Beast: Ashfall - Will it break 500k$? - Kickstarter Critique Review

0:00 Kickstarter critique where I take a look at different Kickstarter tabletop game project every weekday at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. You give my honest thoughts on how that project is being ran today with way too many tabs open. But today, I am legitimately excited to learn more about Beast. And this is why I'm excited to check out Beast Ashfall. Cuz I've seen it set up at conventions before. I thought it looked really cool. And this box looks like look at the main image. Like it's I feel like Gamefound's like, "Hey, here's all we want. We just we don't want you to have any components." It says, "We want this generic side box shot." Just so many people choose to do that. And it's I understand that that's what works best with the stupid square that Gamefound restricts you to. But, you know, I'd like more here. Like are there big minis? Are there numerous maps? Are there something else? Like just something on the main image. Are we hitting stretch goals? Is there a price?

0:51 Are there numerous boxes? Can I buy the original games? Like anything more than just, "Hey, here's a picture." But that being said, they have a really solid conversion rate. Looking right here at 8.6,000 hearts to 1.6 or 2.6,000 backers. Right? So that is what? Roughly three four to one? Whereas you look at some of these other numbers, that's more 10 11 to one. That one's like five-ish to one. Like that's a really rock solid conversion rate. I'm see excited to see what they're doing here. Skies of Smoke, Lands of Ash. Welcome back to the northern expanse where primeval beasts have awoken and new hunters have answered the call for help. Your home has become a battlefield and the blah blah blah blah blah. Uh so we got some theme there. Let me also put some gameplay, you know? Like is this a deck builder? Is this a action selection? Semi-cooperative? Completely cooperative? Like if I'm a newer person and I guess they have it down here. So I can I have but but still in here would be nice. Like some more information. Some juicy information.

1:44 But two to five players, 120 minutes. Okay. Cool. As always with the video, I'm thinking three things. Do I want it? Can you do it? How much is it? Let's see how they can make two convince 2,658 backers to give them nearly 400,000 euros. 97 seconds. Studio mid hall.

2:04 The aisles fell silent.

2:06 Theme. Art.

2:08 of Akron

2:10 Theme.

2:10 broken.

2:12 Theme.

2:13 And those who returned to the north

2:15 The world's dead.

2:16 believe the worst was yet

2:17 and monsters, this is like the 700,000th game to do this thing. Come on. They're fighting big monsters.

2:24 depths of the abyss.

2:27 And I'm rushing this because we are 27 seconds in. We have 98 seconds and you've wasted nearly a third of them.

2:33 A herald of green

2:34 Showing me nothing but artwork. And if I'm a new fan of yours, cool, art's neat, but once you get to a hundred, two hundred, three hundred dollars, I don't think art's going to move it.

2:43 A breath that turns forests to fragments.

2:46 Like I can't even see the card that this is corresponding to or the minion. I'm sure there's going to be a reveal, but why wait? Why waste a 30-year video?

2:54 Old flames whisper old names.

2:57 Like cuz even if I'm a fan of the original game, it's like, "Oh, hey, here's some art renders of some of the characters that are in the game." Yippee.

3:07 Ancient ones.

3:08 Oh, a scythe, it's a green thing and a scary monster with a red bandana and a fox guy who's got big swords. I don't care. We're We're about halfway through. And you just

3:18 But the north does not fall quietly.

3:21 Okay. And this tells me that this base game is probably very highly rated because this is nothing to shout out about this video. Unless like it's just literally nothing but artwork and and mild theme.

3:33 New blood, scarred veterans.

3:37 It just keeps going, too. I just keep There it is. A minute. They're like, "A minute, that feels right. People want a minute art theme before we actually get to see the actual gameplay and the actual components." And you know, like, "Oh, look, the hand-drawn little trees on the player board here. We zoomed in on it. and we're We're also showing you that it's really nice components. You can see with the uh What is that? That's the uh Oh, the screen is not screen printing. It's the one where they smash it.

4:01 Barriers to hold the line.

4:03 We're really zoomed in.

4:04 Relics from a world now ashes.

4:07 No, hey, that's from the the minute.

4:10 And the dragon's hoard.

4:12 Nice coins. There's your box. And there's just 20 seconds. Oh, boy, a box. Wow.

