Kingdoms Forlorn

Video m5IrIGv6aBQ Board Games UnLocked Playthrough at 0:16 sentiment: mixed

video_pk 112625 · mention_pk 324228

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Overall sentiment (raw)

mixed

Pros

Quick setup time
Engaging narrative elements
Thematic immersion

Cons

Complex and sometimes unclear ruleset
Confusing keyword interactions and rulebook text
Combat can be challenging and rules-heavy

Thematic elements

Questing and adventure in a fantasy world
Middle Ages
Story driven with narrative elements revealed through exploration and encounters

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Card Play — Players utilize 'exploration cards', 'gear cards', and 'ability cards' which influence gameplay, combat, and movement.
combat/encounter resolution — The game features detailed combat encounters ('exhibition clash') with enemy AI, attack patterns, player actions, dice rolls, and conditions. Players discuss keywords like 'AI', 'signature', 'rusted slash', 'gang up', 'overcome', and 'overpower'.
Dice Rolling — Dice are used extensively for combat rolls, skill checks (like 'insight'), and resolving certain effects.
exploration — Players move across a map, revealing tiles and encountering events or points of interest ('POI'). They discuss directions and how to find specific locations like the 'All Father's Church'.
Keyword Mechanics — The game uses numerous keywords in combat and for card effects, such as 'overcome', 'overpower', 'gang up', 'provoke', 'flanking strike', 'mindless slasher', 'swarm', and 'heal'.
Rapport System — A 'rapport' system between characters is mentioned, influencing certain story events and potentially game mechanics.
Resource Management (Heat, Vigor, Curse, etc.) — Players manage various resources such as 'heat' (spent for abilities), 'vigor' (health/stamina), 'curse' (negative effects), and 'threat' (game state impact). Decisions are made about gaining or losing these resources.
Set Collection (Clues) — Players are actively trying to acquire 'clues' as part of their objective, suggesting a mechanic focused on collecting these items.
Threat/Time Trackers — Players mention 'threat' and 'time' as elements they are tracking, indicating a mechanic where these factors influence the game state or progress.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

This game is so quick to set up versus at where it's like all right map tiles uh every single gear layout and it's like all the enemies. It's uh it's a lot quicker.
The fact you would even think I'm just going to like hop over him.
The keywords and [ __ ] just piss me off whenever they're not correct.
This game needed more time to cook.
It's like they have like the thing for overcome and then they were like oh [ __ ] no that's too wordy. Let's take half of that and make it overpower. But then they forgot to include overpower in the game.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 8uWI_GLLCg0 Board Games UnLocked Playthrough at 0:17 sentiment: positive

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Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

The game has a deep narrative and engaging story elements.
The replayability seems high due to branching paths and choices.
The mercenary system adds strategic depth.
The visual and thematic elements are well-developed.

Cons

The setup and rule complexity can be high.
Some mechanics are difficult to remember or grasp initially.
The phrasing of some objectives can be confusing.
The game can be lengthy, requiring multiple sessions.

Thematic elements

A curse that petrifies people and a quest for survival and riches.
The principality of Stone, a desolate city with steepled towers and abandoned homes.

Comparison games

Always Sunny
Kingdom Death: Monster (KDM)
Chronos New Dawn
Oathsworn

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Card Play — The game utilizes various card decks, including mercenary, gear, and exploration cards, with effects that influence gameplay.
Cipher System — A cipher system is used to determine narrative events and choices.
Dice Rolling — Dice are rolled for various checks, such as investigation, tests of insight, and combat.
exploration — Players explore kingdom tiles, reveal new locations, and place tokens to mark progress.
Kingdom Adventures — Players can engage in kingdom adventures triggered by exploration cards.
Kingdom Tile Placement — New kingdom tiles are revealed and placed on the map during exploration.
Mercenary Hiring — Players can hire mercenaries with specific abilities to aid in their expeditions.
questing — The game involves following specific quests and objectives, such as preparing an expedition to the Principality of Stone and following a caravan.
Resource Management — Players manage money units and gold to purchase items and hire mercenaries.
Threat and Heat Management — Players gain threat and heat, which can impact their abilities and progress.
Virtues and Vices — The game incorporates virtues and vices, which are tracked and influence gameplay.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

So, this is uh where we find out Stoneface is like 98 and it's just elder abuse.
The mercenary deck consists of all level one mercenary cards, the ruin stalker card, and all additional mercenary cards you've unlocked.
Your performance is immaculate. They kind of feel bad cuz they think you're a little slow.
God, we are a mly crew.
It's like, you guys are my crew and we're just NPC teosing while you're telling a story.

