Talisman Ruined Me

[@hobobeard]

Every single time you say "tal is man" my brain asks "is it?" and I chuckle quietly to myself.

[@Quitchy]

A beautiful masterpiece. The video, not Talisman. Gods no, not Talisman.

[@hooliganblack832]

The true joy of Talisman 2nd edition was forgetting about the crown and soending all your time in the City trying to become the Sherriff just so you could arrest people, or entering the dungeon with the 'plan' to roll a 6 on the final square and auto win, or seeing the player who's been in the leaf since turn one breeze their way to the optional ending card and reveal the Horrible Black Void. Ah, good times.

[@NRD80Y]

I just want a new version of Space Crusade and loads of expansions

[@mdrumt]

Ooofff yes!

[@Senbei01]

The title was poached by Prodos Games.... a weird little company that intended to turn it into a game where skimpily clad women in sci-fi outfits combat nurgly demons... in space.. I guess. Thankfully they never went as far as actually trying to make the product. But, yes, a spiritual successor would be a GREAT way to get new players into 40k... if GW could release one for less than your average house mortgage.

[@tiobridge841]

@@Senbei01 Genuinely considering trying to get my own version kickstarted once my 3D modelling skills are up to scratch

[@Jaybirderino]

The ending monologue was absolutely harrowing Always watching out for videos from you. The analysis, delivery, and humor is all the good stuff I'm here for.

[@Weasel_Fierce]

I have to give you props for acknowledging the channel's history with GenAI. I must admit I was sceptical seeing the thumbnail, knowing the history of GenAI images being used here, so I'm really pleased to see you not ignoring it (and that the dachshunds are gone for good). Having said that, I actually really liked your use of generative fill in restoring the old 40k art that could not be recovered any other way. I think this is the best use of the tech in the art field, personally.

[@MatthewNope]

Talisman is wonderful for kids. Super easy to learn, hard to master, and you've always got a chance to win. Not sure why you feel differently... some bad experiences with randomness can happen I suppose, but I've found it to be super balanced... you never know who is going to win, right up to and including the crown.

[@fireinacan]

You are not a fat pig! You are a majestic, 23-toed dachshund that deserves to be called a good boy!!!

[@strategystuff5080]

80s and 90s art was peak boardgame art IMO, all this new overly digital high detail stuff is just murder on the eyes.

[@chriswolfe403]

I had to implement a few house rules to get the game fast enough that my kids would be willing to play. we would use fate points to adjust the distance of our moves, and movement rolls of 6 replenished fate points, you could always choose strength/craft to fight with, etc. The game ended up being an hour long, with an adult and two 10 year olds scrabbling for the crown of command at the same time.

[@thecommuterzombie]

Solid alternative recommendations, and I agree that even a bad game can be fun with the right crowd in the right place.

[@luketfer]

If it don't have a cardboard tower with a plastic dragon to go ontop, I ain't interested!

[@berniesosin777]

Mine has!

[@TaramiBedona]

My problem with the new cover is that it sucks artistically. It completely lacks appropriate drama. Talisman is a trashy, campy, sword & sorcery-type adventure game and the box cover needs to reflect that. Historically there's been combat, big-arse dragons, a sense of danger and the promise of treasure. You know, EMOTIONS. No kid will see Talisman on a shelf and go OOOH CROWN COLLECTION SIMULATOR! It's like making the cover of Carcassonne a sketch of a meeple.

[@christophermiller7600]

Genius Charlie Brooker vibes towards the end 👍🏼

[@Niveama468]

The absolute flex of stacking up unopened Citadel paint hex pots.

[@Lirretobb]

Pffft. Not sure I trust these newcomer hexagonal pots...

[@user-ko3tv7jl2r]

My 7 year old son loves it. And that is more reason to both play and love it than any other game I own. (yes, it's objectively not a good game).

[@pelleban]

Same here, my 7 year old loves it albeit with some friendly house rules. There is no better gateway game out there. It is a fantastic game, gamers however arent the target group. It is for kids or background game while having a few beers. Soon as my dughter bores of it I will crack out Runebound, highly recommended if you enjoy similiar games. Hard to find though, especially with the Coop expansion.

[@davidblueyonder]

Relic is, imo, a masterpiece and the 2 expansions are the perfect amount of growth you could ever want. You just need to be a millionaire to play it...

[@youngsandwich5968]

Always good to see a new Olden Demon upload, although I shall miss the copious amount of dog images to go with your humor

[@DaddyPims]

I can vouch for Escape the Dark Castle. Actually got my nerd-phobic girlfriend to sit down for a game, I put some spooky Dungeon music on and she loved it. Good and really easy to learn.

