Arkham Horror 3e vs. Fallout vs. Skyrim (a comparative review)

[@TheDungeonDive]

Viewers - please keep in mind...the reason Arkham Horror 2e or Eldritch Horror (guess I have to add that here now) wasn't featured in this video is because it doesn't fit within this sub-set of games. These three games were chosen to be compared because they all use a large library of numbered cards to generate their stories, encounters and scenarios; it's a thing that makes AH3e very different from AH2e and EH. I've been playing AH2e since 2005, and own everything for it, and love it. But those videos will be for another day. This video is about the games it's about, and that's it. Also keep in mind that I love most of the Arkham Files games, so I'm not bashing your favorite game just because it wasn't chosen for this video. :) Remember - it's entirely humanly possible to love more than one thing at a time!

[@mort2k]

So glad I managed to get a bundle of the fallout game + 2 expansions for like 30-35 $. Not played it yet, but after watching this, I look forward to it even more!

[@ei7565]

Great video Daniel, such a great format when you do these!

[@TheDungeonDive]

Glad you like them!

[@boatofcar3273]

More of these types of videos please! They’re really helpful buyers guides.

[@cheesedanishable]

It's interesting to me that buyers would still need this. I feel there should be plenty of comparisons already given the age of the games but hey, if it's helpful to you, yes more of this.

[@Twineandribbon]

I do love me some AH3E, and it's all because of that Codex system! Great video!

[@TheDungeonDive]

Same here! Makes for some super engaging games.

[@IODISH12]

What timing. I just put AH3 in my cull pile because I bought and played Fallout. I didn't enjoy how AH3 became a bit of chore trying to fight fires. Fallout has similar mechanisms, but it does a better job disguising the fire-fighting and allowing me to get immersed in the narrative being created.

[@p0ck3tp3ar]

These showdowns are a really smart way to not have to spend a fortune for each video and make use of what you already have. Amazing how all of us in the hobby need to decide how to manage our expensess in a sea of new and shiny things! I am finally at the point where there are few older games I'm curious about, unfortunately one is KDM. The other is Shadows of Brimstone.

[@fpgowner]

Top notch, Daniel. Of the three, I've only played Fallout and I desperately wanted to like it. It felt off, to the extent that I thought I had some rules wrong, but couldn't figure out which ones. As per your suggestion, I'm going to get the expansions and give it another try. I bet it works out this time. Thanks for doing these and thanks for your even-handed, well-considered approach.

[@TheDungeonDive]

I hope you like it more, and don't consider the further investment a waste of money. Please do keep in mind that I liked the base game when it was new a little more than some other people did. So I might have been starting from a more positive position than you are.

[@richprice482]

Great video Daniel. Good idea to pick out this type of game system. Thks.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Hoichiro]

Awesome video as always. Regarding Arkham Horror tiles setup, check that on the setup, next to the name of the location, in both the tile and the setup card, you may have a triangle or diamond, so it's easy to know which one of the tiles with the same name you are using. Also Folded Space insert makes setup quicker

[@TheDungeonDive]

Thanks for that!

[@justinrastin8802]

Great video as always! I own all three of these games and they all have that semi open world adventure feel to them. I totally agree with your points on the Fallout adventure game. Atomic Bonds made it go from my sell / donate list to a game I plan on keeping forever. Looking forward to the Arkham Horror deep dive!

[@erikpeters7072]

Ooo I got the TEMU commerical!

[@TheDungeonDive]

Yuk. I wish I had control over what kind of ads were shown.

[@erikpeters7072]

@@TheDungeonDive 😂 I actually like the song and actually looked it up just to hear it

[@TheDungeonDive]

@@erikpeters7072haha. Well that’s good. :)

[@James-on1vy]

Daniel, I'm not even a *huge* gamer of any type, however I thoroughly enjoy all of your videos. You do a wonderful job of capturing your audience!

[@TheDungeonDive]

Glad you like them!

[@twang51022]

Awesome breakdown. You have a new supporter and subscriber!

[@TheDungeonDive]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@twang51022]

@@TheDungeonDive Yep, susbscribed to your Pateron. Awesome stuff!

[@12345gerrard]

The dungeon drive I am driving into the dungeon now! I jump and hit the stone below and my entire body hurts. I lose 5 hp and some bones lol 😆 (please be aware this is just a joke and I didn't drive into an actual dungeon) thank you

[@Scotch5ailor]

This is great content, thank you Daniel!

[@TheDungeonDive]

My pleasure!