4:19 chapter. Scroll more. Whose side are you on?

4:25 And like even that shot right there, right? If I felt like I was walking into the fourth part of like an epic like, "Wow, this looks amazing. I have to get all four of these, right?" Cuz that's clearly what they're trying to set you up for. And I feel like a minute explaining to me how highly rated this is or how what awards it was nominated for or what the mechanisms look like or what the components look like would have been way more useful than you just doing some some generic music with some generic voice over with some generic images from your game.

4:55 And the world stops breathing.

4:59 Wow. Thank you for proving my point. I just think we couldn't We had to get one last one in there of just mouth was like whatever theme. Okay, but still 400,000 bucks. Because from what I understand, this is an awesome game. Uh after video, do I want it? No. No, I don't. New content reward, I'm in. 45 bucks, that feels great. You showed a lot larger box than that. That does not look like a $45 box to me. That definitely looks thicker from the outside than the shot that you showed me at the end of that video. I want to compare because I feel like that was intentionally made thicker. Like it has to be, right? Like one of these is the actual thickness of the box, and one of them is not. So, where is that shot of the box? So, that one looks very thick. But I swear there was one in the box that did not look thick at all.

5:45 Dragon's hoard. right there. Right here. Yeah. Okay. So, there that box is definitely different from that box. So, hopefully this is like an all comprehensive box that I actually can purchase. Because if it's not, I'm just annoyed that you just made your box look at larger. I have the question, right? Cuz that's definitely a smaller box. I'm assuming that's what it is. Assuming it's 100%. So, new content board, 45 bucks, I'm in. I'm going to guess that's the most popular pledge level. Unfortunately, right? Cuz it This looks like a fantastic game. And hopefully word of mouth. Hopefully they wow me right here. But let's also see what they've done before. And that's not an insult to say I think that's going to be the most popular pledge level. You know, that's just saying, "Hey, I want more of this new fantastic content for this game." Beast: Shattered Isles, which was on View the crowdfunding summary. View the original campaign, yes.

6:33 This was on Oh, so yeah. People get their stuff. That's what we're checking here. Uh can I look at the the comments, viewer? Where are the comments? Go to This is an archive view of the original crowdfunding. Go to the current project view. Huh. I like that feature, but at the same time I feel like you should lead with the one that has the actual living breathing aspect of like, "Hey, here's the comment section, the update section, so you can Like because if it's say for instance one of those ones where I can back it after the fact and you take me to that page, and then maybe we're to the right to the point before the company just goes out of business, right? Where everyone IS LIKE, "OH MY GOSH, I will flick my legal right section 6432 to get blah blah blah." You see those every once in a while in the comment section. People are like, "I'm ready to file a lawsuit." That sort of stuff. That's what I'm saying. I feel like you should lead with the live page and then make it like, "Oh, hey, just want to see what the page looked like that launched? Here you go." I like that feature, but I would flip that because I feel like one is definitely more valuable for your consumers. Oh, wow, I got an ad for myself and it's half and half on the bottom. That's interesting.

7:32 Cool. Uh I have to say I just skipped my own ad, by the way. So, I can't even feel bad if you do it, too. I have to say I'm honest, pretty upset. My copy with all the expansions just arrived in the sleeve pack that was part of the bundle didn't include enough sleeves for expansion. K, sleeve issue, not a game issue, but still annoying. Uh I just saw the new campaign for what I paid for these base games, ISI and TGL, I could have gotten the big box if I just waited. So, there is a big box. Cool. Awesome. Sorry for your sleeve experience. But then, once again, that's what I'm talking about here. I would lead with that in that useless description you had. Like where it was just like this spot right here where Yeah, the official expansion for the critically acclaimed hidden movement game Beast. Welcome to the dangerous new world filled with new beasts, ruins, and brave hunters in search of forgotten knowledge. That sounds like a fun game. I want to play that game, and you gave me What is your What did you give me? You gave me something that was way different and just not as good, I would say.

