In Arcadia Quest, players lead guilds of intrepid heroes on an epic campaign to dethrone the vampire lord and reclaim the mighty Arcadia for their own. But only one guild may lead in the end, so players must battle against each other as well as against the monstrous occupying forces.
Arcadia Quest is a campaign-based game for 2 to 4 players, where each player controls a guild of three unique heroes, facing off against the other players and the various monsters controlled by the game. Players need to accomplish a series of quests in order to win each scenario and choose where to go next in the campaign.
Players are able to choose the path their campaign takes, navigating through six out of eleven available scenarios, so each time the campaign is played it can have a different configuration of scenarios. As the campaign progresses, the heroes are able to acquire new weapons, equipment and abilities that give them powerful options to tackle the obstacles ahead. Furthermore, by fulfilling specific quests in a scenario, players unlock exclusive features in subsequent scenarios.
- Great visual appeal and miniature quality
- Engaging dungeon-crawl feel
- Can be chaotic and messy in large sessions
- Balance and campaign progression can be fiddly
- cooperative-maze adventuring with competitive outcomes
- fantasy dungeon-crawl populated by miniatures
- campaign-driven questing with episodic encounters
- Descent
- Mansions of Madness
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative/competitive play — Teams or players cooperate in dungeons but compete for loot and glory.
- Miniatures campaign — Story-driven missions using a modular board and figures.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Artwork does have a big impact on my interest in playing the game.
- I bought games just for artwork that I've never played.
- Santorini doesn't turn me off, and Arcadia Quest doesn't turn me off exactly but I would prefer it to be more realistic in general.
- I think games with Xavier Colette his kind of artwork he did the a lot of the dixit stuff.
- I love getting up and coming down here and shooting a video and editing a podcast and developing content for the next show.
- quit drinking soda it's poison.
- Feast for Odin is a Viking-era title that rewards careful planning.
References (from this video)
- engaging campaign structure
- high replayability
- requires ongoing commitment
- can be bulky
- hero campaigns and modular narrative
- fantasy world with dungeon-crawl style quests
- campaign-driven, narrative-tinged
- Descent: Journeys in the Dark
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- campaign sequencing — story-driven progression across sessions
- miniatures — team-based skirmishes with collectible minis
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Eric Lang is the rock star of board-gaming
- artwork and production matters; artwork and production matters; it's not just putting a game out
- Jamie Stegmaier... Kickstarter guru
- it's not just putting a game out, artwork and production matters
References (from this video)
- rich miniatures
- strong thematic presentation
- campaigns can be long
- expansions may complicate rules
- fantasy quest / dungeon delving
- Arcadia City of wonders
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign-style play — ongoing campaigns with modular scenarios and miniatures.
- Miniature Combat — team-based skirmishes with dungeon-like missions.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Harley Quinn a little bit more.
- Harley Quinn a little bit more. It turned out pretty neat. I'm really quite happy with the end result.
- We've got Batman.
- Hush looks like he's wearing a leather coat.
- Joker's Favor. Cool.
- Wingspan since 2019.
References (from this video)
- engaging campaign feel
- customizable heroes and missions
- strong thematic components
- learning curve can be steep
- sometimes fiddly production components
- team-based co-op with competitive elements
- fantasy dungeon-crawl with modular boards
- campaign-driven scenarios
- Gloomhaven
- Descent: Journeys in the Dark
- Fury of Dracula
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area control / modular board — players move heroes across a modular map to complete objectives while competing with other players.
