Waste Knights: Second Edition Review - with Zee Garcia

[@dmcd7619]

Zee, please do a Top 10 Post-Apocalyptic Games video. I know you've talked about a few of them before, but I'd really like to see a top 10 about it from you.

[@kevinbhieey9188]

This would be great for a Top Ten from Mike and Camilla too

[@nehemiahrx3974]

Yeah I’m also a HUGE fan of post apocalyptic theme, whether it be zombies or nuclear fallout, anything. Would be interested in top 10 games list for this genre/theme also. Been trying to get my hands on a copy of Outlive, even contacted the publisher and they don’t have plans to reprint it anytime soon

[@manic2360]

I'd like a top 10 PA list..

[@dmcd7619]

@@nehemiahrx3974 That sucks. Mike has sold me on it. I figured I'd pick it up the first time I see it.

[@nshaw1299]

Sans zombies? Or zombies are allowed? Because if I take out strong zombie-oriented game I'm guessing such a list, by Zee, would include (not in this order): Radlands, 51st state, Neuroshima hex, Neuroshima: Convoy, Last Aurora, Ruination, The few and cursed, Wasteland Express, Fallout Shelter the board game and pandemic legacy. (give or take...)

[@BGBarbarian]

Zee has come a long way. The fact that it plays up to 5 hours and he still gave it a shot is amazing! There is nothing wrong with house ruling btw.

[@boredboardgamerkramer]

This is a game I play solo and I'm in it for the adventure, so I have no problem with house rules. I think the creators wanted to make a post-apocalyptic This War of Mine, but they failed to appreciate that nobody _enjoys_ the punishing aspect of TWoM, they only tolerate it because it's central to the experience. WK:SE, on the other hand, is an escapist fantasy that doesn't play that way without a bit of help.

[@ajplank3907]

You nailed it Zee, I feel the same way and would have also given it a 6 as well. I get especially frustrated that not only do you not get any head’s up on the skill check you’re going to need to pass in the script book choices, but often it doesn’t thematically fit with the choice presented. It’s like “do you want to sneak up on this bad dude?” and you’re like “I’m stealthy, sure!” (turn to pg 47), “well too bad, he saw you and now you gotta run so give me a speed skill check” which you’d never have said yes to because you know darn well your grandma runs faster than you. That’s not luck or swinginess, it feels more like getting trolled by the designer. Anyway, I’d love to see what house rules you come up with because I do feel like there’s a lot to almost like here.

[@heidihuff8695]

Playing Near and Far had similar issues. We just had another person skip ahead and tell us what skill check we would end up needing to use (without reading the context or the result), and then we would make our choice.

[@ko9]

I feel exactly the same way about this game. Every time I see it I feel like this is a world I want to spent an obscene amount of time in, but then I look into the gameplay and I feel very disappointed by the huge amounts of luck and randomness that you can't even mitigate. Really want a game with this setting and atmosphere that's also mechanically really good, that would probably become my favourite game of all time.

[@seanytoyguns8638]

Maybe take parts of this game and customize it to your liking. I'm thinking of creating my own board game, and I feel like this is going to be a huge reference point.

[@Wew42]

I love this game. I use it as a choose your own adventure experience.

[@simonadams]

So close to being a really really great game. I had a brief look - so don't blame me if I'm off - at the expansion Kickstarter, and it seems they aren't really changing the formula, which was disappointing. THAT BEING SAID, if you want a punishing, SURVIVAL (this is not an exploration game), SIMULATION (in which life just isn't fair always), this is for you, and I wouldn't begrudge you for loving it. I think people will love this as a solo challeng as much as they love Mage Knight, for instance.

[@JasonRedeemed]

Zee-I love this game but can totally see what you mean by some house rules making it that much better, I would love to hear what you come up with to keep playing this really great game! :)

[@PaulA-sy1dv]

Picked up the KS edition of this game in a local exchange a few days ago. As always, this is a high quality review giving me a great idea of what to expect. Will definitely try the game with the official rules first, but I am very open to house ruling if I see potential in a game. Thanks Zee!

[@joegraham2262]

Please let us know in the future what house rules you came up with.

[@marcoboschini1049]

Great opinions, well motivated, thanks. Zee you are one of the best around

[@manic2360]

As someone who was considering buying ..this was useful ..thank you.

[@drumxkorp]

I have this game coming - for those who used house rules, what rules did you implement that made a positive change?

[@xavierpaquin]

Quality, thorough review

[@jashuad]

Are the expansions fixing any of the issues Zee is talking about?

[@HerrFinsternis]

Sound like good insights. I'm wondering, have you come around to setting some houserules that you feel good about? Could be cool to share those and do a video on. An easy one I thought of while watching was to divide the encounter deck into level related categories (up till 3, 6 and 9) and shuffle those into the deck ones the party is there. Not stumbling into high level encounters could solve the flow of play problem at the same tims.

[@xavierpaquin]

Who doesn't love a post-apocalyptic theme?

[@lastburning]

Those who think the overabundance of post-apocalyptic themes in media is affecting negatively the way people think about the future. It may stunt people because art affects people.

[@xavierpaquin]

@@lastburning lol... I agree, actually

[@equals-kl9hm]

Thank you Zee!

[@tigerpjm]

I'm with you Zee! It's flawed and a 6/10 from me too. But just like you I've kept playing it and I don't resent the purchase.

[@hgeyerutube]

What story-telling adventure games (not necessarily with a post-apocalyptic survival setting) do you prefer over this?

[@BradWhitmore]

Love this game - it's tough with no excuses. For me, it fits the theme. Even though you'll get beat up and radiated - you're not going to die, just hit the long term injuries deck.

[@williamgarcia-medina9989]

Solid review. I like this game. I don’t mind playing it although I am down for house rules.

[@smoker420la]

That sounds very thematic game. It's good true to being in a wasteland.

[@WorldAquariumSingapore]

cool thats a cool review

[@Nozdormu1982]

Maybe expansion fixes the issues you have with the game or do you feel the game is wasted?

[@aritovi]

Dice feast😀 Good story... totally unfair. A lot of luck for someone and a bad day for other. A good laugh with the misfortunes of our gaming friends and lot of hate for those lucky bastards out there!😀😀😀A violent world of survival... justice and merit as nothing to do with it!😀😀😀

[@DarrinLauritzen]

Ugh. Items breaking is like losing a turn.

[@JimmyPattaya]

Agree with Zee's observations and many others listed here. I too love the theme but was greatly disappointed. Way too much emphasis on combat plus survival and very little about discovery or non-combat NPC interactions.

[@dustinboatman6134]

Nah, great game. The plays have all been about the same length as the book says. I am about 5 different scenarios in, just for reference. I am not a "slow" player though, I typically know what I want to do in any game I play pretty quickly. No house rules needed.

[@doggosplosion]

All I can think of is "oh this is the after effect of what I did in Risk Legacy".

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

Pass.