Astro Knights Review - What If Aeon's End Were Reimagined?

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Astro Knights is a cooperative deck building game where your deck is never shuffled. Your goal is to defeat the Boss before it destroys your team or the Homeworld you’re defending.
Each round, the players and the Boss will take turns in a random order. During a player’s turn, they will be able to acquire Fuel, Tech, and Weapons from the supply, equip and attack with those Weapons based on the number of slots they have, gain new slots, power up, and use their special ability. All four of the Bosses in this game have their own decks and abilities, and will require a different strategy to be defeated
BGG Link - boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3...
TimeStamps:
0:00:00 - Introduction
0:00:37 - Overview
0:06:02 - Ease of Play
0:07:27 - Player Count
0:08:28 - What I Like
0:11:14 - What I Didn't Like
0:12:15 - What I Can See Others Not Liking
0:13:23 - Final Thoughts
0:15:06 - Recommendations
5.0 - My absolutely favorite games. You can pry them out of my cold dead hands.
4.5 - Love this game! At the same time missing something that would make it a 5. Could be hard to table, lacking variability, a little light, etc.
4.0 - Really great game, almost always keeping, although has meaningful complaints as to what takes away from the experience.
3.5 - Really enjoyed, don't love it, may lose out to better games but the idea of never playing again is a bit sad.
3.0 - A good game, would play and suggest with the right people, if I never played it again wouldn't lose any sleep.
2.5 - A game I'd play again , but will never suggest it myself
2.0 - A game I don't want to play again
1.5 - A game I can't find any reason to recommend
1.0 - A game that is just bad.
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[@adamwaggenspack7156]

Aeon's End is my wife's favorite game and my 2nd favorite. We are very much looking forward to trying Astro Knights as well.

[@BoardGameCo]

Enjoy it :)

[@patriziopastore9895]

I'm a super fan of Aeon's End and I know that are quite similar but I will most probably back this one

[@BoardGameCo]

Absolutely fair...sometimes "streamlining" a game you love isn't a good thing.

[@boardgametime3727]

Thanks for the review! :)

[@BoardGameCo]

Always :)

[@Spiritoftheway333]

Thanks so much for this one! Game looks great!

[@BoardGameCo]

It's a blast :)

[@Spiritoftheway333]

@@BoardGameCo and the asking price is SOOOO reasonable! It was impossible not to back it!

[@john9801]

@BoardGameCo I think fixed vs variable market is quite a big topic on its own. The reason I prefer the variable market, is that the fixed market limits how many different cards you can have in your deck. Sure you could have a fixed market with a big size. But that would take a lot of table space. Also the variable market is not predictable which allows for situations in which an awesome card for your deck appears. I would say variable market is better suited for "fun" games while a fixed market would be better for heavy / strategic / euro games.

[@kumanight]

Varied market > fixed any day. Many deck builders with fixed markets I house rule to vary it.

[@kimkristiansen9787]

I also noticed that in a play-through and was like 'that is more fun that Aeon's End' fixed market'. Perhaps it could be implemented into AE somehow 🤔

[@SeanUCF]

I think varied vs fixed market also depends heavily on whether you're playing a co-op or vs. game. For co-op deck building games like Aeon's End, Legendary, Battle for Greyport, GI Joe DBG, Transformers DBG, Venom Assault, Hero Realms, Dragonfire/Crossfire where the difficulty is getting ramped up throughout the game, I would much prefer they all have a fixed market. Knowing that I can build my deck the way I want to from the beginning assures me that whether I win or lose is much more based on my skill and strategy than just getting market screwed. If it's a game where I'm dueling another player like Power Rangers DBG, Star Wars DBG, Twisted Fables, Kamigami Battles, Star Realms etc., then a variable market is fine b/c your opponent is working off the same market as you are.

[@steveowen7508]

Thanks for the review. It looks interesting, but I'm concerned that sometimes "streamlined" means "dumbed-down".

[@fy8798]

Sounds like I will like this a lot less than Aeon's End. Fixed Card market is a huge aspect on why I prefer Aeon's End over, say, the potter deckbuilder. Planning with a fixed market (even if the 9 cards themselves are randomized) is where most of the fun is for me. The long term strategy and making do with the limited amounts of cards available. What people further down (rightfully!) mention as positives for the market mixing are all negatives for me. I'd of course not reject playing it but..its a shame. But again, it's taste. It seems that variable market is preferred by the majority of people, so I can't blame them for going with it. It's probably a good idea for them to do it, even if it's not good for me specifically. Great game overview, well done :)

[@BoardGameCo]

Yep, if this had the fixed card market and the rest of the changes, I'd be over the moon. As it is, I prefer to the original, but with that one big ding.

