Mass Effect Priority: Hagalaz Review - Mass Effect Magic or Just Another Mission?

[@boardstupiduk]

ADDENDUM: Our review copy contained printing errors for the enemy tokens (too many of one type in place of another) and at least two grammar / spelling errors in the narrative book. We 100% intended to talk about it but for whatever reason (beer most likely) we missed it out. Putting it here for clarity and disclosure. This may not be the case in the final retail versions, but worth pointing out anyway.

[@morgaknightgames]

"Because everyone loves Jacob." I'm giving you both serious side eye. 😂 While part of me is still disappointed this isn't a massive campaign game, I actually really appreciate that it is a much more manageable 5 missions. I don't expect it to be amazing, but it'll probably scratch that ME itch.

[@boardstupiduk]

Hahahaha! You may have noticed my tongue was firmly in my cheek ;-) your assessment is bang on the money, it isn't amazing, but it is a competent, enjoyable coop adventure that does a pretty good job of distilling the "feel" of mass effect in a simple way for a board game.

[@asmalldent]

Nice review guys! Another science fiction game added to my list! Between this, Nanolith, and Rogue Angels I'll certainly get my sci-fi fix! Have you tried those or know how ME compares?

[@boardstupiduk]

Thanks so much! I've only heard of Rogue Angels but I know very little about them in comparison. I hear nothing but praise for Rogue Angels which always makes me sus, but it seems like the consensus at the moment is that it's possibly the better game, but that's just based on those who backed and maybe played it online.

[@Ithayla]

Have been looking forward to this video since you two checked out the game at UKGE! Did not disappoint, you covered everything super well and I'm glad you enjoyed the game for what we aimed it to be: fast, low commitment campaign with a huge dollop of Mass Effect theming on top. Thanks so much!

[@boardstupiduk]

Our pleasure! Thanks so much for checking it out!

[@BoardGamecomments]

It's interesting that it released along with some other recent games that have shorter campaigns. It also released shortly after The Mandalorian Adventures came out, which is another game competing in the beginner friendly dungeon crawler in a book niche. I wonder how different the board game landscape looked on the day design began. This game has a lot going for it, but I don't game with any Mass Effect fans, nor am I likely to ease a new gamer into board games that'd prefer Mass Effect over other IPs for games of this type. For solo, I think my short campaign video game IP game is likely to be The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era which is out next month. The killer thing this game has going for it is the price. £33 is insane for a game like this. If I find anyone that admits even a passing interest in a Mass Effect board game, that will be all the encouragement I need.

[@boardstupiduk]

Absolutely! This type of design has become an absolute staple in modern board gaming, the adventure game in a book. Near and Far, Sleeping Gods, Jaws of the Lion, Forgotten Waters and more, all different, but all using the book to express a progressive campaign format. The price is absolutely KILLER you're right. For

[@Simon_BoardStupid]

I don't know the Mass Effect universe but really enjoyed our demo of this, would definitely play more!

[@boardstupiduk]

It's a solid coop adventure style game, not amazing, but certainly good, and if you like mass effect it's gonna add the extra spice I think you need to really like it.

[@sophsunflowers]

Thanks for the review guys! 😄

[@boardstupiduk]

Any time!

[@BLDTHEGAMER]

Well, I don't need a nother game. I've been selling like crazy...but I'll get this.

[@boardstupiduk]

🤣 well you can always sell one extra

[@BLDTHEGAMER]

@@boardstupiduk LOL

[@RegalitiesFarseer]

Thanks guys for the review. I love mass effect so it was nice to hear approval for it from someone who is a big fan. My first campaign game was Assassin's Creed Brotherhood or Venice and whew, that was a long haul. Glad to hear this is much shorter. I'll be picking it up.

[@boardstupiduk]

Thanks for checking it out! It's a cool game mate, and for the price (around £35 new I've seen it for), it's hard to go too far wrong. Play it short bursts and you'll have a blast!

