Wild Assent: Lavon Rising Review!

[@TheKingofAverage]

Some small clarifications: Specials on dice still count as a hit. Blanks still possible though of course. Also in the latest rulebook under "Encounter Setup" it states that seekers and creatures alternate. Not where you'd look, but it is there now at least. Thanks guys for the info - you all rock! :)

[@yagsipcc287]

Oh yeah one thing about the art of the two games is because they are building a universe around the games as they share a world :)

[@TheKingofAverage]

That's what I figure is going to happen :D Which is fine of course, but means I can't recommend Wild Assent for it's theme over Stormsunder, since they have the same theme now :D

[@yagsipcc287]

@@TheKingofAverage ha yes they had some talk a couple of days before the game was launching on Gamefound. Was a good 40 plus minute's talking about the game, the world etc... I'm looking at this as a small easy to handle, show off to your friends but still do a campaign game Vs Stormsunder that is a deep story RPG game that will take many months to do 😋

[@helixcom]

Your channel rocks. I found you only recently and your disclaimer (and delivering on it) had me subscribing. Honest critiques like this one are needed so folks like me can make informed choices... so we're not stuck choosing based on a flood a "5 out of 5 - it's so awesome!! Go all-in!!" reviews for every crowdfunded game that pops up. I'll be sticking with my Wild Assent pledge (it's more of a tactical battler like Monster Hunter versus a grandiose RPG campaign like Stormsunder). Same game world - two different game types.

[@TheKingofAverage]

@@helixcom Welcome Mike and thank you for the kind words! TBH the disclaimer is the best thing I've thought of IMO for my reviews. It puts all the important data out there so you guys can make the most well informed decision you can so really glad to hear that is indeed useful! Also want to say how proud I am of you guys. Last thing I want is a bunch of blind followers who just go with whatever I say. Hear me out, take it in but then make your own opinion. You've done that and that makes me elated. Again welcome aboard, happy to have you here and I can tell already you fit right in :D

[@kamilol68]

I wanted to back WA:LR but I decided to wait for my Stormsunder. I don't feel good paying for another promise while I still wait for previous KS. I would back it, if I would get the first wave of Stormsunder.

[@CheddahSlammer]

Still getting both. I got to do what is write for my game group. I personalty love Narrative based games like Storm Sunder which is why I went all in on it, however I have noticed that my game group tunes out the Narrative if its just too much. I recently had this trouble with Middara. I personally was enjoying the story and all the choices, but many in my game group were not feeling it and just wanted to "play the game". Storm Sunder Narrative wise is close to Middara in the amount. On the other hand they loved Gloomhaven's Narrative which for me was very lacking. I feel that Wild Assent is in the middle of those two in the amount of Narrative and might be perfect for my group. Its just very weird for me because I play dnd with the same people, and the love the Narrative I make, and hate the combat because it takes them out of the Narrative. Then when we play high Narrative Board Game they feel that the Narrative is taking them out of the fights.

[@rgethings]

Thank You for such an in depth review. I've been on the fence, and it's pretty pricey. I know they're different games but budget dictates what I can afford and Chronicles of Drunagor was my other big buy in that I was budgeting. You made the choice so much easier. I don't comment often, but I watch almost all your posts every week. Thanks again for having such a great channel!

[@TheKingofAverage]

Happy to have you here Ralph and glad my videos have been helpful for you! :)

[@Jasonsmith-xs8vq]

Great review as always. You always clearly explain the negatives but more importantly you back them up with accurate explanations to why you didn’t like a thing. Nice to have a reviewer you can trust

[@TheKingofAverage]

Happy to provide Jason. My long reviews aren't for everyone, but glad I can provide them for those that find that amount of detail useful :)

[@Jasonsmith-xs8vq]

The King of Average the amount of money that we spend on modern board games such as Stormsunder etc the more detailed review the better. It usually turns out I agree with your opinions once I get my hands on the game you’ve reviewed

[@BoardGameCo]

Man...now I really need to play Stormsunder...because either you and I just have different opinions here, which is totally possible...or you've been spoiled by the better game :)

[@TheKingofAverage]

The later in this case. SS is 100% based on WA gameplay, but not held back a bit by being directly tied so the activation order/targeting and stuff like that really improved I feel. Also I feel I know you enough through the internet to say you'll love the tough choices in SS as well! I'll definitely be watching your review of it when the time comes :)

[@callum5257]

@@TheKingofAverage When you described it as 'the Bioware game of boardgames' I was instantly convinced. Powerful comment

[@Jasonsmith-xs8vq]

Sorry Alex I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with any of your gaming opinions to the point I cannot watch your reviews. Your Reichbusters review for instance was a travesty. I find the king of average opinions and reviews to be 100% fair and balanced to the point I trust his judgement on these things

[@konstantinossklavenitis6372]

@@callum5257 Depends if it is bioware of KOTOR/mass effect/baldur gate or bioware of anthem/andromeda :P

[@callum5257]

@@konstantinossklavenitis6372 so true. Thankfully he said he hadn't played bioware since KOTOR so... Very high praise

[@michaeljoyce7548]

This was great, it confirms many of my feelings about both Stormsunder and Wild Ascent. It confirmed I made the right choice for my group going all in on SS and passing on WA. Those minis do look so awesome though it is rough...

[@amethyst3126]

Yes! The minis look great.. I’m still hanging on to my early bird pledge for WA:LR still not sure if I should drop it or not

[@technoartfest8708]

@@amethyst3126 WA:LR minis looks better to me. :) but the story in SS seems more interesting , with vampires.

