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Collection Status
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Description
Game description from the publisher:
It is 1926, and the museum's extensive collection of exotic curios and occult artifacts poses a threat to the barriers between our world and the elder evils lurking between dimensions. Gates to the beyond begin to leak open, and terrifying creatures of increasing strength steal through them. Animals, the mad, and those of more susceptible minds are driven to desperation by the supernatural forces the portals unleash. Only a handful of investigators race against time to locate the eldritch symbols necessary to seal the portals forever. Only they can stop the Ancient One beyond from finding its way to Earth and reducing humanity to cinders.
Elder Sign is a fast-paced, cooperative dice game of supernatural intrigue for one to eight players by Richard Launius and Kevin Wilson, the designers of Arkham Horror. Players take the roles of investigators racing against time to stave off the imminent return of the Ancient One. Armed with tools, allies, and occult knowledge, investigators must put their sanity and stamina to the test as they adventure to locate Elder Signs, the eldritch symbols used to seal away the Ancient Ones and win the game.
To locate Elder Signs, investigators must successfully endure Adventures within the museum and its environs. A countdown mechanism makes an Ancient One appear if the investigators are not quick enough. The investigators must then battle the Ancient One. A clever and thematic dice mechanism pits their exploration against monsters and the sheer difficulty of staying sane and healthy, all within the standard game duration of one to two hours.
Year Published
2011
Featured Videos
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 10
This page: 10
Sentiment:
pos 5 ·
mix 3 ·
neu 2 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–10 of 10
Video 3-EV-CLOIj8
Ryan and Bethany board game reviews game_review at 0:52 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 62366 · mention_pk 154897
Click to watch at 0:52 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Item cards provide dice control and strategic options
- Cooperative with strong Lovecraftian theme
- Pace and downtime at lower player counts
- Replayability via many adventures and expansions
- Trophy/elder sign progression adds path to victory
Cons
- Very high difficulty and punishing when not drawing elder signs
- Monsters difficult to defeat; often a loss
- Heavy dice-rolling with limited control
- Poor scalability; up to eight players leads to long downtimes
- Base game may need expansions for balance
Thematic elements
- cosmic horror, occult investigations
- Lovecraftian horror in a modern investigator setting
- adventure-card driven with modular missions and doom clock
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- adventure cards with top-down tasks — complete lines on cards sequentially
- Ally cards — allies provide effects across rounds
- character abilities — each investigator has unique abilities and starting items
- Cooperative Game — cooperative, playable solo or with up to multiple players
- Dice rolling — roll dice to fulfill symbols on adventure cards to progress or fail
- dice-rolling resolution — roll dice to fulfill symbols on adventure cards to progress or fail
- doom tokens and Doom Clock — doom tokens accumulate to wake the monster; clock advances each turn
- elder signs and trophies — collect elder signs to defeat the monster; trophies spend for items/spells
- Item cards — common and unique items modify dice and provide saves/extra dice
- Multi-use cards — common and unique items modify dice and provide saves/extra dice
- multi-use saved dice — items allow saving dice between rounds; can save dice to fulfill cards
- Resource management — track sanity and stamina (brains and hearts) and manage losses/gains
- Solo/Co-op play — cooperative, playable solo or with up to multiple players
- Spell cards — spells that affect dice and provide combos
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- elder sign this is kind of a dice rolling horror game set in the Lovecraft universe of Cthulhu
- there's a lot going on for a dice game
- I usually don't like a lot of dice rolling in my games I like more control and this game did give me a little bit of that
- Overall Elder Sign it's a fun game I like it it's a solid game
- not again that I recommend strongly but if you like to love crap universe if you like tough co-ops if you like dice rolling in your games might be worth check it out
- we've never beat a monster
- we would never dream of playing with eight players
- solo game maybe two three four players at the most
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video YCSG0veLyok
Watch It Play general_discussion at 3:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 51276 · mention_pk 140190
Click to watch at 3:09 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong story-driven elements
- replayability through varying events and cards
Cons
- rules complexity
- setup time
Thematic elements
- cooperative mystery with eldritch threats
- Lovecraftian mythos-inspired investigations in an ominous, occult setting
- story-led encounters via event/Crossroad cards
Comparison games
- Dead of Winter
- Summoner Wars
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — players work together to survive and solve encounters
- cooperative play — players work together to survive and solve encounters
- event/Crossroad cards — cards introduce story-driven challenges that players resolve together
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I think I'm going to have to consider going to my gaming group and my family and saying listen I'd like to explore some of these games a little more deeply
- think about you know personally what do I like in games that help make them more replayable for me
