Aristeia! Review with Sam Healey

[@Muhd_Akmal]

We need this game re-reviewed again! It deserves a fair review

[@gravitypool85]

Sam, I'm a long time follower of your videos and usually like the same kind of games that you do but I really think you really didn't play this game enough. I've been playing this since release and it's a game that keeps me coming back again and again and again, and crafting teams, new strategies and overall adapting to the scenario and changing conditions make for an awesome experience every time. Look for some more opponents and give the game at least some more games and you'll see that you are barely touching the surface with this review.

[@piotrp6793]

A. Emerson Rodrigues you have written my thoughts better then me in other comments! :))

[@luismolero3116]

@@piotrp6793I agree as well!

[@Sam-vk8xd]

A. Emerson Rodrigues I agree with you but thing is they (dice tower) have a million and one games they need to play and review. They can at most give a game a handful of plays and then do the review. So while it may be true that this game shines with more plays he just doesn’t have the time for it, he needs to review it based on the plays he did get a chance to do.

[@luismolero3116]

@@Sam-vk8xd I respectfully disagree with you, I think if you want to really review games properly you need to understand them. In most cases it will be something you can do reading the rules and playing one game. In other cases you might need a couple games (like this one), and for some more complex games, maybe you need to check the rules several times to really grasp the mechanics. Imagine Twilight Imperium for instance, I think it's an amazing game, but I can't review it if I don't understand it properly, and that takes time. I prefer less reviews but properly rated, not a ton of reviews that make no sense, like this one. This can be applied to any other line of work, I don't want a movie critic reviewing every single movie that comes out if he/she will make a sloppy review out of each movie, I want them to do meaningful reviews.

[@MarioMartinez-ek5ev]

I agree with you, Sam came off as grumpy Tom Vasal with this review

[@khaxbiker]

Sorry but I can´t agree with you. This video is for august 2nd and actually are 2 expansios released and 2 more planned for this year. For next one there will be 4 more with skins and new scenarios. I have to declare that this is a 10/10 games for me. With 2 already playable expansions and another 2 coming which add more diversity to the core, this game is really strategic and full of diversity and fun. It can seems simple but the more than you play, the more that you can see all the new things that you can do and you missed in your previous games. I can only recommend something if somebody read this comment. PLAY A PAIR OF GAMES BEFORE MAKE ANY JUDGMENT. Really, you will notice that the more that you play, the more that you like. To add a plus to the game, you can play online with TTS and a woonderful module done by Azrael which is always updated with the lastest Aristos (characters of the game). Honestly, play it several times before you judge. 6/10 is really unfair rate...

[@Indael666]

Sorry, I have to point out some issues with the video. The information of this video is outdated, and incomplete. And since Aristeia! was released last year I expected more thoroughness. THERE HAS BEEN 3 EXPANSIONS ALREADY and there is going to be a fourth one before the end of the year, Soldier of Fortune, Smoke and Mirrors, Human Fate and another one which title i guess soon will be known. Each one of them with 4 new players and tactics. At 19:35 you said they had them planned. The AGL system, a system that adds more options to the game, like new scenarios, mods and Sponsors isn´t mentioned in the video, although its advertisement comes in the box. And it´s free to download, on the website of Aristeia the game. They have released 4 new alternative skins for the players, in metal and with cards with alternative art, like Maximus Thermopylae, Parvati Steampunk, HexX3R the witch and, now in GenCon, Dart the Huntress and will release more! No mention to them either. The tactics allow you to play several games and even with the same players, just changing the deckbuilding, you´ll have different experiences, since you have to choose 2 of the 4 that come for each player. And there are tactics super powerful, like He3xXR´s Unlimited Power that displace all the opponents, playing that card in the last turn you can win the game! If that is not powerful I wonder what could be? 6/10 is unfair for a game with 8.6 in Boardgamegeek AFTER A YEAR of its release.

[@webs1]

Indael There are 213 ratings for Aristeia, that's laughably few one year after the release of a game. It's also not very meaningful having such a low number of ratings.

[@Indael666]

And does that fix the missinformation of this video?

[@Sam-vk8xd]

Ratings are meaningless. Noobs.