[@stevekingswell9143]

This was a very interesting review. Having played Jaws of the Lion, Too Many Bones, Tiny Epic Dungeons, and Sleeping Gods, I am still looking for the Dungeon Crawler that suits me. It would be so good to have a review / discussion about this genre. The issues I have faced is too much admin (JOTL), a soulless boss fight (TMB) due to the sterile poker chips on rectangular grid, lack of variability of play (TED). Sleeping Gods feels a good mix of all the above facets handled quite well, but is such a long campaign game. I am looking for the 2-4 hour, immersive dungeon crawler with clever mechanisms, a good theme, tension, levelling up by mission progress, variability of mission/scenario, and maybe with a very good designer’s magic sauce something extra. On my shelf of opportunity is Legendary Encounters Alien, and I have always wondered about Dwellings of Eldervale, Nemesis, Massive Darkness: Hellscape. Massive Effect looks cool, I have not played the video game.

[@stevekingswell9143]

Also, given you don’t think it is amazing, what is the amazing game in the genre? I guess there may be more than one based on game length and complexity, or perhaps nobody has created the star game that most people can feel strong empathy for.

[@boardstupiduk]

Thanks Steve! For me, Mass Effect is one of my very favourite sci fi universes and video game series, so the theme makes the game extra interesting. As Matt says it's a solid game even aside from that and the price point is looking very reasonable indeed. You mention the issues with Jaws of the Lion and I 100% agree with you regarding the admin, it's a slog. Matt is the lover of the dungeon crawler, and we will surely do a video based around the genre at some point. I'd encourage you to look into Fateforge Chronicles of Kaan, it might be what you're looking for. More action based, less admin intensive, cool bosses, decent story, not overly massive.

[@stevekingswell9143]

@@boardstupiduk Thanks I’ll take a look at Fateforge.

[@mattboardstupiduk]

@@stevekingswell9143 Steve, whenever you want... I can talk dungeon crawlers for days! I might force Wayne to do a focus episode. To me what makes an amazing DC is the narrative/atmosphere, the rpg elements/character evolution, the cooperative strategies and synergies between the players, the boss fights and ideally a branching story. Again... next time we meet we can have a long chat about this :D

[@roguerifter9724]

One thing that annoys me is they nerfed Tali's combat strength by removing her ability to use a Shotgun. Her weapon actually fits early Mass Effect 1 much better then mid to late Mass Effect 3 because she started 1 only being able to use a Pistol but could unlock the ability to use a Shotgun while she always had both a Heavy Pistol and a Shotgun in 2 and 3. Also why can't we pick a class for our Shepard? Having four squad members instead of three would actually make forming a balanced team around our Shepard's selected class easier IMO.

[@boardstupiduk]

I played Tali through a whole campaign here and eventually she gets BROKEN due to the amount of battlefield control she has, she's awesome in this. Wrex is a monster but I really enjoyed Tali. I didn't feel like the game was unbalanced, and I love the idea wanting to pick a class but for Shepard, but for the sake of streamlining, simplicity I understand why they didn't include that option.

[@brianonboard6483]

The Line of Fire rule put me off the game, along with the shared inventory. Line of fire means in an open area, a target two hexes away is not in your line of fire if they are not on a straight line from one of your hex sides, thematically they just does not make sense. Also player A picks up some health on one side of the play area and player b on the other side can use it. No passing it to them needed, just breaks the theme of the game for me.

[@boardstupiduk]

I guess you like harder more intense dungeon crawl / adventure games? What game would you prefer this to be more like? I really don't mind abstraction in the effort of easier playability

[@brianonboard6483]

@@boardstupiduk It doesnt have to be harder or more intense, the Line of Fire rule is more complicated then if it was a simple shoot what you can see rule, that it would be much easier. Imagine playing the video game and only being able to shoot at six specific angles.

[@boardstupiduk]

@@brianonboard6483 from our interview with them, it was easier mechanically to do the flat side of hexes than pure line of sight which apparently was much harder to implement without causing other problems in the game. Couldn't say more, but that was what we were told

[@joanmoriarity8738]

​​@@brianonboard6483I've had to write line of sight rules for boardgame rulebooks before. It's a nightmare. If you don't believe me, try writing them in a way that is clear, unambiguous, watertight, and actually allows for the use of cover to be a thing. Then watch in horror as every player who isn't a ultra hard core board game nerd struggles to make sense of what you've written. Experience tells me that what they've done is for the best, especially for a non-hard core audience.

[@boardstupiduk]

Spot on mate.

[@MandoPrime1138]

It’s “Shepard”, not “Shepherd”. So many people spell their name wrong

[@boardstupiduk]

No one cares