A new board game this week. Yep, more board games. This one is called Arkham Horror. As the title suggested, it has a horror theme to it, but all we ever got is not terrified, but confused players.
Out of all the board games that my friend has introduced us to, this is my least favourite, not because I don't like horror, but because this game is convoluted, the rules are overly complex and luck plays a big, if not a significant, part in the outcome.
Basically, there is The Ancient One that is hell bent on destroying the world and each player chooses an Investigator to investigate and shut down any gates that connects between the human world and the evil world. Close or seal enough gates, and you win the game. Otherwise, you will have to fight the evil monster which will more likely than not resulting in your demise.
This is the first time I have played it, and based my first impression, this could be the last time too.
I have several complains about this game (this will only make sense to those who have actually played or understood the rules of the game):
Checks - Each character has his own sets of stats that could be changed at the start of a round, each time that an event happens (like fighting monsters), a check must be performed. It's basically rolling the number of dices based on the difference between your stats and that of the modifier. So let's say one of your stats is 5, and the modifier is -3. Then you roll 2 dices, at least one of the dices has to show a 5 or 6 in order to pass the check (there's a card that can skew the dices roll in your favour or the exact opposite, but that's another story). It's double dipping. You need to be able to roll the dices first, and THEN you need to get a high number.
Horror checks - Every time you want to fight a monster, you need to do a horror check first before you can even get a chance to fight the monster. You pass, you can fight, you fail, you loss a certain amount of sanity and then you fight. This check just adds an extra layer of chance unnecessarily.
The green and red zones - Locations are separated into green and red zones. I have been told that the green zones are generally safe and can provide positive effects. My ass they do. Of all the green zones I've been to, one sent me to jail, one made me lose Sanity, one that made me lose Stamina, etc. None were good in any way. And all requires me to do a Check of some sort. Again, chance dependent.
Relies too much on chance - The whole game just relies on luck way too much for my liking. They don't give you twelve dices for no reason! The game has shit load of checks everywhere that requires you to roll the dices. Picking a card is a chance event. Even when you pick a good card, there is a likelihood that you will need to perform a check before you can receive the goodies. It's almost to the point of ridiculous. I might have a better chance in winning the lottery than this.
Money / Sanity / Stamina - For all I know, I haven't been able to regain any of them in any meaningful amount. You can take out a loan, but even that requires you to roll a die to see whether you need to repay the loan bit by bit. So how do I get money? No idea. I haven't been able to encounter an event that would give my money.
Sanity and Stamina can be regained at certain locations, but if a monster is in the way, how am I going to go through? I can evade, but guess what, more checks. Lots of spells, effects, etc. requires you forgo sanity as a trade. With a replenish rate so low, the spell or effect is pretty much useless. You'll never be able (or willing) to use them.
Too many things to keep track of - Gates, monsters, environmental Mythos, rumour Mythos, the terror count, shops, money, sanity, stamina, spells, items, allies, so on and so forth. Just so much things to keep track of. You might be able to remember how your own sets of card affect your stats, but might forget to take into account the environmental Mythos which might also affect your stats.
In all honesty, my first impression of Arkham Horror is less than impressive. Chance / luck plays too much in the outcome of the game. Many of the checks are unnecessary, I think. And it only adds to the complexity. Something that relies more on strategy is much more interesting than just blind luck.
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