8:23 Seas of skies of smoke, lands of ash. Welcome back to the northern expanse. Blah blah blah. Once again, the same thing you did in the first minute of the video where it's just theme. Just oh, hey, theme. Instead of just being like, hey, this is what this game is. This is a much-beloved game. It's critically acclaimed. It's the fourth expansion. You get the big box. We could have mentioned all that stuff, but instead, we screwed around, right? I mentioned the earlier you can get to do I want it, can you do it, how much is it in your Kickstarter backer or your Gamefound backer's mind, the quicker you're going to get their money. And that's one of those opportunities to be like, "Ooh, big box? All-comprehensive big box? Like maybe I have the base game, but I don't have any of the expansions." It's like, you know, it just goes into a different mindset, right? All right, here's the Beast of Ashfall. That box is also looks like it's a different size than the other boxes, whatever. So, there's the base game, five with expansion. Cool. Heralds of the Abyss.

9:10 Uh Beast is snappy and immediate where hider and seek hider and seeker bash up against each other constantly. It's a game that reveals intense and thematic stories. One of the prettiest games we played. So, right there, I think that quote from Shut Up and Sit Down is more valuable than every single second of your first minute of your video. Just period. If that was just that quote and then a 58-second lapse, I think it would be more useful than what you showcased there. Uh it's just big game hunting, awesome. You got a quote from one of the biggest on the planet, excellent. And you lead with it as well, so that's a great. Love it there. Beast storm is the king of hidden movement and one versus many type game play. Once again, you could have mentioned that in the description instead of beasts of the skies of smoke. You could be like one of the best one versus all game gets its definitive final expansion and a massive big box for the number 1800 board game of all time gets better. Like you could have done so many things here uh, with that main blurb, but it's just theme. You just just copied the back of your box, it felt like, and I just don't think it's the play. It's a nitpick, but it's just I don't know. It's just it's weird. When I saw their last one, I was like, "Oh, that's a really great informative description." And they regressed. I think that's it, the regression. It's like, "Why?"

10:23 Cuz that was a choice. That's an active decision that someone was like, "Nah, I think we need to just go theme. We don't need to let people know it's one versus all. They can blah blah blah." Uh, acrylic standees, alt art dragon miniatures. So, this is why back now. Cuz I get this stuff. And discounted bundles. And the quick finalization. And the return a backer discount. I do love leading with this. I do think this is a really nice why back now graphic. Um, kudos. The Beast finale. This is the finale of the journey we started together. By backing now, you're participating in the final chapter of the Beast board game saga and helping us bring the Northern expansion to a DEFINITIVE GRAND CONCLUSION. THAT! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S the exciting blurb that would be way better than the garbage you have there about theme. Blah. When we first launched Beast, we never imagined how far the hunt would take us.

11:09 From the first tracks of the Northern expansion to the Shattered Isle, your passion has fueled us. This Yeah, literally, I think you could just have gotten a a sixth grader to do a slideshow with some of your awesome little blurbs you have here with some music in the background, and it'd be better. Like it would just be objectively be better than, "Hey, here's Wow." And like look at these cards. Like we could have showcased the cards. We could have showcased all sorts of awesome stuff, and instead it's just bleh. Yeah. And that And I feel like stuff like that is why Kickstarter and Gamefound videos get a bad rap. Why people are like, "Yeah, those videos are pretty useless most of the time." No, videos like that are pretty useless most of the time. Okay? Dude, let's not lump all the Kickstarter videos together. There's ones that are so informative and show you so much information in the first minute. And then there's today's video. Now, I'll include I've just uh I'm I'm spitting pissing today. I don't know why.

12:01 I'm just hot and bothered. Beast hot like Beast peed in my cereal. Beast shattered out of the expansion clues with the double-sided map with UV coat. So, this is the the other stuff, the the the original stuff because you're trying to get me to buy the big bundle. Uh ooh, the big box. So, this isn't the big Beast. So, that one box on the front is not, in fact, a box that I can purchase at all. Is this it? No. Yeah, there is not a thick Beast box. You literally just put it on the main image and made it thicker to be deceptive. Question mark. Can you think of another reason? Cuz that definitely looks thicker to me.