[@alcovitch]

His opinion doesn't have to reflect your own. Dice Tower often loves games i think look boring as hell. That doesn't mean their reviews are "wrong".

[@alexandrebarbier1655]

Aristeia is a fantastic control area game published by a team of highly enthusiastic professionals. I think your review and the final grade do not do justice to this amazing product, which is one of the cleverest and deepest miniatures game released in the last 10 years.

[@supermouse6537]

¿Some expansions planned? When was this video saved? January?? There are three expansions right now and a fourth coming late year...

[@beatrizcf1268]

Watching the video I can understand the low rate that he made... I was hearing mistakes that make me think he didn't read the Reference Guide. I strongly suggest Sam Healey should read again the How to Play...

[@sopota6469]

If you are going to give the game a low score, at least get the rules right, they are not that long.

[@Senmonjin]

"Sam takes a look at this area control, a look from miles away, not even playing a single match nor reading the rulebook ..." I think that this is the right headline fot this review. Very sad for a person that is meant to be a BoardGame expert.

[@amarillo114]

Game improves significantly with rules applied the right way. What a mess!!

[@ClericEric]

For me this game is a solid 9, I’m surprised to see it scored so low here

[@cartoon80s90s]

Aristeia and Mythic Battles Pantheon are my 2 favorite miniature games of the last 2 years. I like a lot their combat systems and how they use dice because they are simple, you don't roll a ton of dice (like in Warhammer) in order to do too little, and you get to choose how to spend your dice. For the cons you mentioned, the text on the cards is really not much. Most of it is on the character cards and you only have 4 for the entire game. If someone can't handle even that, then perhaps they should only play abstract games. As for the Tactic cards, it's a good thing the bonuses they offer are small. If their impact on the game was huge, then luck of the draw would determine the winner in the game. I will agree on the LOS system though. For how simple the game is, that is too convoluted. 8/10 for me.

[@dreadknot69]

MBP is by far my favourite skirmish type game of recent memory. I'm really enjoying all player counts with this game, so happy I got in on the KS. Good to know Aristeia is a good game as well.

[@piotrp6793]

Wise words man!! :)

[@irishwizz]

I find the tactic cards actually very powerfull... displacing all the adjacent ennemies (or even, in Hexxer's case, all the ennemies) means you can score 3 points with just that card. Removing the conditions from a character who has been taken down is also very powerfull... and so on. Sure, the generic cards are not very powerful, but Aristeia is not shadespire, the cards are secondary. MBP is also excellent :-)

[@emiliorodriguez3796]

I was about to write why I disagree with this video, but seeing the comments I feel there's no need to do that. Maybe Sam could give a second (and proper) reading at the rules, cards... and then he might change his mind about the game. My score is a solid 9, far better than Shadespire (that game without "cons", according to Sam...).

[@fjrandy7979]

When someone talk about something that dont know...in my opinion, after more than 30 games, Aristeia is the best game in its cathegory, and i think u didnt enough or u played to warhammer Sadesphire

[@SamOnMaui]

I'd love to see a followup on this review. Our channel has showing games, and the expansions really add a lot to it! Additionally, Coruvs Belli has added a lot of scenarios, including ones just for the B side of the board.

[@supermouse6537]

Did you really find that hEXx3r or 8-Ball Character cards had a lot of text?? Oh, my. Then a CCG or LCG must be impossible to handle. The whole page in Imperial Assault with LoS diagrams make it difficult to play? Tell it's not your kind of game. Or tell you can't give a higher number 'cos this is not a top selling game from a top company. I guess this way you don't take a risk.

[@RedZorn]

Aristeia! is easily my favorite arena skirmish game. I love Shadespire, Mythic Battles, etc. but Aristeia! takes the top spot. Sadly this video is a verbose 20 minutes of unfair and uninformed personal taste rather than an objective review. You are losing a lot of credibility as a reviewer here.