- I imagine that at least a couple my selections will be games that have that scenario based play, event decks, things that have narrative story elements that change each time that you play
- I want us to think what is it about games that makes us want to play them over and over again
- think probably a couple my choices will be something in the living card game format as well because this will offer the benefits of repeated play and getting better at a game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Ympm8kS_QZA
Robert's Solo Board Games Channel top_50_list at 21:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13230 · mention_pk 38732
Click to watch at 21:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- easy to learn
- solid solo experience
Cons
- base game can feel light without expansions
Thematic elements
- Yatzee-like dice with Arkham flavor
- Arkham Horror-inspired Lovecraftian
- Campaign-lite with expansions
Comparison games
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice-based encounters — Yahtzee-style dice to resolve encounters
- Expansions — base game plus many expansions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's always your turn
- one of the best solo deck builders you can get
- this is one of the most impressive solo titles from GMT
- this is such a fantastic puzzle
- a masterpiece of minimalism
- it's such a satisfying card play
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GIBNq6AuHCg
Unknown Channel top_10_list at 2:45 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9448 · mention_pk 27899
Click to watch at 2:45 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong introduction to the Arkham Horror world
- Relatively low upkeep with a focused solo experience
- Accessible entry point into Lovecraftian co-op themes
Cons
- Can become easy with only base content; expansions add difficulty
- Some players may prefer more direct antagonistic opponent rather than a purely dice-driven arc
Thematic elements
- Investigators facing cosmic horrors through dice-driven play
- Arkham/Miskatonic University Lovecraftian mythos
- Narrative-driven exploring clues and Elder Signs
Comparison games
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
- Lovecraftian dice games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice-driven clue collection — Roll dice to gather clues and elder signs to delay or defeat the deity
- Resource gathering and combat against a deity — Manage clues, elder signs and assets to defeat a chosen deity
- Roll-and-challenge against a non-direct opponent — No direct human opponent; the challenge is the deity and procedural events
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's very thematic, basically a gamification of the process of creating a character in DND
- the AI opponent is very smooth and doesn't take a lot of upkeep
- it's one page front and back, that's it very, very simple rules
- this is known as a raw and ripe game and it's a pretty beloved genre
- the universe games come with mini expansion modules that add replayability
- an 18-card masterpiece
- print this right here to turn it into a flip and ride game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video _n-_KwavI60
Tabletop Turtle general_discussion at 0:00 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 6606 · mention_pk 19615
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
- cooperative game
- host doesn't play cooperative games often
- mediocre game
Thematic elements
- Lovecraftian
- cosmic horror
- Elder creatures
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm very Cutthroat here - I much rather save budget for a new game, save space for new games
- not all games are forever games - sometimes it's totally okay to buy a game with the expectation of playing it for about five years and then not wanting to play it again
- I can still respect I played a lot of Steam, but I just don't want to play it anymore
- there's so much hate on like oh you can't be like dipping your chosen to miniature games - but as adults there's so much hate on that
- when you own a lot of games there's a lot of rules up here and the tough thing is that when there's so many rules up here you need some games that you teach or play later to be a little intuitive
- the difficulty I have with it is that when I explain it to new players it's tough to explain - each player has a different ruleset
- I think that's one of the first games that if it didn't invent that concept at least popularize it
- if the game is going to warrant me having to do separate explanations for everybody, extra effort - it's got to be really damn good and Vast isn't really damn good
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video pOoGhKDEkho
Three Minute Board Game game_review at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 6401 · mention_pk 18956
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Easy to teach due to Yahtzee-style dice
- Accessible, lightweight co-op within the Arkham setting
- Lots of character and encounter variety
- Expansions add depth and improve experience
- Solid core loop of rolling dice to solve encounters
- Great companion phone app
Cons
- Dice randomness can lead to frustrating spirals
- Low-probability success may rely on luck
- Some players may dislike heavy dice reliance
- Core set might feel lightweight for some players
Thematic elements
- Investigating ancient evil and occult horror
- Arkham, Massachusetts; Arkham Museum
- cooperative, scenario-driven encounters
Comparison games
- Arkham Horror
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative win condition — All players win when enough Elder Signs are collected before failure.
- Dice-based action resolution — Players roll dice with symbols and assign results to encounter tasks.
- Encounter decks with gate mechanics — Encounters come from decks; some create gate openings and spawn threats.
