What KICKSTARTER(S) are you BACKING and WHY?

southernman wrote: Well Cyberpunk 2077 just didn't do anything to excite me or that I'd want to play over other games I have so that was ignored.

Then came the very interesting Story of Many, this does look very good but is just too close to an rpg for me and I have a lot of games doing the rpg-boardgame hybrid thing so another one that wouldn't get played, so not backed as well.

Finally it is Awaken realms BIG game for the year Lands of Evershade, another narrative game in (apparently) a massive world they have created and that is also a bit more down the rpg route than their previous awesome efforts (ISS Vanguard, Etherfields, Tainted Grail) but, as for Story of Many, I'm wondering if it is to far down the rpg path for me to really want to play. And then they have put up a (IMO) disastrous playthru video of it with three 'old uncle' types from the Dicetower who looked disinterested and were just saying cringy stuff - that one video has moved me from a dead cert to back a few months back to 'lucky if I'll back the $1 option'.
I have had three attempts to watch it so far and haven't even got half way - see what any of you guys think Lands of Evershade prototype playthrough - but for me unless they get a new video out that doesn't make me slash my wrists and fall asleep at the same time they may have lost me.

I do have one that is exciting me for next year though, from my second favourite design team (who brought Aeon Trespass: Odyssey) Into the Unknown - Enormity .

Well the latest update for it is out and (thank god) there are better videos - a good unboxing one (from On Table) and Rolling Solo has a How to Play that, after just 3 minutes, is more exciting than the Dice Towers thick sludge watching experience - so hopefully I'll see enough to compliment what I've read and put it back on my list.

After some deliberation, I decided to back Valheim on Gamefound. It's based on a video game, but I have never played that, so I had no experience with the IP.

The game is pretty expensive, even the basic edition (which has standees instead of minis), which is why I had to ponder it for a while, before ultimately deciding to back it. Partly because I like vikings, I like the artwork, and it looks like it'll be a fun solo game (sadly, my most common way to play games these days). But also because the creators did a good job of listening to feedback during the campaign, and making adjustments on the fly. They didn't do any bullshit stretch goals, which I also appreciated. I've seen too many crowdfunding campaigns go insane with the stretch goals, which always makes a campaign deliver late after the creators realize all the new shit they're on the hook to design and develop.

Well know I am in a better frame of mind with Lands of Evershade I can look forward to my last 'probable' pledge for the year - Enormity . This is by my second favourite new studio - Into the Unknown - who, like Awaken Realms, are bringing new ideas into boardgames and were responsible for the massive Aeon Trespass: Odyssey followed by Kingdoms Forlorn.
It is described as a 1-4 player extraction dungeon crawler with epic boss battles in an open world SciFi setting, and I'm already liking the look of the mechanics with the simplicity of components but a vastness of scope.

Enormity looks very promising. I like the concept and appearance of it, but I don't have any prior experience with their other games. It looks like it will be expensive. I would like to know more about the game mechanics.

Shellhead wrote: Enormity looks very promising. I like the concept and appearance of it, but I don't have any prior experience with their other games. It looks like it will be expensive. I would like to know more about the game mechanics.

With the multiple map books instead of boards or tiles and minis being optional I'm thinking this won't be too badly priced.
Aeon Trespass: Odyssey was a massive narrative boss battler set in ancient Greece being invaded by monsters from another reality - I have still yet to get it out, and it was massive in size as well dwarfing a Gloomhaven box
I didn't back Kingdoms Forlorn as I was trying to keep my spending down at the time plus didn't have a group then either but it was very, and a bit strangely, innovative in what it was doing for a medieval fantasy narrative adventure game - have a read HERE

I have only good things to say about Into the Unknown as a company. I am in the middle of Cycle II of Aeon Trespass. As far as Enormity goes, from what they have released it will have some things in common with their other games. You have a character that will provide some stats, a suit that will provide more and some gear. More stuff will unlock as you go. So gradual rise in complexity as the game goes. Still expect it to have a decent level of complexity to begin with. In combat you will leave behind buff tokens for the next player to go, this leads to a nice feeling of teamwork.

