Astro Knights: Eternity | Preview Play and Impressions | With Mike

[@OneStopCoopShop]

Crowdfunding Link - www.kickstarter.com/projects/ibcgames/astro-knights-eternity?ref=15kh8n 0:00 - Introduction 1:04 - Content Overview 4:05 - Set-Up 8:14 - Playthrough 40:29 - Impressions

[@user-eu2me4bp7j]

This game looks awesome and I love the Reshi character!

[@QuiveringEye]

This is definitely a must get for me.

[@jobodumb]

Love this game. I got kind of bored with the same market decks after playing through all the bosses of the base game so I'm definitely looking forward to some more options to mix in!

[@OneStopCoopShop]

I’m enjoying these new cards a lot!

[@CrimsonArthur]

Thanks for doing a video on Astro Knights: Eternity! I've been thinking about getting Aeon's End for a long time (I have the Steam version, but I want to play it with the physical cards), and only just learnt of Astro Knights. As a solo player most of the time, the more streamlined a game is, the more likely I would actually bring it out to the table. I'll probably wait for this expansion to come out, as it seems more interesting than the core set. (I don't want to buy both sets before I actually play and enjoy the game.)

[@OneStopCoopShop]

That would be my advice too. Start with this one (has more interesting stuff going on), and if you love it then you can get the core.

[@nightwishpower]

aeons end is the better game of the two by far

[@PublicExecution]

I have a game recommendation for you or Colin: Dice Realms, by the designer who did Race for the Galaxy. He came out with an official co-op and solo variant last summer that people raved about.

[@OneStopCoopShop]

I was curious about that one, but oof the price is high :) I know all those die faces don't come cheap. If we can get a review copy I'd like to play it, but Rio Grande hasn't replied to emails before ;)

[@PublicExecution]

@@OneStopCoopShop hmm I wonder why they haven't replied. A shame!

[@BeTheGuitar]

I was contemplating the KS today, too. Mike, do you think getting the original Astro Knights brings that much more to the table for someone coming to the series now?

[@OneStopCoopShop]

If it were me I’d start with Eternity. Adding in the original gives you more bosses (great), more knights (okay), and more market cards (okay). But it’s not needed right away, especially since theoretically both will be in retail eventually

[@capnbob0618]

I’m still so undecided on this - it seems like the pros of aeons end are the decision about when to focus your breach as well as the predetermined market allowing you some strategic depth. The ease of setup here is enough to trump those? I guess if you are getting more interesting cards here then that helps too.

[@OneStopCoopShop]

I agree the breach mechanic is still really cool. Both games are good. I think some people might also pick based on their preferred theme and art style

[@joncarr5545]

I found AK stripped out too many things. The bosses are cool, but the heroes really lack depth and variety compared to aeons end. The card market is more of a mix, it has pros and cons.

[@OneStopCoopShop]

I agree only if you are comparing late aeon’s end heroes to the core box Astro knight heroes. The original core heroes for AE were, to me, duller than the core AK heroes. So I expect they will continue explore more interesting options as the game develops… though the lack of breaches will hinder that somewhat!

[@JELIFISH19]

It brings more to the table than just ease of setup. I find it much more challenging than AE. AE got their first difficulty level 8 nemeses in the Outcasts wave and there are more in Past and Future. But AK launched with 2. AE mages can really do some busted things. This is aided by the fixed market because they always have access to the cards they want. It makes it easier to create combos. Playing some of the mages well can make the nemeses trivial. You don't always have access to what you want in AK and you need to play around that. AK bosses have their own deck which is a pro and con. The pro is that every card revolves around what the boss is trying to do. But the con is that the decks are small and predictable. They ramp up very quickly. The nemeses in AE are slower paced because they have to let you take the extra turns to focus breaches. But that also means you can play looser. AK bosses start off really strong and they get stronger really quickly. You need to play really efficiently. And it feels like there are more consequences to your actions because the bosses hit so hard and gain momentum at the speed they do. AE has stronger and more varied mages and AK has stronger and more varied bosses. The weaker knights and stronger bosses really make it difficult. And they have expert and nightmare difficulties for all of them. I've played AK more than AE at this point. I got into AE late. And the only reason I got it is because I got impatient waiting for my AK pledge. I have Outcasts and Past and Future. I haven't even played Past and Future yet. AE is the deeper and better game on paper but there's something about AK that keeps bringing me back in ways that AE doesn't.

[@anthonyuccello1458]

Joined the KS today

[@OneStopCoopShop]

Hope you end up enjoying it!

[@Boomtron]

Afterburn = Recall in Aeon's End. Bolster, however, seems new. Interesting in that Bolster relies on having "An ally discards a card" effects. No native way to utilize that ability otherwise.

[@OneStopCoopShop]

Ah, never saw that mechanic in AE. Must have been one of the sets I skipped :) And they do say that if you are playing true solo you are your own ally, so you can trigger your own bolsters

[@Boomtron]

@@OneStopCoopShop Re: Solo Bolster, yeah, that is standard AE solo rules, in that you are your own ally for all effects. Still, requiring discard effects, though. I'm sure it isnt a problem when you play with all the cards from the new set, but I am curious how it works when things get watered down when shuffling all together. Looks like they are taking the good stuff from AE to put in AK. I am sticking with AE purely for the reason that the mixed supply decks don't allow for strategic (as opposed to tactical) buys. But, I love the art and the theme and streamlining. I hope it does super well.