[@michaeljoyce7548]

​@@technoartfest8708 Check out BoardGameCo's unboxing for a comparison of the Stormwash effect on SS, WA and WA:LR. They all look amazing but the WA:LR are outstanding. The story is what my group enjoys more though so SS wins out for us.

[@tgeorgom]

This is why even if I stop buying kickstarters I will still keep coming back at you. Giving another perspective to all the hyped criticism that goes out there. Consumers need/deserve the other opinion. BY THE WAY, I would buy that if I was in the minis and especially minis painting. Money at this point of my life is no issue, space and time is (aren't always those extremes disproportional?) so I do not have the space for another big box. But after that I believe that lazy Squire will see an increase in Stormsunder. FINALY we want an EPIC BATTLE ROYAL of all those similar games!

[@TheKingofAverage]

I really appreciate the kind words and feedback Theo! :)

[@tgeorgom]

@@TheKingofAverage As long as your reviews and comments reflect your honest opinions, you are welcomed. Also, Mike from "one stop co-op" had same impressions as you did. By the way, if I am not mistaken StormSunder pledges did increase.

[@Thomas-kx9op]

Very nice video. Really appreciate all of the thought and work that went into this. I only have a base pledge currently and need to decide whether to keep or drop. I already have Stormsunder coming.

[@ploucas]

Thanks for another great, detailed, honest and extremely helpful review!

[@TheKingofAverage]

You are very welcome! Glad to hear you found it helpful :)

[@fatowen1988]

I just want to say how much I appreciate you offering this review and your opinions. It's really helped me take pause and contemplate why I am fully backing WA:LA. I can see why one would choose Stormsunder over it. If you're looking for a long epic campaign and know that you have the time/friends/resources to get through it and you like the theme of it (which contrary to what you say here, it is quite different even though it's in the same "universe") then that's totally what you should go for. For me personally, I still have barely gotten through Gloomhaven even though I've owned it for over 3 years now and do truly love it, I'm currently working through Ares Games' Sword & Sorcery campaign with my girlfriend and another friend and have found it a challenge to finish for the giant time requirement it takes even though it's a much shorter game overall than Gloomhaven, and seeing this I have had to realize that epic campaign games, as beautiful as they are, are just too cumbersome in general for most people (as I see myself as the average schmo here) to get through. I took your review into consideration and realized that the points you are making (other than the rulebook) against this game are the reasons I am more attracted to it than Stormsunder. I love the idea that I don't have to invest a ridiculously long amount of table time to get through it. I love that there's still a campaign here too! I love that you have to deal with the luck of the draw and use your skills to overcome or die trying. I love the theme concept. Being enslaved gladiators with a dark bent to subjugate a 10 seasons acquired horde of other humanoids and monsters to take your place in the arena is pretty damn cool and I like it much better than the clerical vs vampiristic, heavily played Diablo-esk style of Stormsunder, though I freely admit that is just a personal preference. Again, I truly do appreciate you and your kind manner of expressing your opinions. I wish everyone took that approach. This was bound to step on some toes, especially as late into the campaign that it was that you released it. That said, I commend you for sticking to your morals and giving your honest personal opinion. Keep it up! And p.s., that bgg suspension is a humongous load of b.s... I stand with you for free speech and against censorship!

[@aSyphodias]

Exactly where I'm at, my wife and I are still making our way through Jaws of the Lion (half way there in about 9 months) and it is just hard to table it. I'm hoping WA quick hunt mode without having to read pages of text will allow for more plays.

[@amethyst3126]

I agree with this completely. I have so many LONG campaign games coming: Arena the Contest, Frosthaven, Oathsworn, etc.. I’m backing WA at the $119 base pledge, with that I get the 3 extra minis. Even if I only go through the hunt mode once, that’s still a great value. Also, I do see a difference with the theme of WA and Stormunder. WA is MUCH more appealing to me. People need to accept when reviewers have different opinions of a game and make a decision that is right for themselves. I’m glad KoA made all those points about the gameplay. Hopefully Lazy Squire games leans into these critiques and not take it personally.

[@DSK2007]

Comparing to arena would definitely spark my interest

[@kaffeemitkeks2640]

Thanks for all the work you put in your videos.

[@2bitcents429]

Always love the videos! I had a lot of regret not getting Wild Assent the first round and when I saw the new campaign I almost went all in. I've changed a lot as a gamer since the first round of Wild Assent and your opinions are very close to mine so you saved me from a much deeper regret. Thank you so much for everything you do!

[@TheKingofAverage]

I'm happy to hear that! Not every day I save you money I bet haha. No one, not even LSG wants a backer that'll just end up disappointed and selling their copy. Better to ensure the backers there know pretty darn sure that they'll love it.

[@Phalanx167]

Thanks a KoA, this was actually quite helpful in confirming some of my suspicions and coming to a decision. As much as I love the minis I think I would be better off using the money towards Stormsunder Wave 2 if I enjoy Wave 1. It's a pity but the combat and campaign just seem too plain for me.

[@chuckle021975]

I couldn't justify backing Wild Assent: Lavon Rising when we STILL haven't received Wild Assent from the previous KS in the UK. It's supposed to arrive this week, but how can I make a properly informed decision when this is such a red flag to me? I may still look at Stormsunder, but this has left a poor impression, especially in a time when games and KS campaigns are more expensive to buy/back.

[@aSyphodias]

You will be able to back in the gamefound Pledge manager and still get all freebies as a returning backer.

[@chuckle021975]

@@aSyphodias I know but that's not the point I am making.

[@aSyphodias]

@@chuckle021975 How not? You said you will not be able to make an informed decision when you will have months to do so.