References (from this video)

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Video IRPuKowHkzo Board Games UnLocked Playthrough at 0:17 sentiment: positive

video_pk 112660 · mention_pk 324293

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Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Engaging narrative and story progression.
Interesting character abilities and synergy.
Challenging mechanics that require strategic thinking.

Cons

Rules ambiguity (e.g., hunt tally marks, deep fog card interpretation) requiring FAQ consultation.
Potential for frustration with certain mechanics if not understood or if luck is against the player (e.g., dice rolls, card draws).

Thematic elements

a dark fantasy adventure involving monster hunting, curses, and exploration of a blighted land.
a kingdom plagued by a stone curse, a mud-choked utrabant, a land with labyrinthine ravines of water slick black rock.
The game progresses through narrative events and story cards that drive the plot forward, with flavor text for locations and encounters.

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Card Play — Players use various cards for abilities, encounters, and progression.
character abilities — Each player controls a character with unique abilities and cards, such as the Flesh Ritter's flesh tokens and the Squire's monkey companion.
Combat — The game involves fighting monsters, such as the Egg Knight, using dice rolls and character abilities.
cooperative play — The hosts play together, discussing strategies and decisions as a group.
Deep fog traversal — A specific mechanic involving moving through a dangerous 'deep fog' with its own set of rules and risks.
exploration — Players move across a map represented by tiles, revealing new locations and encounters.
threat management — Players track threat levels, which can lead to game-ending conditions if they become too high.
token management — Tokens are used for various game effects, such as flesh tokens, opening tokens, and break tokens.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

This game sucks.
We cracked the egg.
You brought us along to do all the work. And then I reap the benefits.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video Jl34TpPKbjk Board Games UnLocked Playthrough at 0:17 sentiment: positive

video_pk 112666 · mention_pk 324300

Click to watch at 0:17 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

The encounter cards, while looking complex, are straightforward.
The narrative elements are immersive.
The combat mechanics, particularly the Pale Blood Worms, are interesting to manage.
The 'second chance' mechanic is a nice addition.
The game offers meaningful choices with long-term consequences.

Cons

The map and movement mechanics can be tedious ('this type of map stuff').
The 'activates one' mechanic for the worms can be confusing.
Losing half of clues upon death is harsh.

Thematic elements

A dark fantasy world where knights face monstrous threats and perilous quests.
Event-driven narrative revealed through numbered story sections and encounter cards.

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Card Play — Players play technique cards and use abilities based on their character's stats and available resources.
Character Stats — Knights have stats like passion, heat, vigor, and clues that influence their actions and capabilities.
Clash System — A specific combat system used for larger encounters, like the 'exhibition clash' against the pale blood worms.
Dice Rolling — Dice are used for combat, checks, and resolving various game effects.
Encounter cards — These cards present various challenges, story elements, and combat situations.
exploration — Players move across a map represented by kingdom tiles, encountering various events and locations.
Resource Management — Players manage resources such as heat, vigor, clues, blood tokens, and passion.
story progression — The game progresses through numbered story sections that present choices and events.
Threat and Resilience — These seem to be global game states that players influence through their actions.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Overall extremely simple, which is very nice. Those cards, those encounter cards make it look way complex.
It wouldn't be a good idea to allow them to touch you.
Shortcuts are a special type of path. Oh, we can't use them unless we have a certain game element, gear card or mercenary that allows us to use them.
So, if we follow that way, we lose the threat.
The mechanics of the pale blood worms are interesting to manage.
It sucks, blood bath, and subterranean menace.
If at any point there are no blood tokens on your night board, you bleed out unless you are incarnated.
I hate this game.
So, that's that. Then another escalation.
Your skills aren't overstated. I have need of you now.
You humor her for now, and she explains little beyond the bare minimum.
I'm going to go with choice two. I will hunt down this egg knight. Ask the stranger for information on its lair.

References (from this video)

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Video jqeFiITiGDM Board Games UnLocked Rules Teach at 0:23 sentiment: mixed

video_pk 112673 · mention_pk 324308

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Overall sentiment (raw)

mixed

Pros

The learn to play guide is nice.
The squires are super simple and allow players to take ownership of their individual knights and stories.
The game has a strong narrative focus with detailed prologues.
The modular board and exploration mechanics offer replayability.

Cons

The rulebook is dense ('a 100-page rule book').
The video format might be weird until kinks are ironed out due to the plug-and-play nature of quests.
There's a potential for confusion when jumping between different knights' stories.
The game can be very limiting with mechanics like panzer gates and fog, trapping players.
Encounters can be brutal and lead to negative conditions like poison.