[@OneStopCoopShop]

@@Boomtron oh for sure, they mention that when they go through the options (separate sets, combine em all, etc.) I've preferred keeping them separate so that the combos work, but it'll be interesting to see as there are more and more sets and things grow more and more...

[@JELIFISH19]

Ilya and Kel had "bolster" cards in their starting cards but there was no official name for it. They both had 4 unique starters each. 2 of them allowed an ally to discard a card for a bonus and the other 2 gained something when they were discarded on an ally's turn. They were fun to play together.

[@docbun]

I can't help but feel like this is so much micro management. I know, it's weird coming from a Sentinels fan ;) but still, it felt this way just watching. I don't remember the Bolster (triggered when discarded outside of turn) effect being a thing in Aeon's End. (Weird name, that "Bolster", but hey, a name was needed. ;) One thing I really would like to know is whether they will include power creep like they did in Aeon's End, 'cause that's the thing I most dislike about my dear Aeon's End. It's nice to see a colorful version... I guess I'm keeping AE until I've played all scenarized expeditions. After that? I don't know.

[@OneStopCoopShop]

There’s more to track with the afterburn effects for sure. But honestly I think this play was on fast forward mode a bit, so might make it seem more overwhelming than it is 😬

[@tsonic23]

I know you touched on it briefly, but we could fully combine this stand alone with the base game+orion?

[@OneStopCoopShop]

Correct, though if you mash all the market cards together you’ll water down the combos inherent in the new set. That’s why I kept them separate here

[@tsonic23]

@@OneStopCoopShop thank you for that! I hope they do an upgrade for the market to include the afterburn and bolster. Would be a shame for all the cards in the previous set to feel a bit useless by comparison. Thanks for the great video!

[@Boss-zo4lw]

Its supposed to be a lighter version of Aeons End, but its not really is it.

[@OneStopCoopShop]

It’s quicker to set up and tear down, and a few elements are simpler (opening breaches), but yeah mostly identical games

[@coffeespoonman7931]

I love the mechanics of Aeon's End but detest the terrible writing and generally dislike the way they just kept adding complexity with the expeditions, treasures, the legacy stuff, the Xaxos breach or whatever it was called, etc. Sad to see that Astro Knights (which I am enjoying as well) seems to be following the same path. I wish they'd leave the basic game simple and straightforward, add fewer characters and more bosses with unique and interesting mechanics. No narrative, no expeditions, no bloat. But alas, it seems that is not to be. Don't think I'll back this one, but will follow the campaign to see how it goes.

[@OneStopCoopShop]

My interests go slightly the other way. I definitely don’t need the restrictive storytelling like aeon’s end legacy, but I like the optional story stuff here and in outcasts/new age. You can of course ignore it completely and just open everything from the start if you want :)

[@AJ-sd1ll]

I agree, I hate when they keep adding loads of new mechanics and complexity with expansions instead of variety

[@JELIFISH19]

​@@AJ-sd1ll 8 new knights, 6 bosses, and a whole new market isn't adding variety?

[@AJ-sd1ll]

@@JELIFISH19 Only if you want to add the new mechanics which makes it more of a pain to remember rules after you've not played for a long time. Knights, bosses, and supply deck would be great, having them come with new rules/keywords isn't (depending on your taste) this is what I and the original poster were expressing). I like expansions to just add more variety, not news rules and mechanics to remember.

[@OneStopCoopShop]

I hear you AJ, and somewhat agree, but at the same time pretty much every card game and deckbuilder I can think of (magic, Arkham LCG, legendary, aeon’s end, hero realms, etc.) introduces new keywords to open up the design space and give them more card types and combos to try out. I think it would be really tough for the design team to make a bunch of new market cards without introducing a new mechanic or keyword to go with it…

[@idjester]

OK... I am confused... #1 how is setting up a pile of cards for the market in Aeon's end any different then pulling out and setting up the deck for this game? Its pulling out cards and putting them on the table... not too different at all... #2 you say you like this game better because it gives you more choices on what to do but that isn't true, in fact there are less choices because have limited options on setup of your characters without the breaches, you simple have in this game 2 choices (either buy from market or gain a weapon slot) which make is a boring decision. #3 the boss setup is only using the same cards over and over again... nothing new, and you will see the same old what 5 or 6 cards over and over again... and that is suppose to make it MORE interesting... Mike, I thought I new you, but maybe not... I am certainly not trying to change your mind, because how I feel isn't going to be how YOU feel but I would ask for more considerate thoughts when comparing 2 different games... And I am not trying to even be too negative and talk about all of the faults this game has (the terrible components, the lack of variety, the same abilities used over and over again...)

[@OneStopCoopShop]

People have different opinions on games.🤷‍♂️ Glad you like aeon’s end better! For the record, neither would be in my top 10 deckbuilders at this point 😜 PS - I fully agree that aeon’s end has more choices with breaches and such than Astro Knights. Where do you claim I said the opposite?