12:47 There is no There is no questions asked. That looks like a substantially thicker box than the actual box it is. And that's fine as long as you own up to it. Just own up to it and say, "Yeah, we wanted to draw more attention to our box. That's why we made it larger on the front and we lied to you. We lied straight to your face. Go buy our other big box cuz we do actually have a big box. Like this square, that square is nice. Except Yeah, I want that. I want that. And what is it? $199. Wow, that's a great price. Holy crap. Why is that so few fledges at 310 bucks? What in the world? Because you did a terrible job selling me on how fantastic this game was, he said. Yeah, you got some quotes there, but wow, so 2,000 people the new stuff. So, 2,000 people like, I love this game, I got to have it. 168 people like, I don't need that hollow pack character pack.

13:34 Odd, but hey, good for you. You are you probably are in a better financial situation than me because you make smart decisions like that. You're like, I don't need that extra $10. Good for you. Uh Beast plus the new content reward. So, this is just the new stuff plus Who does that? Who's the one who like, I don't want to start on expansion one, I am jumping to expansion three. More power to you. Beast plus all the expansions, 310. That feels absolutely abysmal to me. Was there an early bird? Like, that is shocking to me. Because let's go to BoardGameGeek. Let's see how this is actually rated. Because yeah, you had some quotes. But, I'm pretty sure this is There's some numbers that we can provide it. Yeah, it's a top 1,000 board game of all time. It's, you know, top 225 thematic game ever. You could lean into the deeply thematic nature of the game and how every expansion just adds extra layers to the theme. And we started off with this amazing idea oh so many years ago then we slowly have been adding more and more to the game, but now we've come to the point where they're This game is exactly what we've always hoped and dreamed it would be. We have a massive big box and this is what we believe is going to be the definitive and final version of Beast. Like, that That is what essentially is going on here it feels like. So, you're like, yep, this is the final expansion. And most companies don't do that, right? Most companies are not like, yep, last time we're going to come to like now like this is the last time we're going to go to the space base. Well, you know, this

15:06 is the last Ticket to Ride map pack. It just doesn't happen typically, right? People love to milk the cash cow. So, it's respectable. I like I kind of like the fact that's what they're saying they're doing here. And the end of the day, this is a fantastic price. So, I just got to go with two thirds of a point rate bump down here at how poorly this was sold. Because this is a great price for a fantastic top 1,000 board game with its big box and all the expansions at a very very reasonable price. Like that price feels I guess I I guess I don't know what the components are cuz you kind of just did this weird thing where you just show like yeah, it's like hey, there's So this is all it is. I would get like the comprehensive one. Like yeah, like how So it's over 50 cards in Beast Ashfall, but how many cards is it in the Yeah, and this once again goes back to you did such a terrible job convincing me to buy this game if I went through that video as a newcomer. What like Sorry, you can't just sell your game on artwork.

16:06 And the market told you that. You don't have a 500 print run of your featured pledge. Yeah, you say this is your featured pledge, whatever. Your real featured pledge, the one that you're really trying to get is the the reprints of everything, right? Because as a publisher, that should be the goal. Yeah, because this pledge has a thousand, we're doing a thousand reprint of every single one. We're probably going to jump that up to two, three, four, whatever it may be. And this I got to feel like that's that's got to be kind of a gut punch to them. Like if if you got them in a closed doors, like 310 for your all in for your deluxe for a top 1,000 board game. That's not good. And once again, maybe it's because you didn't make it feel special.

16:54 You went with generic theme in the description. You went with a misleading, deceptive, generic-looking box on the front. The video literally wasted the first minute of your customers' time. Yeah, I can see why most people aren't buying the all in despite the fact it's a pretty damn like four expansion like yeah that's that's that is what that's a that's a good price like that's not Kickstarter reasonable in my mind that's totally fine cuz this does this have the this have the premium stuff too? No it doesn't cuz it doesn't have the premium but still is there a premium all in that I missed right? Is that where's the premium all in? Yeah. Wow. And I guess yeah wow so just a that's rough and then I guess you have these like so that hopefully they're having more people like getting the add-ons but man and and I imagine that is the case honestly now that I look at this this very much with you when you're on your third or fourth expansion a lot of times it's going to be much more ala carte like oh I didn't get these acrylics the great hunt tokens only cuz I didn't get the like whatever that may be so I bet they are getting a lot more on the back end on the add-ons so kudos on that understanding what they have cuz this is like this is print run of all these right? These are all this is a boatload of skews but good for them and once again if you want to see exactly why Kickstarter board game companies have this stupid annoying habit of trying to over deluxeify and

18:28 over expansionify their game when they first launch look no further like right here if I told you that this like this top 1000 board game geek game of all time is not even at a 400 print run of the reprint of the base game with the big box like you'd be like wow that sucks but once again look at all this like it's how much are they making just nickel and diming on every single one of these little tiny things and this is why publishers love to do it and it's smart from a publishing perspective but it's just it just makes all of our games so freaking bloated oh hey are we actually talking about the game are we actually focusing on why people might want to give you money instead of just artwork and then a shopping section which was eh not the funnest.

