Arcs REVIEW - The Base Game

Arcs is finally here! After the two year wait, the question remains, was it worth the wait?
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Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

[@ToddCarter]

Seriously the best explanation of this game I have seen so far. You are doing an awesome job. Thank you very much for your other strategy videos, but I think this will take the cake as the thing to convince people to give this game a shot. Great work. I’ve played this game four times so far. Twice at two player and twice at four player with two different groups. And I greatly look forward to the next chance I have to play.

[@jeremyruble9350]

This game is hard to capture the feeling of because it is a social + mechanics game. It is SO much more than the sum of it's parts. You captured this SO well! Having an argument with yourself is a great format! This is terrific! It LOOKS effortless and yet I know this undertaking took a significant amount of work! Thank you!

[@SamR865]

I haven't watched any of your reviews before and I have to say I'll definitely be coming back. This was very well presented and informative. All the questions that the heel character was asking were the same ones I had at the same time.

[@FBracht]

I'm Leading this comment section with a Mobilization 3.

[@robertgrode2141]

I’ll pivot with the aggression 4 and secure

[@lukesanwick4840]

I'll pivot, then spend a Psionic and Relic to influence and secure in my prelude. :D

[@sdcwarzone]

Going to finish the turn by stealing initiative with Mobilization 7 and claim the Warlord ambition because...War

[@115-Gaming]

@@FBracht I’ll play an Event card… oh wait, we’re not there yet 🙃

[@Tolinar]

I'm under it... face down, this time

[@phk975]

The epic game comparison was so fitting. It feels like an intense and intimate fight in the mud, giving a myriad of opportunities for creative play and dramatic decisions that are so fun to talk about after the game.

[@Gothbrooks420]

This... was... wonderful. thank you so much for taking the time on this review. It is, in my opinion, the best Arcs review I have seen. Subbed and thanks again.

[@salt7598]

This video proves that flashy edits and fancy camerawork are not what make great reviews. While this editing style is more simplified compared to the other reviews I have watched, this is by far the most succinct and effective explanation of the game I have seen thus far. I think you have just convinced me to pull the trigger and purchase this game. Thank you for making this video, I am excited for part 2!

[@Smeagol44]

This was such a fantastic video to watch. First time viewer of the channel, and already loving the content. Eager to watch Act II already!

[@spectrumunit]

Ohhh I want to see Act II of this video series! So hyped for a proper campaign review! 🎉

[@RaK0]

That has to be the most concise, easy to follow explanation that also captures the feeling and intricacies of the game I've seen to date. Thank you!

[@m4ttymc1984]

If I hadn't already pre-ordered Arcs, then I certainly would've from the strength and quality of this review. Really amazing job describing the game. Despite pre-ordering, I was still a bit unsure, but I'm now 100% sold, and very excited!

[@mattsbalgard4276]

Great video! I have watched quite a few videos about Arcs and this is the best one at explaining the overarching decision space and game play of Arcs. Many other videos focus on the details of actions and mechanics, making the presentation of the feel and point of the game convoluted. Good job explaining that in such a clear way!

[@thecaduceusproject609]

Awesome commentary from all three. Looking forward to part two!

[@yvesgauthier1609]

I rarely comment, but this time I need to. Just want to say that you're very good at explaining and conversing with yourself. Very good video and review. Keep going. Keep the good work. I will follow your journey.

[@stevenpremo860]

Great video, hope it blows up. This was one of the few games I taught to my group, had a great time with it on the first game, and then immediately played again because they enjoyed it so much. This one is gonna get a whole lot of mileage. Cole is a true craftsman.

[@MrK0812]

Became aware of you through your 6 siege content - amazing btw. Now you doing content for ARCS is even better - love it. I also love you approach towards content creation. Easy to follow, entertaining and going deep into different aspects that are relevant to a purchasing decision. Thank you! One question I have though: If you would have to choose: Which player count is the sweet spot?

[@115-Gaming]

@@MrK0812 for the base game, I enjoy all player counts but they all play differently. 2p especially is incredibly mean, so be aware of that. For the campaign game, I think 3-4 is the best. I’ve enjoyed my 2p campaign games, but I think some of the Fates are either underpowered or overpowered at that player count (but don’t tell anyone, that’s a spoiler for the campaign review lol)

[@Darthus]

Love your explanation, detail, and concept of having yourself talking to different versions of yourself! I might recommend reading off bullet points rather than a script, as it feels more like you're "acting" than speaking to the audience, which is entertaining but makes the info a bit harder to consume. Look forward to hearing more!