[@kudosbudo]

I bought Talisman for my family game nights. I played one solo run through to see how it worked. I then took the game to the local charity shop. We played Flamme Rouge again.

[@jamesstewart7784]

That ending monologue was a work of art

[@AndreHodgesFurniture]

If only Talisman was as entertaining as your video about it. Thank you for more amazing YT content. 🍻

[@uncletedscabin4625]

"Forget it Jack, it's Tal-is-man."

[@nochillarickroller]

+1 for Lords of Waterdeep. Played that with my extended family while visiting on vacation and it was a blast

[@apjapki]

I can't believe Hasbro would.....no sorry, I can't find an ending to that sentence.

[@GarvinYeung]

I just got the new 5th edition game today at school and started playing it with my students after school. They quite enjoyed it. Lots of what you mentioned in the video rings so very true. I grew up playing D&D, Heroquest, and Talisman 2nd edition. Now I have an after-school club for students playing D&D Heroquest, and I just ordered a bunch of games, including Talisman and Escape the Dark Castle; all of this is to encourage my students to develop a love of boardgame playing and face-to-face interactions instead of being on phones.

[@OldenDemon]

That’s the best place to get people into games, it beats phones all day long

[@DangOlDwarfman]

Talisman 3rd is the best version. That one burns your eyes in a most delightful 90's way.

[@MoltenPlastic]

The problem with Talisman is that it's always been a low effort, beer and pretzels type of game. But it often takes too long to actually play, and overstays its welcome

[@mikevincent8728]

+1 manna for using the word 'subsuming'. I enjoyed that.

[@Hartmansgrad]

It's not as bad as Chainsaw Warrior...but that's about as damning faint praise as is concievable

[@patriarch7237]

Add 30 seconds, then move on.

[@reallyidrathernot.134]

"if it gets played it's good enough" 100%.

[@John-po9vg]

Man that outro was incredible! Bravo

[@jonathan2950]

I bloody loved playing 3rd edition Talisman back in the 90s. Me and my mates had loads of fun, which is all that matters in the end. We were always waiting to see who would get ‘Cursed by Hag’ first 😂

[@patriarch7237]

Wait, we can get Natalie Dormer reading boardgame rulebooks? Um, asking for a friend...

[@justpostedagain]

WTAF? Where did you come from? Just bought the Batman version of Talisman to see what it's all about, then stumbled upon this glorious review. You showed your gaming pedigree up front, slipped in some terrible jokes (that I enjoyed), dissed one of the most popular board games around, then smoothly transitioned into a beautifully paced exploration of what makes board games fun and the world that surrounds them. With some useful recommendations along the way and some really funny lines. Exquisite!

[@YatzeeWillWearAGreenHat]

Im honestly not surprised you play more board games than miniature games. For the money (minis, paint, terrain, rules, etc.) and time (building building and painting minis, de /constructing the board, looking up and arguing rules, playing the actual gamr) you need to invest for one game of Warhammer you can play 10 classic board games.

[@wraithchild666]

agreed! the time it takes me to paint a unit - they've released a new version of the game and that unit isnt in it!! :D

[@soupalex]

sure, but painting and modelling can be fun, too, so it's not a a total waste of time (although i agree it can also be a massive ballache, pushing yourself to finish painting or even just assembling miniature before you get even the _chance_ to use them for their ostensibly-intended purpose)

[@owenthomas5103]

It's not become difficult to collect/ play miniature games. It's become difficult to collect/play *GW* miniature games. Plenty of company's filling the void of affordable fun games like GW used to - onepagerules being my favourite

[@CocoHutzpah]

I've never played Talisman before. I'm unsure if this is a "never do heroin" video or a "meth makes life worth living" video.

[@albertbargery9619]

Good review. I absolutely love board games. Access to them is far easier than minuture games although they aren't necessarily cheap. Love talisman but i guess i am wearing rose tinted nostalgia glasses! and great to see you reference so many great boardgames.

[@truerockfan]

I actually recently bought a copy of 5th edition Talisman. I had the Kingdom Hearts version, but never got to get it to the table and sold it. I picked it up due to loving the looks of the minis, and wanted to give it a try again. I did not notice the cover before, but I can see how it would be a problem for a lot of people. I am looking forward to trying it and seeing the kind of insane jokes my friends and I can create, especially when I eventually pick up the expansion. One thing I can personally say is that out of all the suggestions, the only one I can agree on is King of Tokyo, which I have in my collection, and love dice. I can say no one will ever get me to play Catan again. It is my nemesis lol I find that euro games, worker placement games, and things of the like often just make me feel stupid, or the theme pulls me out and just feels dull, but that's the thing about board games: some games aren't for everyone, and that's completely fine. There is something out there for everyone.