[@piotrp6793]

Also: I know that "reviews" are just opinions and I respect that, but I completely don't understand Your arguments... You don't like the game because it has too much text on character cards... even though that you have ONLY 4 of them each game, they lie completely still on the table the whole game and the amount is the same or less as on any modern CCG that have 40+ in each deck... AND: you don't like the game because it has a little text on action cards... ?!?! You don't talk a thing about so many strategies, synergies and combos that one can do on that board with only those 4 characters each side and that there many ways to win - not only killing opponents, but by area control or influencing opponent characters... and so on. For me it feels like you have just rushed through this game and didn't have time to play more then 3 times in different configurations(that are encouraged buy the rules...) or just don't like this kind of game. For my this game is like "good chess - the interesting one" - so much possibilities and very dense rules, but hight replayability and is just beautiful. For me it is easy 8-9. But I agree about cons with LOS and would add that there are too much steps in every action in game so it sometimes is hard to figure out when some cards are allowed to be played. Best regards!

[@rmcdaniel2424]

Piotr P I kind of agree with both of you guys. There is better ways to streamline the game to make it more friendly. I like to play the game compared to reading cards lol

[@Sam-vk8xd]

Sam is a bit of a petty gamer. For example, in space base he complains about the one card that if you manage to fulfill its requirement you automatically win. Even though it’s super hard to fulfill the requirement of this card, other players can see that you’re trying to fulfill it (it’s super easy to tell) and they can prepare their engines for a quick endgame, and to add insult to injury the card HAS never come up in any game he has ever played!!! Not to mention almost no one manages to fulfill the card if they grab, super rare. Yet he thinks it’s stupid and it affects his enjoyment of the game... yeah. He’s an interesting guy.

[@kweihs]

I hate to pile on, but yeah, you clearly needed to play the game more. Your comments regarding LOS being too complex (overwrought?) seems terribly harsh for a very simple LOS system. It’s commonly used in many hex-based games and since there is no elevation to consider I’m hard pressed to figure out what is ‘overwrought’ about it. It certainly deserves better than a 6/10 and the fact that you felt you had to justify a 6 instead of a5 shows how little you have played the game.

[@josca69]

Totally disagree with the final score... dont undertand why shadespire had a 9 and aristeia just a 6 hahaha, ridiculus

[@tomascabeza8801]

This boy is a GW fan boy. It is no possible put a 9 to shadespire and a 6 to this game. This smell so bad. Please play another time to this game to make a real opinion.

[@Sam-vk8xd]

You can smell it?

[@luismolero3116]

Actually I think Shadespire is the 6 and Aristeia the 9, if not 10.

[@alcovitch]

@@luismolero3116 Opinions are like assholes...

[@inttruders]

FYI, people can have opinions that are not the same as yours.

[@TheGollum9]

Strange how you want less text on the character cards but the tactics cards are too simple because they are only one line of text. I think the detail should be in the characters and the cards should just be a slight boost here and there but personal preference I guess

[@adamoakson3076]

When you click on a review and see the dislikes almost equal the likes you know you're in for a good laugh. ;)

[@alfonsomateo9166]

I think this is the review from The Dice Tower I most disagree with. The game is much much much better IMO.

[@ThaHarlequin]

Seriously, do a follow up review, please. This game is a diamond in an ocean of bad arena games.

[@maximilian7173]

Great review. I get why you don't like certain aspects of the game. My biggest problem with it was the amount of variance due to the dice rolling. Overall however, I really enjoy playing Aristeia! and would recommend it to players who like these arena-style experiences. And yes, it is better with addons.

[@kaptproductions3925]

So glad this is out on your network. I love this game and expansions. Hoped it could get some more publicity, I was worried it would get caught in between "war game" and "boardgame" limbo. Great review!

[@piotrp6793]

My main question is: how many times have you played this games? From what you are saying it seems like it was 2-3 times and only with standard teams? If that is the true I would call this preview, NOT review - as this kind of game shines after 6+ more games and depends heavily on trying different synergies between team members.

[@homelessjoe]

A preview is a presentation of a game, examining components, graphic design and outlining rules. A review is normally all of those things with the inclusion of the reviewers feelings about the game. For instance, your review of the game is that it doesn't shine until you play 6+ games. Sam's review of the game was just fine. I think it can be said for almost every game with some level of complexity that if you play enough, you will learn the flow of the game better. To expect a reviewer to play a game 6+ times before making a review is just silly.

