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Game Info
Year
2017
Collection
Ratings
Creator Score
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Description
1931: Your scientific expedition discovers a new and intriguing mountain range in the middle of the Antarctic polar circle. Under these challenging conditions, the survival of your team will depend on your ability to communicate with each other and to coordinate your efforts to overcome each obstacle — but what you discover on the way to the highest peak will strongly test your mental health. Will you even be able to understand yourself despite the madness that gradually insinuates itself into your mind?
Based on the novel by H. P. Lovecraft, Mountains of Madness is a fully cooperative game with a pinch of real-time gameplay.
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 10
This page: 10
Sentiment:
pos 4 ·
mix 5 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–10 of 10
Video VAZx_Qb2cEk
Board Games UnLocked Review at 0:19 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 116960 · mention_pk 329920
Click to watch at 0:19 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Madness cards are fun and unique
- Thematic and visually appealing box art
- Good for breaking the ice or with new groups
- Leadership token mechanic is interesting
Cons
- Game can be frustrating due to madness cards
- Focuses too much on madness cards, core game feels lacking
- 30-second timer is too short and stressful
- Lack of variety in tiles can lead to staleness
- Can cause players to hate themselves if they expect something different
- Not a game to play often with the same group
Thematic elements
- Investigating vestiges of an ancient city
- Antarctica expedition
Comparison games
- Cthulhu
- Eldridge Horror
- Elder Sign
- Mansions of Madness
- Escape
- Titanium Quest
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — It's still a co-op game, but if everyone doesn't decide the leader's like 'now we're going to do this and that's that'.
- Dice Rolling — The die penalty is so great... the accident causes us to we have to play more because now we're adding to injuries.
- leadership tokens — Really liked the mechanic. One thing I did like even though it felt like I was the one what to do it was still up to the leader to decide really everything that they wanted to bring.
- madness cards — A plethora of them that you only have four from a deck at a time for each deck. The game focuses so much on the madness cards that the game itself is actually like there's a soul part.
- Real-time gameplay — There's actually a dedicated time limit to playing the whole game. This isn't necessarily that, but it kind of is because this thing is 30 seconds and that's it.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The madness cards are so fun, but they also make it super frustrating.
- If you remove these, this game sucks.
- This thing is 30 seconds and that's it.
- It's definitely party like I vote yea it's a party game.
- This causes someone that who is naturally introverted to become extroverted.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video HGarFa9qdS4
Board Games UnLocked Rules Teach at 0:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 116962 · mention_pk 329922
Click to watch at 0:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Gender specific player boards are a nice touch.
- The game is simple and quick to learn.
- Quirky and fun for a party atmosphere.
Cons
- Players can only talk during specific phases, making communication tricky.
- The game can become progressively harder.
- Winning is conditional on having more relics than injury cards, which can be challenging.
Thematic elements
- descending into madness
- a mountain
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — Players work together to achieve objectives and win the game.
- Deck building (implied) — The discard pile is shuffled back into the draw deck during the rest phase, creating a cycling deck.
- Hand Management — Players have a hand of cards and need to play them within a time limit to meet tile requirements.
- Hidden Roles / Secret Information — Madness cards are secret to each player, influencing their actions during timed phases.
- Push Your Luck — Decisions during failure resolution involve potentially drawing more madness cards or losing leadership tokens.
- Resource Management — Players manage leadership tokens, which can be spent for various advantages during the game.
- Set Collection — Players need to collect specific numbers of symbols (e.g., guns, crates, books) to meet tile challenges.
- Timed turns — A 30-second sand timer is used during the encounter phase, forcing players to act quickly.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's very quirky game I want to I want to get that out right up front because you might think Oh Lulu and oh this is just going to be one of the serious co-op games it's not like that at all more of a party game
- Madness cards are the key crux of this game.
- The madness cards are just really really weird that sometimes you don't know what they have or how it's being portrayed and so like that that's what makes this game difficult.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0j_yjVtkmL4
Board Games UnLocked Playthrough at 2:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 116961 · mention_pk 329921
Click to watch at 2:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Thematic mechanics (madness, exploration)
- Cooperative challenge
Cons
- Can be annoying due to mechanics
- Can be confusing
- Requires significant communication and coordination
Thematic elements
- investigating a cult and cultists
- mountains
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Play — Players play cards from their hand to meet specific challenge requirements.