Thematic elements

Butcher knights who hunt monsters and enhance themselves using mystical curing methods to extract the essence of meats harvested from their quarry.
Cursed kingdom

Comparison games

ATO

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

clue collection — Players collect clue tokens (primary and secondary) to succeed in investigations and quests.
Condition Cards — Poison is a condition card that players can gain, affecting their vigor and potentially leading to being 'toxified' if too many tokens accumulate.
Devotion tokens — Players can gain devotion tokens to potentially protect themselves from negative effects.
Encounter resolution — Encounters trigger during the story step and involve combat on a separate encounter board with specific monster positioning and knight actions.
Modular Board — The game uses small kingdom tiles that are placed on the kingdom sheet, and players can replace them with other random tiles during exploration.
questing — Players pick knights to go on their own quests, which dictates the flow of a session. There are also investigation mechanics to learn more about character backstory and kingdom lore.
Resource Management — Resilience tokens are used to represent the caravan's strength, and stone keys are needed to get past panzer gates.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

There is no way in hell I have retained everything in this rule book.
This is the tale how Sir Long Sir met his end.
We're doomed.
Yeah, that looks way easier to win.

References (from this video)

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Video OvSw1i6aKDg Board Games UnLocked Discussion at 10:30 sentiment: mixed

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Overall sentiment (raw)

mixed

Pros

Modular design allows for flexibility in choosing knights and campaigns.
Streamlined setup and gameplay phases.
High-quality gear and impactful items from the start.
Cleaner and more player-favored combat system.
Knights feel distinct with unique abilities and card builds.

Cons

Repetitive delves and limited variety in kingdoms.
Scarcity of loot cards makes progression feel slow and unexciting.
Vague or superficial lore for kingdoms.
Combat can become predictable due to limited enemy variety and fixed kingdom layouts.
Individual knight stories can feel isolated from an overarching narrative.

Thematic elements

Dark fantasy, knights' individual stories in fallen kingdoms
Medieval fantasy, decaying kingdoms
Individualistic knight stories, piecing together lore, vague Dark Souls route

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

card-driven progression — Knights have a hand of cards that are specific to them, representing their abilities and upgrading as the game progresses.
Dice Rolling — Combat relies on dice rolls, with mechanics like 'heat' for re-rolls and 'passion' influencing character abilities.
Kingdom-specific Mechanics — Different kingdoms have unique rules or tokens, such as Panzer gates in the Principality of Stone or flood tokens in the Sunken Kingdom.
Loot System — Players acquire loot cards from defeating enemies or scavenging, with a limited selection of items per tier.
Mob Combat — Features mob enemies that are handled cleanly and distinctly, each with their own body part and AI decks.
modular campaign — The game's structure is based on individual knights and their unique stories, allowing for a modular campaign experience.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Kingdoms Forlorn is designed for you to see everything.
ATO's loot is quantity over quantity.
Kingdoms Forlorn is quality over quantity.
Kingdoms Forlorn is designed where they can release random expansions.
ATO is meant to be a long equivalent of a D and D session.

References (from this video)

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Video 5vsG2Uyo0l4 Board Games UnLocked Analysis at 15:00 sentiment: negative

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Overall sentiment (raw)

negative

Pros

none

Cons

Unbearable campaign structure
Lack of items
Seeing the same things repeatedly
Delve system is long and boring
Takes 4-6 hours to do one person's quest

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Campaign structure with tiers — Campaign is broken up into tiers, and you pick a knight with their own storybook. Only one knight goes on a quest, and everyone else is a background character. You have to do a main quest and three side quests to move to the next tier, and you are stuck in a tier for four plays.
Delve system — The delve system is incredibly long and boring, broken into two phases: a mid-level delve and fight, followed by another run in the same delve for a big fight. This takes hours for one person's quest.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I believe the opposite needs to be true in that I need to tell you what I don't like or what I don't suggest to save you hundreds of dollars.
Wise Wizard Games is probably in my opinion the worst company that is on this this particular campaign game list.
Time Stories with its redo system, the time system funny enough in the game. I think that is probably the worst implementation of that idea than any game in this category.
Kingdoms Forlorn as it is right now is an unbearable campaign structure.
It's painfully long. The you're living in that box of cards nonstop. So, you can never fully digest what you're actually in.
The theming of Clank I've never been super into anyway. and then you tack on this hamfisted business uh corporation model that I just also did not like.
Destiny's is just ran in such a way, and I've heard this from other people as well, that it's like, oh, I've been on my iPad. I've been an iPad child this entire time. I forgot I was even playing a board game.
And I think I'll put Hoplamas Victorium here. And this one I'll be fair this is kind of a copout category.
I hate Primal's character builds and that's mainly because I played this as a campaign which otherw I mean you can't play Primal as a one shot and then it probably wouldn't go in here but as a campaign you're so restricted.
The stalkers doesn't really do it justice.
Solomon Kane's has has really terrible combat.
came off as some edgy pre-teen trying to write um, just cringe excessive dialogue.
Aeon Trespass: Odyssey is easily the worst beginner game. Uh, 70 to 80 page rule book.
Uh out of every game that is on here, I think uh KDM is the most expensive.
it is painful to play true blue where you're meant to walk from one node to the next and draw a token from a bag and maybe you'll get lucky and it's a and it's a compass which get puts a cube on the region you're in to have an event but more often than not it's going to be a fight and isoparian guard is grind city

