Last Bastion vs. Ghost Stories Comparison - with Zee Garcia

[@dddmmm21]

No question the production quality is tremendously improved, but I still can't understand why they changed the theme!! Why? The asian horror ghost theme was so unique and really contributed to this game success in my view. Was anyone asking for another generic fantasy game?

[@marfin4325]

Just placating the crowd, if they have something too unique it narrows the audience. I was also sad though, Asian Horror is a cool theme.

[@andresfresquez12]

Rules mistake: at 12:20, you mention the original Qi rule in Ghost Stories. Actually, the rulebook states that " A Taoist may possess more Qi points than at the beginning of the game, limited to the number of Qi tokens in the supply." page 3

[@All_Ice117]

Thanks! Was thinking the same thing.

[@michaelcozzolino3322]

This is correct. As soon as I heard it I had to pull of the rules to confirm. I thought "surely I haven't been playing this wrong all this time"

[@VaultBoy13]

The only updates from this that I wouldn't mind in regular Ghost Stories are: 1. Update the dice. That lose all token roll can be pretty brutal. The other dice seems much fairer. 2. Have one side of the red character combine the 2 powers, then have a new power for the other side. Maybe it'd be like the last character shown, where the player doesn't move in order to remove a haunt.

[@GrandElemental]

3. Completely overhaul the rulebook so that it is not an eye sore and also clarifies the rules conflicts.

[@RockCh4lk]

The updates in Last Bastion make it an objectively better game. I also like the theme a little more.

[@zvonk2480]

I love it when Zee does these!

[@Roufus55]

There is a few changes ill incorporate as variants to Ghost Stories.

[@Bierzgal]

While I can join the crowd and agree that the Ghost Stories theme is more interesting and unique, Last Bastion is bit more thematic. In GS it's like "duh, green ghost, red ghost, yellow ghost", in LB it's "green = orcs, red = demons, yellow = undead" it makes bit more sense. On the other hand GS has two expansions, LB has none.

[@gotrek987]

The engraved dice for GS were promos or available for purchase directly from the publisher I believe.

[@yogibbear]

Yep. I got mine direct from Repos webstore.

[@gamera2351]

Very nice video. I appreciate you showing this. I would to have liked actually seeing the monsters for both games and see if they are the same mechanically though.

[@gnobahdi]

I remember hearing that GS was coming to Kick starter this fall as a deluxe or update and I was looking forward to it but now I'm wondering if Last Bastion is what they were talking about. Does anyone know about that?

[@hmuriel]

IMO one of the best things about Ghost Stories was the theme. It is a shame they changed it for "generic fantasy"

[@nickvandam1214]

Agreed I liked the distinct theme of the original, still it is great they have a 1.5 or 2.0 of ghost stories.

[@DrMcFly28]

I think it's an understandable decision. There are already people (some of them pretty prominent in the boardgame world) who complain or at least address what they see as "cultural insensitivity" of GS, and they would only become more vocal if the new edition came out. The safest best is to simply go for the generic theme and nip all the potential controversy in the bud. I'd do the same if I were them.

[@NoNameC68]

​@@DrMcFly28 Really? Who are the prominent names bashing the game for being culturally insensitive, and where did you see other people doing the same? I'm tired of "cultural appropriation" being used to censor cultural diversity. Though, in this case, I heard they didn't want people to confuse the old Ghost Stories for the updated version, so they rethemed the game to make it more unique.

[@raykempinski7689]

I have to agree with some of the comments below.... Ghost Stories theme and artwork are fantastic (to me) and this new version doesn't match up (with the understanding that taste is subjective).

[@chriswinston1223]

45 euros for extras and painted minis at Essen. I'd say it's worth it.

[@victorgonzalez2927]

Why can’t a solo player just play 4 characters? For Last Bastion I don’t see any problem playing 4 handed. Am I wrong or did I miss something?

[@BitJam]

Exactly! I always play Ghost Stories with all four Taoist. I plan to use four Heroes when playing Last Bastion (which arrived today).

[@victorgonzalez2927]

@@BitJam I just ordered mine today shows up tomorrow. I like the theme, art, and components better than GS.

[@BitJam]

@@victorgonzalez2927 Yes! Me too! The insert is great! Sleeved cards fit in the place where the tokens are and the tokens fit under the minis. I used Mayday premium sleeves. I also colored the edges of the tokens and put the round tokens in coin capsules. 25mm for equipment and 30mm for Call to Arms. Both were tight fits which is good. The instructions are the exact opposite of the GS instructions. In some ways this reminds me of Darkest Night. Maybe a Darkest Night Lite. I love the GS theme but I was sold on the new rules and great components. I got a great deal on BGG.

[@victorgonzalez2927]

@@BitJam funny I own Darkest Night and wouldn’t have necessarily compared the two but I do see the similarities in that you are under constant assault and trying to mitigate damage. I like the aesthetics of LB over Ghost Stories and feel it is overall a better production. Theme had a big part to play in my decision as well.

