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Game Info
Year
2019
Collection
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Description
A quick-playing yet very strategic bidding and bluffing card game, set within a Cthulian universe, where 2 players battle for the fate of the world.
One player assumes the role of a cultist, bent on bringing about the end of the world. The other an investigator seeking to thwart the cultist and save the world.
Players use the forces under their control to try and gain artifact cards, seeking to complete them and unlock powerful abilities. These artifacts also allow players to gain control of other cards...at the sacrifice of giving them to their opponent.
You must outwit and out-strategize your opponent if you hope to win the battle.
—description from the publisher
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 2
This page: 2
Sentiment:
pos 1 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–2 of 2
Video SJTJ0n36bXU
kovray Review at 0:35 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 89526 · mention_pk 292539
Click to watch at 0:35 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- ingenious bid/card-pairing mechanic
- bright, thematic production and components
- artifact-half interaction adds clever strategic tension
Cons
- initial learning curve can be steep
- some combos feel difficult to realize in a single session
Thematic elements
- artifact halves power, occult influence, bid-based control
- Lovecraftian mythos – investigators vs cultists bidding on artifacts
- asymmetric halves with hidden bidding and artifact-powered outcomes
Comparison games
- Quoridor
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- artifact powers — Collected artifact halves grant abilities that can shift gameplay and card draws.
- Compound Scoring — The game runs over five rounds with point accumulation and control management.
- hidden bidding — Both players bid face-down on a card; the higher bid wins the card and gains its benefits.
- multi-round scoring — The game runs over five rounds with point accumulation and control management.
- set/paired collection — Cards have halves of artifacts; owning halves creates synergies and triggers powers.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a very interesting game I really appreciated the way that the card pairing works I think it's really cool
- Production in this game is super cool there's some surprises in the box
- it's unlike any board game I've played
- the more you put into this game the more you get out of it
- the battle system is so much fun and very smooth
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video l24tab1vuFI
Meeple Mountain Review at 0:39 sentiment: positive
video_pk 37093 · mention_pk 111362
Click to watch at 0:39 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong, immersive Lovecraftian theme tightly integrated with mechanics
- Two-player focus with deep but accessible bidding and bluffing
- High production values and quality components that support theme
- High replay potential through elder god choices and artifact interactions
- Rules are approachable and fast to learn, with meaningful decisions
Cons
- Variability depends on card knowledge; new players may face a shallow learning curve before deeper strategy
- Less appealing to players seeking multiplayer or highly chaotic experiences
- Some players may find the bluffing/bidding loop can become repetitive after mastery
Thematic elements
- Bluffing, bidding, artifact assembly, and Elder God influence in a two-player competition.
- A Lovecraftian city under siege by cultists and Elder Gods; rival investigators and cultists vie to control artifacts to avert or unmake humanity.
- Tense, strategic duel with hidden information and evolving power through fragmentary artifacts.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Auction / Bidding — Players bid with influence markers to win access to cards representing artifact halves or Elder God powers.
- Betting and Bluffing — Bluffing and guessing opponent intent influence bidding decisions and risk management.
- bidding — Players bid with influence markers to win access to cards representing artifact halves or Elder God powers.
- card abilities and resource cycling — Cards provide one-time or limited-use abilities; some require full artifact halves to activate.
- Hand Management — Each player holds several cards that determine bids, powers, and potential sacrifices; rotations signal used abilities.
- hand management and card cycling — Each player holds several cards that determine bids, powers, and potential sacrifices; rotations signal used abilities.
- hidden information / bluffing — Bluffing and guessing opponent intent influence bidding decisions and risk management.
- scoring through control and tie-breaks — End-game scoring hinges on total control points, remaining influence, and multiple tie-break rules.
- Set Collection — Each artifact is represented by two halves; collecting halves grants control and special abilities when combined.
- set collection / artifact halves — Each artifact is represented by two halves; collecting halves grants control and special abilities when combined.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the seals of Cthulhu from thing 12 games is a great quick two-player small box game that includes strategic bidding and bluffing to control artifacts or even an elder god
- the game is solid easy to learn and to play
- production of this game is seriously amazing everything about this game drips with theme
- variety is only needed after really knowing and playing the game so much that fresh cards would just cause a deepening of new strategies
- you can become creative and doing this and creating huge combos by using an artifact breaking it then reassembling it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–2 of 2