Why I Love and Hate Kingdom Death: Monster | Review

Always Board Never Boring is doing something a little bit different today. He wanted to review Kingdom Death: Monster, but he'd already done that on his blog years ago. So, rather than come up with something new, he's just reading an edited version of his original review over some freshly recorded footage of his first edition copy of Kingdom Death: Monster along with some components from the Kingdom Death: Monster 1.5 upgrade pack. This took a surprisingly long time to cut together (at least a lantern year), so he hopes you enjoy it.
#KingdomDeathMonster #tabletopgames #boardgamereview
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[@joshuajevans8824]

I em absolutely obsessed with this game. I just got into it 3 months ago, and I ave already sunk $3k U.S. on it.I have a steady group of players, who meet every week and play. I agree I would NOT recommend this to everyone. It is not for the majority of people. But I often find this is true with the truly great things I truly enjoy in life. Any way. I think yours is one of the best reviews Ive seen on on KDM..Thank you so much. Relay made my morning.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks. That's amazing praise, and really means a lot. I'm glad to hear you've found a game you connect with and enjoy so much.

[@JevousGaming]

"For an artist the worst reaction possible to a work of art is complete apathy", this is so absolutely true and really captures the ethos behind the game's visuals in my opinion. At all points it invokes emotions (even though it's mostly shock and disgust), but it's truly... something to discuss. So, so, so many fantasy games are just content with generic fantasy dwarves, elves and green skin orcs. This is none of that.

[@tutubeater1]

Have you ever considered voice acting or doing more reviews? This is one of the most eloquent reviews I've ever heard and I would really enjoy hearing more from you!

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks so much. This video has become the first in a series I'm calling "Stick to the Script" where I will be working from scripts rather than adopting a more conversational tone. Not all the videos will have this level of depth (I just posted a much shorter one for Dungeon!) but the general style should be similar going forwards. I hope you will stick around to check them out as and when they get released.

[@xda2o2]

Check out his blog

[@andilennon7976]

This is why written reviews are still king. I miss the updates to your blog. More scripted stuff here please, you have the aspect of a poet if you squint in the correct light.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks. I do still write on the blog sometimes, but very infrequently now. I uploaded a review in April this year though.

[@ManiOlafs]

I wouldn't mind more content like this.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

As in content that's more scripted? If it does well and people enjoy it I'm not opposed to doing more in the future, but obviously they take a lot more work.

[@ManiOlafs]

@@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring Scripted and a decent length. You have a very pleasant voice and solely judging from the review you seem to be a more than capable writer.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks so much. That's really kind of you. I'm glad you enjoyed the writing.

[@joshuamarcus5810]

This was beautiful and soulful. Thank you for sharing it with us all. I believe games can be art and try to capture that in my own endeavors. Your assessment of what this game moves me want to try harder, and celebrate what I do create, flaws and triumphs.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@11PONCHO11]

Glad this review showed up in my recommendations.Amazing. I love everything about this game,but I still have my 1.5 copy in shrink wrap. It stares at me every time I descend into the game room. Thanks for this review. I feel you could make a Monopoly review great. Subscribed.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thank you for the kind words and the sub, it really means a lot to me. A few people seem to have enjoyed this style of video, so I am planning to do more in the future.

[@PACEUK22]

Quite possibly the best board game review I have ever experienced! Well done and thanks for making it

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thank you so much for watching and being so kind. I'm really pleased you enjoyed it. I've been blown away by all the great comments people have been leaving, and I'm looking at doing some more of these tightly scripted videos in the future.

[@PACEUK22]

Always Board Never Boring the way you worked in clash of the titans into your enjoyment of the game and this review is awesome

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks. I'm glad you appreciated it.

[@chrispalumbo5556]

This was a really great review. I still don't like KDM or many if the themes within it, as they just aren't for me, but I have more appreciation for it now. I also love the worlds of Games Workshop, especially Age of Sigmar. They can be and are bleak, but the key difference I think is that Age of Sigmar has hope, lots of it, and humor too. I can enjoy it when I need a break from my own life, and it can be silly and fun to play the games made within it. Something like KDM though does sound pretty crushing. Almost like one of those good, very profound books or stories that was a masterpiece, but something I'll never read or watch again because of how sad it was or how depressing it felt. If that analogy makes any sense. It was neat to watch this though and thanks for sharing your take on it!