[@cjpeach11]

Right... that's like saying, this movie shines after 6 watches. If you haven't watched it 6+ times it's not a review.

[@piotrp6793]

:)) are you claiming that movies and board games are the same medium? And you don't see main difference: interactivity and that play depends on your choices? Don't you know that in good game every play can feel different and you can choose different approach/strategy ? In narrow case of Aristeia: playing with different teams gives different feeling each time. As it seems so from your comment: any further discussion with you would be a waste of time for me.

[@cjpeach11]

Okay, let me give more then; - I don't feel I need to have played magic more than 1 time to tell you how great/not great the game is built. - I don't need to play FF7 or FFT the video games a 6th time to "properly" review them. I am not claiming they are the same medium, only that non reviewers seem to have this ridiculous standard in the iindustry of playing a game many times is needed to review it. Why? From 1 play I can tell you how easy it is to learn, how good the mechanisms are. Their job is not to critique the games staying power, but rather it's structure. Sam found this game wanting. I was simply confused with you claiming to be moral authority over what is/isn't a review. Of course feel free to shoot me a link to the reviews you have done so we may classify them appropriately as well since you so quickly dismissed my comment with your final thought, white knighting a game Sam gave a 6/10 for is a great use of your time. Same thought the game was meh, what's wrong with that? He played it enough to feel comfortable doing a review and didn't care for it. Does that somehow diminish the value of the game to you? If you like it, great! It's Sam's opinion, not written in stone fact man.

[@piotrp6793]

I have seen many "previews" of the games with authors' initial feelings and what they like and don't so far - just without claiming main verdict:) So it seems that's only your definitions... :) "6+" is just example - I mainly wanted to say "more then 2 with different teams". For me playing Aristeia with only 2 fixed/initial teams is not a full experience. I expected reviewers to play the game enough times to be able to make a proper judgement. Saying that they can/should play a game only 1-2 times _always_ or something like that... is just silly.

[@giannisc.5254]

OK, question for anyone that played the game including Sam. Why me as a player would not follow this kind of logic to win : first you rush to the central scoring area and win there. Then all you care about is turtling back at the scoring area closest to you and winning the rounds where you are the underdog by choosing that area as the active one to score. You are already in the lead from the first round so the opponent's underdog rounds don't matter as long as you win yours. I guess a rule where it us forbidden to choose a score area a second time until every area has scored once would solve that, but does the game have that ?

[@cartoon80s90s]

This wouldn't work in this game as there are many characters who can move other characters around, and points don't come just by controlling areas. If you try turtling back all the time, then obviously the opponent will only need 1 of their characters in the scoring area they choose. So after the second area is scored, you will be tied and he will have 3 characters next to the scoring area you choose, ready to push out of the scoring area your characters or even kill them which would give him/her even more points. It is a delicate balance between turtling back and pushing forward that usually determines the winner. Also, some Tactic cards have very strong effects and when used at the right moment can turn the tide of battle with a single roll. The game is much deeper than Sam made it seem, especially with the characters from the expansions. Don't forget that like all games that depend on dice rolls, a series of bad rolls can cost you the game, but I assume anyone who plays a game like Aristeia or almost any other miniatures game is aware of this. Another "+" for the game is that it is relatively short. Most of the time a winner emerges in less than 60 minutes.

[@giannisc.5254]

+cartoon80s90s i see, thanks !

[@Indael666]

Also there are several different scenarios, Assault, King of the Hill, Scorched earth(that burns the scoring zones after they´re used), Blitz, Carnage...

[@giannisc.5254]

+Indael oh nice ! that is very interesting ! thanks !

[@derekgarcia3069]

While everything I've heard leaves me to believe this score is a little low, this video also proved that I'm not sure this is the game for me. I've been thinking of buying this for a couple of months, but held off as it's a little complex for my current gaming partners (9 year old son, and my GF, who is just getting into games). I think they could both eventually learn the game, but the LoS is so convoluted, I'm not sure I even want to deal with it. I 100% agree for how simple the rest of the game is, it should just have been centre hex to centre hex.

