968]

@@tabletopgeeks I kind of see it like legos you can enjoy it no matter how old you are. And board games allow you to get away from the internet which I think it a huge plus for if the power ever goes out or your eyes are hurting from sitting staring at a screen all day.

[@adammorro2237]

Love KDM (only had since gencon 2019) but time is a major requirement. I definitely got too many games at once and feel like I need to play them before going back to KDM. KDM is definitely a game I'll continue to love long after the other games get old. Problem is more games keep coming. Love more KDM and think this series could be a good one.

[@cjpny1455]

Great job brother

[@Quackalope]

Thank you!

[@redbeansdice6151]

Ive had my finger on the trigger with this game for months now.. You're one of the few reviewers that can hold my attention with this kind of in depth conversation! Very solid dude 🙂👍 thx for the video!

[@revel911]

But it, build it, dive deep into it

[@Quackalope]

Thanks so much - hope we helped you get a feel for it :)

[@TheCatHerder]

I wasn't aware that the pledge manager opened back up again periodically. I realize that wasn't the intended takeaway from this.

[@Quackalope]

Haha - it does every black friday! Quack!

[@kadeus1955]

Okay, so post video comment :D Phenomenal, as always, but I have to agree, I've only played one game on TTS, and the game is so much work. I love hard games, I play Arkham, but one thing I love is getting attached to a character, pimping them out, doing cool stuff, and here, bad dice rolls and it's all over, regardless of what's happening. It just feels bad sometimes. I find the silence to be kinda strange, but not deal breaking. Maybe the thing that puts me off the most is the theme, Arkham is a bit out there, but it's always fairly tame for family to maybe see (ignoring any particularly sensitive family). I wouldn't even want people googling KDM let along seeing it. That on top of the setup time, actually building mini's instead of just opening a box of phenomenal mini's puts this in the TTS category for me. TTS is the perfect environment for me to play this in personally, but I miss out on that tabletop feel that I know you love. Too rambling but keep it up, you robot impersinator you :D

[@Quackalope]

Post video Post comment, comment responce! I would agree it is a lot of work :) and you should not fall in love! Granted . . . I still do! However you should not! The game 100% feels bad . . . almost all the time! I also, understand the art style :P - It is not for most people! Beep. . . beep... boop.

[@christianbay7614]

All fair points, except perhaps about the theme. Nudity, guts and gore I don't have an issue with, this is a game for grownups not children, which is a part of it appeal. One point you missed is the multiplayer aspect, you cannot play this game 4 people too many times one player will have to sit out. 2 player is good and 3 player is mostly good. This is mostly due to deaths during hunts which will leave players without anything to do for the entire evening. That is the primary thing I personally hate about the game I love. Death in the settlement phase is perfectly fine, and tells the story of a grim world.

[@Quackalope]

Still - it does make it wrong for a lot of people and for a large group - I think that is fair even if I have had fun with the groups I have played with. :)

[@fy8798]

I would actually say the theme is for adolescents, not grownups - it's like 40k in that way, it tries extremely hard to appeal to the edgy teenage boy demographic with some of its theming. A lot of older people find it juvenile. Because, to be honest, some of it absolutely is, which is a shame. If the theming was more *actually* mature, it'd get a LOT more play than it does. And no, "cracks in the ground" will never be perfectly fine. It's probably the single poorest designed event in any game I've ever played and the only thing I've ever seen that made people quit a game outright on the spot :P

[@TheFinnich]

That was a perfect spot on guide. But yes still play the game, but the frustrations and the downsides are totally backed from my side. Special the last to. To keep Tracy on the hit and damage numbers while rolling the dices are hard. But most of all. The delay, and the lack of communication from KDM, I also ordered the Kickstarter for more that 5 years ago. And I still haven't received all I ordered. They just keep posponing, and it's so frustrating. I didn't wanna start the game untill I had it all. And now my excitement for the game is gone. In the beginning I was so excited, but now I'm just like. Meehh... But then me and 2 friends tried out the game any way. And it's a perfect game. I don't regret getting it. But the downside you are pointing out are so correct. specially the last to. And Specially the last one. Because it was not needed, if Adam and KDM just keeps their timeline or just took their Kickstarter supporter more seriously. It could have been avoided. A little delay is ok, but not this long.