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

I once likened the game to the film Irreversible. Something incredibly well made, very powerful, and with an emotional gut punch, but not something you would ever be in a rush to put yourself through again. Not something fun. By contrast, Games Workshop really does a great job weaving hope and humour into what they do.

[@Syko1985]

One of my favourite reviews ever of KDM 👍

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks so much. I'm really glad you liked it.

[@yagsipcc287]

Brilliant stuff bud 😁 I have 1.6 ordered and gamblers chests. But until then I have lots of white box stuff to paint up with two or three brown boxes I do enjoy painting a hell of alot 😛. Man I had my last account banned and I don't know why, I never said anything and they said they gave me several warnings when I never got any ugh have been looking all over for channels I love. Hope you are well bud, I first found you when looking for Blackstone Fortress stuff.

[@mrajaraven]

Loved this essay. You capture the essence of the game, perhaps the most useful type of review for someone who is on the fence about buying it. Would really like to see this format with other popular games

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm actually uploading another video in this style later today, but it's a much lighter and less demanding game so doesn't warrant the same depth of analysis.

[@CrazyFarseer]

A beautifully written review. It was a great analysis of the game, and one I think I'll come back to as reference. I'm decently involved in the custom content community, which has included patching up some of the unavoidable death events and making new monsters, so it's good to get a reminder of what the theme should be like. Especially after playing a while - it's still a great experience, but no longer as much of a brutal, unforgiving landscape. It's now no longer dangerous, and more about watching the crazy highs that these survivors can accomplish. My first campaign was a brutal one, where we made it to Lantern Year 25 and the Watcher, but only through some incredibly intense chess-like fights where a wrong move could be the end of the whole settlement. We didn't finish that campaign because of one player no longer having fun, too, with several similar reasons. But it still gave us a number of strong impressions and stories that linger despite the campaign falling apart. It's unfinished, but you might appreciate this graphic I made, showing the stories of individuals as they lived and died. www.dropbox.com/s/yrw5h3kd4jrxs6u/Xerxes%20Timeline%2026.png?dl=0 There are some fantastic bits of lore that I hope you'll be able to experience. The Watcher's showdown ties together the campaign's experiences thus far, in a way that provides context for the 25 lantern years that your survivors have worked towards. (The portion after that, less so.) The campaign included in the Dragon King expansion provides a bit more coherence and something to work towards, and it might provide a slightly more pleasant experience, if you ever want to get back to the game. (It worked great when introducing some new players.) Or, I've been working on making my own 5-year campaign, which can hopefully provide a lower-commitment experience. Regardless, thank you for your review. You put it together in a way where you can get new players and old players to know what the game feels like. You took that big thing and put it into words for everyone to understand. It's no small feat.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks so much. That means a lot. Honestly, while it was interesting to experience the game as an intellectual exercise, I don't think it's ever going to be something I have fun with, and I'm unlikely to spend even more on the game in an attempt to find a way to like it more. Besides, apart from the Flower Knight and Slender Man, I find the expansions pretty repulsive. As I have the 1.5 upgrade I do have some extra content that goes beyond the standard 25 years of the core campaign, but I will be surprised if I ever get around to it! Thanks for sharing your own thoughts; I appreciate you taking the time.

[@CrazyFarseer]

@@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring Yeah, it's understandable that you wouldn't pick the game back up, based on how you described it. Brought it up just in case any of that would help, somehow XD If you're unlikely or never going to play the game again, I'd encourage you to take a look at the Watcher's story events and content. It provides a little bit of an explanation for why everything is terrible, which might be worth a look without the crazy amount of hours required to get there. (Specifically, the Watched event, the intro text on its showdown page, and the defeat text. Everything else is worth reading for fun, though, in my opinion.) Regardless, thanks again for your review! May you find happier games somewhere out there!

