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Description
In Mice and Mystics, players take on the roles of those still loyal to the king – but to escape the clutches of Vanestra, they have been turned into mice! Play as cunning field mice who must race through a castle now twenty times larger than before. The castle would be a dangerous place with Vanestra's minions in control, but now countless other terrors also await heroes who are but the size of figs. Play as nimble Prince Collin and fence your way past your foes, or try Nez Bellows, the burly smith. Confound your foes as the wizened old mouse Maginos, or protect your companions as Tilda, the castle's former healer. Every player will have a vital role in the quest to warn the king, and it will take careful planning to find Vanestra's weakness and defeat her.
Mice and Mystics is a cooperative adventure game in which the players work together to save an imperiled kingdom. They will face countless adversaries such as rats, cockroaches, and spiders, and of course the greatest of all horrors: the castle's housecat, Brodie. Mice and Mystics is a boldly innovative game that thrusts players into an ever-changing, interactive environment, and features a rich storyline that the players help create as they play the game. The Cheese System allows players to hoard the crumbs of precious cheese they find on their journey, and use it to bolster their mice with grandiose new abilities and overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.
Mice and Mystics will provide any group of friends with an unforgettable adventure they will be talking about for years to come – assuming they can all squeak by...
Expansion advice:
For those who have expansions for this game the recommended order by the game designer for playing them is as follows (see original post HERE):
Sorrow and Remembrance (Base game)
Cat's Cradle (Lost Chapter 1)
Heart of Glorm
The Ghost of Castle Andon (Lost Chapter 2)
Downwood Tales
Portents of Importance (Lost Chapter 3), connected to the story in Tail Feathers
Year Published
2012
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 9
This page: 9
Sentiment:
pos 8 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–9 of 9
Video tde2mTSt4bo
Board Game Coffee general_discussion at 21:52 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12959 · mention_pk 37910
Click to watch at 21:52 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong storytelling and theme
- beautiful art and family-friendly vibe
Cons
- lengthy sessions
- can be challenging for younger players
Thematic elements
- cooperative storytelling with a fairy-tale vibe
- fantasy woodland tale where players are mice protagonists
- children's-book-like storytelling chapters
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative storytelling — narrative-driven play with chapter-like progression
- role-mediated actions — each player has a role with unique capabilities
- tile-based exploration — board composed of tiles guiding exploration
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we're giving away over 50 board games to people
- the live winners will only be announced in live
- this is not the first time on this is in a giveaway with us
- the box makes it look interesting
- it's exhausting 24 videos in 12 days
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video _-_btQyHQpk
Cardboard Harold general_discussion at 5:33 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12309 · mention_pk 35897
Click to watch at 5:33 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong theme and cooperative play
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- heroic quest in a party-based adventure
- Fantasy world with furry protagonists
- story-driven co-op style
Comparison games
- Battle Lands
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative adventure — players work together to complete a campaign with narrative choices
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is a book that claims to have a hundred different mechanisms and 100 different diagrams to go with them
- I think this is going to be a great resource
- they are big fans of magic
- what is there there's like Jace and Chandra and Lilith and carne and chub toad
- I'm not sure exactly what Snap is maybe that has to do with shuffling
- I grew up playing Magic I was obsessed with it
- yo there's this article but you should go and check out which could describe this so much better than I could
- I really wanted to spend some time just emphasizing yo there's this article but you should go and check out
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4njke9jUFMg
Quackalope top_10_list at 11:17 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 12357 · mention_pk 36048
Click to watch at 11:17 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Immersive story and character-driven moments
- Beautiful presentation and narrative feel
Cons
- Dice rolls can be punishing and frustrating
- Learning curve and campaign length can be substantial
Thematic elements
- Narrative-driven dungeon crawl featuring roleplay elements
- Story-driven fantasy with cooperative adventuring
- Storybook adventure with narrative quests
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — Players work together to overcome challenges and bosses.
- dice-led combat / luck — Combat outcomes rely on dice rolls and equipment.
- Story-driven exploration — Campaigns driven by storybook scenarios.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- none of these games are bad games
- this is an absolutely fantastic game
- this is a polyomino game
- cockroach poker is the best party game I have played
- this entire list is a bluff
- it's the best game that awakened realms has produced with the exception of iss Vanguard
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video f-5gg2enh_Q
Our Family Plays Games interview at 24:54 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10253 · mention_pk 30283
Click to watch at 24:54 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong narrative arc
- beautiful components and accessible for families
Cons
- longer play sessions
- setup and teardown can be involved
Thematic elements
- cooperative storytelling
- Fantasy dungeon adventure with mice
- storybook / campaign
Comparison games
- Time Stories
- Betrayal at House on the Haunted Hill
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- campaign / narrative progression — Sequential chapters driven by storybook entries.