[@OldManRogers]

Talisman isn't a game, it's an activity. It *is* snakes and ladders with nice decorations

[@krinkrin5982]

I never played the original Talisman. However, I did play the Polish port/bootleg of the game called Magiczny Miecz (Magical Sword). From what I remember it didn't have some of the problems that you mention. 1. Movement and combat were still random, but the game board was structured so that you had a lot more going on than just pulling a card from the deck. Sure, you still do so on a lot of the tiles, but you have special tile effects. For example, enemies would get a modifier to their rolls, or you couldn't use cards of a specific type. 2. There were a lot more characters with very varied abilities. Some of these countered specific tile effects, while others allowed you to substitute one statistic for another during combat. 3. If you die, you get to choose a new character rather than just getting shunted all the way to the be beginning, allowing you to get different special abilities and possibly shift the next run in your favor. 4. If you get mauled by an enemy, that enemy was left on the board and guarded all the items you have just dropped. Meaning that you could return later to reclaim your stuff. It also meant that the other players did not get an automatic free run for the loot. 5. You started in the smaller central ring and ventured outward, meaning that you got a lot more chances to land on beneficial spaces repeatedly in the early game to level up and acquire boosters. The map is also much smaller, with 14, 16 and 18 spaces in each region respectively, the endgame area being represented by a sky bridge spanning the board. 6. The central ring had also a lot more semi-predictable, positive outcomes, with the other two being progressively more brutal in their effects, naturally scaling up the difficulty as the character advanced.

[@kwest9747]

Listening to this in my car, can't see the video but I'm very excited to hear about and try out "Starwars: How To Rim".

[@christelford4788]

I played Talisman exactly once in my life. Chose to play as the Warrior, whom I named Steve the S**t-Kicker. Unfortunately for me, Steve had a bit of a problem which meant that he spent the majority of the game getting smashed in the Tavern. So while the rest of the players were racing to a close fought victory, Steve was still slumped over a table in the Tavern barely able to stand let alone take on a dragon. 10/10 experience would definately play again.

[@Chromatic_Orbison]

The change in the orientation of the board art is SO jarring. It gives the impression that you’re descending to the Crown rather than climbing.

[@accountnamewithheld]

Talisman is basically monopoly for "educated" gamers, that's it. it's boring as hell, that's why nobody is talking about it.

[@user-ko3tv7jl2r]

You don't have children.

[@accountnamewithheld]

@@user-ko3tv7jl2r Never claimed I did????

[@arthogof]

I want zombie squirrel returns to be real!

[@OldenDemon]

It is real, but sadly now out of stock, possibly due to this video but we may never know...

[@arthogof]

@@OldenDemon I live in hope!

[@cp1cupcake]

I found the thing most enjoyable about boardgames is frequently less the boardgame and more the social aspect. Its a big reason I never really got into solo boardgames. A lot of the mechanics and issues inside the games take a backseat to that.

[@elgreebo]

While I do agree with you that Talisman is far from a perfect game, it still has a place on my gaming shelf. I've played it since I was 14 back in the 80's with the 2nd edition, then later in life getting into the 4th and collection all the expansions, I have friends that have played it with me since those early school days and we still do, all be it with a barrel of ale and some fine old toby... We always have a laugh, it sometimes gets heated and grown men have fallen out and stormed off home after being toadied on the way to the Crown Of Command. During Covid19 the digital edition kept us all from going insane with boredom and actually works really well. I played 5th edition for the first time last week and apart from the toad rule (which we all don't like) we felt it streamlined the experience and made for a quicker game, leveling up system is way better and fairer, which gave us time to get in a wee game of poker at the end which was nice. Anyway, I digress, We LOVE Talisman still, even at 56 years of age, and always will, so it's not just for kids, but grown men reliving their glorious past, especially the 4th edition. With that all being said, it will be back to Oathsworn, Massive Darkness 2 and Godtear until our next longing for some silliness and nostalgia overcomes us. Liked your presentation style, so have subbed, keep up the braw work. Stew fae Glasgow.

[@mattroso1210]

Ok so he's actually a legitimate board gamer as well as hilarious? Lets go! Impressive list of quality game references 🤗

[@andrewinfosec]

A hand with six fingers (five fingers rather than four, plus a thumb) is slam dunk evidence that an AI was involved, IMO.

[@commentingisdangerous7530]

i regret throwing my old 'Man-o-War' models at least once a week. what i wouldn't give to have manowar back.