[@Rominil]

This review was absolutely incredible. Best review I've ever watched, and has convinced me to purchase the game and experience it for myself. I have one question outside of my glowing appreciation for your video. Could you give a quick rundown of how you achieved the painting on those models? I don't typically paint them, but I love your vision, and could see myself painting them similarly to adopt it.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you found the video useful. I have painting guides for survivors and monsters on my blog. Here are the links: www.alwaysboardneverboring.com/2017/06/painting-guide-kingdom-death-monster_11.html www.alwaysboardneverboring.com/2017/06/painting-guide-kingdom-death-monster.html Alternatively, I have videos on my KZbin channel for painting bone and stone, which is another option: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqPVnYqOo9KIe5o (There are several other bone videos on my channel, but this is probably the simplest) kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqXCen-Jl6edqKs (This is an easier way to do stone than I used on Kingdom Death)

[@adamryder8377]

Great video. Loved your writing, and the way you read out your experiences - gripped. Could have listened to lots more of that (podcast?). I've been fascinated by this game for a long time and watched a great playthrough series (15+ hours worth) but that was enough for me. The cost and massive time investment has prevented me from getting involved, and like you, some of the design elements make me uncomfortable - but that's probably the point. This video has helped with my FOMO. Made up you recouped a lot of the outlay. I would like to know how you feel about the game now, and if it gets much table time?

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks so much for the kind words; I'm glad you enjoyed the video. The game really is fascinating, I just wish I found it fun. This video charts the journey to where I am now, and nothing has really changed on that score. I bought the 1.5 kit after publishing this review in its original written form, and I have only just this last week opened that kit and incorporated it into the base game. The game gets zero table time at the moment, but I have been considering introducing it to my D&D group when we are out of lockdown. More to see how they react to it as much as anything else.

[@no_cool_names]

So many points you made sum up my experience with this game. But I still feel like I'm going to pick the game up again for another run through some day.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

It’s still sitting on my shelf. One day…

[@dazir_solo_board_gaming3840]

Mate, what a review! Absolutely epic just as the KDM itself. What a review! You should do that more often. I joined the KDM madness just recently and I am already in love with the style, theme, uniqueness... everything really is right where it's supposed to be. Did I say in love? No, i am obsessed...The only thing that is missing in this mammoth of a box is .... time that you need to experience this creation right from the start. Thanks again for your spectacular review mate! Cheers

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks for the kind words. I do these Stick to the Script reviews once in a while (there is a playlist on the channel), but they take an incredibly long time to put together.

[@PACEUK22]

I’ve listened to this review multiple times now simply for the joy of it. Stunning review dude. You never know... One day I might even get KDM

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

That's really kind of you. Thanks for watching the video (multiple times); I'm glad you found it so enjoyable. I'm currently working on some more of these "stick to the script" reviews as I haven't posted any for a while.

[@PACEUK22]

@@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring btw… I got KDM and love it👍

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

@@PACEUK22 I’m pleased to hear you are loving it.

[@DestroyerHivePro]

Awesome review!!!

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thank you. I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment.

[@KelpieMindTricks]

Man, this is a fantastic review. Great analysis.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@KelpieMindTricks]

@@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring documentary level stuff. Incredibly well written.

[@stevenwhite1229]

Great review. Personal, honest and informative. Good content.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks so much. That's really kind of you to say.

[@konstantineKein]

Great review!

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thank you.

[@c3rber3s00]

I got this game through the 1.5 kick starter, plus 1 expansion, still sitting sealed in the box :). I don't think I have the resolve to open it up.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

It's certainly a game you have to work yourself up to playing. And you really do need to make the space in your schedule for it, so you can play it a lot. If you play it a bit then walk away for a few months and come back, it's really hard to pick up where you were and you almost have to start over (which I have done several times now).

[@robertpapancsev8891]

You are very good reviewer, also love your painting.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks so much. That's really kind of you, and I appreciate the sub!

[@quellessence5232]

Overall I really enjoy kingdom death monster and still play the game and intend to buy more content in the future. I will say one thing I don't like about kingdom death is I sometimes feel safer fighting the monsters over doing some stuff like drawing settlement events or going onto hunt phases. In my opinion I think the settlement events can be a little too brutal and also the hunt phases. But as you say kingdom really is about the world and really is not character centered. I will say the statement its a lifestyle choice is sooo true. The game with all the expansions and the misc pinups, extra 3d printed terrain, and upcoming stuff, kingdom death could literally overtake an entire room in a house.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

A room full of Kingdom Death would be grim indeed! I completely agree about events feeling more deadly, simply because you have less control. If I lose survivors in a showdown, at least I can normally understand why and determine what I might have been able to do differently. Not always the case with those random situations thrown out by events. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and sharing your thoughts.

[@roodkaak771]

one of the best reviews out there for KDM. Excellent work.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thank you so much for the kind words.