[@boardgameswiththomas]

This was a cool video idea! Lots of good info here. Glad to see the Fallout board game get some appreciation, I always felt like it got a bad rep. Fallout is the only one of these three I've played but is one I really enjoy, though I haven't tried it yet with the Atomic Bonds expansions (which I do have)

[@hariszark7396]

One more category I would like to see is the "thematic" category. In this case I would give AH the first place, because the Cthulhu Mythos (at 1900s - 1940s) is my favorite. Fallout 2nd place because the post-catastrophic theme is very interesting for a board game. Skyrim 3rd place because the medieval fantasy theme is very used and I have been a bit tired of it. Arkham Horror 2e is one of my favorite games. I even have made a few heroes of my own based on me and a couple of my friends. 😆 I like to wander around the town visiting all those places and having encounters of all kinds. And this is the thing I don't like about AH 3e. The....map....tiles...things.... It doesn't feel like a town that I can walk around anymore. It looks like a space station's rooms with corridors that connects them together. It really puts me off. But my biggest love is Eldritch Horror. ...😃 Fallout was always in my wish list. I think it's a great game. But I never got it....because financial shortness....😕 Skyrim I know nothing about it.... Overall I agree with your comments.

[@chrisoliv85]

The worst part of setting up AH3rd is finding the monster cards... gosh I love it anyway!

[@TheDungeonDive]

Yep. Those things suck! :)

[@Crinklechip-s]

"The real winner is us because we get to play them!". That made me smile 🙂. As far as Skyrim goes - If you told me a game was ugly, expensive and hard to understand I would definitely avoid it. However, I'm glad its found its audience.

[@TheDungeonDive]

:) I talk a lot about why I love it in my review. But it takes some work to get there. However, I think it's worth it. It is a very good adventure game.

[@Crinklechip-s]

@@TheDungeonDive I hope that didn’t come across as sarcastic? Sorry if it did. Modiphius have a ‘Mass Effect’ adventure board game in development with a single player option. That’ll be one to keep an eye on.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Not sarcastic at all. I got you. :)

[@Crinklechip-s]

@@TheDungeonDive 😉

[@Glynixx]

Awesome! Thanks Daniel!

[@TheDungeonDive]

My pleasure!

[@gloomypop8503]

I too love Arkham Horror 3E and I agree 100% on the set-up and takedown. It's one of the games I ended up taking the plunge to invest in an organizer and even though it was pricey I think it's worth it. It does speed up setting it up significantly! The look of Skyrim has really held me back. I am a graphic designer by trade and I just can't get over how little attention was paid to the looks of the game. I might be missing out but yeah, I just can't 😅 Fallout, I have been on the verge to buy a few times, because I love me some post-apocalyptic stuff, but having not played the video game I thought I might not end up enjoying it. And now it seems to be going out of print and the expansions are getting hard to find (in Europe at least). Ah well! Anyway! Once again, I really enjoyed the video Daniel. Cheers!

[@matthewgonneau1056]

Enjoyed this comparative review format of games you already really like as it makes the ranking aspect more nuanced. Could you share any other numbered card library games that you also like?

[@TheDungeonDive]

Lands of Galzyr, but it uses an app so in a different category.

[@matthewgonneau1056]

@@TheDungeonDivegotcha

[@huckleberrycarignan9745]

Category Skyrim Fallout Arkham Horror Rule Book 3 2 1 Setup 2 1 3 Adventure 1 2 3 Conflict 1 3 2 Base 2 3 1 Table Presnece 3 2 1 My ratings 1 3 2 Total. 12 15 12 last place = 3 middle = 2 First place = 1

[@basskrustie]

Thank you Daniel for your opinions on these games. I am looking to get a new adventure game for solo sessions as well as maybe a few gamenights with friends. I looked into all three of these games and I still can’t decide, which one to get, so I am very thankful for this video 😊 let’s see if you can help me decide. Btw I heard there will be an expansion to Zona: the secret of Chernobyl this year, maybe there will be a true solo variant. That would put that game much higher on my list. Now, enough rambling, let’s get to that video…

[@basskrustie]

Ok, so I settled on fallout. General question for everyone in the comments, who played it before: is new California as essential as atomic bonds? I ordered the base game and atomic bonds but couldn’t decide, wether to wait and see or insta buy new California.

[@BeatRag28]

You should try out the newest Dark Souls board game release (The Sunless City). It’s quite different from the original. A 2.0 if you will. I actually think it does a great job of a dungeon crawl. Has a zero to hero feel, progress through a single dungeon to a final boss, randomized encounters on the path there. And a cool item deck.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Does it add the exploration, lore, and discovery missing from the original, or is it still basically a node-to-node skirmish game?

[@BeatRag28]

Nah, I’d still probably call it a node to node skirmish. Lol.