[@chuckle021975]

@@aSyphodias Unless I late pledge (which I generally dislike doing) they are asking me to back a KS for an updated game with goodwill that I will get the original KS in good time after the KS ends. It's a moot point anyway as this review has convinced me not to back the KS. The point remains that it's a pretty big red flag for a company to act in this manner in my opinion.

[@TheKingofAverage]

If we take BGG ratings as some form of general acceptance it's at a 7.3. Not exactly the bee's knees so offering it again before people get a chance to play might very well have been the smart move (on their part). Also with Lavon that makes 3 campaigns before delivering anything at all as a company to many consumers, so I can understand the dislike of that. I've shouted at Mythic Games for less.

[@wirormiror]

You went to town with this review! As much as the good reviews feels justified, im surprised none of your very valid criticism made it in theirs. Its a very much needed call to doubt as to " will i really play this knowing I prefer the factions, themes and story of stormsunder?" And while the minis have me torn as a painter, I see the price point and remind myself that I should buy the airbrush set I need to paint all of the minis anyways for a very similar price point as the lavon rising tier.

[@TheKingofAverage]

Happy I was able to get this out to you guys! It always feels a bit weird when you're the only one to feel a certain way about something, but at this point I'm starting to get a bit used to it lol :P IMO if you're already in for Stormsunder, it's based on the same gameplay core so it would give you a great idea on if you want the flavor of it Wild Assent offers or not.

[@wirormiror]

@@TheKingofAverage Yeah, true. The core gameplay is not my problem, it's probably the flavoring. I feel like I don't need 2 games with the same core mechanics. And the story beats while compelling in a way feel too extreme like you said to be.... interesting in the long run. I rather play a long campain game with awesome story once than a short repeatable one with mediocre story beats or average ones (and I'm a roguelike fan!). I still havent cancelled my pledge, but I am considering it highly after seeing the one stop coop shop version which echoed your points. I also prefer the deckbuilding elements of stormsunder.

[@sairam71]

great job - love honest channels.

[@TheKingofAverage]

Happy to have you here and glad my video was helpful to you! :)

[@franchisejim]

I was already out on Wild Assent, but I definitely agree with your assessment that the enemy AI is too simple and swingy. Other reviewers didn't think it was a problem but I felt they were a bit too caught up in the hype since they move onto the next hotness very quickly and aren't necessarily critical about things like that. But I know I can always count on you to be critical of the type of games that you like and cover. Thanks for this!

[@TheKingofAverage]

You are very welcome :) TBH the oddity of targeting based on unchanging stats and having a boss sit there and not activate for half the game was pretty darn noticeable to me :D

[@EddieDubs]

"They don't agree with me. Here's what I imagine their motivation is and why their opinion is irrelevant."

[@cyder534]

Is Stormsunder AI equally flawed?

[@TheKingofAverage]

Good question Mark! No that was one the updates it was able to do. So you saw the line of activations I showed? Each time you come to an enemy you flip a card over from a target deck. That deck is made of just pictures of the player team so they can each target different people. On their enemy board they have a top to bottom running list of actions they might take. You do the first one they can do. For instance say it's skeleton archer #3 and you draw Adina. So his top action says Cautious Advance 5 and attack range 4 with 3 basic damage + 3 die. So he'll move up to 5 spaces to get JUST within range and shoot at her. If he can't get there you go to the next one which might say to move to the closest ally skeleton archer and buff him so he helps his buddy out, etc. This allows every character to go every round (mostly) so you avoid someone always being the target of a certain attack and avoid them just standing around for half the battle never doing anything. Also since you know who's going next it adds even more to the discussion of who goes when since it's no longer a "what if they activate" and instead it's a known quantity, but not their target.

[@TheKingofAverage]

Wild Assent 1.5 or whatever btw can't do this as it's tied to Wild Assent's older way of doing things with drawing the single card. That's what holds it back from those kinds of evolutions to the core mechanics.

[@garylangford6755]

I feel like you are one of the few HONEST channels on KZbin and I appreciate it!

[@Amuny666]

So I guess Chronicles of Drunagor kinda wins the cage match by default ? :p I'm considering withdrawing my pledge and keep money for Drunagor instead

[@patriziopastore9895]

I'm going with the core game... I think the issue is always this all in... then I think that I will never play all the content of 7 boxes

[@echelon435]

You saved me $400+! Thanks King!

[@TheKingofAverage]

It's not everyday I SAVE you guys money I feel haha so I'll celebrate that with ya! :D

[@billkennedy1410]

Thank you. I was already leery on backing LR, so this really helped me decide.

[@arcubal]

THanks, man. I needed this. I've been going back and forth on WA for a while now, mainly because I really do like the visual style (the jungle, the hunt motif, the art style and minis, etc.) of the game but couldn't get past the multiple modes that I'd be paying for and not really interested in paying for. PvP and PvE do nothing for me and I was mainly looking for the narrative Hunt campaign. But the fact that it is subpar to Stormsunder in almost every way (and I did late pledge for Storm) and wants me to pay a similar (high) price to get it...that's just not cool. You helped me put the final nail in the coffin in my decision not to back it. None of the other creators were critical enough imo to help me do that. So, my thanks, friend.

[@flex2themax]

Fantastic video and feedback!

[@TheKingofAverage]

Really glad you liked it Ken! Helps knowing it was worth posting :)

[@ravenkey708]

This was a very informative video. WA is for sure off the table now, but I am a little closer to finally pulling the trigger on Stormsunder.

[@b92303008]

Great video as always. Thanks for helping make up my mind to go with Stormsunder.

[@TheKingofAverage]

Happy to help build that confidence so you make the right decision for you, whatever that might be :)

[@TalissarTV]

As someone still on the fence, I would really appreciate a cage match video comparing Wild Assent to the games in its class.