[@tobyrothenborg5964]

I love this review and echo a lot of your thoughts. I'd say your biggest misunderstanding of this game (IMO of course) is you conclude playing this game solo is the best way to play it. I'd say playing this games with people who understand the premise (good and bad) is the best way to play it. When you're able to high five another person doing a great moment, the moment gets so much better with the shared experience and memories. When you're able to laugh a devastating moment off with your friends, it get's easier to "swallow". For example doing a session we were fighting a very difficult quarry, we were sure all of us were going to be killed. By some miracle only 1 survivor ends up getting killed. In the aftermath we got the opportunity to go into a caven, I was the first to delve into the darkness, rolled a 1 - dead. My friend was like, screw it! I'll try!, roll a 1 - dead. We all laughed at how we got killed in a dungeon after beating this menacing foe! The last person in group decided to try her luck anyways, rolls a 10! had to roll again, rolls a 10! ends up getting something amazing from the caven. A moment like that, wouldn't have been as fun or valuable if I was sitting by myself rolling the dice. Anyway as I said I love your review, and you articulate yourself in an excellent way, along with having a very pleasent voice and tone.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts, and for the kind words too. I appreciate it.

[@berger15]

Great review - pretty balanced - unlike some I've seen, where people clearly have not actually played the game at all. I will say, a lot of the game is about mitigation - if there is a 20% chance of death, but you don't have to do it - you often have the choice not to. Also, the resource management is one of the best I have played - it's linked intimately to the showdown - you learn to play certain creatures in certain ways, just to ensure you get that one resource you desperately need for a specific item. The hunt is the weakest part for me, but it's based on the old GW Quest travel charts which worked well, but are 25 years old or so. But again - a lot of the risk can be mitigated or managed - but most of that knowledge comes from experience. And that is, for me, the thing most people miss - they want to play a "swing axe, things die" game - but this is so much more - it takes some finesse, some learning from experience, and a tiny amount of luck. On your comment about Silver Tower - I thought it was a very poor, very shallow variant of the original Quest. I understand it gives you a "quick fix", but heck - any game can do that. Yes KDM is a time sink - but honestly, I have pretty much ditched EVERY other game that is fantasy based. To me, this game is that good. But each to their own - and you cannot argue with something as subjective as this - your review was great, and I applaud you for the honesty.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. There's a reason I don't give games a score in my reviews. I will only ever say whether I enjoyed it or not, and why. It's pretty much up to other people to determine if their likes would align with mine, because everybody is looking for something different. For example, Silver Tower surpassed the original Quest for me by miles, and I loved original Quest back in the day. I have reviewed both games on my blog. Thanks again for your reasoned response, I appreciate you taking the time to give a different perspective on the game, and I'm pleased you enjoy it so much.

[@botousai]

There is also the community edition that addresses alot of these issues(like the hunt being a card chosen from 3 decks of difficulty with various risk/reward)

[@PakornThaipituk]

I theory, a lantan year is as long as 10 earth's years. The showdown phase may be take earth's days or weeks. It is kind like a celebration or a ritual that is arranged for every 10 years that survivors are sended out far to kill special monsters. Building a new structure is an innovation so it may take time to plan and figure out how to do.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

That's one idea; and while the designer may have a definitive answer in his head and I'm not necessarily sure we're ever supposed to figure it out. I think the intention is for players to bring what they want to the game. I don't personally get that sense of fixed time in the game at all. Giving a lantern year a finite span seems a bit arbitrary. It might work for some things, but not for others. And it doesn't seem to tie in with how the survivors age. I think it's more mercurial than that. Thanks for sharing your ideas. It's really interesting to see how other people interpret their experience of the game.

[@PakornThaipituk]

Thank ^ ^. I don't own the game (I plan to buy one but still have not got a chance). I actually don't know the aging mechanic of the game. I opinion come form finding that the game world is interesting so I read the lore and people comments about a lanten year. Then I adopted my own form other people ideas.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

There's certainly a lot of room for interpretation. It makes it a very interesting game to talk about. I actually like talking about it way more than playing it.

[@anddav40]

Great review

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment.

[@ccggenius]

So... the Kickstarter box is a Spinal Tap album cover?

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Ha. Pretty much.

[@indrafides2648]

Asking in a few places but I seen images of bronze cast kdm models. does anyone know anything about them?

