Mansions of Madness 2nd Edition Review: The Good, The Bad, The Eldritch.

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Non board game related comment, sorry: Hi all, we are massive Taylor Swift fans, and were due to see her perform two nights in Vienna, which was cancelled due to a planned terrorist attack. There are only a few dates left on the tour in North America and second hand tickets cost thousands of dollars. If you, or anyone you know ends up having to sell their tickets, please consider directing them our way as it would mean the world to us. Happy to pay over face value! Sorry for the interruption to your board game content!

[@christopherleary7934]

You crafted a very good review where I understand your well-considered viewpoints (both positive/negative). This is one of my top 5 games, I have all of the expansions, and I agree that it is EXPENSIVE. It's flaws are obvious, with the miniatures being #1, but the experiences are really fun. Having the app randomize the experience for repeated playthroughs is really nice, which is better by having so many expansions. I also agree that the trial and error aspect of the game is another potential downside, but that does help the game avoid being completely on rails. Your reply in a different comment was the app takes most of your attention, and that can definitely be a problem. Cheers!

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Thanks! You make plenty of good points :). You're right about the trial and error - it's a tricky one because it provides replayability, but can be a little frustrating at times depending how unlucky you get. But overall, a terrific game. Just started messing around with the Valkyrie app so looking forward to exploring more of that.

[@wishmeheaven]

Thank you for the honest detailed review. I appreciate it! (Instant subscribed!)

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Thank you! That's what we're hear for, just to give an honest opinion. No extra hype, no content paid for by publishers/designers.

[@wishmeheaven]

@@BoardOfItReviews don't be shy. Offer your honest reviews for publishers who believe in their products. You deserve free games, we deserve honest reviews.. Just make sure you're staying unbiased. It doesn't sound easy to invest so much time on producing a KZbin channel. I hope you have some vision that will reward you for the efforts. Good luck!

[@alvaropomponio]

I think pros and cons are really clear, thanks a lot!

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Glad it helped!

[@IvorStiffan]

So as someone who has all expansions and all 22 scenarios. All mini's are on clear acrylic stands and I have printed/laminated sheets for monster rosters and finally second dice set. I don't agree about content being missing but have to agree with how it's sold. 5 expansions and a load of extras to complete the game is just ridiculous. Descent 2/Imperial Assault justified it, however Runebound 3 was ruined by the way the 1st expansion & 4 mini expansions should have been in the base box. Fantasy Flight have made my favorote games but baked half games, released expansions and then pulled the line before complete for TT war games and LCG's. TI4 PoK with Codex seems to be the only one they've got right up to now.

[@lucasathus]

50 quid In my country it costs half a month of minimum wage And this game is a dream for me If it was 50 bucks I'd buy it every week

[@lucasathus]

@ivanhoe what are you talking about....? Playing the game with the app only? Is this what you mean?

[@lucasathus]

@ivanhoe yeah. Thought Just didn't understand why you commented that

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Heya! Really heartfelt message from us here: Please, please consider subscribing or recommending us if this was helpful to you. As a channel we've always grown at a good rate, but the last month or two our subscriber growth has significantly dropped for the first time, despite the fact we've released some popular videos & our Buyer's Guides consistently do well day to day. Around 80% of our viewers are not subscribers. If you're one of those people, please consider helping us out. We do all this for a love of the hobby and the community, and as such we've never had a Patreon or asked viewers to support us financially. All we want is your subs as this makes it more likely we'll be able to collaborate with publishers and designers, and in return bring you more content! Thank you so much - Farrell & Tallie

[@colinettle4394]

Great review,look forward to more reviews in the future keep up the excellent work.

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Thank you for the nice comments!

[@markusbauer9452]

I really like the game. But your review is really well made and I agree with many of your points. Keep up the good work! The only thing I'd disagree with is that you apparently could play this game by just downloading the app. I think the app integration is really minor compared to other app driven games. The app does not know where the investigators are, where the monsters are, what actions they are taking etc. Our focus during the game is always on the board and you refer to the app for the narration only (and the occasional puzzle).

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Thanks! Yea I just think that aside from the item cards, which would be more tricky, you could just use some cut out pieces of paper for tiles and generic tokens for investigators/monsters as a way to show who is where, then just play in the app. Like, it's not super easy, but if you wanted to save 70 quid I think it's doable. I'm surprised you think the app is minor compared to other games! It almost sounds like we're playing a different game! Almost everything you do besides move (and some of the weird rare actions) requires you turning to the app and clicking whether you're attacking, talking to someone, opening a door, or investigating a room, so for us it seems we've always got our head stuck in the app.

[@Newt211]

Love the ending with the dogs…. Aww

[@markcoomey8954]

Thanks for your review! I'm regretting having bought and moving this game on after several plays. I thought it was still a pretty compelling game. The app definitely is a plus IMO.