[@stevevanvoorhis2992]

Thanks for your review to help me out. I ended up going Core Box only and dropped the Lavon Pledge. It is so expensive to get everything for what the game is! I still want to play it because it's monster mini's and hunting even without the campaign!! I felt 119 plus shipping is a good for value that with Sg wave 1.

[@TheKingofAverage]

I think that's a super smart move for you. If you're interested in the hunt/pvp combo that's not a half bad deal at all. But if you're just after the narrative then that changes pretty quick :D Glad I could help Steve! :)

[@jonathanw3199]

Been struggling with this one, severely on the fence , think this has finally made up my mind. Thanks for the review

[@TheKingofAverage]

You are quite welcome! :)

[@kylemoore7746]

Funny how a bunch of the pledge numbers dropped after this video... I like the review, solid take that should be heard. I do know one of the big concerns is LSG delays, but I don't think Stormsunder or the Lavon Rising content are going to make it close to their expected delivery schedule. I only mention it because a lot of comments seem to focus on this point. My hope is that because the core WA game is 2.0, first wave is at least respectably close (

[@echelon435]

Kudos on not doing a comparison video for WA and Druganor. They are different games, genres, mechanics. Not sure why people are demanding this comparison, I guess they just need you to tell them exactly what do to, King.

[@TheKingofAverage]

I think more it's because of two things: how I do versus videos and the simple fact that as a consumer both are options you gotta pick from. I totally 100% agree that comparison videos are almost ALWAYS about very different games. I can't stand when a mechanically different game is compared to another just because at a high level, they both involve fighting a boss monster for instance. I try in my versus videos to say: here are the similarities and here are the differences. If this is important to you then you might like ___ over ___ because of these differences, etc. But in this review I mentioned several other games and kind of already spoke on much of that so I feel the returns would be diminishing and as you said, they are very different :D

[@smoothrivera1928]

Well, this is exactly the information I was looking! I was a backer of the WA Core Pledge but was hesitant the whole time, even at that level, and after this video I decided to cancel my pledge. I think there are just too many issues with the campaign side (the style of play I enjoy most) of the core game for me to jump in. Instead I’ll be content with and wait patiently for SS to come in… eventually. You mentioned how you normally wouldn’t put in the time that you did on a game like this, but it is so appreciated! Thanks for taking one for team!

[@TheKingofAverage]

Haha I'll admit I was a bit grumpy afterward for having spent the time, it took hours! But literally came here to read the requests again and then was happy to do the review for everyone - glad I was able to squeeze it in before it was too late! I really do SS is the better version of the same game (assuming narrative co-op is your focus), comes very highly recommended so I think you'll love it :) Was my #2 pick and my wife's #1 pick out of all the ones we've played.

[@smoothrivera1928]

@@TheKingofAverage That’s really funny- well, based on the comments below there were a lot of people like me who were on the fence that you helped save time and money! And that’s high praise for SS that it would get both a #1 and #2 spot in your household. What would be your #1? That style of gameplay is what I prefer so I’m looking forward to jumping in to it. A game system that my buddy and I really enjoy is Jaws of the Lion- how does SS compare to that one?

[@sanderhaskins2740]

Thanks for the comprehensive review! Is there going to be a Chronicles of Drunagor review?

[@MarquisDeSang]

I have the all in of CoD : it is a flawed game (and it will improve in the reprint), but even after saying that. It is my favorite game of all time. The game is so much fun. I don't know exactly why.

[@TheKingofAverage]

You bet!

[@sanderhaskins2740]

@@TheKingofAverage Hell yes! 💪🏽

[@ThrockmortonTheSkateboarder]

As a backer of both Stormsunder and Wild Assent: Lavon Rising, I always knew that I'd probably be selling my WA:LR pledge rather sooner than later. No need for both games in my opinion.

[@wonderbread3371]

I am late the party but appreciate this review. Thanks for making this video.

[@bjhale]

I'm all in on Stormsunder and base game pledge on Wild Assent, and you might have saved me a bunch of money. I'll probably stay still at the base pledge (but those WA minis are still pretty awesome).

[@chefkakarot]

I’ve been on the fence about this exact topic, I was backing Lavon rising but this video helped me change my mind. I’m going all in on stormsunder. I’ve been eyeing it up for a while and thought this might be a lighter version that was a little more accessible. Thanks for this video it helped a lot. I’m still backing Wild ascent at a dollar invade I change my mind but I’m definitely getting storm sunder,

[@McVee16]

Really appreciate your honesty in this review. I've backed both lavon rising and stormsunder all in and this has raised some really valid questions. The variety in reviewers opinions on certain aspects like the upgrade paths and narrative of the game is interesting to see.

[@diszect7134]

@@TheKingofAverage except when it confuses me lol.

[@McVee16]

@@TheKingofAverage absolutely :) I do think lavon rising will serve its purpose as a light intro for people into the genre, and will likely hold its price for resale based on it being pretty... but damn its a high price point and doesn't have the value of stormsunder content wise.

[@ant6227]

Thanks for the review really helps with my decision. Was having a really hard time locking $1000 up with a single company I'm still waiting for delivery from. Maybe I'll pick it up once wave 1 of Stormsunder delivers if the pledge manager is still open and I enjoy what I've received but I can be happy with just Stormsunder if that's what it comes down to.

[@TheKingofAverage]

Stormsunder will give you a good taste of this system and then you'll be able to judge much better if you this flavor of it or not :)

[@lazyDude77]

They should make a pledge option with lavons rising with out backaging unwanted expansions.