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

There is someone in Russia selling unofficial bronze casts on eBay. They aren't endorsed by Poots. If you want miniatures that look like bronze you can do a very simple paint job like the one I did for the Aeronautica Imperialis ground assets in the video here on my channel. You just need three paints.

[@indrafides2648]

@@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring I will certainly take a look. I just like the heft of metal and it would be such a cool conversation piece. Let me be clear I own the 1.5 and multiple expansions.I plan on continuing to support kdm I just thought metal conversions were such an interesting concept. Thank you for answering.

[@astolbro7183]

Im personally interested on the games pretty much solely for the miniatures I'm drawn in by the fact that they are so customizable

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

It's an interesting idea, and I'm sure there are lots of people who enjoy that aspect, but it isn't something that worked for me personally. I didn't really see a point to it for gameplay, and I found that to make the models really customisable in all aspects they had to keep the posing very flat and uninteresting. Thanks for watching the video and sharing your thoughts.

[@astolbro7183]

@@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring that's cool and understandable I just wanted to offer an alternate opinion

[@SinOfAugust]

I can think of no better praise for this game...

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thanks for watching!

[@goldbug371]

"you have to commit to appreciate ride and without seeing the destination" a bit like real life...

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Absolutely. I did eventually end up selling my copy of Kingdom Death. I tried hard with it, but eventually decided it would be better to pass it on to a new home where it would do more than gather dust on a shelf.

[@goldbug371]

@@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring bought and sold too now thinking of buying it again but still on the fence fearing it will catch dust on my shelf

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

There other games that have come out since Kingdom Death that have a similar sort of gameplay. I haven't really tried any of them, but I do wonder if some of those newer games might have improved on the formula. If I was going to revisit this style of game, I wouldn't go back to Kingdom Death.

[@thefitz86]

Greatest tabletop game I have ever played.

[@leeprice133]

I have some similar feelings about KD:M to you I think, although I don't find myself as turned off by some of the thematic aspects. I'm a big fan of Dark Souls and I actually find sense of existential despair baked into the worlds of both that and Kingdom Death to be very immersive. I can also appreciate the uncanny body horror aspects of KD:M when it comes to the monsters. That said, I find the extensive range of cosmetic 'pinup' miniatures to be frankly juvenile, and I almost think that their association with KD:M tarnishes the entire thing, at least to some degree, and I'm not sure I see the point of the overt sexualisation of the survivors in general. My main reservations over KD:M really come into play regarding its mechanics. I understand that KD:M is supposed to be hard, but the difficulty in KD:M seems to be achieved mainly through requiring the players to pass a series of low probability dice rolls, and through random events that sometimes just kill characters outright. Some of my favourite games are hard, but their difficulty is predicated on requiring players to make careful strategic and tactical decisions. I'm certainly not saying that KD:M doesn't have any of that, but even good tactical play can often be totally overriden by just rolling badly or drawing a particularly unfair event or AI action. The level of randomness in KD:M would, I think, be fine in a shorter, more contained game, but when it can lead to the failure of a campaign after tens of hours of play, that's more of a problem I think. Overall, KD:M occupies a very weird spot for me. I love the scope, and scale of the thing. I think its overall theme of keeping a civilisation alive in an incredibly harsh and unforgiving world is stunning, but I also think KD:M would benefit from a better *game* designer to at least tighten up the mechanics. I like KD:M enough to want to revisit the game, but I get the sense that I'm doomed to keep walking away from it with the gameplay as it is, and with the overbearing level of bookkeeping that it seems to demand.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

I find it easier to just ignore the pinups as not part of the game. Kingdom Death really is quite clunky in its execution. I think the 1.5 update made some small steps towards rectifying that, but it's still pretty rough. It still sits on my shelf, taking up space, waiting for the day when I try once again to sit through more than a few lantern years...

[@triplea657aaa]

Honestly the random uncontrollable death that kills the warrior I'd been carefully sculpting for 7 lantern years reaaaaally make me want to flip the table and throw the game in the bin. That said, it's my favorite game.

[@danielbarkey2970]

I love KD:M because I play it a lot and it's the holy grail of my boardgame collection. I hate KD:M because I play it a lot and less my other great boardgames. KD:M ist so great and a hobby in it's own ... ;)

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Nice to hear you've found a board game you enjoy so much. It can definitely be a lifestyle game, just not a lifestyle that I really want for myself! Thanks for watching.