[@irishwizz]

That's definitely not ideal for a 9 years old, though I went to an Aristeia day last week end, and a girl was playing it, who was probably around 10. It's not a simple game, that's for sure. It's not meant to be. Krosmaster would be better suited.

[@derekgarcia3069]

Yeah...if he had more experience in that kind of game, it would be less of an issue. Maybe after we get into Imperial Assault and he learns LoS there. The problem with Krosmaster, is that it's still an $80+ game, and I have ZERO interest in it, lol. If he liked the show (Wakfu) more, I might grab it. The other option is Rum & Bones; not the same thing, but it's an option.

[@irishwizz]

It's funny how many people interested in Aristeia tell me that. Unless it's strictly because of the design of the miniatures, i strongly suggest you try Krosmaster, because for me, not only it's the game Aristeia is the closest to, but also, krosmaster is a more strategic version of Aristeia, with less luck involved :-) But i can understand the Chibi look might not appeal to all. I bought it for my 20 years younger than me brother when he was 11. I got very strongly addicted to it when i realized how strategic it was ;-)

[@derekgarcia3069]

Yeah, part of it is the theme. Not so much the chibi characters (I kind of like that), more the aesthetics of the board. That, and the fact that Aristeia! is, theme-wise, one of my favorite games out there. I'll give it a second look though. Could always be room for both in my collection! :D

[@shaynehull2705]

So Wild Bill’s “Twin Pistols” attack has an automatic success, right? So why didn’t Sam include this in his attack against Maximus? Bill rolls 5 successes plus one critical hit. He then discards a card to add one more success. This is a total of 6 successes plus the crit. Shouldn’t he also have the automatic success from the “Twin Pistols” ability, making it 7 successes + the crit.?

[@alcovitch]

The other character has defenses too that would stop some of those hits.

[@damieldrakkensen6044]

I would like to discuss the rating of the game (I think it's unfairly too low), but in order to do that, I think Sam Healey should learn how to play Aristeia properly, and how to be fair at making game ratings. Also a bit more of gaming culture would be great (rather than stick to GW manners)

[@alcovitch]

what does GW have to do with this review?

[@ryanbrown9102]

@@alcovitch Sam really like Warhammer Underworlds

[@benjaminnoble9565]

does anyone know of a better version of this style of game? a "miniatures war game in a box" that isnt Warhammer related.

[@dreadknot69]

Check out Mythic Battles Pantheon.

[@benjaminnoble9565]

dreadknot69 ill check it out thanks!

[@jonlocke7112]

This is the best arena game at the moment. Don’t know why Sam didn’t like it that much. This is one of those games that the more you play the more you see the complexity

[@robertchmielecki2580]

Try Warmachine. Even small games with a 2-player starter box offer a lot more decisions and require more strategy than fully blown games of WH40K.

[@krusty1796]

Come on a 6 almost a 5 to you? Too much text? A big part of imperial settler's success is the use of text insted of only icon Batman GCC do icon and ho my this is atrocious. What about magic, keyforge, any card game? Even super fantasy Brawl? Aristeia give you icon + text to not work only on your memories. Also the A5 format booklet is a masterpiece in layout and content in making a game accessible. It's one of the best "accessible" skirmish and yet deep. LOS after 2 game are integrated no need of an app like some game to be certain what the terrain does to the LOS. And using not only center hex give more tactical possibility and importance to positioning. The reaction fire at every attack and the cover included by a black die in the roll is amazing and so simple. But the game at 1st needed a FAQ. And not talking about all the scenario. The base box is already a lot of variety.

[@Puzzu]

Excellent review!

[@alexperdomo4705]

quite right, its not games workshop so its bad...

[@astromorphs-are-qu]

First

[@SeerMagicX]

Agents of Mayhem is just gonna blow this game away.

[@cartoon80s90s]

We'll see. I hope both games do well. Right now Aristeia has a 8.6 score on BGG so it has been very well received. I've had a blast with the game. Once you add a couple expansions the different combinations of heroes and Tactic cards makes the game a lot more fun.

[@SeerMagicX]

Sorry I didn't mean sales wise, but gameplay.