I love Aeon Trespass, but i like complex games. I will be backing Enormity.

Even better news for those possibly interested in Enormity. From a recent update on another of their games.

Yes, your eyes do not deceive you. We’re happy to announce that Enormity will be the most affordable ITU game to date! Thanks to a streamlined production process and aggressive time table, we’re able to offer the Standard Edition (standees!) at a price of only $89! [Marcin’s Edit: It’s 2019 ATO at $129 all over again!]

So that's pretty freaking awesome.

Alright, I'm in on Enormity. Not officially yet, but as soon as they put up the actual Kickstarter. Concept reminds me of an excellent story by George R.R. Martin, The Plague Star. Except that Martin's story would make a great cutthroat game for up to six players, while Enormity is co-op.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/mindclash/revenant

Revenant kickstarter launches today from Mindclash. It looks like a sort of BSG worker placement eurogame, where you don't have an out and out traitor but each player has different commitments to different houses so may not be as diligent protecting some ships as others. You have variable powers workers and can develop them with tech and abilities, so it seems like the kind of Argent style special powers worker placement I'm quite fond of.

Voidfall is one of my favorite games in the last 5 years and I like Anachrony a lot, so I may be in for this. I'll need to watch a playthrough to be sure, the designer is not familiar to me so it's a risk.

Bernie wrote: Even better news for those possibly interested in Enormity. From a recent update on another of their games.

Yes, your eyes do not deceive you. We’re happy to announce that Enormity will be the most affordable ITU game to date! Thanks to a streamlined production process and aggressive time table, we’re able to offer the Standard Edition (standees!) at a price of only $89! [Marcin’s Edit: It’s 2019 ATO at $129 all over again!]

So that's pretty freaking awesome.

Backer #48 ...yeah, I was keen . I'm just going for the Core game, I have plenty of games now with unpainted grey minis and those standees look pretty good - plus I can put the $50 difference towards expansions for ...
Lands of Evershade - yep, backed that as well (standees option again), I love the narrative games and this just looks great. I will (probably) be getting the scenario expansions for this, but not Enormity, because they are better priced plus the scenarios with the base game in Enormity feel like they will be enough for me.

I officially backed the base set for Enormity. Didn't notice my backer number, but it is already more than 1,000% funded. I have a tiny bit of FOMO regarding the expansions, but realistically I will be lucky if I play the entire contents of the base game more than two or three times. Also, the expansions all have minis and so are not as reasonably priced as the base set with standees.

Shellhead wrote: I officially backed the base set for Enormity. Didn't notice my backer number, but it is already more than 1,000% funded. I have a tiny bit of FOMO regarding the expansions, but realistically I will be lucky if I play the entire contents of the base game more than two or three times. Also, the expansions all have minis and so are not as reasonably priced as the base set with standees.

Yes on both your comments - the core game has four campaigns and I'm sure that will give plenty of replayability (especially with my other games, it will be months - likely years, before I get around to playing them all over again), and the campaign expansion prices likely reflect the miniatures content (for comparison the Lands of Evershade campaign expansions are $20 cheaper due to all the minis for the game being sold in one large box, an Awaken Realms standard these days).

Just backed the latest Root expansion, Homeland. I try to avoid most Kickstarters but I love Leder Games' output, they are reliable in finishing projects, and there is no FOMO with any of this, but it tends to be a good deal compared to waiting for retail. I feel respected as a consumer which is more of a rarity these days. I also went for The Old King's Crown. I can't stop thinking about that game since Dan's preview of it a year ago, and I am liking what I am seeing on the studio's Discord regarding communication and playtesting. I want a nice card game that isn't Yugioh or will have me tempted to buy a million expansions like Summoner Wars. I'm also now browsing GeekMarket and the like for a good deal on Arcs (the only game I regret not backing as it was cheaper through the Kickstarter and turned out great, like they tend to with Leder). Once I get that, I think I will stop buying board games until I either cull some or get more plays in.

I hope that Enormity won't be the kind of game where I am expected to permanently deface the components with stickers and destroy the replay value after one game.

The Esoteric Order of Gamers did a video on an Enormity prototype