Cthulhu Wars - A Five Second Board Game Review

Cthulhu Wars is about as straightforward as a modern area...

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cw is the best example of a “Meh” game that people play because it cost as much as their 1st car.

I love this series. Wish I'd thought of it. Keep up the good work.

Malloc wrote: cw is the best example of a “Meh” game that people play because it cost as much as their 1st car.

I dunno, I think it's a good game. It's basically a mashup of Chaos In The Old World and Nexus Ops (both of which I like a lot on their own) that works really well. I've only played the base game so I can't comment on the zillion dollars worth of expansions, but I think dismissively writing it off because it's ludicrously overproduced/expensive does the game a disservice.

That said I definitely wouldn't have ponied up MSRP for it, but that's a different discussion.

I do think the game is good, but only "good". The main reason it's seen the level of success it has is the ludicrous production. It sticks in people's heads mostly because of what it looks like, not how it plays. If it was released with standees way back when it wouldn't have gotten the pile of expansions and support it sees today.

Ah_Pook wrote:

Malloc wrote: cw is the best example of a “Meh” game that people play because it cost as much as their 1st car.

I dunno, I think it's a good game. It's basically a mashup of Chaos In The Old World and Nexus Ops (both of which I like a lot on their own) that works really well. I've only played the base game so I can't comment on the zillion dollars worth of expansions, but I think dismissively writing it off because it's ludicrously overproduced/expensive does the game a disservice.

That said I definitely wouldn't have ponied up MSRP for it, but that's a different discussion.

I can see where you're coming from and agree. Yet it's hard to separate cost from consideration, at least as far as subjective perception of value is concerned.

But I do hear a lot of people not only talking about the game, but playing it a lot. So they are getting some mileage out of their gaming dollars. The question I have about that is, are they playing it more because they sunk so much into it? Or is it because it's a legit game that people want to play a lot? Or some combo of the two, or more factors?

Colorcrayons wrote:

Ah_Pook wrote:

Malloc wrote: cw is the best example of a “Meh” game that people play because it cost as much as their 1st car.

I dunno, I think it's a good game. It's basically a mashup of Chaos In The Old World and Nexus Ops (both of which I like a lot on their own) that works really well. I've only played the base game so I can't comment on the zillion dollars worth of expansions, but I think dismissively writing it off because it's ludicrously overproduced/expensive does the game a disservice.

That said I definitely wouldn't have ponied up MSRP for it, but that's a different discussion.

I can see where you're coming from and agree. Yet it's hard to separate cost from consideration, at least as far as subjective perception of value is concerned.

But I do hear a lot of people not only talking about the game, but playing it a lot. So they are getting some mileage out of their gaming dollars. The question I have about that is, are they playing it more because they sunk so much into it? Or is it because it's a legit game that people want to play a lot? Or some combo of the two, or more factors?

I tend to question the usefulness of trying to make such a distinction, people say you enjoy the taste of alcohol or coffee because of the effects not because you are getting objective enjoyment from the taste, but I still get a big damn smile on my face from my morning coffee that I couldnt get from just warmed half and half and tons of splenda. These people *are* getting enjoyment and trying to suss out if it is *true* enjoyment can be a...not great road to travel ultimately.

I do see why people try to make that distinction, largely because they want to know if *they’d* get the same enjoyment, I just caution against looking too hard as to whether enjoyment is valid, since it basically always is

The only game that has been more of a hit with my group than Cthulhu Wars is Spartacus. We love how fast it is, as well as how straight-forward it is. It's also a joy to really dig deep into a faction so you can play it well. I have played each faction at least one time except for the Ancients, and I'll get around to them soon.

It's a top 5 for me, probably.

Well now, I guess we get to see what happens when we add a different editor star score to the mix I'd give it a 4.5.
I could (and probably will at a later date) write 1,500 words on what I love about Cthulhu Wars. I've played as all the base factions and shockingly, I liked all the base factions and would play any of them again. Granted, I love DOAM's but this is a fantastic one. I got my onslaught 2 copy (with a fist sized hole in the bottom of the box) for a mere $75.00 at a ding and dent sale. It's a game I will play in a heartbeat and it can go pretty damn quick. Definitely top 10 for me.

I wish I knew how to make this play fast. My group has really liked it every time we've played but it always ends up taking an hour or two longer than I would like.

Ah_Pook wrote: It's basically a mashup of Chaos In The Old World and Nexus Ops

And yet not anywhere near as good as either.

This game is a rare case in which I feel absolutely nothing while I play it. No excitement, no tension, no thrill of playing with giant plastic figures, and no real desire to ever dig in deeper to see if I’m not playing it well enough. Mechanically, it’s sound and nothing strikes me as bad, yet at no point do I feel like I’m having fun.

I love me some toy appeal and can enjoy a dumb game that has some, but I dislike the giant figures. I’m not completely anti-Lovecraft, but the theme is stupid. This could have been *the* kaiju game, with its dopey, dumb gameplay and with reasonably sized minis that actually gave it an MSRP that matches what you’re getting. But no, here’s one of the definitive KS projects with Lovecraftian monsters fighting because nerds. I didn’t pay for it, so I guess I have no horse in that race.

As an actual game, it’s fine. It’s not great, it’s not bad, it does nothing to rise above the other options in the same design space. To me, it’s boring and forgettable, which actually might be the worst fate a game can suffer.

*waits for Josh to add his rating to see how much it lowers the overall* Rally the troops, we've got a cthulhu rating war!