[@TheDungeonDive]

That's a bummer. I think that would kill any interest I would have in a Souls game. For me, those games are all about the exploration, lore and discovery. I've heard good things about the new sets though. Glad they're continuing to evolve the series.

[@kylecolumbus522]

Recently got back into board gaming over the fall after a ten year absence and your channel has quickly become one of my favorites. It's funny this was uploaded today because I purchased Arkham Horror 3e and the first expansion in a bundle a few weeks ago. After reading the rule book and watching a few playthroughs I felt really comfortable with playing it and decided to set it up last night at 2AM (I work third shift). Well by the time I got done setting it up and sorting out all the cards it was going on 315 AM and I had absolutely no motivation to play it so I ended up tearing it down. The box insert for it is also awful and how the game comes was probably another huge reason why it took me so long 😅. But I'm prepared to play it this week and now that I have a better idea of setting it up (and have everything properly sorted out) it shouldn't take me over an hour. Anyway I'm glad I'm glad I'm not the only one who hated the set up. Also one small thing is I tried joining the FB group because I was told it's pretty active a few weeks ago and got denied for some reason. Hoping if I try to join again that won't be the case 😅.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Just make sure you answer all the questions and agree to the rules. I deny people who don’t. :).

[@erikpeters7072]

I got the complete Arkham Horror 2e for 80 dollars about 5 years ago and i still haven't gotten it go tabke because organizing everything and setting it up would take at least an hour

[@TheDungeonDive]

2e is really fast to set up! Much faster than 3e and EH.

[@erikpeters7072]

Not for me I find 3e much quicker

[@erikpeters7072]

With all expansions for 2e making the monster cup is a nightmare. Going through the monster cards in 3e is much quicker imo.

[@TheDungeonDive]

@@erikpeters7072 For the monster cup, I just put everything in, and if I draw something I'm not supposed to I just discard it.

[@marcnno6323]

Just grabbed Fallout with expansions this morning as there was a bargain. Skyrim - the ugly art prevented me from backing the game in the first place. Now l will reconsider it but l would prefer they make a reprint with improvement rulebook. Thanks great video.

[@michaelconklin-m9l]

I would be curious how you rank Star Wars: Outer Rim against these games. I was happy to search your videos to find you do have a video on ST:OR and will have to check that out. I find SW:OR to have the same exploration and sandbox, self story driven gameplay as Fallout and Skyrim just with a space theme. I have only played AH3ed once, but preferred 2ed to it so I will have to give it another shot. I have only recently discovered your channel and love your meditations on games. Yours is the one of the few videos I trust to have a full view of the game before purchasing.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Hadn't really thought about it. I like the game, with the expansion.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Keep in mind, that I didn't cover AH2e here because it just doesn't fit in this sub-set of game because it doesn't use a library of numbered cards. You might like one more than the other, that's fine. I like them both for different reasons.

[@erikpeters7072]

Before I watch I'm going to pick my favorite and see if you agree with me... Arkham Horror 3e by a mile for me

[@erikpeters7072]

Yay we agree. Not that I'm surprised

[@jedimackan2594]

I woud like to see how Star Wars Outer Rim looks like next to those games. Wonder what would be your rating. Outer Rim seem to be very similar to Fallout or FFG Horror games.

[@CiboFidian]

That is a really good question! I really like Star wars Outer Rim... and even a little bit more with the expansion ^^

[@TheDungeonDive]

I have a review for Outer Rim on the channel if you want my opinion of it. In brief, I like it with the expansion.

[@jedimackan2594]

@@TheDungeonDive I will check this out. Thanks!

[@ludditzthrell]

Honestly, I can't fault your feelings on these games at all. I haven't yet had a chance to play the Skyrim board game, and was put off by both the price and the kind of hideous look to the game, but Arkham Horror is one of my favorite games that I no longer own (I only got it to the table once in four years, so I made the hard choice), and I love just playing Fallout every now and then, at least a couple times a year. I keep trying to find a game to unseat Fallout for me, but aside from Brimstone, I can't think of anything. Maybe some of the stuff I kickstarted a while back will, but.. ehhh.. I got The Witcher: The Old World last year (I think, or it might've been the year before) and while it was good.. like, I love the mechanics, I love the massive library of cards, it just.. I dunno, doesn't quite do it for me. That's one I wouldn't mind sending your way to see your take on it, if I'm honest. Anyway, great vid, Daniel. Hope you're having a good time of it, or at least better than I am; I'm currently painting all of my Brimstone figures and NOW I understand why you did a dip instead. I'll be around even if I don't respond much to replies. Love your stuff, though. Also, if there *is* a way to contact you, I genuinely might consider sending The Old World your way. Well, peace man, I'll keep watching as long as you keep uploading, even if I don't comment on every video.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Hey, thanks! Good luck painting. :D That's SO MUCH WORK. As far as a game to replace Fallout, what about Fallen Land 2nd Edition? That's the S-tier post-apoc adventure game, IMO. And hey, I'd definitely take a look at The Witcher. If you go to the about section on the channel, you can see my contact email. :)

[@ike_d5402]

What ideas do you have for longevity (if it'll likely still be fun years from now, a la Heroquest) and simple cognitive occupancy, aka how much you think about the game whether it is good/bad thoughts?