19:14 Like I will say I feel like you did a great job. Just 45 bucks. Hey returning backers go buy the thing. But if you're trying to get the 200 out of me, you're like hey here's some homework. Go through all this. We couldn't be bothered to to give you to paraphrase what's been going on in the beast world in the first minute or maybe they did. Oh hey 160 plus cards and now I'm seeing the cards and now I'm like oh no look at all that gorgeous artwork 160 whatever but these cards. How many contracts are there? How many mini maps with screens and pens are there? This how many painted wooden pieces are there because this is in is this in everything or is this in just the base game? Yeah that's just in the base game right? Hit me with that all comprehensive number and maybe there's a graphic down here. But it's should not be buried down here. How many cards? How many contracts? How many of this? How many of everything in everything I'm buying cuz you're trying to get me to buy that $200 version.

20:09 Don't like We all are adults here. The one that they want you to buy is the $200 version. Period. Because yeah they get the most money. So show me the comprehensive like all right I'm getting 75 tarot cards and 363 of these cards and 62 acrylics and whatever it may be instead of piecemealing it like this. I just feel like one all of because this is just going forever. It's not stopping. All right, what do we got? Uh sorry. My sons are currently away from the home so I got to check my phone every once in a while. Uh Hollow packs oozes tension for the first turn. It's fantastic. France and full suspicion. I love it. Hollow packs. So what's Hollow packs? Is that uh oh this is the expansion. Okay, that's a rock solid quote.

20:56 The thing you're trying to sell me. Um it is you know if I'm here I'm going to buy it no matter what but that's a solid quote. There's more hunters. There's more beasts. There's new mechanics seamlessly integrated with your game. You missed an E. Not a big deal but yeah. Um Ashfall builds on Beast in a confident way, adding more variety, more interaction, more ways to approach the hunt. So, this is you selling me those expansions up there, which would have been a great way I like why is it Why are these quotes so far down here? I guess you don't want to overload with quotes, but They're fine. We love the game. It's even better. Just keeps getting better. The artist is phenomenal as always. So, we love the game. It's It just keeps getting better. Once again, that's the kind of quote that sells me on all right, I want all five of these boxes, right? I feel like the main problem is they just didn't sell you on the base game at all in any way, shape, or form aside from with some quotes, and that's not enough. Like you had the opportunity, too.

21:46 Beast remains the king of hidden movement one versus type mini type games. All right, new possibilities with a healthy dose of mystery is exactly how I like it. The modular mechanic means there's lots to explore. These are just a lot of good quotes. Whatever. So, videos, lots of quotes buried at the bottom. Nobody's going down here. Listen to the official music on Tabletopia. Excuse me. Read the rulebook. It's excellent. Shipping that's What do we got? So, 22 20 Wow, okay. So, you really went all in on subsidizing And once again, then you should have mentioned this This kind of sucks for your new backers. I'm going to guess this is something people are complaining about in the comments because if you're just here for the new content, you get jacked so hard compared to the people buying all the boxes.

22:33 And once again, that's because they're trying to sell that as their main pledge, but instead of actually showcasing your game, you went with superfluous nonsense theme. Kudos. Like I wanted to like this. Yeah, we don't like AI, cool, whatever. I could have guessed that with how hard you just You just like hey, look at our art. First minute, look at our arts. You don't need to see the card that's attached to the art. You don't need to see a mini. You don't need to see a component, a board. You seem to see nothing. And then when they finally did go to the board, it's not like they even did the shot that everybody does, the industry standard for a reason, the industry standard, that all encompassing, holy crap, that's a huge looking game that's amazing and I need to buy it and I need to spend 200 euros on it cuz 200 euros doesn't feel terrible.