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Yea we've just discovered that there is a fan made app with custom scenarios that's pretty decent! Really extends the longevity, although I guess you don't know exactly how good the scenarios will be...

[@markusbauer9452]

@@BoardOfItReviews well, you don't know that with the official scenarios either. Some of them are quite a hit and miss as well :D

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Very very true!

[@normstewart546]

This is the first time I remember you commenting on the cost of a game, and certainly games are getting more expensive. If the app is well integrated with the game, that adds a great deal of value - and development cost. Admittedly, if it was $20 less it would seem like a great value - but that would be less than a couple of movie tickets. I do get hooked on many of the FF games, but feel like their enjoyment justifies their cost for me.

[@BoardOfItReviews]

We'll be doing a Buyer's Guide for MoM soon, so we'll probably speak on it more there, but it is the biggest issue. Agree with the app, but I think unfortunately here the app is only okay. The lack of voice acting is pretty glaring, mainly because the introduction of each scenario has it. Also, the game is a few years old and I think this was the price back then! It is a terrific game though, but when you get only 4 scenarios, miniatures which are universally hated, and a just okay app, it's a big ask for the price, particularly when the bigger expansions with less content are almost the same price.

[@bolterboy]

I see em used on marketplace pretty often. I got mine still wrapped for $45. Even though it is expensive, it's a really fun time

[@christianbank393]

I like the game, but my room mates LOVE it. It's the only game they ever want to play with me. I picked up every expansion for it on sale, but it took years of patience to do so :P

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Not a bad plan!

[@anonimo2932]

I've made an extra move for moving because this game is super slow, so you don't need to spent a entire round to move just for one clue

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Yea this is a classic way people also make the game a bit easier, by adding an extra move or an extra action.

[@BayonetRecon]

Scooby Doo the Board Game? I'm sold!

[@BoardOfItReviews]

There is actually a version of Betrayal that is Scooby-Doo themed!

[@robfrydryck127]

very nice review

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Cheers

[@alfredoherrera4190]

I would love to know which scenarios are some of your favorites!

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Currently our favorites are probably the scenarios from the expansion Horrific Journeys. We think they do some cool stuff with the existing formula and are quite thematic. However we haven't played too many of the expansions...yet!

[@jonny1speed85]

I enjoyed playing MOM. The reason I wouldn't buy it though, is because Arkham Horror: Living Card Game exists. It just is better than this in so many ways.

[@BoardOfItReviews]

It's a case where you're probably right, but I still prefer MoM. We ended up selling Arkham Horror, I think MoM is a bit easier to play, easier to roleplay, and get some atmosphere going.

[@Keesvanloomacklin-bu1fj]

I own Elder Sign (with all expansions), Eldritch Horror (with all expansions), MoM 1st edition (with all expansions) and Arkham Horror LCG ( with the first two box expansions and blister packs). I agree with you after playing all of these many times, that the LCG is the best experience. When it comes to MoM, I actually prefer the 1st edition as I love being the Keeper and I flesh out each scenario with lots of extras...feels a LOT more like an RPG. That being said, I do intend to buy MoM and every expansion in the near future. But Arkham Horror the Card Game is an absolute blast!!

[@tsumardi]

This game is not family friendly and for super hardcore gamers unless you want to tear family apart. The designer is also very lazy giving players 5 digits combinations, I get it that the game wants to burn turns but this is the lazy way that only solutions through brute forcing, it’s 512 lock combinations, which can take 10-20 turns where the game ends in 10-15 turns that average out to 5% chance of surviving the game. The non lazy way is to provide players with symbols or digits throughout the game where players can use the clues later to crack the code and not to brute force it! When I play the game, I replaced many rules, which is horrible. The monsters are overpowered having to move 2x2 in a turn, attacking and giving horrors. Unless you’re seasoned veterans, DO NOT get this game. I played casually with my wife and kids and this game is stressful and not for casual if following all the rules without it then what’s the point. 5 thumbs down 👎 for this expensive horrible game.

[@BoardOfItReviews]

Don't want to come across as rude but it really sounds like you didn't do enough research and bought the completely wrong genre and type of game for a family rather than it being a terrible game. The point of the game is it's hard and brutal and you should lose most times. Also those puzzles tell you when a number is in the right place or a correct number in the wrong place so you shouldn't be brute forcing it at all. Hope you found a game your family did enjoy!

[@Keesvanloomacklin-bu1fj]

@@BoardOfItReviews I would add, it IS a Lovecraft themed game. Winning should almost always be either rare and/or completed where everyone is exhausted (in the good way, of course). Meaning, when you actually win.......you dang well EARNED that win! I remember playing the first campaign in the Arkham Card Game and three of the four investigators dying or going horribly insane and only ONE investigator lived long enough to complete the objective.....just epic!