[@solarus2120]

I owned and played many games before being gifted a copy of Talisman 4 and the Dragon Lords expansion through a works reward scheme. I have yet to play it, mostly because the small one is too small, and the group with whom I used to boardgame have all developed lives and families making it difficult to arrange

[@brett7773]

6 hours??? You play fast 😃. Our group play it once a year, often at Christmas (4th revised ed - all expansions) and the average length is around 14 hours, the longest has been 17 hours. After each game some say never again - but we all come back for more - we love it 🙄😍

[@GrandAdmThrawn]

Lords of Waterdeep, good choice, good choice!

[@cp1cupcake]

I pretty much had only played the 2nd edition of Talisman. Also, I love what seems to be your take on what D&D has turned into.

[@Coupdegrace1]

My kids favourite influencer is the guy from Olden Demon

[@joshbecka6110]

I didn’t play Talisman as a kid. I played the Home Improvement board game that turns out was a shitty reskin of Talisman. It was awful. I have many fond memories of making my little brother play that game and him hating every second of it. Then I played Talisman and recognized the game play loop instantly

[@alexdoran527]

I paused this video twice to go look up dungeon crawler games, before I eventually spiralled into my usual behaviour of staring longingly as eBay listings for Space Hulk. They'll do another print run soon, right? Right??

[@julianbailey2749]

Both Talisman and HeroQuest have the great advantages over many more thinky dungeon crawlers that they can be played and enjoyed by a 6 year old, chaos be dammed. However if playing with kids (or adults) do use one of the alternative game endings that cuts off the last hour plus of knowing who has won and watching them slowly grind that win out of everybody else's life.

[@ronwingrove683]

I see your Talisman 3rd Edition and raise you Talisman 2nd Edition. With ALL the expansions. I had to homebrew "save game" rules, because my family gets terribly bored with 10-hour Talisman sessions.

[@Capng123]

Dammit, that momentary flash of da boyz when you said freebooters was like getting punched in the face with a solid brick of nostalgia. Well done.

[@Senbei01]

Back in the 90's... there was a budget clearance bookstore in Winchester. They managed to get a whole stack of the Talisman: Dragons tower expansion in for £10... but.. caught fire and burned down before I could buy some copies. I really just wanted those plastic dragons. Damned arsonists :P

[@TimWalkerHobbies]

jazz cabbage 🤣🤣🤣

[@mauropaneART]

It's a shame to hear the way this franchise has been treated. I bought it as a way to introduce people who do not play boardgames, and it was the perfect tool for it, but I did feel the same way as yourself deep down. With the games I make (Darklight: Memento Mori, and next up Animarium), I have to give it all in order to justify the insane amount of time and sacrifices I have to do in order to complete these passion projects, and I cannot imagine working without these fundamental basis on something which is meant to bring out, fun and entertainment for a group of friends or a family. I hope in the future I can get people such as yourself observe/play my games and see the dedication and passion I pour into them, which I find it to be the greatest reward. I just wish more people created projects out of passion and desire rather than greed.

[@blissfulbadger]

I'll miss the doggos, but I watch for the information and humor. Keep it going!

[@Jammybee]

Hmm, now I fancy a filet mingehnyon

[@jeffreyfulmergardner478]

I was originally thrown off by the AI images that you had been using and went to other channels. I recently rediscovered this channel and was like “why does this seem so familiar”. Until you mentioned I couldn’t have made the Connection. It’s only my preference but I must prefer this style and format.

[@simarshall2474]

All the way through I was thinking "yeah but Heroquest is a much better gateway game", so I'm looking forward to your video on that one!

[@Thestilltower]

I love your videos for their content and your sense of humour but I wasn’t a fan of the AI images. I much prefer this approach where I can see a human face. Thank you for your time and effort.

[@heralds]

Ya know honestly the ai art was a huge sticking point for me as well

[@merlynmodels]

Olden Demon's put out a video? looks like I'll be listening to every single second of it. Oh? It's nostalgia about a game I remember paying and don't know why I enjoyed it because it was definitely rubbish? Still listening to every single second of it. Great video, keep it up :)

[@anacat91]

15:36 thats clearly an AI generated image inspired by the Pena Palace in Sintra

[@owenthomas5103]

I don't mind skip a turn in this type of game, its the game saying "this is the time to go get a drink.

[@michaelhill6453]

Yeah...but nostalgia wins. Hilarious video. Subscribed.