[@115-Gaming]

@@Darthus I used to do this but found I repeated myself too often in rambles and had to spend much longer in editing to keep the videos succinct. The script keeps things focused.

[@Darthus]

@@115-Gaming Sounds good! I totally understand the need to organize, be concise and time things. I'm doing my best to be constructive, but just trying to share that it currently "sounds" like you're reading a script, not speaking naturally, which makes sense since you're acting out a scene. But I'm sure it's something that will improve with practice!

[@115-Gaming]

@@Darthus no worries! I appreciate the constructive criticism!

[@andyn2854]

Great review. And seeing you meticulously set up each faction for a 6-player game of Twilight Imperium at 26:42 weirdly got me in my feels - I see you, it’s really awesome of you to be the one taking the time and care to set up (and probably tear down) so your friends only have to spend the time needed to actually play such a long, rewarding game.

[@115-Gaming]

@@andyn2854 anything to help save time! If I’m getting my friends to commit a whole day to play TI then I don’t wanna waste any of that time 😁 it’s a nice pre-game ritual

[@odstbane]

Love this format of review. You really covered the questions I'd would have without a boring rules overview at the beginning

[@shelbyfleshood5172]

Discovered your channel from this video and back a month later to beg for part 2!!!!

[@115-Gaming]

@@shelbyfleshood5172 I finished the first draft of the script for Part 2 a couple days ago! (It’s sitting at 20 pages long currently 👀) gonna be a beast to make!

[@nalder4x4runnerfamilyoverl93]

Amazing review and explanation. I backed this game late after reading lots of negativity about the redesign. I admittedly am a huge Wehrle fan in theory but struggle with some of his games. ARCS has blown me away for all the reasons you cite. Cole and his team has blown this out of the sky by making an accessible yet epic space opera. Quickly rising up the ranks as a favorite game in my collection. As a side note, my 9 YO learned this in 15 minutes and almost beat me in the first game.

[@115-Gaming]

I had to reeeeaaally fight the urge to include a section about the new map design complaints 🤣

[@SporadicDude]

That was a great video and the pacing and writing was on point. Definitely made me more excited about playing Arcs soon. My only suggestion, and I know you did cause you were explaining to the gray you, is to either have the camera set from that POV or move it so you look at the camera.

[@remarkablysquare3216]

Absolutely amazing video! I got my copy about two weeks ago and have already gotten in 6 base game session and earlier this night my group tried the campaign for the first time and oh boy was it crazy. I can't wait to hear your take on the campaign expansion! You've earned a new sub!

[@nuke2643]

Just ordered this. Looking forward to playing it this weekend.

[@marlonvanberkum1640]

Really good video, I think your style of explaining and editing is great. Keep up the good work! The only feedback I have is the image quality. Maybe it's the camera, maybe a dirty lens, maybe bad lighting. But most of the video I felt I was watching through glasses that need to be cleaned.

[@115-Gaming]

@@marlonvanberkum1640 agreed. Not quite sure what happened… I’ve been trying to figure it out.

[@tengwenzhe3701]

wow，what a great write up and production, I just had my first game of arcs today, and find your video incredibly relating and insightful🎉🎉

[@radical_dog]

Brilliant format, and good to hear a take from someone who wasn't completely enamoured by Root.

[@115-Gaming]

it took me a long time to come around on Root. I do love it now but I think it is the lesser of Wehrle's three Leder projects (I know that's heresy of me to say, but I stand by it lol)

[@samuraix98]

Great video, really enjoyed it. I now have a toddlers understanding of this game and its goals 😃, eagerly awaiting my chance to play some chapters.

[@monoludico6166]

Hi, I found your channel today. New subscriber here. This video is great! I'm in love with CW (currently own all of Root, Pax Pamir and John Company). Cannot wait to gimme some Arcs 🤩

[@snakeboy6368]

Amazing review. Passionate but still great explanation and really smart & fun dialogue. Looking forward to Act II.

[@forrest3491]

Absolutely phenomenal video. Great work!

[@dsweet5273]

As someone who is not a fan of his games (still haven’t played John Company yet) but I will say the one game I actually loved of his is Pax Pamir. Arcs reminded me much more of Pax Pamir than his others games, which is to say I felt Arcs was fantastic. Great review!