- cooperative play — Players work together towards a common goal.
- Dice Rolling — Dice are used to determine outcomes of challenges and failures.
- Hand Management — Players manage cards in their hand to achieve objectives.
- leadership tokens — Tokens are used for various game actions and can be discarded.
- madness cards — Players gain madness cards which affect their abilities or can lead to losing the game.
- search — Players can search encounter tiles, often with a time limit to memorize information.
- Set Collection — Players need to collect specific combinations of items like books, pickaxes, and crates to succeed.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- "We're all insane and you're the same one, wouldn't you be the insane one?"
- "So the game just presently gets more annoying."
- "There's gonna be a lot of yelling in this video, it's it that kind of game."
- "It's like we haven't had we we're not really using these two so during that we're also stolen like this well that's see that's not though that's not the problem"
- "The discoveries you uncovered have immeasurable scientific value."
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video uvBOyOk0bn4
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Review at 1:08:10 sentiment: positive
video_pk 93565 · mention_pk 253366
Click to watch at 1:08:10 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Unique and chaotic player interaction
- Novel approach to communication challenges
- Accessible for players new to Cthulhu themes
- Fast-paced gameplay
Cons
- May lack sufficient Cthulhu depth for hardcore fans
- Can lead to arguments if players don't embrace the chaotic nature
Thematic elements
- Cthulhu mythos, exploration, and survival.
- A Cthulhu-themed environment, possibly a mountain.
- Cooperative game with increasing inefficiencies and player afflictions that affect communication.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — Players work together to overcome challenges.
- Hand Management — Players manage a hand of cards to solve encounters.
- Real-Time — Players have a limited time (30 seconds) to decide on actions and communicate.
- timer — A timer is used to create pressure during the communication phase.
- Variable Player Powers (Afflictions) — Players gain afflictions that change their communication abilities and how they interact.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's Indiana Jones in the age of sail.
- The players going crazy - that's a nice little spin on it.
- I want to be a designer, I want someone else to figure this all out.
- The United States spent less time in World War Two than I spent on Sea Fall.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video W5oIUxdcFyk
3 Minute Board Games Review at 0:02 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 91914 · mention_pk 246743
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Awful lot of fun for the right group (role players, outgoing people).
- Great fun for reasonably casual gamers who are outgoing.
- Double-sided character cards with male and female options.
- Nice looking game.
- Unique take on the Cthulhu Mythos madness theme.
- The negotiation phase and the resulting mess can be a source of laughter.
Cons
- Game is pretty thin.
- Not for serious gamers wanting a deep puzzle.
- More of a social game than a traditional Euro.
- Challenging for self-conscious people who dislike performing.
- Not a game that will be played often.
- Best value is as a novelty.
Thematic elements
- Exploration of the last great unknown on Earth, discovering traces of a lost civilization of alien and unworldly origins, facing growing madness and the cold.
- The 1920s, Antarctica
Comparison games
- Mansions of Madness
- XCOM The Board Game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Play — Players play cards to meet challenge goals.
- cooperative play — The team is working together to solve puzzles and win the game.
- leadership tokens — Leadership tokens can be used to get a boost during each phase.
- madness cards — Madness cards are acquired during the game, with each level of badness being increasingly more difficult to deal with.
- Negotiation — Players have 30 seconds to negotiate and play cards during each turn.
- Penalty dice — Failure can result in rolling the penalty dice.
- Set Collection — The main tasks involve matching card sets.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Mountains of Madness is an awful lot of fun for the right group.
- The best thing about this game is laughing about the negotiation phase once it's done and the giant mess you have made of it.
- However, as a game, it's pretty thin and if you're a serious game or wanting a deep puzzle to crack, this is not the game for you.
- Its best value is as a novelty you play occasionally.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video BFjjUIJs7ac
Other at 0:27 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 72733 · mention_pk 172175
Click to watch at 0:27 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Wonderfully thematic, fitting the idea of going mad.
- At its best, the game is hilarious and can lead to tears of laughter.
- The core gameplay of limited communication and timed phases is appealing.
Cons
- Can end up being quite boring if the madness cards are not interesting.