23:26 And they got 400,000 dollars. So, kudos to them. But, I am curious because I believe the other ones Yeah, this one is 1.7 million for the most recent expansion. And then they had some other ones on Kickstarter that I'm going to guess probably also were doing better. And yeah, like it's just the the choice to go with Oy. Oy vey. All right, let's check out the rewards, the pledges, comments, give it a grade. Does this actually show the backers and who took the add-ons? That would be cool. It does not. I knew that. 310, yeah. Is that a new pledge? Hopefully that's a new pledge. Fingers crossed that that's a new pledge. It shouldn't be cuz that would be like, why did you add this new pledge this late in the game when you know Yeah. Holy Toledo. Uh updates, comments, give it a grade.

24:13 Five player mode. Ok. Neat. Uh Spain's joining Ashfall plus five player mode. Greeting everyone, we have a lot to share, so let's get into it. Gameplay almost complete, ahead of schedule. I kind of knew this, you mentioned it I think at some point and somewhere that there was going to be five player mode in that. I was excited. Uh yeah, it was one of the expansions cuz yeah, it showed it on the thing like one to four but or two to four but then or one to four or two to four but then it went to five with the expansions it said. This means all copies of Ashfall now include a five player contract as well as four You're just announcing this now? Like I literally knew this just from going through your page. Like what are you This isn't I guess you're announcing it more. But, why this late, too? Like if you had it Huh. All right. So, is there any way of getting the core upgrade package in Spanish? Uh great news stuff thanks keep trying for French please so they try to get more language. Let's check out the most engaging update see what they got.

25:06 70 60 79 here we go. This campaign so far language is acrylic tokens only big box tournament. Oh. Campaign so far. Hello hunters from far and wide we're just one week into campaign and we're super happy with how things are going so far. It's a sentimental journey during the final expansion for Beast and we wanted to thank you all for supporting language is acrylic tokens only. Miniature hunters out here we hear you loud and clear. We're adding one add-on per product and expansion for only acrylic tokens. We're also taking great to place many warning labels on these new add-ons as possible people don't accidentally buy acrylic tokens and expect standees as well. Once again This is great. These are just literally accessories, right? Just Okay, we'll make more accessories for you to buy. If you're going to buy them we'll buy them. Uh big box so we're still awaiting the full technical specifications the factory. Here's what we can do in the meantime. A lot of the feedback we've seen in the comments has focused on visuals. The image used currently is a mock-up and we'd like to advise you to help us with the final design.

26:01 Okay. Cool. Let's see what people have to say. Engagement on the polls? Yep, people love it. 820 votes kudos. Should we put art on the big box? No, keep it black. Who? You 55 Is that you know what? 56 No, seriously who that who's the I just want the blackness. Uh just a question about translation adding another comment here just to shout out some love to the artist but whatever. Too much love to the artist in that video for my liking not enough uh love to the game. It's a top 1,000 board game on BoardGameGeek and it's about to do its final big box and then the print run is less than 400. Like that's You'd be like what is it a war game? Is it a spelling game? Like what? Is it like are they print playing?

26:49 Like and I and I can't I can't not look at that fact because that is an entire publisher. Like there's an entire chunk of publishers that literally just do that. They try to look for highly rated games that are out of print that have expansions that they could do this exact thing over deluxeify, bring back to life. Like this is a this is a dream for so many people. If this was just like oh yeah, Beast with the fourth expansion that never got manufactured. Like and it's just I feel like this just felt like such a It just felt like a fart, right? It just felt like your typical third expansion instead of this is the end. Like this is the comprehensive final chapter of this amazing epic game experience of one versus all and semi whatever it may be. And it's just boy.

27:34 Uh is there no play mat option for the Ash Mall? Hope this not a dumb question. At the Beast plus all expansion where it doesn't include the miniatures, am I right? Nope. These pledge rewards are That's weird they don't have like the comprehensive all in for everything. Um Can we please get premium inserts to complete our collections? It's not likely to happen but it's most likely possible to fit. Is this Kickstarter going to be the only place to get the add-ons for the board game? Um so lots of questions even today, too. This is the tons of people chiming in here. I want to know if everything this game what should I take because the most expensive bundle seems to have no add-ons. Am I wrong or I don't understand something? Yeah, the deluxe add-ons have to be added separately because it's the only way to avoid a labyrinth of options that caused people to get many duplicates in the last campaign. So so they had to do this all. And that's fine. They figured it out and it's more convenient.