[@Cardsrock65]

So appreciate you looking at the reasons we might not like it. I have too many new games at the moment to be able to focus so much time to only 1 game! I'll have to look at it later :)

[@Quackalope]

Let me know :)

[@mr.schnizzl4819]

I'm sorry to say this (as an all in KD:M fan not fanboy) but the first thing I saw from you was your first interview with Adam and I thought "Oh no, not another fanboy with nothing but the same questions that any reviewer that never played KD:M would ask" but these two videos are just great. Kudos to you. Hell, I'm even giving a thums up for both. :) Keep doing these videos (even the criticals) you got a new subscriber here.

[@Quackalope]

Thanks so much :) I am really glad both have been top quality - for someone who is a KDM fan! I am right there with you

[@AngelofNever]

I'm 34 and have a core friend group that meets for three day weekends about 4 times a year. Years ago was at a crossroads between Gloomhaven and KDM. Chose Gloomhaven, based on this video it seems I made the right choice. With our silly schedule, we feel a lot of pressure to not fail scenarios for fear of retreading content on a time crunch. I'll also add that while playing with friends in person is an irreplaceable experience, games with deep mechanics like this often made us feel that a computer doing the "dark accounting" you're talking about would make the game go much faster and be more enjoyable. This turned out to be totally true in our experience, the PC version of Gloomhaven is excellent and much faster, for the tabletop we farmed out a lot of the calculation to an app called Gloomhaven Helper, which had similar effects. I wonder if KDM will ever be a videogame...I know that sidelines a lot of the hobbyist appeal though.

[@melianobarro6061]

A neighbor randomly gave me like 40 brand new pieces. Prior i had never heard of this game, nor had anyone i know as well. So i looked it up and stumbled on this gem of a video! Dude,thank you for informing me about this. And such an amazing video as well!

[@Inarode]

Only just found KD this year via a post sharing the monsters and fell in love immediately. Unfortunately, in watching this *very* informative video, I am very certain I am not going to be getting it. Ignoring all the hurdles of gameplay, the price is definitely a sticking point. I'm probably just going to end up collecting a few of the models I find most interesting and leave it there. Thank for such an informative video, critiques of media by those who love it are among the most valuable one can find when trying to judge if that media is something you're going to enjoy.

[@Charl3magne]

Hello. So I do have a comment and many questions. I'm very new to board gaming, maybe 6 months now. I would say that I have collected 20 or so games over this time and only played 2 of them. There are no board game communities around my area and, due to the nature of my job, I live alone. 2 days ago I ordered Kingdom Death: Monster 1.5 and it is currently en route to me. I have no figure building experience and no character painting experience. What is the best way for me to enjoy this game solo? What tools should I purchase so that I can attempt the character builds and should I even attempt to paint them? Also, what other things will I need to purchase to maximize the storage efficiency of the game? I am afraid that I may have bitten off too much for such a beginner. Any feedback would be invaluable and appreciated. Cheers!

[@netnoob77]

Great video and I agree with all your points. I love the game and have the base game as well as all the expansions. I think a lot of the issues with the game can be resolved if Poots came out with video game version of KDM. Plays like the board game but with all the book keeping automated and costing a fraction of the physical board game. I'd would gladly buy and play such a game and I suspect it would open this game to many others who would like to try but are not willing to commit the time, effort and money to play the physical game.

[@mermuse]

Enjoyed the format. I agree with all the points and still consider this one of my all time favorite games. My group played every week for 14 months and beat it the first time through. My only regret is purchasing the later expansions because I doubt they will ever get played. One of the things that has always confuses me is why I can enjoy kingdom death monster but am often repelled by other games with dark themes.

[@Quackalope]

Haha - I can't help you with the them XD or why you enjoy it! I think the gameplay is very solid so that might help!

[@nickfout3757]

Only subscribed cause of Alex at boardgameco. You guys are awesome.

[@Quackalope]

XD haha . . . Thank you :P I think!

[@saruichiban]

I agree with pretty much everything and still went all in during Black Friday 2018.

[@Quackalope]

So did I :)

[@joashchipping-jarrold6518]

I think I'd quite like to see you do Vast: TMM for this. Not sure why but...yeah

[@Quackalope]

Oh! Interesting - If I did vast I would do the whole series I think.