- Mythos and Doom track — Mythos cards add Doom, leading to monster appearances and Old One awakenings.
- Variable investigator powers — Each investigator has unique abilities that influence strategy.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Elder Sign is one of the Arkham file games from Fantasy Flight games and it's one of the lighter and more accessible ones
- the core gameplay Loop of rolling dice matching symbols and solving encounter cards is very solid
- it also has a great phone app
- on top of that there's a bunch of good expansions that really improve the overall experience
- but as for the core set alone it's a great lightweight Co-op game for those folk who love Dice and want something lighter than most Arkham games
- the best thing about this game is that simple core Yahtzee based dice system it makes it very easy to teach
- however, if you hate dice you're really gonna hate this game
- Elder Sign: screw this guy hate him
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bJ5RjGXJsrs
boardgames 4k general_discussion at 0:33 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 6388 · mention_pk 18860
Click to watch at 0:33 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- strong thematic atmosphere
- cooperative teamwork
- short, tense sessions
Cons
- rule complexity can be opaque for newcomers
- availability and component quality concerns over time
Thematic elements
- cooperative investigation into eldritch forces
- Lovecraftian horror investigations
- story-driven campaign feel with mythos flavor
Comparison games
- Arkham Horror
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — players collaborate to survive investigations against eldritch threats
- cooperative play — players collaborate to survive investigations against eldritch threats
- dice pool/roll-and-allocate — dice are rolled and allocated to perform actions and resolve encounters
- Dice rolling — dice are rolled and allocated to perform actions and resolve encounters
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- probably the greatest party game of all time
- it's a betting racing game
- this is basically one huge massive rondell of a game
- I hate painted miniatures
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zLaTSNphdTM
Beyond Solitaire interview at 1:00:15 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5330 · mention_pk 15856
Click to watch at 1:00:15 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- engaging for families and casual groups
- diverse investigations into mythos lore
Cons
- mythos theme may not appeal to all players
Thematic elements
- cooperative/competitive exploration with difficulty management
- Lovecraftian mythos
- pulp horror adventure
Comparison games
- Dominion
- Founding Fathers
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative/competitive try-to-survive — players cooperate to close gates while competing for elder tokens
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The Dietz Foundation is the world's only not-for-profit game company so that we are set up that when we make money in however we make it that our funds and our profits go towards helping education.
- Donations always go directly to the cause, after the PayPal fee, 97 percent goes where it's supposed to go—much more than the 50 or 60 percent you get from most charitable organizations.
- Games are a great way to learn about everything.
- I don't like working for them anymore, I prefer working for myself.
- Education can be wide and varied, and can be by subject matter as well as by the educational goal.
- If you want to learn about civil rights, you can take the game to your home and interact with it in a safe space to think through difficult topics.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video P9zZvuyYDis
Dice Tower library_tour at 7:24 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 4840 · mention_pk 14318
Click to watch at 7:24 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
- Weird mechanics
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Shelf 16 is kind of a an odd mix here
- This shelf has twice as many games as most shelves
- one of my favorite two-player games, but it's very difficult to learn and play
- Fantastic abstract strategy game
- Such a classic game and I like it a lot
- I don't know why I like it so much, but I do
- one of the most beautiful dexterity/party games there are
- There are so many games on the shelf
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video lVJ1ID22RRA
Unknown Channel top_10_list at 8:27 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1168 · mention_pk 3383
Click to watch at 8:27 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong fit for yahtzee fans
- available on phones and tablets for quick play
Cons
- derivative of yahtzee's core mechanics
Thematic elements
- cooperative dice puzzle with card adjustments
- Arkham horror-inspired investigations
Comparison games
- Yahtzee
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card and dice adjustments — use bonuses and cards to shape dice outcomes
- dice rolling and re-rolling — roll dice to complete challenges with different totals
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is fundamentally the same game as yahtzee
- the biggest single difference is that all players are working off the same set of dice
- it's weirdly like a cross between a dice game of yahtzee and magic the gathering without the deck construction
- it's meanly hard at times and disturbingly unfair
- I would recommend it for people who love probability and love taking risk
- it's so silly and light that you can't take it too seriously
- this is a modern take on yahtzee
- my favorite game directly inspired by yahtzee
- you can roll and you can re-roll up to three times
- you can re-roll as much as you want but one side on each character is a biohazard
- it's on phones it's on tablets you can just pick it up and play it anywhere you want
- 30 dice worth of actions in a four- to six-player game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–10 of 10