References (from this video)

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Video cZrtqgMLEas Board Games UnLocked Top List at 43:24 sentiment: negative

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Overall sentiment (raw)

negative

Pros

Combat is phenomenal
Mob battles are done well
Lore is amazing
Writing for individual knights is phenomenal

Cons

Campaign is too long and stretched thin
Kingdoms feel barren
Clue tokens make no sense
Narrative disconnect due to lack of interaction
Outpost phase is awful
Delve phase is atrocious
Loot is awful

Thematic elements

Dark fantasy, knight quests
Various kingdoms
Knight-specific passages and lore

Comparison games

Aeon Trespass Odyssey
Kingdom Death Monster

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Combat — The combat system is phenomenal, described as the best part of the game, though this is attributed to the systems of Aeon Trespass Odyssey and Kingdom Death Monster.
Delve Phase — The delve phase is described as atrocious and mind-numbingly boring.
Hand Management — The hand management of combat is considered the weakest part of the game.
Mob battles — The game handles mob battles well, differentiating it from single-boss encounters.
Outpost phase — The outpost phase is described as awful, with players likely picking the same sites repeatedly.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

This is the number one spot, the game that has fallen off for me.
So, this is the second campaign game that I have covered in different version like different types of videos where I talk about obviously the game.
I am 100% convinced that anyone who praises this game, any reviewer, anyway, who gives this game any high praise, this is my conspiracy played a few hours because there's no way in hell that they played through the entire campaign.
The reason why this one fell off for me is not I mean if I removed my disdain for the way Days of Wonder has handled this.
The gimmick for it just got stale. It It no longer Who cares what the questions were?
The Everdell effect when I'm talking about other games where as the game got more and more expansions, it got too unwieldy to ever hit the table.

References (from this video)

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Video w8ageJvxRDY Gaming Rules! Discussion at 1:41:05 sentiment: other

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Overall sentiment (raw)

Anticipatory

Pros

Offers a similar experience to A Trespass Odyssey
Excited about it

Cons

Part of me really wants to not like the game.

Thematic elements

none

Comparison games

A Trespass Odyssey

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Mechanics unknown.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Movie Tricks is really good. Movie Tricks is from Chitty Fox Games. It's a trick taker, but it's got a bit of a kick and I really like that.
Severton is a game from Vlades Shaattle. You may have heard of Vlad Shaattle, but he's got a new game this year called Severton. It's the first time he's had a new game published for about 10 years. And a little bit like Dutch Resistance: Orange Shall Overcome, it's a cooperative game where you're trying to complete missions. And it's really, really good. And not many people are talking about it.
The new version for me is an improved version of the game. So, if you like Ingenious or Genal, whatever you want to call it, then have a look at the 3D version. That was really good.
we played this game called drop alter and I absolutely blitzed it. I mean I think I won I think I won six of five of the six rounds that we played or something like that.
In general, I don't play abstract games. But there are certain ones which I do play and I do like.
Project L is another really really good game and I really like Project L and uh and that is a completely abstract game.
I dread the day when I have to play on Mars again because I don't have the time, mental energy, everything else to go back and relearn on Mars.
Talisman. 34 year gap between playing it.
as much as A Trespass Odyssey was the most complicated game that I've ever played and some of the rules were extremely confusing and we weren't sure of some of the rules after 25 games, that game had things in it which I have never had that experience from any other game ever.
And I've heard that Kingdoms for Lawn offers a similar experience.
But when I'm playing it solo, if I'm not live streaming it, my brain because of the weird memory issues that I have, literally gets to a point and I go up and it just stops and my short-term memory disappears and I'm like, I have no idea not only what I was doing, but where we are, what phase we're on, or anything like that.
live streaming it and talking to the audience and keeping things going is the only way that I can actually get my brain to, you know, work and be able to cope with playing the actual game itself.