- The madness cards can be kept for a long time without anything changing.
- Too many rules and extra things that aren't needed.
- Poker chips are seen as fluff that detracts from the game.
Thematic elements
- going up a mountain and going mad
- a mountain
Comparison games
- fast food fear
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Play — Players complete missions by playing the right numbered cards together collaboratively.
- Communication Impairment — Communication is hindered by madnesses that affect how players can communicate, such as closing eyes, talking in a certain way, or only talking to a specific player.
- cooperative play — It is a cooperative game where players try to complete missions.
- Press Your Luck — Players keep madness cards for a long time without changes, suggesting a lack of progression or a potential for stagnation.
- Timed Phase — Players have to rush to get everything done in a timed phase.
- variant rules — A variant in the rulebook involves stacking madness levels instead of replacing them, which can make the game more difficult or not work well together.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's wonderfully thematic it really fits the the idea of going mad
- at its best this game is hilarious and I'm amazed that I would get rid of a game that had me in tears of laughter
- it's such a simple idea that makes for so much negotiation
- I'm giving corporate America a seal of actual love
- it's a really lovely production amazing artwork from Quan Chau Moria
- this one was a big disappointment I'm sorry to say
- there are a lot of better dexterity games out there that have just a few extra rules and a bit more entertainment factor for me
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video _suwXwl7Uzw
Discussion at 11:28 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 65997 · mention_pk 160334
Click to watch at 11:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- great for families and parties
- humor and laughter
Cons
- rules overhead minimal but not enough depth for long-term play
- hard to justify after multiple plays
Thematic elements
- madness cards alter interactions
- mountain expedition
- social/party with humor
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- madness cards — cards that change how players interact with each other; examples include turning chairs, etc.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a dungeon building card game
- I would play Overboss instead to get my fix from that theme
- this is the only game I'm getting rid of and the only thing I've gotten rid of so far that I have not played
- it's basically a party game that doesn't look like a party game
- Mysterium... better with more players
- tainted grail is just too much of a slog for me to enjoy
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4NRYjKqHslI
All You Can Board Top List at 18:45 sentiment: positive
video_pk 63016 · mention_pk 156298
Click to watch at 18:45 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- fun, party-game-ish feel with a dedicated group
- madness cards create hilarious moments
Cons
- requires a specific group; not frequently played
Thematic elements
- mountain-climbing with madness cards
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Game — team-based challenge with madness cards affecting play
- cooperative play — team-based challenge with madness cards affecting play
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love this game
- it's a quick play in polynomial game
- it's a huge hit on Kickstarter every time it goes on there with the expansions
- it's a mean game
- it's almost the perfect game if you're living with a roommate
- i absolutely adore rising sun
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zW7vXJoDrq0
3 Minute Board Games Top List at 2:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5586 · mention_pk 16622
Click to watch at 2:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive_but_exhausting
Pros
- generates extreme comedy through madness cards
- unique mechanic of affecting player behavior
- memorable social moments
- quality memorable experiences
Cons
- extremely chaotic and exhausting
- not suitable for regular play
- players lose all composure
Thematic elements
- Cthulhu Mythos
- horror
- madness
- cooperative chaos
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this list is about the stories not the ranking of the games
- cooperation is magical
- it's just a gang of murder hobos sticking together out of convenience just long enough to complete their private goals
- there's nothing that makes otherwise competent board gamers look like a bunch of Muppets like a timer
- watching that train wreck was some of the best social fun I have ever had in a co-op game
- what makes co-op gaming really fun it's that shared experience where one person can go up and do something wacky and you all remember it for the right way that time
- the shared experience where one person can go up and do something wacky and you all remember it for the dice for the right way that time or a memorable character event happens
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video MBeBFdI97EM
Actualol Top List at 20:58
video_pk 3758 · mention_pk 11048
Click to watch at 20:58 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Cooperative with madness and communication constraints
- Mountaineering expedition
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Communication restriction — cards force you to speak in restricted ways to cooperate
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm super excited to try this one out
- I can't wait to try out Nemesis
- they call it a romantic comedy in a board game
- it's a murder mystery on a cruise ship
- top 20 most anticipated games at Essen 2017
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–10 of 10