[@TheDungeonDive]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand your question.

[@ike_d5402]

@@TheDungeonDive The former is probably promising for all of them, meaning they will all be fun a decade from now. But there are some games that I think about a lot even if it's because they annoy me for whatever reason. I think there's something to be said, and it's very subjective, about recurring thoughts both good and bad. If these games are worth such a thorough video I guess that answers my question and I've done nothing more than waste the time of everyone reading this. Sorry!

[@ike_d5402]

Just random thoughts while dorking out.

[@didierj3836]

I owned fallout and Arkham v3 but sold both. Fallout, found it a bit too light and didn't like the presence on the table. Arkham, too much shuffling with events cards, bothered me, and overall not interested with the mechanisms. Definitely prefer Eldritch Horror.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Stoked you found a game you like! I like them all. :)

[@j3errym]

More of these, Fallout was a FLGS bring and buy last year, found Atomic Bonds cheap and agree great with them. Have AH 2 plus 4 expansions and yes clunky but prefer it to whatvI have seen of 3e, if I want AH lite I have Elder sign plus a couple of expansions. Impression of Skyrim wasn't good gameplay/value and so pleased you confirmed that.

[@TheDungeonDive]

3e is fantastic. I have the capacity to like 2e and 3e at the same time! I know...it's totally wild. ;)

[@siriactuallysara]

Cool new intro :) 😊

[@TheDungeonDive]

Thanks 😁

[@12345gerrard]

They should make a RPG rule book for skyrim that would be amazing!

[@ObsidianKnight90]

There are fan-made versions of The Elder Scrolls for various editions of D&D and Pathfinder IIRC. I would personally recommend D&D 4th Edition.

[@12345gerrard]

@@ObsidianKnight90 but is there a way of getting these fan made editions?

[@mtnimt4724]

First time I ve seen your face instead of just your hands.😂

[@TheDungeonDive]

I was just on camera a few videos ago! Don't tell me you're not watching everything!?!?! ;)

[@mtnimt4724]

@@TheDungeonDive guilty 😔

[@TheDungeonDive]

That's ok. :)

[@The8OJ4N]

None of these games can hold a candle to Eldritch Horror.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Again. Not. Part. Of. This. Comparison. I don't like any of these games as much as Secrets of the Lost Tomb, but I didn't mention that because it wasn't part of the sub-set of games I was covering in this video. Do people not understand how this works?

[@siriactuallysara]

Arkham 2nd edition had better expiration especially with the expansions like goat in the woods and the Egyptian museum. I didn’t like in 3rd edition you are busy chasing doom instead of exploring.

[@TheDungeonDive]

In 2nd edition you spend all of your time chasing and closing gates. 3rd edition just changed the gate chits to doom chits!

[@fbarbirato]

Yeah but what is doom? What is it the warding action? It's very vague while in 2nd you are walking through a gate and ending up in an alien world, having awesome encounters there, then coming back to close the gate. That is much more fun and thematic than just removing tokens from a space, at least to me :) by the way I love both games, but the warding action is the one thing I think could've been a whole lot better in 3rd. I was even thinking of creating a warding encounter deck so we could have some cool thematic encounter explaining what it is your doing to ward evil from that space...

[@siriactuallysara]

@@fbarbirato agreed I’d play 2nd edition over 3rd anyday.

[@TheDungeonDive]

@@siriactuallysaracool. Luckily I have both and also have the ability to enjoy more than one game at a time.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Doom is an abstract manifestation of all the bad stuff happening in Arkham - just like in all the stories these games are based on.

[@yodaforclass]

The obvious answer is Arkham Horror SECOND edition.

[@TheDungeonDive]

Never heard of it.

[@danield-h1j]

Sorry AH3 is trash. The players turn is about 30seconds and then the games turn is ten minutes. The entire mythos phase is so poorly done. And there is no real decisions to make, its always Super obvious. Also you can just break the game and camp certain locations, get all the best weapons while ignoring the entire game and just letting the boss spawn and ez win. Sorry mate but the game plays you ten times more than you play it.

[@TheDungeonDive]

I love your passion!