28:20 But I got to feel like this does not feel like this is the end they were hoping for. Cuz let's go check out the Kickstarter. 1.7 million for the last expansion. The original base game which I believe I covered way back when. Uh 508 5.8 million sex. I don't know what a sec is. Why is this translate What? What the heck am I in sex? Is that Does anybody Does anybody know sex? Yeah, it should be in English US dollars. Okay, but okay, but does it still show me the dollars? Uh, okay. 5.8 million sex. 5.8 million sex to dollars. This Hopefully this is a safe search. Yes, good.

29:08 Uh, so 623,000 dollars. So, still fantastic for a first-time publisher and still more than they're going to hit here. Right? So, I just feel like the amount of love they showed to the original base game is just atrocious. And it's unfortunate. Cuz yeah, it's like it's a big box. It's everything. It's delicious, delightful components. It's There's And they're like, "Hey." And I'm sure if you went through If you took the time and effort and you really put like an hour into this page and look through all the videos, you can make yourself an informed decision. But that's just not how most people shop. So, final grade for Beast Ashfeld. Do I want it?

29:54 Yeah, I do because I went and looked up some more information on it on BoardGameGeek or I watched your videos or I spent a good amount of time, but I don't feel like that video did you any favors at all. I feel like it was actively counterproductive. I feel like not leading with the main price, which is very reasonable, of $199. Yeah, cuz the bottom line is I get it. This is going to be your most popular pledge cuz most people are just going to be returning backers, but you could easily have scooped up new backers with this much-beloved game that has won probably awards. Let me guess. It's a top 1,000 board game. I would be highly shocked if it hasn't won any awards. The expansions haven't won any awards. It's just And it's just it's so I don't know.

30:44 It feels it feels like it wasn't a labor of love. Right? It feels like somebody else made the page that doesn't love the game or something. Like like that shot right there. Like that's $199. Like that game that's a top 1,000 board game that's $199. And then if you just show me, "Okay, it's also got X number of these big things, 2016, whatever the number may be." Right? And instead we just do it one at a time and we're just meandering. And yeah, we had the five-player mode. Yeah, you told me about it. I think once twice. It's like I don't know. Main image sucks and is not a box that you can actually purchase and you just made it look intentionally large.

31:31 That's larger than this and that box does not exist. So you were just being deceptive and misleading. You know what? I hate to say it but good. Good. I hope that they look at this and they say, "You know what? Maybe next time we'll focus on what makes us special and not just our artwork which once again not special because every game's got artwork for the most part. Even though I'm sure like those 55 people who voted for the completely black box there's people out there be like, "No, I don't want artwork in my game." All right, final grade. Do I want it? Not really. Yes, I do. At the end of the day, once I got to the price, yes, but I don't feel like you did a good job getting me there. I feel like I had to get there and you didn't get me there. Even though the quote's solid, lot of good stuff just mixed with a lot of stuff Can you do it? Yeah.

32:29 Yeah. I do want to check the the the switch over. So So did holo packed. Oh, they did a role playing game. Okay. And then they did Beast, but it was canceled. And then Hollowed Pact. Yeah, let's check this real quick. We didn't look at these at the front. And whatever you switch So this was an $88,000 role playing game. Was successfully funded last year. Probably not out of it was from December. But good to know. Does RPG include the lore back? Yeah, for sure. Okay, cool. So this one's not out, but it doesn't look like it's flaming dumpster fire. People are concerned about it. And at the end of the day, you know, 88,000 bucks to make a role playing game book probably should be very reasonable.