- Campaign progression — scenarios advance a through-line with persistent upgrades.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- welcome to the Going Analog Quiz Show
- you've earned a place on the leaderboard today
- the name is Mallory, but the game is Megaland
- it's War of Mine—the board game, not the video game
- Puzzle Strike's puzzle-strategy vibe is surprisingly satisfying
References (from this video)
- approachable entry into dungeon crawlers with charming art
- robust campaign replayability and scenarios
- semi-cooperative/competitive tension can be divisive
- components and setup can be substantial
- campaign-based questing with competitive play
- fantasy guild warfare in Arcadia
- story-driven campaigns
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- campaign progression and equipment upgrades — campaign arcs with upgrades and items
- Dice-based combat — combat resolved with dice and mitigating cards
- missions and quests with point scoring — 11 missions with variability across campaigns
- three heroes per player; non-cooperative dynamics — players manage crews with competing objectives
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Dungeon Academy came out in 2019 can be played from 1 to six players
- let me show you how it plays
- the key just means you have to get the key before you can get out of your dungeon
- easy is 1 minute, moderate is 45 seconds and hard is 30 seconds
- our goal is to make this world a better place one board gamer at a time
- I love the original trilogy movies and that's what really drew me to this game
- this one's getting my table as soon as I download that app
- I would recommend this over the original zombicide
- the hordes are coming you need to complete your goals and get out
- it's actually my favorite of the Clank series now
- you never know what's around the corner
- Gloomhaven jaws of the lion what I love the most about this is it's taking the system of Gloom Haven and put it in a package that is super easy to get into
- it's an easier way to learn I think at least for me
- Arcadia Quest is a wonderful game and it was the first dungeon crawler I played
- Star Wars Imperial Assault is getting my table as soon as I download that app
References (from this video)
- Fun tile-pulling mechanics
- Character-driven gameplay
- Great for newcomers
- Less engaging after extensive play experience
- Fantasy Dungeon
- Adventure
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- If Jamie wins a game the first time we play it is an asterisk win if I win a game the first time we play it it is not an asterisk win
- I absolutely love this game
- We understand why everyone loves this game, in our playthroughs it just did not work for us
- Instant love for me
- Jason dominated our January
- He's an undercover competitive person and he's just really good at games
- We are even stevens
- If one of us have no chance of winning and I'm hell-bent on making sure Jamie doesn't win
- You should see us play ping pong
- I feel like you were surprised that I liked this game
References (from this video)
- easy to learn and teach
- flavorful miniatures
- campaign-driven progression
- fiddly line-of-sight rules
- balance can be inconsistent
- campaign-driven dungeon crawling with rival players
- fantasy realm with guild-like adventurers
- episodic progression with carryover rewards
- Blood Rage
- Rising Sun
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- competitive objectives with co-op flavor — collect objectives and confront rivals
- persistent upgrades — carry forward resources to later rounds
- six-part campaign progression — players progress through campaigns; carry over cash and equipment
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- chaos in the old world feels a little bit dated
- it's marvel dice masters
- we hired a cultural consultant for this one who turned out actually to be a kiwi farmer from australia
- blood rage is still a fantastic fun game
- this game's very very easy to play very easy to teach
- i am a little bit concerned about the pillaging aspect
References (from this video)
- chibi miniatures and aesthetic
- campaign-driven progression and boss fights
- rule complexity and line-of-sight fiddliness
- campaign progression, boss battles, competitive heroism
- fantasy dungeon-crawl with chibi minis
- campaign-based with escalating challenges
- Starcadia Quest
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign-based progression — six-game arc with boss encounters and evolving goals
- player-vs-player objective — some scenarios require direct PvP outcomes
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This game is skull and roses.
- This is a game called Forbidden Stars.
- The first action that you put down is going to be the last action that you activate.
- It's a fantastic tease and you get this tragic sinking feeling when you know that you [__] the card that you want to play at the end of your turn.
- This is another hidden trader game called Shadows Over Camelot.
- you can change allegiance when it suits.
- you could make the people on your side think that you are aligned with them and then just basically jump ship and tell them to [__] off.
- If you like being dripfed morphine-like rewards, then Space Base definitely going to be a game for you.
- This broke new ground with the advent of the crossroads cards that have largely been absent since Gen 7 itself.
- Risk Legacy is basically Risk, but you will be changing the way the game plays.
References (from this video)
- Excellent production quality and highly thematic miniatures
- Beautiful artwork and standout production design
- High replay value due to variable quests and hero drafting
- Fast-paced dungeon crawling with relatively quick setup after initial familiarity
- Clear, well-organized rulebook with accessible explanations
- Great box content and tangible components that players enjoy using
- Robust player interaction and strategic tension between guilds
- Setup and scenario organization can be lengthy on first plays
- Character originality can feel thin; some mechanics are not groundbreaking
- Rule quirks can disrupt RPG-era vibe (e.g., items reorganization across large distances)
- Some balance-sensitive rules (like stealing items) can complicate play without house rules
- Downtime can creep in if players spend long in planning or checking quests
- Guild-sponsored dungeon crawling with rivalries, exploration, and item collection
- Fantasy city of Arcadia; three areas with campaign-style scenarios and quests
- Campaign-based, scenario-driven with humorous and thematic backstory for heroes
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign progression, upgrades, and economy — Upgrade phase awards curse cards based on death counters; spend gold to buy items; progression shapes the next scenarios.
- Dice-driven combat with attack/defense mechanics — Black attack dice and white defense dice, with critical icons; shields reduce damage; potential for auto-hits on crits.
- Direct player interaction and loot stealing (house-rule friendly) — Players can attack each other to foil plans; there are mechanics for stealing items (subject to game rules and possible house rules).
- Drafting and hero customization — Drafting methods allow players to select Heroes and starting configurations, adding variety to campaigns.
- Equipment, item management, and rest — Heroes start with items; you can equip weapons/spells, exhaust items in combat, and rest to reset and reorganize tokens.
- Overkill and death tracking — Overkill prevents a full retaliation; heroes who die are placed on a death tracker and can be revived via rest or special rules.