References (from this video)

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Video BHProKdZ9ZU Board Games UnLocked Top List at 1:52:46 sentiment: positive

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Overall sentiment (raw)

Positive, but with caveats

Pros

Characters get a chance to shine
Great enemy variety
Modular design offers flexibility

Cons

Rulebook is 'awful'
Can be overwhelming if many new enemies are encountered at once
Less balanced than Aon Trespass Odyssey

Thematic elements

Dark Fantasy
Fantasy
Story-driven with character interactions

Comparison games

Aon Trespass Odyssey
Arkam Horror: The Card Game

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Campaign — A story-driven campaign with narrative elements.
Character progression — Players progress their characters throughout the campaign.
Enemy Variety — A large number of unique enemies are featured.
Modular content — The game has a modular setup, allowing for variety.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

This is what Seventh Continent wanted to be.
Distant Skies is a cleaner, more streamlined system.
Primeial Apparel is like the the, you know, a third as long, like little it it it's done before it can get broken version.
The game kicks me in the nard sometimes.
Aon Trespass Odyssey to me does everything better.
So damn cool.
The rule book is awful.

References (from this video)

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Video GIgwamWEN7U Board Games UnLocked Top List at 30:35 sentiment: mixed

video_pk 82193 · mention_pk 206411

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Overall sentiment (raw)

mixed

Pros

Fantastic writing
Fantastic boss fights
Potential for the game to be fixed and become fantastic with Wave 2 updates

Cons

Everything else besides writing and bosses is mediocre and halfbaked
Shitty loot system
Many elements needed more time to cook
Wave 1 updates will not be free

Thematic elements

Kingdom building and boss fights
Eschin, land of the Red Kingdoms

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Boss Battler — The game is discussed in the context of boss battlers, with emphasis on its boss fights.
Kingdom Building — Includes elements of kingdom building.
Loot System — Features a loot system, which is criticized.
scenario-based — Wave 2 is described as scenario-based with different bosses.
Updates and improvements — Wave 2 introduces significant changes and updates to the game.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

So, these are ranked in an order of how excited I am of for them to come out, but that is that obviously all remains to be seen.
You have to primarily be fighting the boss, not a boss that shows up.
So, this one just looks very quaint. I like the small footprint it has.
It just feels like it's going to be a very small form kind of boss battler, which for all these other games I've been talking about have been big grandiose games.
But the JRPG boss battler system is something I'm very excited for and it being a oneshot.
So, this is the number two because it's into the unknown and my favorite game of all time is uh I was say Attack on Titan is Aon Trespass Odyssey.
Is what's this one going to end up being like? Is it going to be more epic like atto or is it going to fall flat a little bit like Kingdoms 4 or is it going to land a little bit in the middle?
So, like I literally just said, Aon Trespass Odyssey is my favorite board game. So when they announced 12 cents of Heracles, it is I just it's more of that
The boss battler genre is popping off right now. I absolutely love it.
So, if you know of any boss battlers that were not on this list, let me know in the comments below because I definitely want to check them out because I this is like I mentioned, if it says narrative driven campaign or boss battler, I'm I'm all in.

References (from this video)

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Video GGKaNHtVgXI Gaming Rules! Live Qanda at 1:11:55 sentiment: neutral

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Overall sentiment (raw)

neutral

Pros

none

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Mechanics unknown.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Nippon originally came out in 2015 and it's had a new version.
I love the original game. So, I'm more happy the fact that it's come back.
Nippon is basically back; it's mostly the same as the old one.
Concordia is the very definition of elegant.
Princess of Florence was an absolutely classic game that I absolutely loved when it first came out.
Endeavor Deep Sea is amazing and I've loved it.
Millennium Blades is the game that I was thinking.
it's a fantastic game.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video J_fUN1hALw0 The Dice Tower Discussion at 40:51 sentiment: neutral

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Overall sentiment (raw)

neutral

Pros

looks interesting

Cons

I have not played this one
Is it even out?
all first impressions. They're all from 4 years ago.

