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Description
Familiar Tales is a co-operative, deck-building, fantasy adventure for 1-4 players. It's an exciting narrative game in which players take on the roles of a wizard's familiars, entrusted with saving and raising a displaced princess. They must keep her safe from the evil forces that would see her dead, but when it comes to children, it is not enough to merely survive! The familiars know that every choice they make will affect the young one in their care. If they are victorious and the throne is reclaimed, what kind of woman will sit upon it?
Players will explore a massive world through the pages of a fantastical story book filled with branching paths and memorable characters. Fight off enemies, and explore the many nooks and crannies of an enchanted world. Experience a professionally narrated, fully scored, decade-spanning fantasy epic. Easily downloadable for both Mac and Windows, this browser-based app is required to play Familiar Tales. Think of it as an automated game master and storyteller! The app also features a digital, searchable rulebook.
An innovative card play system allows players to level up their familiars by building and customizing their skill decks. Players will use their skill cards to perform all manner of exciting actions throughout their campaign.
—description from the publisher
Year Published
2022
Featured Videos
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 6
This page: 6
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–6 of 6
Video dlABqtYhbMk
Dungeon Dive Daniel game_review at 0:17 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61307 · mention_pk 153981
Click to watch at 0:17 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Excellent app integration that enhances play and serves as GM
- Rulebook thorough and clear, among the best Plaid Hat rulebooks
- Charming art and accessible but substantive gameplay
- Engaging campaign with branching paths and replay value
- Solid solo mode that scales across characters
Cons
- App reliance might not appeal to all players
- Some added complexity could overwhelm new players (though kept manageable)
Thematic elements
- Story-driven choices shaping the fate of a child; collaboration with companions to shepherd a young life through peril
- Fantasy realm; magical dungeon-crawl across three eras where four familiars protect and raise a displaced princess
- Campaign-based, branching narrative driven by app-guided storytelling and a keyword-system
Comparison games
- Mice and Mystics
- Stuffed Fables
- Aftermath
- Sleeping Gods
- Gloomhaven
- Dungeon Run
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- App Assisted — An integrated app acts as game master, tracks enemy turns, danger level, and campaign progress.
- App-assisted gameplay — An integrated app acts as game master, tracks enemy turns, danger level, and campaign progress.
- card crafting — Foraging for items and crafting potions, weapons, armor using gathered materials.
- Deck-based skill checks with four types — Players use a shared or personal deck to perform agility, blocking, insight tests, plus movement, augmented by a fate die.
- Keyword system and app interactions — Keywords unlock new interactions in-app and with other characters; progress tracked via campaign sheets.
- Modular map and location books with line-of-sight — Movement uses dotted lines; line of sight uses map dots; encounter setup uses right-hand location book pages.
- Multi-use cards — Cards have icons and combo triggers; fatigue cards can clog decks and add danger; solo mode uses a unified deck.
- Multi-use cards and combos — Cards have icons and combo triggers; fatigue cards can clog decks and add danger; solo mode uses a unified deck.
- Resource gathering and crafting — Foraging for items and crafting potions, weapons, armor using gathered materials.
- Story/bond cards and campaign journals — Story and bond cards unlock interactions and track progression with app-triggered outcomes.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- familiar tales has none of those issues
- the app is just a web page which is really nice you don't have to download anything everything is on the web page
- this is clearly one of the best app integrated board games that i have played
- the rule book is also pretty dang good
- this is probably the best plaid hat rule book i have seen since dungeon run
- it is a game that is absolutely charming
- i have loved every moment i have spent with the game so far
- there is a heck of a lot to love in familiar tales
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ss_BzP6WzNo
One Stop Co-Op Shop top_20_list at 9:18 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12914 · mention_pk 37797
Click to watch at 9:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong narrative drive; compelling voice-acting in app
- manageable solo play with varied character options
Cons
- low deck-building depth; solo viability limited for Pure solo players
Thematic elements
- protecting a girl and guiding through story maps
- solo and cooperative narrative adventure with light deck-building
- Disney-like, story-driven narration with app support
Comparison games
- Descent: Journeys in the Dark (narrative elements)
- Other deck-building/adventure hybrids
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- deck-building/ modification with limited card cycling — narrative adventure with deck-building elements used sparingly
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- there's basically like a little tactical game you have these varied factions that like hugely vary the game
- the solo mode is very complicated I'm super impressed
- this is an amazing one in a small package for a small price
- the story grabbed me and would not let go
- the racing is the smoothest solo racer I've ever played by far
- it's an emotional ending—the most emotional game experience I've had this year
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 74SacIKG1xc
Our Family's Games general_discussion at 56:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11470 · mention_pk 33753
Click to watch at 56:01 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong theme and art
- co-op play with story elements
Cons
- app integration can be fiddly
- not as replay-stable for some players
Thematic elements
- minion-driven adventure with storybook app
- fantasy kingdom / cooperative adventure
- adventure-book style with app integration
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative storytelling / app-driven — players influence the story through app prompts
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's not cohesive at all
- we're going to rate our games on a scale of one to ten
- OFPG endorsement for the top picks
- don't sleep on Acropolis
- you can carry Cat in the Box easily
- we love you bye now
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video otjEL8YtlwM
Foster the meele Channel top_10_list at 7:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10149 · mention_pk 29874
Click to watch at 7:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Vibrant fairy tale vibes
- Pairs well with Speak Now's storytelling energy
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- fairy-tale adventures
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- storytelling / set collection — narrative progression with thematic cards
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Ticket to Ride is also many people's debut into board games
- you got to go fast
- you got to be swift
- Fearless is the Trailblazer album for Taylor
- Familiar Tales for me is giving me Speak Now vibes
- Bark Avenue because when you say speak a dog Burks
- the gates of Loyang … the box is red
- it's the era of Taylor Swift where she started to not really care and started to make fun of herself
- London boy
- Phantom Ink right because I don't know not only like the name of the game but the vibe
- the longest board game name I can think of
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zIKcheJ8w0Q
Foster the Meatball Channel haul at 18:31 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8643 · mention_pk 25454
Click to watch at 18:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
extremely positive
Pros
- narration and production are outstanding
- tie-in to Jamie's love of theme and beauty
Cons
- not widely available yet at time of haul
Thematic elements
- story-driven campaign
- Disney princess-esque story with animal protagonists
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- campaign/story app integration — app-based storytelling with critter protagonists guiding a princess baby through growth
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is being put to the top of the list it is anyways
- if somebody asked what my favorite game of the con was it was going to be this
- this is my new favorite game
- this is the best moment of my life basically
- they probably gave it to the right people because i'm gonna pump the heck out of this game
- we got to demo a new game that's coming out in January from Plaid Hat Games called Familiar Tales
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ne_4pivs08o
Foster the Meeple general_discussion at 19:20 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4472 · mention_pk 13131
Click to watch at 19:20 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Lighter than Mansions of Madness
- Great narration
- Fairy tale themed
- Good for introducing games
- Story-focused
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Fairy tales
- Fantasy
- Narrative
- Books
Comparison games
- Mansions of Madness
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- moments during board games that formulate memories that you'll never forget
- there's just something for everyone
- it's all about the people
- the board gaming space has allowed me to just have so many incredible fun moments that i'll never forget
- it chose us via christy
- we're gonna have it at jeff's parents basement everybody's coming
- agricola sucks and everybody else seems to love it
- arnak is severely overrated
- i don't think gloomhaven should be number one on the list anymore
- humans are not good at rating things
- my nine is different than your nine
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–6 of 6