[@aSyphodias]

Things is.. I don't want Lavon Rising. Could not care less about another narrative game but the core WA (with Silvestrem maybe for more variety/3D sceneries/nightmare mode) make for a very appealing package for some casual coop tactical game. WA attracts me because I am not hardcore into that type of game and I would like to play with my wife and friends that do not have the interest or time commitment to go super deep into a game. And I got all the freebies too ;) Quick question: I thought special on dice were always considered a 'hit', were you talking about a specific scenario?

[@TheKingofAverage]

Aye I misspoke in my example, but all that does is lower the chance, but not to zero. Can still roll all blanks. As for the more core pledge without narrative - yeah that's solid then as I heard they are thinking of redoing the encampment as well. As long as you don't need much story to play a campaign game and don't mind a higher degree of randomness it's pretty solid.

[@PlayGamzWithMe]

As usual great video! I'm all in on stormsunder!

[@TheKingofAverage]

Happy to help Mark, glad to hear you liked it! :)

[@daodasbrot4817]

Thank you, I heard so many 5/5 about this game and it was really as wondering me. What I saw from WA, the KI and monsters are not really different, smart and interesting. Thx for beeing honest.

[@TheKingofAverage]

Always a pleasure sir :)

[@AmstradHero]

So only critical reviews can be honest? Maybe the reason people are giving the game 5/5 is because they're not expecting it to be Stormsunder like KoA was for most of his review.

[@daodasbrot4817]

@@AmstradHero No, not only critical reviews. Did you watch Alex? :-) But I don't like the Monsters, saw all of them in "die Nische" and really disliked it. Thought it would be a game for me, but the Monsters and the KI are KEy for me. So I really id not liked that Alex did not push this point. And yes, I think it is easier to be poitive about a game, than to say something bad about a game. Cause all those Lovers will come and hate you. At least my thought about it.

[@AmstradHero]

@@daodasbrot4817 Conversely, I would say it is tons easier to be critical about something than actually come up with reasoned and rationale criticism or justify *why* something is good. Sure, anyone can say "this game sucks" or "this game is great", but actually breaking down why something is *good* I would say is much harder to say why you didn't like something.

[@daodasbrot4817]

​@@AmstradHero hmmm, don't know if you are right. Because games are much about emotion, you can always say, "it was Fun". But on the other hand you could also say the other ay around. I think to explain why you think the game is bad od good, is the hardest, and that I was missing from other reviews. Well, not right. I was missing the part I do not like and is important to me. (but not played it). But KoA did it. so I liked it :-) But to the first topic, yes I need to know what games the Content creator does not like, so I can understand his taste better. For instant, I was shocked when I found out KoA liked Massive Darkness, but now I think His Opinion would be different. Also one of my favorite Tubers likes Zombicide as a good Dungeon Crawler. So I know I will not listen to him if he will give a Judgment to Blackstone Fortress or Reichbusters

[@danielveda5870]

What are your take on it if you already have the previous version? The price discount makes it very tempting to get all new, I think I will be able to sell my previous version for about 100$ as well. One of the things I like about Wild Assent is that it's not an epic long adventure but just about the encounters. It makes it more accessible, and the variation of the characters and monsters is good. The campaign (of the original) reminds me more of a puzzle (like Magic the Gathering has on pc/consoles) than an adventure, but I think this works good. Lavon Rising will give this more depth, but I get a feeling that Wild Assent is not ment to be an epic journey as other games in this genre, and that sets it apart. That said, I am still considering canceling my pledge and just keep the original, and save my money for something else.

[@scottsingleton1780]

That's a rough time for Wild Assent! I'm still considering backing for some of those minis but I'll let it stew a bit I think.

[@tgeorgom]

I also commented that if I had the space and interested in the minis I would definitely backed it, Minis are perfect.

[@rickbachCGS]

Another great video man!

[@TheKingofAverage]

Glad you liked it!

[@namewithheld8115]

You've provided some fantastic feedback and well considered criticism. Thank you. Since this is a Kickstarter, rather than a retail release, they've got 1-3 years before it reaches us. How likely do you think it is that LSG will address the issues you've identified?

[@TheKingofAverage]

They are good with feedback, but not everything I've mentioned can be easily resolved without changing systems. But I suspect they'll take all of it into consideration and do what they can to make it the best game they can :)

[@sebastienvivas9319]

Great work on the review. Very thorough and concise.

[@teestarbird4478]

Honestly I've kinda cooled on Kickstarters and backing games in general..Just getting a bit tired of dropping 300+ dollars for a game I won't get for 2+ years..now with the whole freight issue there's a ton of uncertainty out there. I'd rather pay for a game I can take home and play today.

[@MrUzilara]

same sentiment here...kinda have most of the games I want (or they are still underway - Tanares Adventurs - Oathsworn) So far only backed MB:Ragnarok this year.

[@joaocraveiro1]

Really helpful! Thank you. I was trying to make my mind, but my interest was all about those great miniatures. Since I'm a Stormsunder backer, I'll skip WA.

[@TheKingofAverage]

I think you'll love Stormsunder, a great game! WA certainly provides even more great minis, and the minis really are great! Plenty in Stormsunder though O.O

[@Jonnyg552]

Great review! Many of your negatives were why I did not go in for the first KS. If they had just allowed for Lavon Rising to not be so tied up with WA and allow it to be its own pledge I would have been all over it. As it currently stands it means more money for Chronicles of Drunagor and another dungeon crawler in August and the new KS for Arena RPG. One cage match I would like to see is Storms under, Bardsung, and Chronicles of Drunagor.