[@alistairclough674]

Great video. I would love to see a follow up where you recommend games that address the five reasons but still fit the genre.

[@Quackalope]

Hmm, I will have to think on that :)

[@Halaster]

Even as a backer on Kickstarter, who got in on the best deals they had in limited quantity on Frogdog level that included every single expansion, and add-on possible, backing the first and second campaign ran $1856, which does not include shipping for the large amount of stuff that has yet to actually ship. On top of that, picking up all one off add-ons he has released since 2014 through the KD web site ran an additional $1461, and that was not even close to all of them, since many of them sell out in minutes of the email announcing them go out. So it is essentially impossible to buy all the content for the game, since large amounts of it are sold in very limited quantities and are *POOF* gone before you can even get a chance to buy them even if you want to. Even "reprints" of figures and content sell out in minutes to hours, with the coolest miniatures that include game cards going so fast that unless you are specifically watching for them every single day you will miss them. So that is $3317.80 for the "bulk" of the game, at very high and no longer possible discounts. I cant even imagine how much trying to get all of that would cost now. I would imagine double to triple that price, if it is even possible to get it all.

[@Dashierdx]

Good stuff

[@raymundomartinez6866]

This is what I was looking for. Great format

[@SampsoniteR]

Anyone know where I can look for a board game group that plays this? I really want to join one and would be down to pitch in and learn. I’m not sure where to look for one online.

[@redshirtnumber3494]

On the subject of randomness, what I’ve learned after 500+ hours into this game is that while the game is heavy RNG and the dice can just choose whether you win or lose sometimes, you can mitigate a lot of this by planning. By planning I mean by ordering your turns correctly in a fight, deciding who to bring on each hunt/nemesis encounter, what weapon proficiencies to prioritize, spreading gear well, and what innovations to get. And this may sound really basic but I mean your planning must start from the beginning of the game and payoff at the end of the game. I:E, always having someone master fist and tooth starting at the prologue by throwing a founding stone at the white lion at the start to get a guaranteed +1 strength, making sure the survivors in front of the white lion move to the sides and attack first so they don’t get grabbed on reaction. Another would be NOT taking your best survivors to phoenix but taking only your youngest ones so they don’t age out. Or storing your survivors who are gold smoke knight ready so they don’t die. Or do things like finding exploits in the game. (Infinite insanity from white lion + immortal = unkillable via damage, husk of destiny + slender man secret fighting art = untargetable infinite movement and extra strength roll, double dagger mastery = turn 1 kill) I could go on and on about how you could side things in your favor, but I will say that no new player/group would know this and would get creamed immediately. And a lot of the cool stuff is in the expansions, and a lot of the good stuff, base kdm is rough and the only way to beat gold smoke night would be stuff like red charm, crit builds, phoenix armor plus big strength stats and the like. Tho the worst part about this game is the settlement events like plague and cracks in the ground, if you get plague within 2-3 lantern years just restart, if not then rush bloodletting and ammonia so you make it through easy. But cracks in the ground is just stupid, same with murder, where you are pretty much guaranteed to lose a survivor. Tho I guess with murder you could age a useless guy with phoenix so he’s higher hunt exp than everyone and will just be the fall guy for that event.

[@Mepper.]

Nice video. I was scared off from getting Gloomhaven because of the implied time commitment. That means I never felt the slightest temptation to buy KDM, but so many people seem to love it that I've always wondered at the attraction. For me the turn-offs are the dark theme, the cost, building & painting the minis, and the amount of time the game requires.

[@Quackalope]

I think those are all reasonable!

[@bobthebox2993]

I don't care about the dark theme, but agree with the other turn-offs. An extra turn-off for me is the lack of a pdf rulebook. Not having the search function to quickly find a rule during play is kinda annoying. But the bigger problem is that whenever I think about buying a game, I prefer to go trough the rulebook beforehand, to then determine if the game is right for me. Not having the option to check on the specifics of gameplay, makes me extremely hesitant to buy any boardgame, combined with all the other barriers, I don't see me buying this game any time soon.