[@115-Gaming]

@@dsweet5273 JoCo is reeeaaally good

[@jjschm20]

I love Root, Pax Pamir 2E, and John Company 2E. I am really really excited for Arcs.

[@Money-Fast-Plan-a]

Keep up the fantastic work on your channel! -- "Success is earned through hard work.."

[@user-cw4zj6kc8u]

Yup. I've only played 3-5 games and it's really fun. I haven't gone into the campaign yet but It's way easier to learn than Root or Oath. And I love Root and Oath. I'm really hoping that my game group will like Arcs because they only gave Root and Oath one shot and said it was too much. I'm really hoping that Arcs will be much more palatable for them so that I can play the campaign.

[@Danny_DaKid]

Played 30 games already? Holy crap, you must have a really good consistent group.

[@hedgeymcgee3079]

What a great critique! Loved how you went about doing so. Question for you. Unfortunately, my wife and I don’t have many people we can play games with, so we’re mostly 2 player gamers. She had a bad experience with Root, and she wasn’t so keen on Oath (I really loved). We do enjoy playing Eclipse 2 player and love Pax Pamir. What are your thoughts on Arcs 2 player? I know 3-4 are always better, but that’s just not an opinion for us. Thank you in advance.

[@115-Gaming]

@@hedgeymcgee3079 2p Arcs works very well! The only thing to keep in mind is that 2p is an incredibly mean game. With no one else at the table, the experience will be extremely cutthroat. You won’t get that Eclipse experience of peacefully building up for the first several rounds. However, I see y’all have played Pax Pamir 2E, so I’m assuming you’re okay with the tightness and the meanness!

[@stevengreenhill1533]

Subscribed just to see part 2. Amazing video!

[@analog_arnie]

Fantastic! Looking forward to part 2!

[@Malibooyahhh]

Excellent review man, I really want this😂

[@one2three4our]

Hahahaha. Normally, I hate these kinds of scripted reviews, but this one is superb, and the comparisons with TI4 are so on! I want to see Act II...!

[@justRobinisfine]

The intro feels very personal, I had TI4 on my shelf for six years, only collecting dust. Acrs interested me since I first heard of it. But I'll have to wait for the day it enters retail in my country. Are there leaders and lore cards in the base game, or are they from the expansion?

[@analog_arnie]

Leaders and Lore are in and for the base game. Although a small expansion pack doubles both decks.

[@justRobinisfine]

@@analog_arnie Thanks, good to know.

[@tomscott3376]

Great review! Thanks

[@jkdrecovery3483]

Awesome video! Can’t wait to play it

[@yaaguu7]

Love this vid! Just a heads up, you can't secure a card that you influenced in the same prelude. Sorry to be that guy! Make more arcs vids! I wanna hear you talk about the expansion!!

[@115-Gaming]

@@yaaguu7 psionics and relics allows this!😈 You just can’t use the prelude action of a card you just secured in the same prelude.

[@yaaguu7]

@@115-Gaming okay thanks for the clarification!!!

[@yaaguu7]

@@115-Gaming love yours vids btw

[@yaaguu7]

Just realized that the original comment was posted on the wrong video. Super weird. Don't know how or why that happened. But either way you are always.

[@Monkixote]

Would actually love to see your version of a 10-minute teach since most of the existing resources out there seem to be either far too long or excessively dense.

[@115-Gaming]

My teach is pretty similar to the rundown of this video, I teach in the order of... 1. Ambitions and Scoring 2. Action Card Flow and Declaring 3. Individual Actions on the Cards 4. Resources and Guild Cards That should be enough to get any players going, and then you can explain any of the rest of the miscellaneous rules during the gameplay. I also have the game already setup when teaching so I don't have to run them through setup either.

[@taxidriver45]

Great video! You got one new Sub here for sure.

[@spencercapier2258]

is there an Act II? this was awesome.

[@115-Gaming]

As a matter of fact... just uploaded it ;)

[@spencercapier2258]

@@115-Gaming timing!

[@Kylosgrande]

Root did have a learning curve but this looks so complex and so many pieces, is it actually easier then Root?