[@NotedEel]

Glad you got to this one king! Can't wait to hear your thoughts

[@janvogelaar7078]

Apparently you could wait, since you spent time commenting in stead of hearing his thoughts by watching the video 😅

[@NotedEel]

@@janvogelaar7078 incredible

[@janvogelaar7078]

@@NotedEel thanks, I hear that a lot 😉

[@METAL4K-UK]

Makes sense releasing this when you did. At the very end of the Wild Assent kickstarter, and just before Stormsunder kicks off 😏.

[@siriactuallysara]

I agree. I am skipping this but getting all in on stormsunder.

[@galdelamy9462]

great review ! more of this kind of video 👍

[@TheKingofAverage]

Happy to hear it! If I can squeeze out a few extra reviews by forgoing the setup then I think that's something I'll certainly do in the future :)

[@TheRhaydon]

Whew, you saved me some money sir! I’m all in with stormsunder so maybe I’ll just wait until they slap another expansion on to that in the future. Have to save my shekels for CoD Apocalypse anyway.

[@TheKingofAverage]

Happy to help Ron!

[@anzac_exile3780]

Hi - thanks for the comprehensive look at the whole lot, but how would you rate just getting the Core game and nothing else (I am not paying an All-In just to get Lavon Rising) if you want a fight game (I am still on the fence for Stormsunder as I have a lot of similar narrative games but nothing really like Wild Assent) ?

[@johnhlatky7384]

Would love a comparison video. I’m waiting on the Taneras Adventures to come in. :)

[@Chronocrits]

Kind of makes me wish I had known about Stormsunder during its campaign. So many Kickstarter exclusives, it almost puts me off late backing/pre-ordering because I’m going to miss out on loads and loads of content.

[@ry7047]

You are not going to miss anything if you late pledge.

[@Lexgamer]

How is crafting? I'm a Monster Hunter video game fan, and backed both the Monster Hunter board game, and Primal. I love the idea of fantasy hunting games where you kill/capture for crafting parts. How is this on that front?

[@TheKingofAverage]

Monster Hunter definitely does a better job at this I feel. Here resources feel more like a currency you use to buy stuff with than crafting and I think part of that is just how they present it. You don't have a crafting tree or anything like that and also can't choose what to hunt so you tend to just get what you can get and then trade that in for items.

[@stevekozlowski5963]

Yeah, I'm really torn on this. I have the first Wild Assent and I think it's fun, but not amazing. I'm still on the fence, but this was a helpful review. I agree with a lot of what you're saying about other games doing it better. I already have Arena (and the expansion is on the way), I have Hate, and I will have Stormsunder at some point, so I'm not sure I need this. Thanks for the in depth review!

[@TheKingofAverage]

Considering Stormsunder is based on the same core mechanics, just made better it sounds to me like you'll love it. It takes what Wild Assent does and runs with it in a really great way.

[@stevekozlowski5963]

@@TheKingofAverage yeah, that's how I'm leaning. Unfortunately, the other side of me wants to "protect my investment" by getting the new stuff. I feel like if I don't back the new stuff, I'll never pay the old stuff because it will be "incomplete" and I don't want to sell it at a loss (which I'll have to do if I sell because there's a "better version" available). That feels like crazy logic, I know, but there it is all the same. The FOMO doesn't help... Ugh

[@CrossingTheMiddle]

Do you have an opinion about the core pledge? For 120$ seems interesting, the core+the new SGs, Daily Unlocks, the 3 free add-ons and the new core rules and adjustments

[@TheKingofAverage]

Core is almost always the best deal for all games :) Core WA drops the narrative so you'd have the PvP game and the "how many seasons can you get" style campaign hunt mode with encampment. I heard they are looking to redo the encampment. As long as you don't need a strong narrative to play a campaign game then I say go for it.

[@casspirmk6338]

At last and least somebody came up with honest opinion.

[@athragan]

I do get that you need channel partners, but does Game Work Create actually offer fair prices? I wanted to recommend Oathsworn to one of my friends, cause it seems like a good game, and you said good things about it, but she missed the kickstarter, so i checked out the Game Work Create website. The base game pledge with standees cost $99 on KS, while on the GWC website it's at $230. I do get that it includes the shipping cost (now it's free for orders above $45), and probably the game would cost more now, then before, but it still seems expensive to me.

[@TheKingofAverage]

Ah yeah I hear ya. It's certainly pricier (especially with a game that didn't have a retail pledge so wasn't bought cheaper to begin with) but it's FAR more fair when you look at what others are charging I feel. A quick trip to ebay shows the core pledge for $449.99 at the cheaper end so $100 more. Also unlike other sites you aren't forced into the biggest bundle but can instead get more options so you don't overpay in that regard either. Most companies charge you an arm and a leg and then some, often tripling the price. From what I've seen GWC is way more reasonable so I feel safer sending people there. If it means a viewer of mine avoids paying double the price on eBay or some such then I'm glad I was able to save them some money. It might not always be the cheapest on everything of course, but the markup seems much better to me than most I've seen.

[@athragan]

@@TheKingofAverage True. The ebay prices can be crazy. I saw it with Tainted Grail. It's still hard to believe, that someone is actually willing to overspend that much on a board game. But I guess FOMO is real. Nevertheless $230 is too much as well. At least for us. I just saw a used retail version of Conan in good condition for $67. I will recommend that instead.

[@brandonzaffke788]

Thanks a lot for this video, I was wondering how it would stand up to Stormsunder. I can't get both any knew I wanted Stormsunder already. Sticking with Stormsunder.

[@TheKingofAverage]

Sounds like the smart choice for you certainly. Wild Assent isn't a bad game per se, but Stormsunder beats it in every single mark IMO.

[@reddjarum]

Buying WA mostly for the minis and possible future products by LSG that might utilize both minis sets from SS and WA for future LSG games.

