Alchemy Bytes #26: WHEATON!!

Following a suggestion passed over a game of Dominion in my local gaming store, I decided to give Tabletop a whirl. I have to say, well worth a look, and I don't think that I recommend it highly enough.

Previously I have always thought of Tom Vasel, and The Dice Tower as my go to place for gaming info on Youtube. To be fair to Tom, he does put out good quality material on a regular basis, and if I am looking into a game that I may want to add to my own shelf, I'll probably still go there.

That said though, having now been exposed to the Tabletop, I find The Dice Tower somewhat laking. Wil Wheaton is a great showman, and his guests really seem to be having a blast. He's genuinely passionate about gaming and, the banter around the table rings far truer than the comparatively dry and clinical style of Tom Vasel. Speaking for seasoned gamers, I think that we can all agree that when a session really gets going, that inner-child evident in those gathered around the Tabletop in the video above is what really comes out.

Alchemy Bytes #23: Shadows Over Camelot: The Card Game - Video Review

Following on from my recent post I found this stellar video that gives a good overview of how to play the Shadows Over Camelot Card Game but, however leaves me with one question still unanswered, just how on earth is a game with such a strong focus on interaction supposed to play solo?

Alchemy Bytes #12: Descent - Journeys In The Dark 2nd Edition

 

An interesting look at Fantasy Flight Games latest version of the I suspect some day classic dungeon crawl, Descent: Journeys In The Dark.

Personally, I can't say that I agree with Tom Vasel's take on the new version of the game and, his assumption that it makes 1st edition obsolete. Without the fan base of the original version I think it is fair to say that this new release wouldn't be receiving half the attention it is.

Can I see all of those fans jumping ship at the sight of a new version of their favorite game? Not likely.

Not to mention that the second edition isn't really a new game! It's a rehash built on the lessons learned from years of first edition (in much the same way that first edition was a re-skin of the Doom: The Boardgame, taking on board the lessons that they had learned to build a stronger product).

One element that second edition does add to the base box is a campaign system similar to that in the Road to Legend expansion for the original. Which is a nice as without a doubt, that was the most popular expansion amongst the fans.

Is that enough though? Not for me I'm afraid.

Although I know that I will almost certainly end up buying a copy for the sake of completion, I am no fan of the majority of the changes that have been made by Fantasy Flight in the name of progress.

The campaign system is a nice touch and the skills that you collect as your character advances in level also have a certain appeal about them. Most of the other changes seem more like mistakes rather than progress though in my opinion.

In conclusion, this is a nice product but it's no more than a pale shadow of what it had the potential to be and, certainly not worth its price tag.

Best left avoided.