[@Niveama468]

I notice the absence of Warhammer Quest in this video, I assume that might get subsumed by HeroQuest

[@Bobyoudontneeemyname]

Avalon hill died decades ago, this monstrosity is hasborg

[@emmyallen4582]

my brother in god why are you drinking bourbon from a martini glass

[@OldenDemon]

It’s Chambord, the most fancy of spirits

[@JorWat25]

I got 'tricked' into playing Talisman (fourth edition) at a games night once. About three hours later, we had to abandon the game as the pub was closing. We still probably had at least an hour left. It is probably the only game I regret playing.

[@reallyidrathernot.134]

not sure where the pillow thing came from there

[@tiredgardener]

Your example with Root, is something ai have eone several times... and even their even more complex game, Vast; Crystal Caverns. It is not easy.

[@lucianaurelius2418]

Warhammer Quest > Talisman

[@baudsp]

"Talisman is better than monopoly" that's not a high bar to pass!

[@eriksolie511]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!

[@dominicnowell6947]

Those are trauma shears not surgical scissors, I can't believe you would make such a simple mistake! I'm flabbergasted

[@OldenDemon]

You’re right, I will seek to better myself in the next video

[@EddieGreenFr]

I completely get the issues with Talisman - and there are better games in the genre like Paupers Ladder. But it is a completely different genre of game to the spreadsheety euro side of the hobby. In fact I would suggest that maybe it is a different hobby all together. Talisman's durability comes from the narrative and story it tells that brings the players along with. Nobody cares who wins a game like this. People enjoy the randomness. Many games of Talisman will be played with house rules - because making up house rules for games is part of being a gamer. That doesn't mean they couldn't have done a better job of fixing it and adding more player choice. I do wonder if the Co-Op rule set coming soon will help.

[@shorelessskies]

There have been several points in my tabletop gaming career where I thought about picking up Talisman (or relic). I'm glad I didn't. It looks like Chutes and Ladders but swords. Edit - lol I just got that point of the video

[@jackmana3289]

This feels like when i see guys going nostaliga high for WoW classic! because nothing said nostaliga like spending 3 hours to find the group and go through a dungeon of the time. All while your mum was making dinner and doing your bed sheets. All while talking over Team speak while you wait for your 12 min flight trip to end....... What adult has time for those things these days?

[@GlennGriffin]

I was planning on getting 5th edition as I don’t own any version of the game. In the end I opted for 3rd edition from eBay as really that was the version I really wanted so I decided to go for that version. The 5th edition art style is ok, but it’s a bit too modern for my tastes and a bit bland in my opinion.

[@michaelryan6947]

Very "Letterkenny"- Allegedly! 😊

[@BrinkmanCrafts]

I agree that Talisman is a pretty bad game. With that said, I will in a couple of days play a version where we are 8+ people on two boards that we teleport between so everyone plays with everyone else. It can be great fun with the right people.

[@CDMJDMHHC]

the dark humor

[@zenoking5958]

Where are the dachshunds? I demand the dachshunds

[@luketfer]

As he said, unless you give him 10 grand on his Kofi so he can buy a real one, they ain't coming back as he's moved away from AI generated art.

[@social_ghost]

At least its better than Dungeon! Don't play Dungeon! it will drive you insane if you think about its mechanics too hard. That's how I lost a weekend in a smoke-smelling shit hole of a hotel in Birmingham (Alabama) in 2018. I returned the game, but I will never get those hours of my life back.

[@reallyidrathernot.134]

excelling ending

[@tarnetskygge]

Talisman is a cardboard fantasy Mario Party, it's designed specifically so autistic hardcore gamers with no sense of sportsmanship don't have an advantage against random casuals/spouses/kids, because that's the only way everybody can have fun in that group dynamic.

[@AndyBDj87]

Love your videos, mate. Very sad to hear the dachshund's won't be coming back. I personally despise AI art, and I always had a feeling that they were AI generated in your videos..... But I dunno.... They just felt right in your productions. I totally understand and ultimately agree with your decision to have away with it, but I'll miss them. Keep up the great work.

[@lostsanityreturned]

Oi oi oi I will not hear a bad word said against OSE. It is incredibly well packaged, written for actual use and has some of the best layout in any rpg book, which is saying something because the source has to be among the worst to actually use thanks to awful text clarity and layout.

[@mercster]

I laugh at all the snobs who say they hate Talisman. What sophisticates. Everyone's really impressed. Correct opinion, bro! 😂

[@jamesperrin3762]

I’m just here for the prose

[@captainparty]

Oh all the games I hate playing, Talisman is the one I’ve bought the most times.

[@GRG28248]

Admittedly I've only played 4e talisman as I wasn't aware of the game beforehand. I ended up looking around for homebrew rules that could make the game better and you can actually fix it if you try. That being said, players shouldn't have to fix their own games. They should be good to go out of the box.