[@115-Gaming]

@@Kylosgrande I personally find it much easier to learn (and teach) than Root. I’ve taught Arcs to players who’ve never really played ANY board game before and they were able to pick it up with relative ease and be a competitor by the second game. I’ve never been able to achieve that with Root. Root’s got way more stuff going on and requires the players to learn four games’ worth of rules to appreciate. Arcs has a one ruleset that all players follow for the whole game. The best part is that while the actual rules themselves are easy to learn, the strategy is still very deep here, and so you have the same amount of depth to dig into as Root but with a quarter of the complexity in the rules.

[@Kylosgrande]

@@115-Gaming Interesting i only got root and now some expansions over the past months and weve been loving it! did take 3 games to get really comfortable though. so i may pick this up once we really played Root for a while.

[@-Ambos-]

this video is great but now I hate my life until I get this game in November

[@ianpowell7849]

Great vid

[@orisitsteven]

What is that!? That my friends, is a pint! Excellent review. I am only two games into Arcs, but it has blown away my expectations. I have always enjoyed root, but it was always missing something for me. Litte did i know that Arcs fills in those blanks for me and then some! Looking forward to part 2!

[@lystic9392]

What sleeves did you use?

[@115-Gaming]

@@lystic9392 I don’t remember what kind they were… I originally bought them for Star Wars villainous

[@lystic9392]

@@115-Gaming Ah OK. I was asking because they look OK but less thick than Dragonshields. I usually use Dragonshield sleeves but they do make decks twice as fat, and that means they often don't fit into the inserts.

[@youperguy]

Great video about a great game.

[@DoppelgangerF02]

also did you play most of your arcs games online or in person? if online, where at?

[@115-Gaming]

@@DoppelgangerF02 I play a lot of both since many of my friends live in different places. We play on Tabletop Simulator

[@nickstreet83]

Top Marks!

[@truce11]

Well done... Not sure if I'll subscribe but dang this was a good overview giving me a feel for what gameplay is like

[@derabkoemmling]

Very good review. One critique: I would prefer if you looked at me (i.e. into the camera) instead of the fictious person to my right :), I understand you wanted to adhere to the fiction, but I think it'd make me more invested if you look into the camera.

[@DoppelgangerF02]

lolllllll awesome vid !

[@thomasromanelli2561]

Arcs is a very good game, although it's also a tad schizophrenic (base vs. campaign). The base game is more limited in scope than Eclipse or TI, and there's no negotiation between players, nor exchange of goods/transactions to seal a proposed course of action. While TI has a reputation for analysis paralysis, Arcs offers three types of combat and their related dice outcomes (one of us spent ten minutes trying to optimize the selection of assault, raid and skirmish dice to achieve their goal without creating outrage only to watch their methodical approach failed spectacularly). The planets are rather same-y, lacking names or snippets of lore to create a more lasting memory as to why I chose a particular to raid or destroy. Despite this, Arcs has lots of player agency and strategy, and I love the way the action cards present some hard choices for achieving your goals while also allowing some flexibility via the prelude step. Like TI4, initiative can be crucial to a big scoring turn- and with the tight resource and ship economy, you must always consider the appropriate balance between having enough ships and making sure they can get to the locations needed to secure your intended objectives. We've just started the campaign with the Blighted Reach, and it's a completely different experience in some very good ways that are more comparable to TI. It would also be impractical to introduce players to the BR without some experience playing base Arcs- so whereas TI & Eclipse sit squarely on the farther end of the "commitment spectrum" as fairly uniform platforms, base Arcs exists in the shallow end as the required gateway to its much heavier cousin (and you cannot do BR without the base game). TI4 base game will set you back $130-150, but it's a complete package without any expansions for up to six players: base Arcs is only $60, but to give it some verve you'll want to spend $40 for the miniatures (although base game doesn't use the Flagships) and another $15 for Leaders & Lore (highly recommended, BTW). Arcs transforms into an epic game with the Blighted Reach for another $100, whereas TI4 base game is already epic (although the Prophecy of Kings expansion is another $100 and while not required, is also highly recommended). My intent in sharing the comparison in this way is not to emphasis the cost, but rather the design approach: TI4 and Eclipse feel like epic space games because they are "complete" right of the box, whereas base Arcs is the hefty appetizer required to access the delectable entree that is the Blighted Reach.

[@frankndice]

There is negotiation as per rulebook in the game but I feel it won’t happen often

[@thomasromanelli2561]

@@frankndice That statement seems a little specious, considering the "Negotiations" section is literally two sentences on page 22 of a 24 page rulebook- Cole was obviously not emphasizing this aspect in the base game. The BR expansion is a different story...