[@BitJam]

@@victorgonzalez2927 Also you have a variety of heroes each with special abilities that you need to make the best use of. But DN has way more characters and WAY more special abilities. Another similarity is they both seem hard/impossible until you learn a winning strategy.

[@KristoVaher]

@Zee - you didn't go over the cards in comparison. Are they the same in effect?

[@All_Ice117]

I want to know as well!

[@LeoDeStino]

Thanks for the video, it helped me decide to go with Last Bastion. What a great game.

Since I'll always play it with 4 players, Last Bastion wins! For solo games I prefer games designed for solo only eg. Under Falling Skies, Final girl, The Road, The Spirit of Eden.

[@GreenGlassScarab]

I have loved Ghost Stories for years. If they'd made a fancy upgraded version I would have bought that, but the theme with Last Bastion just seems so blah and generic. Did someone scold them for cultural appropriation? Say that they weren't allowed to do an Chinese themed game unless they were Chinese? Or did marketing claim people didn't like foreign themes?

[@seanmorgan2257]

I had never played Ghost Stories, but that last bastion looks interesting.

[@DeepCDiva]

While I enjoy some of the changes in player powers and some of the tiles, the theme change really is a disservice. Feels much more bland and generic, with a much less visually engaging board, full of browns and greys. While I'm sure the new edition is still a good game, the original is such a mood setting treat that I feel it would be better to alter or house-rule the original than play the new one. Great video as always btw!

[@alexpartenopei1021]

No sticky rice or exploding golden Buddhas, no party :-(

[@LeFiendComedian]

"These original dice... are none of those things."

[@Hazzemdk]

I think ghost stories is a really good game but a hard one too. The only thing i always hate about the game is the graphic design. I wish someday they improve that.

[@12345678abracadabra]

So many rethemes this year, but this is a detheme.

[@chriswinston1223]

A detheme for us gamers, but much more accessible for casual gamers.

[@12345678abracadabra]

@@chriswinston1223 if anything, this game will just disappear into the mob. A Chinese ghost theme would stand out better. We know newer gamers pick games on theme if they don't know much about games

[@brianhua3495]

artwork from ghost stories are the best 😂 scary when plays at midnight

[@hoodaguy]

Most pointless "retheme" of the year? Maybe even last five years? Honestly, I really don't get this one -- AT ALL. Ghost Stories is widely regarded as one of the all-time greats with awesome artwork and a superb theme. While Last Bastion does seem to have a few improvements, they do seem minimal and even more like a downgrade at times. Are there really people who bypass GS because they'd prefer a generic fantasy theme that has been used far too much in gaming already? I don't think so. What I would have much rather seen in the place of Last Bastion was Ghost Stories: Definitive or Anniversary Edition that added the new stuff, made changes where necessary, and upgraded the components. A game like Ghost Stories deserves so much better and this is one bizarre choice that the company should have done a bit more research on before going full speed ahead with into production since I really can't see Last Bastion flying off the shelves at a time where there are so many good games coming out these days and it doesn't do a whole lot to make you forget Ghost Stories exists.

[@jenniferhaar7934]

So glad I have the original...the new one just seems Meh and generic

[@fredoblong]

Love Ghost Stories. Shame they didn't come up with an upgrade/expansion for it but then I guess it would have hurt sales of this new title. But then again I see no reason to buy this new game, sorry.

[@xero989]

Ghost stories has 2 expansions

[@fredoblong]

@@xero989 ..a new expansion...

[@jherrenor]

The re-theme just feels lazy. The original had way better theme and art. The challenging aspect is what most people love and now that's taken away. I'll keep my Ghost Stories thanks.

[@FranciscoArena]

So many games with original themes being rethemed into space/generic aliens or generic fantasy... that's just sad.

[@DCAMM720]

Sad, but it's what sells. Personally when I played Ghost Stories I couldn't really get into it due to the theme. With Last Bastion it might even end up on my shelf.

[@MarkBuschhaus]

wow, generic fantasy??? what a trash theme. wouldnt buy even if it was superior to Ghost Stories (which seems it isnt!). gamers will more likely own Ghost Stories already or should try to get it on the secondary market. this is the worst detheme ever. well, im sure in a year this will be forgotten, while people still play Ghost Stories. I really dont get all this generic fantasy theming. dont publishers have any ideas or creativity? when i see generic fantasy, my interest in that game is zero.

[@Sammo212]

My favorite is when board games complain about something coming out...that they don't want to buy. Congratulations, guys...just don't buy this...save your money and move on! Personally, while the THEME of "Ghost Stories" is more interesting I find the implementation and artwork to be nowhere near as good as in LB. That said, if you own GS I don't see why you would whinge about this.