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Mechanics unknown.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

So, the highest ranked game I haven't played is Eclipse: Second Dawn.
Each year I play more more games and each year I have played fewer of the top 100. BGG's top 100 is turning into heavy game central, for sure.
Daydream is a cozy roll and write.
Stop telling me your games are cozy.
Terraria on the box says 45 minutes per player. I don't even know what what was going on there because someone was like, you lots of publishers lie about time. No one lies that that egregiously. It is not even remotely 45 minutes a player.
I don't like Imperial at all. There's my review of
Wise Wizards definitely said they're kind of on the uh that they're that they're struggling with a lot of stuff. So, I hope it works out pretty well.
That was Zen Camilla, and they said it was really really hard, which made me not really particularly want to play it that strongly. I like to play games that are easier, not as difficult.
Um, there's there's always things we're working on. Uh there's something small bag that we're working on. I can't really talk about that. Um, yet, but you'll know about that in a few weeks.

References (from this video)

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Video B3joWDImVH8 One Stop Co-op Shop Review at 3:11 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81457 · mention_pk 202354

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Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

great combat system
story fragmentation is well-executed

Cons

adventuring not always exciting to the reviewer

Thematic elements

epic campaign with deep combat similar to KDM
huge adventure campaign with bite-sized stories
episodic storytelling within a campaign

Comparison games

Kingdom Death Monster

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

adventure campaign — episodic narrative with ongoing combat and exploration

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Galaxy Trucker is a perennial favorite. I've loved this game series for years.
This is one of the coolest like for an anime lover like me and a manga lover, this is one of the most well-done kind of theme-to-game mechanics thing I've seen.
So, I'm keeping it probably to cull it,
Galaxy Trucker with expansions, that is definitely a keep to finish out September.
I think this one is great.
I love how they kind of do different stories in little bite-sized chunks.
The riff on KDM, Kingdom Death Monster's combat system, is really well done.
I enjoyed the core mechanics of this one pretty well, but the balance felt off.
I thought this one was pretty fun.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video AaVLG1pYEa4 Board Games UnLocked Analysis at 1:00:45 sentiment: mixed

video_pk 80581 · mention_pk 196503

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Overall sentiment (raw)

mixed

Pros

phenomenal story
unique stories in night books
exciting when new sections are read based on party members

Cons

character growth is unexciting
thin selection of items
boring character progression
thematic disconnects

Thematic elements

Unique stories tied to different heights

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

character growth — Character growth is a slow burn, stairstepped, and piecemeal, making it unexciting.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

This is very like tribal like morbid.
It's um it's Dark Souls King Arthur, the Arthurian legend.
this one is kind of like it's very like tribal like morbid.
But if we're looking at themes of negative like negative games that I just did not care about the theme
I typically don't buy them if I if I don't like the theme.
the way that they did the theme was was so uninspired.
Odelin is again a good one just because it's it's Diablo generic demon fantasy thing. I find that incredibly tired.
Vagrant song certainly unique. I don't call it bad, but it had a hard time ringing with me
I was actually kind of glad you decided to quit that one.
So, if we're looking at games that I think does CA uh combat one of the best I'm trying to think is I mean Osworn is definitely up there.
That's the highlight. I mean, this is also a boss battler, but it is a campaign. But each boss is unique. I love the way that it utilizes the battle flow system. The fact that you can use cards or dice.
Their dedication to the secret boss. I applaud. That they they did everything they could to keep it all a mystery.
But then on repeat, the the mystery is gone, but the combat is still still great.
Because that's all it is is boss fights. I think a game funny enough that does boss fights terribly is one we've already talked about Madara
Madara's boss fights are [ __ ] bullet sponges with 800 health
the AI itself when you're doing the mobs, that works relatively well for the various enemies that are in the game, and they do level up, which is nice. They get more challenging, but it kind of just boils down to more HP and more damage. It does. They still kind of run the exact same way, but they color code it so it's not just a hodgepodge of just enemies.
the inverted paradigm system is amazing.
And actually a good positive and probably a good negative for some is atto to KDM. It depends on how you like your boss fights.
Don't get me wrong, they're they're extremely similar. And it just kind of depends on how you want your boss fights. KDM does it. I'm not saying KDM is necessarily a negative, but in the sense that it's combat can literally boil down to I have a character that can crit on everything
It's too It's just way too clunky.
God, no. A green [ __ ] Who the hell goes off a D 100?
But yeah, folklore the affliction. This was the one had had a really cool world. I like the the fable element, the gothic horror stuff. I think the characters were unique. Um but man, fiddly as all hell.
Yeah. And I mean, they shot for the open world.
It would have just been better if it was if it was uh scenario based.
but he doesn't want to carry any of his [ __ ] to my house.
I want to see it. I want to see this game of his that he owns like everything for
I didn't ever bring this one up because I haven't touched it in years.
Yeah, I know. I know. You would think with how much [ __ ] he has and how much he doesn't touch it, you would that he would want to play it. I told him we could have three. We could get cuz you'd be in on it, but he doesn't want to carry it over to my house.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video -bqz55XjYHk Playthrough at 0:16 sentiment: mixed

video_pk 77715 · mention_pk 187666

Click to watch at 0:16 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

mixed

Pros

Narrative depth and story entries.
Engaging exploration and event resolution.
Cool saint artwork and abilities.
The potential for deep lore and kingdom building.