- cooperative exploration — Players work together to overcome dangers and puzzles.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Black history is American history.
- Humanity is a co-op.
- We are all valuable.
- Two Black History months—the one for Black people and the one for everyone else—should be a moment to acknowledge our full history.
- Celebrating Black history year-round should be the goal.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 9Z4-gVVShV8
Cardboard Herald general_discussion at 0:39 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10069 · mention_pk 29624
Click to watch at 0:39 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Rich, family-friendly fantasy theme
- Strong storytelling feel with approachable rules
- Beautiful presentation and immersion
Cons
- Can be lengthy per session
- Some scenarios feel dice-heavy and luck-driven
Thematic elements
- cooperative dungeon crawl with a fairy-tale mood
- A fantasy world where player characters are small heroes in peril
- storybook-driven, campaignable adventures
Comparison games
- Dungeons & Dragons
- SeaFall
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Character abilities and power progression — Each hero has unique abilities that influence play
- cooperative play — Players work together to overcome challenges and enemies
- Storybook/campaign progression — Episodes and scenarios progress with evolving chapters
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I think it's probably my first experience with tinkering with game design probably when I was in sixth grade.
- "a freaking masterpiece of dudes on a map games"
- it's just a phenomenal day and something I'll always remember fondly it was perfect
- I still have that sitting around at my home
- the eyepatch being worn that we had snuck into this game largely because it made sense in the game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video qaIfKsQWA5I
Going Analog general_discussion at 4:11 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7473 · mention_pk 22153
Click to watch at 4:11 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong thematic immersion
- story-based progression
Cons
- can be sprawling and lengthy
- miniature-driven setup may be heavy
Thematic elements
- narrative co-op with story-driven chapters
- fantasy adventure featuring heroic mice in a perilous mansion
- guided campaign/storybook vibe
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- coop/solo adventure — players work together to complete narrative-driven objectives against the environment.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I am known for my channel Minimum Player Count mainly on YouTube but I first started on Instagram
- Welcome to the show
- we are not going to take it easy on you so maybe you should be a little bit nervous
- stop watching and go play a game
- you can also see some of my videos on board game spotlight
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video y4SQZLABHIg
Board Game Coffee top_5_list at 2:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5276 · mention_pk 15678
Click to watch at 2:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong thematic storytelling that fits couples well
- Two characters per player increase agency and discussion
- Cooperative adventure with a memorable vibe and narrative arc
Cons
- Rule details can be easy to forget during play
- More story-driven than crunchy, may not satisfy all players seeking depth
Thematic elements
- adventure, rescue mission, story-driven campaign
- fantasy dungeon-crawler featuring anthropomorphic mice on a quest
- storybook/campaign-based progression with read-aloud passages
Comparison games
- Black Plague
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- asymmetric character flavor — distinct character personalities and abilities contribute to teamwork
- cooperative play — two players control two characters each, working together toward a shared goal
- exploration with room progression — players move through dungeon-like areas to advance the story
- inventory carry-over — equipment and items persist and influence later encounters
- storybook campaign — narrative passages guide the adventure between rooms/environments
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we finally boiled it down
- this is board games for couples
- spirited away is a great movie and Spirit Island is what I'm trying to get ready to play
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video OgS-IO_ZZzc
BoardGame Coffee top_50_list at 12:26 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4224 · mention_pk 12343
Click to watch at 12:26 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
very positive
Pros
- immersive narrative, strong world-building
Cons
- can be lengthy for families with younger kids
Thematic elements
- adventure, narrative-driven co-op
- storybook fantasy world with animal protagonists
- wholesome, children’s book-like
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- asymmetric roles — each character has unique abilities and paths
- cooperative storytelling — players work together to progress through a storybook campaign
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Vegas II like yes except with superpowers
- I love the narrative love the story feel
- it's a great game
- this is art you're looking at right now
- if you're a Harry Potter fan check this game out
- it's the best aliens board game I've ever experienced
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video xTnb70jSbus
Meet Me at the Table game playthrough sentiment: positive
video_pk 2805 · mention_pk 8180
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging narrative
- Tactical gameplay
- Character progression
- Unique theme
Cons
- Complex rules
- Potential for difficulty spikes
Thematic elements
- Heroic mice battling against dark forces
- Fantasy mouse kingdom of Barksburg
- Chapter-based storytelling with tactical combat
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — Players work together as a team of mice
- Dice-based combat — Attacks and defense resolved through dice rolls
- Tactical movement — Movement and positioning are critical to success
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- My fellow mice, I have brought you together so that I might squeak to you of the dangers this vine tree now faces.
- Do not fret. I shall lay it before you like a banquet of grief.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–9 of 9