[@trianglestri7487]

I always liked this game however Looking back at it now i still feel like somethings are very overdone in this game which is not necessarily a bad thing but if a group of people playing and you dont have good grasp of it the pace of the games becomes very slow and boring - still for me miniature assembling is so off putting and cant imagine how many more hours I have to sink in when the gamblers chest releases lol - its overall a very good game and a unique experience but its level of complexity and brutal difficulty can be intimidating for many casual players - truth to be told, i have always played this game solo, non of my friend were interested in playing it after they seen the thick rule book and massive blocks of texts over the endless array of cards xD

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

I know a lot of people would disagree with me, but for me this just feels like (and works best as) a solo experience. The bookkeeping, methodical and rather long-winded combat, detailed rules, randomness, and the possibility of sudden death before a fight is even underway makes it a hard sell for a group. My D&D group have expressed an interest in giving it a shot, but it might be a one-evening deal. We shall see. Thanks for watching the video and sharing your thoughts.

[@dead_lantern_gamer]

Love how this channel gets reccommended for me 3 yrs later. So you didnt order the Gamblers Chest coffin?

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

No. I ordered the upgrade box that had the smoke knight, but then never used it, and eventually passed the whole game on to a new home.

[@dalelewis625]

Your telling me Amy didn't bat an eyelid at that sort of wonga?! Geez, what did you promise her.. Hang on.. 2 kids now... Bingo! 😂

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

It wasn't too bad once I'd sold off all the extras. Although, probably still a bit much considering I never play the damned game!

[@wizewizard1840]

@@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring Why don't you play it, though?

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

@@wizewizard1840 I explain that in the review.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Gotta lie, there are times where I just hate it but the moments that are great make it worth it.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

That's probably the exact opposite of how I feel! Thanks for watching the video and sharing your opinions.

[@seankavanagh3742]

I dislike this game immensely; but I truly loved your review of it, towards the end I honestly got goosebumps. The sad part of this is I can really see /appreciate what your saying and by proxy understand some of the creator vision. However for me some of the themes and suggestions are just to grim, to vulgar to bear witness to without feeling rage towards its creator - as you say I am sure this pleases Adam. Thank you for sharing this it really is the best KZbin video I have watched in sometime for so many reasons and on so many levels. It's also nice to know that Games Workshop was also someone else's lantern when the word wasn't so bright or fair. Amazing work sir.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Thank you so much for the kind words. I think Adam had a very strong vision, and he meticulously created that vision. He made exactly what he wanted to make, and it does exactly what he wanted it to do. But yeah, I'm pretty sure I dislike it immensely too! I guess I like it in theory, and I like what it stands for, and I like the fact it was able to generate such an emotional response, but I dislike what that emotional response was and how it went about achieving it. And really, I just want to have fun. Games Workshop was much more than a hobby for me growing up. I really have nothing but good things to say about them from when I was a kid.

[@ABIGPLAN]

I like the theme as the next guy, and unlike most people, KDM theme is a huge plus for me. But when buying board games, especially this expensive, the dealbreaker is the gameplay. And the gameplay is the biggest wasted potential there is. So much stuff that could've been done good is just decided by the roll or pull of a card. You just sit rolling dice like an idiot, doing the little stuff you can to affect it. Not for me.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Yeah. I think the chaos and randomness is entirely by design, as the game really wants you to feel fragile and weak and frustrated, and it wants to create that environment where your survival is sometimes out of your control. But it's not really for me.

[@johnmiddleton4291]

I think the randomness and chaos is because the designer actually doesn't know how to design more complex systems and therefore falls back on "theme" as an excuse. The gameplay is the biggest letdown for KDM.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

I don't know. I don't think so. Maybe I give him too much credit, but I think the showdown and the sub-games such as arranging items on the grid shows that he does know how to design systems. And the way events hinge together does make something that feels believable and lived in. But I feel like he also wanted the world to seem a bit arbitrary, like real life, where some things are simply beyond your control. I think he also lacks some of the skill to make those systems neater than they are. I totally agree the gameplay is a letdown though. I can't categorise a game that I don't have fun playing in any other way. Maybe he did need a developer to refine some of the raw elements, but then the game might have fallen between the cracks of being thought provoking and fun, and would have lost too much of what it is on the way.