Cons

Certain mechanics like the ambush system and some encounters feel like padding.
Frustration with unreleased kingdom expansions making the game feel incomplete.
Difficulty in managing multiple resources and mechanics.
Some events feel like a "waste of time" or unnecessarily complex.

Thematic elements

Surviving in a cursed land plagued by ancient foes and mysterious curses.
A cursed realm with a principality of stone, borderlands, and fog.

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Card Play — Players use cards for combat actions (e.g., 'come out swinging') and special abilities.
combat encounters — Players engage in battles against monsters like 'rat wolves' and the 'night eater'.
contract fulfillment — Players take on contracts, such as 'hunt for St. Urbane', which provide objectives and rewards.
Devotion System — Players can devote to saints, gaining benefits and potentially unlocking new abilities or bonuses.
Dice Rolling — Dice are rolled for attacks, skill checks (fortitude, die ice), and encounter resolutions.
Event resolution — Specific events like 'collapsing roof' or 'bridge under troubled water' trigger skill tests and consequences.
exploration — Players reveal and navigate kingdom tiles, dealing with events and encounters triggered by exploration.
Resource Management — Players manage resources like gold, keys, vigor, heat, and passion.
threat management — Threat level increases, impacting game events and potentially leading to negative consequences.
Time progression — Time advances, which can also influence game events and encounters.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

It's story time. It's all over story time. We have investigations.
The place has been ransacked, anything of value stripped away, but the worst lies at your feet.
The outpost phase is very boring.
It's like, oh, okay. It's because redheads, you know, I know. They just sinners. Soulless. Yeah. Soulless freaks.
This game was 700 bucks. If you want to buy it from me, I'll give you a crisp 50.
Reveal yourself now or or face our wrath. We're not afraid of you.
He's like, 'This is so rules are so much more fun.'

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video -dEd37tdOmE meeple university Rules Teach

video_pk 70640 · mention_pk 167649

Pros

none

Cons

none

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)

kingdoms forlorn is an immersive dungeon crawling grid-based and character development game with role-playing elements
the game plays one to four players with a campaign of over 150 hours gameplay each session lasting a couple of hours and is of medium complexity
clashes in kingdom forlorn are designed to be dynamic and to constantly escalate in severity
the clash phase of kingdoms forlorn is an intentionally challenging cooperative skirmish experience

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video LZcUgqFtwzM Meeple University Rules Teach

video_pk 70641 · mention_pk 167650

Pros

none

Cons

none

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)

Kingdom's forlorn is an immersive game with dungeon crawling grid-based battle and role-playing character development elements.
The knights stories will intersect with each other and with the delves in unique ways depending on the order in which you play the campaign.
A knight's progress is defined in a number of ways in its equipment and ability cards which can be leveled up as the campaign goes on.
A nice storybook as you progress you'll explore your knight's backstory with a range of twists and emotions deeper than your average role-playing experience.
There is a rich range of character building which can be done between delves with new ability cards to unlock.
There is a non-linear choice of which kingdom to explore.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video -dEd37tdOmE meeple university Rules Teach at 0:30 sentiment: positive

video_pk 70640 · mention_pk 192197

Click to watch at 0:30 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

dynamic and constantly escalating clashes
challenging tactical cooperative battle
wide array of keyword effects providing tactical options
challenging risk management situations

Cons

losing vigor can trigger negative mortise cards
losing all vigor means facing judgment and potential death/resurrection with penalties
losing all knights means the clash and delve are lost