[@Lecture.Audiobooks]

I didn't know Arena and Tanares ! Thank you ! xD

[@NerdAndProudOfIt]

thanks for the honest video! btw: can i compare this to judgement eternal champions?

[@TheKingofAverage]

You are very welcome! Sort of. Both are arena based, Judgement has much more terrain options like walls and area covering forests and such so there's that. Judgement has no co-op option. Both are a big focus on character positioning and activation order. WA has the encampment phase where Judgement does not. Those are the big points I'd say.

[@NerdAndProudOfIt]

@@TheKingofAverage thanks, appreciate it. i went all in on judgement, based on your review, so i think i ll skip stormsunder (and wild assent). i just looked at the stormsunder late pledge and for 650 bucks i don t even get everything, so it s getting a bit much. especially looking at everything i backed the last few weeks.

[@gabrielwannes9220]

Thank you so much for the review. Just in time, I was about to pledge for wild assent core game. Now I`ll just raise my pledge of stormsunder to bones of the conquered instead of getting wild assent :)

[@maximecg25]

Thanks for the review KoA. Question : I dont want Stormsunder, so can I enjoy Wild Assent on it own?

[@TheKingofAverage]

Of course! They are doing a full rule rewrite which should help that part and I hear they might make some changes to the Encampment as well. So as long as you don't need a strong story to play the campaign mode and you want to do some PvP stuff as well it's a solid choice for an all-in one. Arena has the far better narrative of base WA, but lacks the encampment phase for instance.

[@maximecg25]

@@TheKingofAverage I will go for the reprint of the old former KS then. My main complaint with Lazy Squire Games is the same here than with Stormsunder : I feel they are greedy for a company that didnt deliver much. The Stormsunder all-in is more than 600$ and that was before delivering the first Wild Assent, now WA reprint is 450$... I feel thats really a huge amount of money a company is asking without showing much in exchange... They are asking a huge amount of faith and trust from their backers.

[@GameBrigade]

Great review

[@neo00001]

Did you have the same issues?

[@TheKingofAverage]

Glad to hear you liked it! :)

[@GameBrigade]

@@neo00001 I think he nailed a lot of truths. The gameplay is very quick to play and keeps the pace moving. I liked that aspect. The gameplay felt like a puzzle to me but didn't have much sorry breath. I felt the story was Lacking. I definitely felt that WA needed a 1.5, which is what lavon rising is. I think I'd rather just get Stormsunder at that point. Unless you really like the hunt aspect of WA. I also agree they calling it KDM light is a bad analogy.

[@Exilium2090]

Hi! Great video as usual! I need some help, hopefully you see the comment in time... I am in Arena + Tanares, Primal, Bardsung and Drunagor and planning to go in SS after your video. However, WA has some interesting minis... How do you compare Primal vs Wild Assent? I can only get so many, so I am willing to consider a refund on Primal to swap to Wild Assent... Help!! :P

[@Grognard-Solo-Gaming]

Like a boss! 😎 Great video! This inspires me to get more waves of Stormsunder 👍😁

[@patriziopastore9895]

I really like the fact that you are point out that the game is good but there are better game that to the same things... is kind of help to save money although I think also Wild Assent deserve a shot

[@PeterSikachev]

Could you explain a bit more in detail how Gameworks (the company you advertise) helps with a missed KS? Do they sell extra stock?

[@gameworkcreate]

Peter, we carry mainly exclusive or hard to currently find content from Kickstarter and other crowdfunding platforms. Thanks for the inquiry. Let me know if you have any specific questions. You can email me at [e-mail] Happy gaming!

[@Muageto]

Unrelated but Steamwatchers Unboxing and/or Review incoming ?

[@TheKingofAverage]

Unboxing already filmed ;)

[@Santzlol]

Nova Aetas Renaissance or Stormsunder ?

[@jodiahquincy2693]

I love games set in the same world, so the theme is a plus for me.

[@TheKingofAverage]

oh for sure - and it's a fantastic theme! Just means I can't say "if you didn't like Stormsunder's then Wild Assent is something similar you might like" as that's just not true now :D

[@Tharukan]

So, looks like Stormsunder will get a 5++ from BoardGameCo :D

[@TheKingofAverage]

oh I have little doubt. Already told him that if he liked WA he'll LOVE SS. :D

[@DIRK291090]

I'm currently backing Wild assent and I was really in doubt about which one to get between the two games. Thanks for the videos, it was really helpful, I'm probably gonna drop WA in favour of stormsunder

[@kylemoore7746]

Doing both... Although I went low ball on Stormsunder since they will allow upgrades after first wave. What are the chances I'm going to want to play more than 100 hours of a single campaign??

[@callum5257]

Me too. KOA is also doing this

[@kylemoore7746]

@@callum5257 are you secretly KoA? My notifications showed he replied and took me to your comment 😂

[@callum5257]

@@kylemoore7746 Haha no. I am far less talented.

[@jordnz]

thank youuuu, I'm terrible at FOMO'ing but this confirmed to me I should pass and save my $ for something else (Stormsunder)

[@TheKingofAverage]

I'm glad I could help you find the right decision for you and do so with confidence :) I think you'll love Stormsunder!

[@pg1670]

This is what people like to see! An honest review. Highly appreciated. Thank you KoA

[@NeilY1000]

Thank you ... I have been agonising over this pledge. I have backed Stormsunder, but the price point of WA is just so high. Just tonight another expansion has been added. Its just so expensive. I can't wait for Stormsunder, but not sure I need WA. The publisher is great and I wish them the best. I cancelled my pledge ... But will up my pledge on Stormsunder, as that feels more in my zone. I do wish the project well though .,.. great looking game, but with CoD Age of Darkness coming behind it, I have to prioritise :)

[@nekochen]

I never see Wild Assent to be a must-have for my narrative-driven OCD, but the miniatures kept my interests piqued so I keep going back to the campaign page again and again... It's just that game board though. I don't like having life point or victory point track on the arena board, and I hate having one static board for this type of game, because the visual gets very stale after a few play. Thanks for the great review. I'll just sit on my all-in Stormsunder and wait for this game to go retail... if it ever does.