[@johnmiddleton4291]

The grid for items is mostly just common sense on how items would be placed on a character mannequin and evidenced in many crpgs from the 80s and 90s. It's still how most mmos handle gear and their interactions. The showdown is lifted right from video games as well. Pretty much the boss fights from every video game ever. The world is arbitrary because it was never really planned out. It's just sort of a mish mash of ideas that come out but are never fully developed into a cohesive whole. It's obvious he flounders through the creative process because the current kickstarter update says that the Gambler's box is now delayed to 2021 and who knows how far back that pushes all the other stuff. Fans like to says it's because he's a perfectionist, but the finished product is about the furthest thing from perfect of any game I've ever played. Just look at all the fan fixes for things and cobbled together rationalization that happens on BGG. I can't even imagine what the rough drafts play like. This is his full time job now, so what the hell does he do all day?

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Kingdom Death is far from perfect. I do think it's a relatively close approximation of what Adam wants it to be, though. I think he approaches things like an artist, which means his approach is messy and chaotic, and you really never know what you're going to get because he's got 10 muses arguing in his head. At this stage, I would never give him money for anything that wasn't finished and proven, and I agree that people do give him far too much leeway when it comes to running his business like a professional business, meeting deadlines, communicating, and actually... you know... making something. I think when your art becomes your business, you need to make certain concessions. He hasn't done that yet.

[@ChrisBarney]

I disagree about the single player being the best experience. Playing with an invested group increases the feeling of being a pantheon of gods guiding and testing a civilization. The dissent and debate over what to do really does feel like something out of Clash of Titans.

[@johnmiddleton4291]

I never get a sense of dark horror and maturity from KDM. It's always 12 year old level D&D horror. It's a lot like the cheap body horror that lots of movies fall back onto. Maybe 600 Cthulhu games and years of Slaneesh have inured me to cosmic horror. I also don't find Chimaera type amalgamations of bits to be particularly creative or scary. I could likely see a shoggoth in real life now and just shrug it off. "Heh, there's a weird blob of shit there." The often random nature of character death and the expectation of death even when you work to control it also makes me not care about the characters or their deaths. Your settlement is just a collection of worker meeples to exploit and the emotional connection this game really needs disappears.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

It's funny we both dislike this game, but have very different reactions to it. I've never felt like my civ is just a collection of meeples, and I do find the game genuinely emotionally draining. I could forgive a lot of the clunk in the game system if I was having fun, rather than feeling constantly battered by all the gloom.

[@johnmiddleton4291]

The only thing draining is having to flip more cards over to continue the tedious story of your meeple ville.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Ha. I've always felt engaged with the plight of the survivors, to the point where I couldn't play the game when I was sad for real life reasons. But I guess I don't engage enough with the gameplay. I never get very far in a campaign for one reason or another. To a certain extent, this game just reinforces my love for those games that have those minimal rules set. The ones that just go, "Here's an awesome theme, and here are 10 pages of rules for how to interact with that theme." The games that have minimal clutter so you can think more about what you're doing and less about the mechanisms you use to do it. Games Workshop games, I mean!

[@johnmiddleton4291]

The big failure is that the entire story relies on your own cognitive thinking to apply patterns to a data set. It's the same thing as rolling on 10 random charts to generate the seed of an rpg adventure. And if I'm writing the story myself, I can do better than goat carcasses and penis sandwiches.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

I think it's emergent storytelling, and the more you put in the more rewarding (or harrowing) it becomes. I like being able to actively work my own creativity into what I'm doing. It appeals to me as a writer.

[@rareringu6553]

Perhaps this is just a KZbin comment on a video I disliked. Perhaps it was the weasely whine of the little man in my ear, or perhaps it was the constant references to the penises in this game which I so enjoy... Perhaps it was a great many things. Perhaps...

[@IF040020]

I dont get it. It looks like overhyped game where all you do is fighting. Why is this so special?

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

I can't add any more than what I've already said in the video. It may not be a game that's going to work for you.

[@1981troyboy]

this over hyped trash.

[@AlwaysBoardNeverBoring]

Your review was shorter than mine.

[@johnmiddleton4291]

But can you fix it with duct tape?

[@danielbarkey2970]

Isn't MacGyver this overhyped 80s / 90s TV trash?

[@elqord.1118]

Very insightful