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Points — knights get two actions each a move and an attack in either order plus free actions if applicable
AI Control — the enemies are controlled by an ai card choosing a target and then moving towards it and attacking
Armor/Damage Mitigation — if you have armor then you'll roll power dice and each of these symbols blocks a hit. any remaining hits reduce your vigor
Blind Spots — some enemies also have directional blind spots which you can hide in for a lesser chance of being attacked
Body Part Targeting — if you hit draw a body part card and then note its defense. then roll paradise equal to your power weapons power multiplied by your number of hits
Campaign play — the game plays one to four players with a campaign of over 150 hours gameplay each session lasting a couple of hours
Character development — kingdoms forlorn is an immersive dungeon crawling grid-based and character development game with role-playing elements
Critical hits — trust the luck of the dice especially the white guy which is always rolled as part of any d10 roll and counts as a critical hit on a tent
Dice Rolling (Attack/Defense) — the player first rolls to evade this many d10s trying to roll this number or better. defensive gear and abilities can improve the roll results. knight attacks also resolve with two rolls of dice first choose a weapon and then roll this many d10s trying to roll over this number on the enemy
Dungeon crawling — kingdoms forlorn is an immersive dungeon crawling grid-based and character development game with role-playing elements
grid-based combat — kingdoms forlorn is an immersive dungeon crawling grid-based and character development game with role-playing elements
Keyword Effects — regular skirmishers will enjoy making the most of the wide array of keyword effects pushers knockbacks piercers blocks and many many others to provide full and realistic range of tactical options
Line of Sight — some but not all of these are limited by line of sight determined by a corner to corner line which neither crosses nor touches an obstacle
Player Elimination (Temporary) — die and you're out of the clash but not the campaign as you will be resurrected but usually at the loss of some of the clues that you gained during the delve
Role-playing — kingdoms forlorn is an immersive dungeon crawling grid-based and character development game with role-playing elements
Status Effects/Cards — if you lose any vigor you draw one mortise card and resolve it and the severity of this card will depend on your current vigor. these have a range of positive and negative effects
token management — players use their effects to add helpful tokens into the shared night pool, which the whole team can use either passively or by spending the tokens to boost the outcomes of their attacks

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

kingdoms forlorn is an immersive dungeon crawling grid-based and character development game with role-playing elements
the game plays one to four players with a campaign of over 150 hours gameplay each session lasting a couple of hours and is of medium complexity
clashes in kingdom forlorn are designed to be dynamic and to constantly escalate in severity
the clash phase of kingdoms forlorn is an intentionally challenging cooperative skirmish experience

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video LZcUgqFtwzM Meeple University Rules Teach at 0:31 sentiment: positive

video_pk 70641 · mention_pk 239237

Click to watch at 0:31 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Immersive game with dungeon crawling grid-based battle and role-playing elements.
Designed as a solo operative gaming experience and supports group play.
Non-linear campaign with swappable knights adds replayability and strategy.
Storybooks feature extensive content and backstory exploration.
Character building between delves with new ability cards and items.
Vivid illustrations and rich world-building.

Cons

Prototype copy used in video; rules and components are not final.
Campaign length is substantial (over 150 hours) stopping at sessions of a couple hours each.

Thematic elements

narrative-driven storytelling with evolving knight campaigns
fantasy world of interconnected kingdoms explored through delves and dungeon-crawling adventures
storybooks and campaign passages that shape the knights' journeys; non-linear progression

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Clashes with enemies and bosses — Battles are grid-based or on a battle wall, resolved with dice against enemies and bosses.
Delves — Cooperative dungeon-crawler sessions where players tackle explorations with evolving rules between knights.
Dungeon Crawl — Cooperative dungeon-crawler sessions where players tackle explorations with evolving rules between knights.
Equipment and ability cards — Knights can level up through equipment and ability cards between delves.
Exploration decks — Adventures are drawn from exploration decks; some resolve directly, others trigger new kingdom passages.
Storybook-driven progress — Knights' backstories and campaign arcs advance via a storybook; passages alter future delves.
Turn structure — Each delve turn follows four steps: move, explore, abilities, end of turn; leadership rotates.
Variable delve setup — Delves are constructed from kingdom and deck elements, with permanent changes affecting future delves.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Kingdom's forlorn is an immersive game with dungeon crawling grid-based battle and role-playing character development elements.
The knights stories will intersect with each other and with the delves in unique ways depending on the order in which you play the campaign.
A knight's progress is defined in a number of ways in its equipment and ability cards which can be leveled up as the campaign goes on.
A nice storybook as you progress you'll explore your knight's backstory with a range of twists and emotions deeper than your average role-playing experience.
There is a rich range of character building which can be done between delves with new ability cards to unlock.
There is a non-linear choice of which kingdom to explore.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Shelf Life - April 2026 (games covered in September 2025)

Kingdoms Forlorn - The Campaign Story (The Delve) - Quick How to Play

Kingdoms Forlorn: Dragons, Devils and Kings {Part Three}

Images

Kingdoms Forlorn

Shelf Life - April 2026 (games covered in September 2025)

Kingdoms Forlorn - The Campaign Story (The Delve) - Quick How to Play

Kingdoms Forlorn: Dragons, Devils and Kings {Part Three}

Images

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