[@BoardGameCoffee]

Great job brother. Just popping in ;)

[@BoardGameCo]

Ditto Dad :) Great to see you back putting our videos.

[@BoardGameCoffee]

@@BoardGameCo Yeah first December with baby was crazy lol. It’s good to be back ;)

[@JohnWard-te8pk]

Alex, how practical would it be to take the variable card market and refix it, sort of UnVasel it like the opposite of what Tom did to Thunderstone? I'm thinking that you could sort the cards of a type out and just have a couple like in Aeon's End.

[@RiHa_Games]

Guess I'm going to back more than I wanted, what else is new watching your video's ;-)

[@BoardGameCo]

Sorry :(

[@jhowd78]

This is a step in the right direction. Responding to feedback and keeping the core fun. As someone who's played the prototype, I think they have a new core to work with. I've heard some of the expansion ideas and I'm ready. Plays faster too

[@BoardGameCo]

Oooh, expansion stuff has me intrigued for sure.

[@jhowd78]

@BoardGameCo I'm being vague only because I thought they would have more revealed pn the campaign page.

[@drorios8864]

@@BoardGameCo they only have 1 expansion and other just extra cards for the core game. Plus one boss so I guess that's cool bur I want more!!!!!

[@en4crcdn]

Like the theme and streamlined structure of this better than Aeon's end (still enjoy AE). Looks like it needs more market cards though (maybe the KS will have more). Personally OK with fixed or dynamic market (pros and cons with both).

[@aorakis5795]

I'm already deep into Aeon's end. But the only thing i'm a found a bit "bad" with Aeon's is the setup time, wich goes on the longer side. Wich seems to be greatly resolved with AstroKnights. I also prefer the theme from aeon's, as i don't find "having 4 weapons" at the same time quite "thématic" (where i found having 4 spells is much more "realistic") (ok i'm neatpicking here but still) The thing i'm afraid is more the really "simplified" game that astro is compare to Aeon's end. Even if a lot of good ideas are imo making the game better in some areas (like setup time, playing time, the strongholsd having some abilities (inspired in a better way from Outcast Xaxos mechanic), and the likes) I also found that, especially with the "weapons slots" (known as Breaches in AE) are so drasticly simplified that it is almost not a part of the tactical aspect of the game. Here, you just pay 3 and that's it ! you've got another slot ! In aeon's end those breaches where constantly a choice and crucial part of some tactical chosing aspect of the game : "Should hi turn my breach 3 now or do i buy this gem and open my second... ? etc...) Same with the market. I love the fixed market, but i feel that sometimes a random market is what also makes deckbuilding really fun to play ! as you don't know what will get out on the marked to be purshased... But i'm curious to try someday, a random market to Aeon's end ! With cards sorted by types and cost... like : Gems 2, 3 // Gems 4, 5, 6 // Relics 2, 3, 4 // Relics 5, 6, more // spells 2, 3 // Spells 4, 5 // Spells 6, 7, more I'm curious to see if that would completly ruin the game or make it more fun You could also imagine a rule like "before buying, you can put a card from a pile at the bottom of its deck) Or even something like : Before buying from a pile, Look at top X cards, chose one to buy, and put the rest at the bottom of that pile. This might accelerate a bit more the setup time (you would still have to make the mage hands and the nemesis decks, that's what is making the setup so long...) -- So i feel like, there are a lot of + and some - Even if, to be honest, with what i already got from AE (Core box, New Age, Outcast, Legacy of Gravehold (wich is still not opened...), lots of small expansions etc...), i don't even need that Astro ! I'm still have so many undone Nemesis and mage to try... BUT... I feel like, even if i found the theme and graphic less appealing... The fact that it is, still a lot of what makes Aeon's End one of the best, if not the best Cooperative Deckbuilding game... But in a really much better playtime and setup.... That only reason could make my aeon's end to leave my collection, wich i thought would never happened. And if i found it too "compressed" i might still put it on the marked to sale ! Cheers from belgium

[@bholmes4]

Variable card market? More stream lined? I may have to back this now.