[@frankndice]

@@thomasromanelli2561 sure but it’s still there. It most likely won’t impact the game at all and I didn’t even bother to mention it in my review, but there’s certainly players negotiating in the base game. I haven’t read the expansion rules yet so I can’t say how much of it will be utilized in the campaign.

[@thomasromanelli2561]

@@frankndice I appreciate what you're saying, but it's interesting that Cole never defines "deals" or "promises" like TI4 defines deals and transactions- and neither of these superficial player exchanges are binding. For me, it's just another distinction that separates base Arcs from TI4 in a big way. I am curious to hear your opinion about the design model, though: do you think base Arcs presents enough attraction to draw casual players into the depths of the Blighted Reach (and a fundamentally different game experience), and was this bimodal publication plan the best way to introduce the larger expansion?

[@frankndice]

@@thomasromanelli2561 absolutely I think the base game is perfect on its own but I also felt that it was there to introduce and prepare you for the campaign which prevented me from giving it a perfect 10 score. I have yet to play the campaign but I have a feeling I’m going to be blown away. Wehrle has never disappointed me with anything he puts out. Going back to base game I think it’s excellent and replayable so if you’re not into doing the campaign (which I hear is also very replayable) you can just easily play this game whenever as it is his most accessible game to date

[@marksteelman7747]

Good video, you need to invest in a microphone because that room noise is holding this video back.

[@115-Gaming]

The audio from the mic I use sounds way better than the raw camera audio for sure. But you're right, it might be time to invest in a new one...

[@marksteelman7747]

@@115-Gaming there is just to much bright room in the audio. If you are using a mic that is not on your phone then maybe you just need some pictures in your kitchen to reduce the reverb

[@craigandrews7544]

I thought it sounded more authentic to the style of presentation than a “perfect” mic setup

[@MichelWynants-qd5po]

Need… new… video…

[@115-Gaming]

@@MichelWynants-qd5po never worry! I’m working on it right now! If I push myself I think I might have it done next week! 😎

[@Yught]

Bro these reviews are not helping me. I really wanna play this one but I live in South America. It will take years for this to get here with a translation.

[@shadowbanned4606]

32:30 it is not an expansion it is cut content scam in plain sight.

[@115-Gaming]

@@shadowbanned4606 this is factually false

[@115-Gaming]

@@shadowbanned4606 it would be more of a scam if Leder forced those who only wanted to play the base game to drop an extra $100ish dollars by bundling the two together…

[@chrisedwards6573]

This isn't a review. I've not played as many games as you, but the game takes about twice what it says on the box (my two two-player games both took 3.5+ hours, and my 4 player games took 3.5 and ended around Chapter 3 or 4 incomplete). There are bad hands. There are things you won't recover from. There are bad leaders, and situations where there are no good options, and it is very snowbally. This is a great advertisement for the game but it isn't a review. Not once during this entire thing did I ever think you were talking about this game critically; it felt like a sales pitch.

[@115-Gaming]

It is a review, not a deep card by card, mechanic by mechanic analysis. I feel like it's a very fair review. It's obviously just a positive review. And everything I said was true from my experience with the game. My games have been fast and my teaches have been easy. The purpose of a review is to explain whether or not one likes a game, and then to say why. I did that in this video: "I like Arcs because it's a game that's much easier to learn than Root/Oath, but one that is also every bit as strategically deep." That's genuinely how I feel about the game after two years and 30+ games. How is that not a review? 🤷‍♂ Just because I don't have any major critiques doesn't mean it's not a review. Genuinely, any "critiques" or "complaints" I had pretty much fell away around the Game 10 mark I think for me personally, which is around when I felt I finally started to really grasp the game. I used to think it was random, or that there were bad hands, or that there were bad leaders... but each new game has dissuaded me of this (I even pointed this out in the review). If you're in a situation where someone has snowballed or you can't recover or you think your hand is "just bad"... it's not because of randomness, it's because of gameplay mistakes.

[@Vimes839]

"Not played as many games as you" seems like an understatement when you haven't finished a single 4 player game by your own admission. Bouncing off a game is fine. Telling someone with 30 games in that they're wrong about the mechanics and balance when you haven't finished a single game... just... Woah.

[@phk975]

If 2p took 3.5 hours, this game probably isn't for you. But I'd encourage you to get more plays in nonetheless. Of the Werhle games, Arcs has the nicest, smoothest flow.