33:15 And then Hollowed Pact, this one in theory 100% should be Wait, the next standalone chapter of Beast. So this is its Am I Aren't I on Hollowed Pact? Isn't that what I'm backing right now? What what? No, I'm on Ashfall. Okay. Hollowed Pact. Yes. People got this clearly or else people would be just writing in the comment section. Let's make sure it was a smooth smooth process. Any news? I messaged back in April to see if changes could be made. Hi there. Request a refund to cancel my pledge. I've late pledged August 25th. I'll be moving. Question. Is this one not out? Is there Is there any game when is it expected to be delivered? If production would start in early May, we should be looking at the game will arrive to backers in November 2020. Is this something that I just bought? Did I just buy Hollowed Pact on Gamefound?

34:02 No, that's a different thing, right? Yes, that's a different thing. I bought Ashfall and a Hollowed Pact character pack. So is Hollowed Pact not out? Okay. That's a That's an interesting choice. Huh. Big works closing late pledges proofreading a new timeline proofreading glimpsing the ever change That's that's okay. Interesting. I found a grade. Oh boy. I don't think it's good. I just don't. Like I was excited to cover this campaign and the excitement was stripped from me.

34:48 I still think the game is probably amazing and something that I would love to play and the components look like the gameplay I I don't know what the gameplay looks like without watching cuz you just you spend a minute on the video just waste your time, but I get it. Hidden movement, asymmetric characters, acrylics, minis, like that shot. Like why was like like even when we did get to that board on the video, we didn't zoom out. We just zoomed so insanely close that you could see like the ripples on the board and it's like if you're trying to get me the feeling that I'm going on this grand expansive journey or trip across a like just do maybe zoom out so I can see it. I don't know. I'm going to go with a C- minus.

35:36 I I I just refuse to believe that a big box for a top 1,000 board game like it it's just 310. Like that's that feels really bad and that makes me want to go like look at other specifically just say top 1,000 board games and their last when they do their big box and do you think that 310 is going to be on the high end or the low end? And I I would 1 100% say low end every single time.

36:21 And I know there's the argument of like, "Yeah, but everybody who already loved the game has bought it after the first three expansions." Yeah, I get it, but that's why that's why like this is it. This is the final comprehensive one for the top 1,000 the top 221, you know, thematic game of all time, the one versus all, one versus many. But instead we get Skies of Smoke, Lands of Ash. And then just just to remind myself of how bad it was. Cool.

36:44 else

36:45 And once again, don't blame Studio Midhall. Oh, we actually do. I thought that was the person who made the video.

36:49 fell silent

36:50 says it's the bad stuff.

36:52 of Akron, they were wrong.

36:54 Oh, dragons and servants and babies. It's just come on. Really?

37:00 against the fall

37:02 No. No. C minus. Beast Ashfall I was excited. You took it away from me. Thank you. But it still looks fantastic and I want to play it one day. Let me know in the comments below what's your final grade for Beast Ashfall. And what are your thoughts on this box? What are your thoughts specifically on that box? On the fact that they put up a box that does not exist. Most likely to make you think it was a larger box because why else, right? Like they have other shots of the accurate box all over the place. Like very frequently. But yet they chose this one image as their main image. Which by the way, I still think the main image sucks too. Part of the C minus grade. Like if this is the big box, the all-encompassing big box that's going to have all the expansions in it. Like why like it's just this feels so fumbled.

37:55 C minus. Let me know in the comments below what's your final grade. And if you want to see another fumbled Kickstarter campaign, be sure to check out my Kickstarter page down below. I'm terrified to make changes to it now because they said if you make changes to it, then that is subject to us checking it out again. Because when I first entered it, I had to re-enter it three times. Because I'm a noob and I tried to make it like my old campaign. They're like, "Nah, we changed the rules." And I didn't look into it and I'm a dummy. But if you want to support Kickstarter Origins coverage, or excuse me, Gen Con coverage, I'm going to be doing 105 videos from Kickstarter and Origins. You can sponsor your own Kickstarter critique by for your favorite publisher, buy it for an upcoming game, buy it because you just want to support the channel. Link down below. I think there's like 3 days left to go and it really is just to help make it so that going to these conventions and hoping to grow by our game corner is not going to make it reaching into my kids, you know, checking account when they need to go to get shoes or whatever. But, have yourself a good one. Bye-bye. Holy, there's so many tabs. This is it. Yeah, look at that. I organized it. Bye-bye.

38:51 Have yourself a good one. And if you have a request for a Kickstarter critique, be sure to drop it down below and I'll try to get to it. Bye-bye.