Mysthea Review - with Tom Vasel

[@Dekumon]

Tabula does offer versions of the cards with text on them in place of the iconography. Makes the game much easier to play, even at 4-5 players.

[@XShrike0]

He mentioned getting those cards in the final thoughts.

[@-FLIPSID3]

@@XShrike0 Yeah but I think Dekumon's point is those cards negate the complaint. Play with the detailed explanatory cards first when learning the game - then move to iconography. And I have a hard time believing any game of depth doesn't take some time to digest iconography and such - no different than a heavy game of any type would.

[@Dometooplz]

Do they offer those card free of charge? otherwise I don't think it really matters for the review.

[@-FLIPSID3]

@@Dometooplz Not sure - I backed the KS so it came with mine. I don't remember if it was an optional add on in various languages or if it simply came with it. Hopefully it just came with it because that would be the best approach, but I could imagine them using it as an add-on for those who don't like heavy iconography right off the bat.

[@Syncopator]

It seems like a kludgy way to solve the problem.

[@peterjs007]

This is a great game, I love the art. I like the scaling of card powers with each era, so in the first you establish yourself and then ramp up what you can do on the board in the next two rounds. Definitely would agree that 5 player is too long (we ended the game at the end of the 2nd era). The iconography whilst you can learn it is a bit unwieldly (they also have a reference app, so players can download that).

[@locust0311]

Tabula did produce alternate "text" versions of the cards without the iconography that could be purchased as an add on. Obviously those were not included in whatever version got sent to the Dice Tower :-)

[@DiceandDragons]

Jim Pridgen we got those in our version of the game we don’t use the iconography cards

[@Vascariz]

Paid add-on? That's annoying, should be free

[@DiceandDragons]

Vascariz the KS version had them included

[@XShrike0]

He mentioned those cards in the final thoughts.

[@MosheSulamy_86]

@@DiceandDragons It didn't, they were a paid add-on even for KS backers. Still worth it

[@kingcrafter877]

Seems quite a bit like blood rage with a few differences (no drafting and the addition of cool mechanisims)

[@MosheSulamy_86]

It is - it's like blood rage, but much better :)

[@erickpp2573]

No. It is not. Played 5 times. Overly complex and boring as hell.

[@GonzaloErloi]

Definitely better that blood rage. I dont like blood rage and i love Mysthea.

[@-FLIPSID3]

I LOVE this game! Tabula is making some awesome games - Mysthea, Volfyirion, Icaion - and what they are terming a conflux game called Mysthea: The Fall made up of parts from Mysthea and Icaion. Each a unique game and style but all in the universe. I even backed the recent RPG in that lore line. Sooooo good! The art is amazing - the lore is wicked awesome and the game play is just top shelf.

[@munsihota1691]

Looks like a fun area control game, unique characters, I found the random elements of the game very cool. Excellent art work. Thanks Tom!

[@thecaryou]

This seems like the euro version of Blood Rage combine with a little Tiny Epic Kingdom also with the 5 player issue, interesting.

[@nezukoshop]

What, one misrule on the review. When player moving an island, you can not change spot with another island without moving adjacent island clockwise or counterclockwise. Just chang 2 island across the board is prohibited.

[@mattmatier5745]

I actually found that the iconography worked well in the game...that said...I'm a symbols guy....once i got through the first game I had a pretty good grasp of what all the icons meant. Also, I would add the fact that the book at least does have all of the cards written out....lots of games don't have that....which can be really annoying. I for one am excited for their next project coming to KS next week!

[@nezukoshop]

True. All those people complaint about symbology just means they don't hard enough to learn a new game. The symbology here is not as hard as other game IMO. Icaion would be a great game. I for one intersted how they implement the conflux game Mysthea the Fall.

[@-FLIPSID3]

Couldn't agree more! Icaion is going to be amazing and the conflux game of Mysthea: The Fall will be a sweet addition! I think the iconography is pretty easy to follow personally.

[@kristiantornkvist2084]

I've played it 5 times now. 2 times 3 players, 2 times 4 players and 1 time 5 players. I will never ever play it with 5 players again. It is way to long and cumbersome. The iconography I personally found intimidating at first but after a while into my first game we all found em actually quite intuitive. We of course don't play as many games as Mr. Vasel do so I can see where he's coming from. Still find em loads more intuitive than for example Carson City, which I also own and love, who have confusing iconography at the best of times.

[@robo3007]

Regarding the game length, I did some quick math based on the average number of rounds (22.5) and assuming 2 minuets per turn. 2 players - 1½ hours 3 players - 2¼ hours 4 players - 3 hours 5 players - 3¾ hours

[@wautd]

Needs quite a lot of table space but I really liked this game. The moving continents added some extra dimension to the area control

[@sirhamalot8651]

Speaking of a lot of iconography and reference charts, I point out that 7 Wonders Duel won several Dice Tower Awards. A simple and fun game, but the steepest learning curve is learning the iconography. It also comes with an extra reference sheet to keep track of everything.