- Scenario-based setup and map creation — Each campaign uses scenario books with spawn points, quest and monster cards; setup dictates map layout and objectives.
- Turn-based movement and action economy — Heroes have movement points and actions per turn; movement to doors or through portals costs points; strategic positioning matters.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Arcadia Quest is a quick light fastpaced Dungeon Crawler with little downtime
- the artwork itself is fantastic
- the rule book is amazing and simply easy to follow with a great story
- the draw of this game is the simp and the fun you get out of it
- you get to attack other players and foil their plans while completing your quests
- production quality is awesome
- replay value is good since your guild will never be the same each campaign and you also have drafting methods to choose Your Heroes
- eight arrows to the knee
References (from this video)
- Beautiful components from Coolbox Games
- High-quality miniatures for painting
- Fun light combat system
- Character progression between scenarios
- Gateway to campaign dungeon crawlers
- Expansion content available
- Less exciting compared to heavier games played later
- Character progression and adventure
- Fantasy village with dungeon scenarios
- heroic
- Starcadia Quest
- Gloomhaven
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign scenarios — Progression through linked scenarios
- Character development — Gain new items and abilities between scenarios
- dungeon exploration — Explore dungeon tiles and fight enemies
- Miniature-based combat — Use detailed miniatures for combat
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- when you start playing like modern board games you realize how it's not that great
- we could not stop we were so addicted to this game
- this was our first foray into like modern board games and heavy strategy games
- when you think about it like that was literally our gateway game into the hobby
- i freaking love that game
- that was the game that i learned that i loved deck builders even before dominion
- i have so many good memories about that game
- we dove into the deep end and it's funny because
- i think actually now that i think about it it probably has is the reason why i'm so competitive with games
- there was no mercy yeah it was super competitive
- the components are beautiful
- everyone knows how good their figures are
- this was really the game that got me into campaigning dungeon crawlers
References (from this video)
- adorable minis
- solid progression and campaign potential
- rules can be fiddly (line-of-sight, etc.)
- campaign length may be long
- team-based dungeon exploration with progression
- Chibi dungeon crawl with miniatures
- campaign-driven with episodic arcs
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Character_progression — characters gain equipment and carryover between scenarios
- tile_placement — build dungeon layouts with modular tiles
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's very very simple it's a move attack attack move game
- prepainted Miniatures which is awesome cuz I can't paint
- Hasbro did try and bring this back on two occasions
- Beyond the Sun this has been described as Tech Tree the board game essentially
- the board is very Bland it's sort of like a white and blue aesthetic
- it's skull and roses an insanely simple concept
- the meta game that appears out of blue in this game
- Brass Birmingham has done the unenviable task of converting an already classic game and actually making it better
- Project Elite is like shooting a load of cocaine coming down off of it and then shooting another load of cocaine
- the player that spends the most money automatically loses the game
References (from this video)
- High production value, upgraded components from Kickstarter
- Engaging campaign system with guild rivalry
- Kickstarter-driven costs may be high
- Complexity can be intimidating for new players
- Guild-based campaign combat, monster raiding, team-based dungeon crawls
- A fantasy city-state where guilds vie for control through bold questing and tactical dungeon expansion.
- Campaign-driven, with ongoing storyline across quests and scenarios
- Golem Arcana
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign progression — Players advance a guild's capabilities across a series of missions, unlocking rewards and abilities.
- real-time loot distribution and upgrade systems — Resource management, loot drops, and equipment choices drive strategic depth.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Hairbrained Schemes, the company behind Golem Arcana, has announced that they have a pretty significant update coming to the application specifically related to the army building.
- So, we did Arcadia Quest on our channel and the Kickstarter came with some upgraded components and they very kindly sent me along some of their upgraded components because they had extras.
- We'll add those to our Arcadia Quest box.
- Wow, what a fantastic time and a big thanks to the organizers and volunteers who created a really fun gaming focused experience for everyone attended there.
References (from this video)
- simple to teach yet deep to master
- numerous expansions and campaign depth
- beautiful components and presentation
- can become heavy with many expansions
- some may dislike the campaign-long commitment
- team-based skirmishes with ongoing campaigns
- fantasy dungeon-crawl campaign
- campaign-driven narrative with dramatic flair
- Descent: Legends of the Dark
- Zombicide
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign progression — Six scenarios per box; can be played standalone or in campaign mode across sessions.
- miniature-based dungeon skirmish — Players command chibi-like miniatures to complete quests, fight monsters, and compete in PvP skirmishes.
- player-versus-player combat — Direct combat between players occurs within dungeon floors.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- QE is an absolutely fantastic game I've had so much fun with this since we picked it up about a year ago.
- it's absolutely hilarious when somebody just goes absolutely mental with the bids.