[@BoardGameCo]

Yep, absolutely.

[@bholmes4]

@@BoardGameCo Just backed it, thanks for this video. The price was lower than I expected and the art is much better than Aeons End in my opinion.

[@boardgamequeens]

I prefer the art of Aeons End but this does look more streamlined.

[@inoutsoccer11]

I’m with you, I do prefer the theme in AE. Like you said though, since this appears to be more streamlined, it’ll likely make it to the table more. I backed it right away due to my love for AE.

[@bholmes4]

I found the character art in Aeons End really unappealing. Maybe later expansions improved on this, I don't know. I much prefer the art in this game though.

[@inoutsoccer11]

@@bholmes4 to each his own! It’s almost like a sci-fi vs fantasy theme comparison. I do prefer hero realms to Star realms 😄. Either way, I’m super excited for this game

[@johnf7755]

With AE I felt you had to thin the deck to have a chance at winning, limiting viable market cards, and it can feel like you're struggling against your bloated (from the start) deck rather than the boss. Does this share that feeling? I'm sure the core game will have plenty in it but completionists should also be aware they're buying into a platform that will be ruthlessly expanded :)

[@fy8798]

This will always be the case with deck builders, thinning is always the way to get your deck the strongest once you added strong cards, as long as the available cards to buy are notably stronger than starter cards. And if they're not, you lose a big part of the appeal.

[@NoxiousWhat]

If "thinning" isn't useful in your deckbuilding game, you have a crappy deckbuilding game. An alternative (and probably better method) is to create cards that perhaps scale in power with the # of cards left in your deck, such that you MIGHT just want to build not for thinning, but for huge card counts.

[@johnf7755]

@@NoxiousWhat My point really was that thinning in Aeon's End feels like a chore, compared to other games. I often got to the end of the game feeling I still wanted to thin despite trying to the whole game. And that's with a very specific market, which limits variability. Also I don't believe a deck builder needs to have thinning as an essential strategy to be successful.

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

I'd play it.

[@BoardGameCo]

It's fun, delivers a lot of the feeling of ae but more to my taste

[@Boss-zo4lw]

Having just a few stacks of fixed card markets means its the same run over and over.

[@jitapriyadas9601]

Sentinels of the multiverse DE or Astro Knights?

[@BoardGameCo]

Sentinels

[@seungyuno]

It sounds like you prefer this one over aeon's end. Why? Aeon's end has the fixed market you're looking for.

[@BoardGameCo]

Great question. The one thing I prefer about Aeon's End is the fixed market. The rest always felt more fiddly to me than this did. Plus I prefer the theme.

[@john9801]

@@BoardGameCo I don't know what to make of the theme with the "preparing weapons". It does make way more sense with spells in AE. Why you have to prepare the weapon and then discard it when used?

[@misterbxiv]

I played AE, and the breaches were Sooo annoying. Art was pretty bland too. I’m glad it’s just slots you unlock. I like fixed markets, but having more different cards to choose in the game will allow for more strategy overall rather than buying 2-3 of x, and the rest of y. It a sci-fi guy, but I can get over it. The art itself and player boards are a huge upgrade.

[@elqord.1118]

Sure could have done with better art. They are going with a whole new theme and somehow the lame visuals prevail. Also I Wonder why one would play this over Marvel Champions? I understand there’s a home world and a market but other than that I’d imagine Marvel brings more innovation to the “beat a baddie” card game world.

[@BoardGameCo]

Oh totally different feel to me than Marvel champions. Much lighter, more accessible, no deckbuilding.

[@RobOngrui]

AE is a game that I should like but I just don't - imo the card-drafting combat would have been so much better with a larger game attached to it. Something more than: Kill Big Boss. Astro Knights does not seem to adress this sadly and just gives us more of the same. Power to all people who like this stuff though, it's just not for me.

[@BoardGameCo]

I totally hear you, ae as always been a game that I felt I should like And somehow didn't. This one does have a lot of the same DNA, but the difference is work for me.

[@ferver-san]

I see no reason to own both this and Aeon's

[@BoardGameCo]

I would agree, I think it's kind of a preference choice.

[@Slumpitch]

Who is fiiirrrsstttt ???? SSSSuuugggaaarrr !!!!

[@BoardGameCo]

Sooooo Sweeet!!!