[@brett232]

Its definitely a game that I had heard about, and yes plenty of reasons to not look any further but now to head to the other video and see if you can convince me back ahaha

[@TheMoriarity10]

I agree with all your points. The only extra criticism I would give is that it can be somewhat boring for a full group of players....I’ve found that one or two people get really into the mechanics and the others just sit and wait to be told when to roll dice. There’s not a lot of player agency or choice. That being said it is also my holy grail of gaming, far and away my favorite board game and really shines with a couple dedicated players that want to get everything out of it.

[@Quackalope]

Yea - I have had a blast in my groups but I can see that for some players for sure!

[@knightsljx]

the price is absolutely insane, it's like they're trying to be Games Workshop

[@Quackalope]

Yep, it's quite a bite :)

[@sparseseekers5851]

I wanna get into it I’m very new to this game any tips?

[@joashchipping-jarrold6518]

Really enjoyed this format. Critiquing what we love is a really valuable discussion and it gives other people, who might not be as familiar with the topic, a rather unique insight.

[@Quackalope]

Thanks! That is the hope :)

[@scottarmstrong8178]

Have this in the collection and really looking forward to playing. For other games for this format, +1 for Gloomhaven.

[@Quackalope]

Nice :) Gloom would be a great one to do - I agree!

[@tabletopgeeks]

Not one of these put me off, as a matter of fact it made my want to get it more. :)

[@Quackalope]

Hahah xD - well - then I hope the other side of the conversation ruins it for you!

[@gulnaga4386]

Just make sure to share it, my favorite thing about KDM are the crazy and emergent stories. Friends give them texture.

[@Quackalope]

Oh - if you enjoy that GuL . . . Come check the free kdm episode on the Patreon.

[@Alastor255]

same exactly for me, it's just not his game, not that it's a bad game

[@maxashe]

Same for me

[@gulnaga4386]

Hah! Love KDM but all excellent reasons! If it helps I’m about 10 years ahead of you and have been wondering about it in my 40s. Watching the other vid in a couple minutes. (I went full in for KDM, zero regrets)

[@Quackalope]

I have no regrets either ;) - I hope you enjoy the other video as well!

[@Shitnames]

I had the same experiences, but i didnt go full in on the game as you did. I bought the 1.5 game as a Kickstarter backer and i started the game several times with different gaming groups and friends. Each one of these groups thought i was crazy for paying that much for this game but wanted to give it a try and actually they gave it 2-3 tries each bc they felt bad for my investment. But in the end all of them said "i'm out!" because this game is so relentless and unforgiving that all of them lost the interest in playing it. It makes you really feel depressed about all that happens. You might start good and kill Lions and get good ressources. But then you suddenly draw "Murder" two times in a row and loose all your experienced fighters, just a lantern year before the Butcher arrives... And this is not even close to encounters later on, but it was enough to demotivate experienced and grown up player groups. So after 1-2 years i sold the game because i didnt have anyone in my surroundings who would like to play this with me and playing it alone is possible but it just isnt the same when you laugh at each other for being unlucky with our rolls only to get headchomped by a head targeting attack from a monster. Thanks for the review and i hope you wont loose players faster then your settlers XD

[@aba824]

I like the idea of two videos! :) Can't wait for Root in that series ;)

[@Quackalope]

Nice :) - on the list for sure!

[@TheTimeGnome]

I feel like KDM is the 40k for boardgamers, large hobby portion & cost. That said its still my favourite game to get to the table, its a puzzle in risk mitigation. I fully agree the time commitment to progress is insane ive hit the end once in about 12 attempts average years take about an hour and a half for me. The flower knight is a great expansion and is like tuning the difficulty down a step if you are looking for that. Alternatively just removing the murder event while a houserule can also ease up some of the punishment and is personal preference.

[@Quackalope]

I agree about 40k :P and doing some house rules can certainly save the day!

[@briancoll8321]

I’m a big fan of the game and I own all of the expansions so far (excluding Slenderman). My friend group likes it too, but it IS such a commitment to bring to the table and there is so much accounting going on. My group moved on from the game but I still play it solo to see if I can actually beat a campaign. I just wish setup were a little easier. Seems like there’s a two to three minute delay whenever I jump from the hunt to the settlement phase. In any case, I love the game and I’m glad I got it, just wish I were better organized haha