- Arcadia Quest is an absolutely compelling campaign Skirmish game that looks absolutely fantastic and still plays fantastic today.
- Eric M Lang's Masterpiece in my opinion.
- The Lost Ruins of Arnak doesn’t feel reinvented, but it feels exceptionally well balanced and clearly designed.
- Dune Imperium is absolutely outstanding. this is a deck-building worker placement game.
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Say Anything board game challenge with a board gamey twist
- That is the say anything board game challenge definitely try this at home and let us know
- It's not as easy as people probably think it is
- We cheated maybe we should have draped something over them
- Both said Chronicles of Crime at least four times
- We were talking about the expansions in our heads
References (from this video)
- campaign progression adds long-term motivation
- strong minis potential and thematic vibe
- initial balance and complexity can be a barrier
- older production quality compared to newer CMON lines
- guild-based fantasy campaign with dungeon crawling
- Fantasy city of Arcadia; guilds and dungeon excursions
- campaign-driven experience with evolving narrative across sessions
- Arcadia Quest Riders
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign progression — characters develop over campaigns with recurring elements
- Dice combat — abstracted combat using dice pools and special powers
- modular board / dungeon layout — changing map layouts for variety in scenarios
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- these minis are insanely insanely cool looking
- Blood Rage is my number one game of all time
- the dragon hostage mechanic is not fun when it comes up
- I want to see a God of War board game
- the minis and campaigns in Rising Sun are just so immersive
References (from this video)
- team-vs-environment with PvP elements
- fantasy dungeon-crawl
- heroic/fantasy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Dominion has a severe problem with that artwork being just the definition of.
- the art is not up to date
- This needs a second edition
- We could see a 2.0 that doesn't break the bank
- Time Pirates is a game where you're going through time rescuing artifacts
- Escape the Dark Tower is mindblowingly stupid
References (from this video)
- Vibrant minis and thematic flavor
- Engaging campaign structure with varied scenarios
- Can be chaotic in larger groups
- Learning curve for new players
- campaign-driven dungeon exploration
- fantasy dungeon crawl with miniatures
- story-driven, with scenarios and progression
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign progression — Character advancement and scenario-based storytelling across sessions.
- Dungeon crawl / cooperative combat — Players control heroes with unique powers to tackle dungeon scenarios.
- Miniatures / themed combat — Tactical positioning and combat using collectible-style minis.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- there are stories in a giant book and it randomizes when you go down in the caves
- it's always a new adventure
- the one thing I like is the way that people can take people on missions
- it's got aspects of why I love Battlestar Galactica and the hidden Trader
- the stock market of this game
- it's still there, it's still a great game to play
- the Rondell is so neat
- you can lock out tiles if you take one of the scoring spaces
- the more cards you pull back to your hand when you recall them the better the benefit is
- the minis are really cute, this like cute chibi style
- the artwork and graphic design of this game it is just gorgeous
- it's fascinating to watch people and their logic for figuring out who is The Insider
References (from this video)
- high-quality minis and artwork
- deep campaign potential
- varied scenarios and boss fights
- heavy box and setup
- complex rulebook can be daunting
- storage considerations for many components
- heroic team-based dungeon delving with competitive overhead
- fantasy dungeon-crawl in a city-state of Arcadia
- campaign-driven, monster encounters and boss fights
- Zombicide
- Marvel United
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign progression — heroes gain experience and equipment across scenarios
- Dice-driven actions — players roll action dice to determine available moves and actions per turn
- modular board with scenario tiles — board built from tiles to create varied dungeon layouts per quest
- team-based PvE with bosses — cooperative play against monsters with boss mechanics and loot
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Not only have I never played Arcadia Quest outside of a Kickstarter page
- this is going to be cool this is a whole new license thing for me this star Cadia Arcadia type of gameplay thing that's happening
- I love the colors I really like I like your style I like that kind of manga style artwork
- these minis are adorable
- I instantly drawled look
References (from this video)
- Rich miniatures and guild-play feel
- Deep campaign depth and replayability
- Availability and retail stock variable
- Steep learning curve and setup time
- cooperative/competitive skirmish against monsters and rival guilds
- fantasy dungeon-crawl with guilds and quests
- campaign-driven with ongoing character progression
- Starcadia Quest
- Starcadia Quest / Arcadia Quest family
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Campaign progression — Characters and gear improve over sessions.
- guild-based skirmish — Multiple guilds vie for objectives and control.
- modular board / scenario variety — Boards and quests change the strategic landscape.
- story/quest-driven objectives — Quests define when and how victory is achieved.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Eight minis isn't bad. Comes out to $4 a mini.
- Go for it. It's pretty not terribly expensive.
- The main box from Marvel United Multiverse is available on Amazon. I think it's $40.
- I really hope they can pull it off.
- Peak Team... it's great. Not sure how available it is.