[@Vascariz]

This iconography is a lot more complex and there are some inconsistent iconography

[@-FLIPSID3]

@@Vascariz I disagree - the iconography is definitely NOT more complex than 7 Wonders Duel... And this game came with a set of cards with explanation on them rather than iconography to help you learn as you play.

[@-FLIPSID3]

@Tom: You don't need to remember all the iconography - they give you a second set of cards with ALL of the instructions on each one of them to tell you what they do. That makes one of the big complaints a non-issue.

[@-FLIPSID3]

It also allows you to play with that deck when you are learning the game and later move to the iconography style when you know the game well enough. Either way - wicked glad you liked the game - I'm a HUGE fan of what Tabula is putting out! I hope you get to play Volfyirion as that is being delivered to backers soon.

[@thedicetower]

I didn't get this second deck you are talking about.

[@-FLIPSID3]

@@thedicetower Saw your update on BGG that Tabula is sending it to you - so that's wicked awesome! Interested to hear what you think once you use that. The cards have nice explanations on them and definitely makes it easier to understand for your first handful of games. Before you know it you'll be ready for the symbol only cards :)

[@nezukoshop]

The iconography is also easy. Once you know each symbol you can interprete other cards easily. It's not that different with learning symbologies in Terraforming Mars and Race to Galaxy. The difference is, Tabula should explain each symbol means on the rulebook. Then give an example of each type of icon. So many cards has similar meaning just different unit maybe, etc.

[@MrDaveydtd]

Everyone's major complaint is the iconography followed closely by length of game. They can't all be wrong.

[@joelbergvonlinde1389]

Hongki Anggoro Terraforming Mars has text on all the cards as well as icons, so not a great example

[@Vascariz]

Also it isn't that it's hard... As in you just look up a book. It's that it's a pain in the arse and unnecessary.

[@nezukoshop]

@@joelbergvonlinde1389 I read only some of the tect once on TM, afterward all other symbology is easy to interprete. It the same on Mysthea, not all cards has its own symbol. Many cards has similar meaning like: everytime you construct troops, you can deploy it, everytime you construct golem you can deploy it. You just have to learn the symbol troops, golem, champion, + means contruct, circle under unit or region means deploy, etc. It's easy. Some cards has variable X means X CP or X energy etc.

[@nezukoshop]

@@Vascariz If you don't want a pain in the arse then just don't play anygame at all. Just having to read a rulebook is a pain in the arse if you want to play newgame.

[@deathrace8287]

THanks for the review TDT! Seems like a good game if you can get it.

[@javiertalay]

one can only hope for a revised 2nd edition

[@-FLIPSID3]

No need - play this one - and use the cards with explanations on them to learn the game. It's amazing!

[@arcubal]

I'm not surprised Tom loves this game; it reminds me a lot of Vindication. Same fantastic visuals/art (and questionable miniature use). Cool original theme (meditating? yes, please) Good attempt at being language-independent, although (unlike Vindication) there are too many icons and the text should have been available on cards instead of a common sheet and booklet. Too bad this too has Victory Points but I guess it makes sense cuz it is an Area Control war game. I think that I prefer Vindication because of the exploration and redemption theme instead of battling and controlling areas. Still, I might add this to my collection.

[@PwndNewbie]

Very much like Blood Rage or Rising Sun

[@johnyuffels4796]

you missed with the hammer Tom.

[@Dometooplz]

3 Hours for a 5 player game sounds fine. That's about 35 minutes per player.

[@GreggBolinger]

And you're releasing a review of a Kickstarter game that is KS Exclusive with no plans for retail release a year later? Love TDT but these kinds of reviews are pointless. I don't buy games and then watch reviews to decide if I am going to keep them. I watch them to help determine if I want to buy them. And I can't buy this game; short of finding an overpriced ebay copy.

[@ThymeKeeper]

Very true, but if they don't review games like this they are buried by endless requests from people who already own the game about when they are going to review it. These people almost always already like the game and want Dice Tower to agree. So if they don't review it or review it negatively they just get slammed online. They can't win.

[@GreggBolinger]

@@ThymeKeeper True story. Good point. I'm not upset or anything. That would be silly. Almost as silly as reviewing a game no one can buy. LOL.

[@marcinskotnicki4788]

Tabula is launching a kicstarter for their new game (Icaion) this week and you should also be able to add Mysthea as an addon.

[@Daxonox]

@@GreggBolinger A new kickstarter for the follow-up game Icaion is coming this month. I think you will be able to get both games in that kickstarter. If you are interested.

[@GreggBolinger]

@@Daxonox Good to know, thanks.