[@technoartfest8708]

yep.. that's my dilema.. minis in wild assent looks much better and much more interesting than the storm sunder ones , but when it comes to the story narrative , stormsunder seems much better. ill pick SS and try to pick at least core game of WA

[@athragan]

I like grandiose tales too, but i need these kind of stories as well, when not everything is about saving the galaxy (again). I mean we saved it a dozen times already. Can't we just save a the royal family instead? I would even settle for saving just a city once in a white. Anyway i liked the review. Thanks! I'm getting Stormsunder (hopefully - i have no idea when they will deliver at this point), so i'm happy with my decision.

[@randyrandy5337]

Dont understand why they go the same way with wa than with stormsunder. They should work on wa, the animals the camp, to envolve the skirmish and arena.

[@EricWoning]

The guy who wanted that currency in Oathsworn - 100% he's English and 90% sure he wants to go back to shillings etc (there's a large crowd here that want that now we're independent). Just to give an excerpt of how crazy that system is: "Prior to Decimal Day in 1971 there were 240 pence in one pound sterling. Twelve pence made a shilling, and twenty shillings made a pound. Values less than a pound were usually written in terms of shillings and pence, e.g. forty-two pence would be three shillings and six pence (3/6), pronounced "three and six". Values of less than a shilling were simply written in terms of pence, e.g. eight pence would be 8d." Me: THAT'S CRAZY! Them: Bring it back! .....

[@Vascariz]

Gosh for a comparison there's tons out there: Chronicles of Drunagor, Oathsworn, ATO, Stormsunder, Arena, Tanares, Sankokushin, KDM (expansions) etc plenty more I've missed

[@rickyb1665]

The minis are gorgeous and that was a huge draw for WA: LR. I also like the theme more in Wild Assent vs Stormsunder. The environments and creatures, such as the jungle dinos and dragons, water shark and squid creatures, etc. just tickle my fancy over the vampires and mummies in Stormsunder. After watching this review though, it’s not enough to get me to spend several hundred dollars on a game with mediocre (at best?) gameplay. The PVP would be nice, but also isn’t enough. If there was cross compatibility with some /all of the heroes and monsters in WA:LR I might buy it, but as it stands will just stick with Stormsunder and hope the sequel has new environments and creatures, and maybe even a PVP mode.

[@jean-francoisblais7940]

Here I was hoping for a super positive review. Back to thinking about it.

[@Vascariz]

I'm going to wait till Kingdom Forlorn and Stormsunder v2, let the dust settle on all these mega campaign games

[@helixcom]

Your example from the rulebook about activations not being clear and that it never states the activation order at 45:08 - You have a screenshot of the rulebook page on the screen.... but absent from your screenshot is, literally, the sentence right before the screenshot section you included - which states: "Seekers and Creatures alternate activations, beginning with the side identified in the Encounter Setup." I think your point would be better made if you had included this line in your example (again, it's literally the sentence right before the section you show in the screenshot) - and then discuss whether you felt "Seekers and Creatures alternate activations" was confusing.... instead you stated it was never mentioned and only inferred later in some random section of the rulebook. I'm not defending the rulebook overall - just that this example seemed a bit off. It's the final sentence of the "Encounter Setup" section - which is an odd choice... but it is the sentence just prior to what you show.

[@TheKingofAverage]

Ah! Under "Encounter Setup" go figure :P Not the best place for it, but certainly an improvement!

[@SteveOw0]

After this video, a Wild Assent vs Stormsunder video is really not needed. :-) However, a Stormsunder vs Tanares video would be interesting. Also, I like your studio, but you need to fill up those shelves with some games.

[@TheKingofAverage]

I suspect they will be back here soon enough :)

[@paulb2474]

are you recording in a new larger wide screen format?

[@TheKingofAverage]

I've been recording in this format for some time actually! Minimal change to computer/tv viewing but helps on phone a lot :)

[@aurelienbois2087]

Strange how you and Man vs Meeple have a totally different look at combat. And I must say I don't really understand the problem with luck. I mean, you don't often get games that let you reroll or change your dice. When playing Blackstone Fortress, it can be very punishing, though the game is good ! Sometimes you hit, sometimes you miss. Same thing concerning the fact that it looks similar to Stormsunder. Obviously it does : Frosthaven does look like Gloomhaven, doesn't it ? I would almost say that I'm backing WA:LR for the art ! It's not perfect or beautiful for everyone (one of my friends doesn't like that art style), but it is soooooo appealing to me. Anyway, good to hear some "negative" words about the game (note the quotation marks), it reminds that it is not perfect. But a bit expensive though.

[@jhowd78]

I think we both agree on combat but I'm more forgiving on AI cards coming out randomly. Even if its in my favor or not. I know I'm backing Stormsunder

[@BayonetRecon]

This is the review we needed. ;) Appreciate the candor in this review!

[@TheKingofAverage]

You are quite welcome! It's not fun at all to be the debbie downer, but was honest with you guys and I think that's more important than anything else. Happy I made it in time!

[@koonfasa]

I’m looking for a monster skirmisher more than Mythic Battles. You know there ought to be a Pokémon skirmisher…

[@patriziopastore9895]

The Wild Assent Campaign lost backers... is it because of this video?