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David D
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
The *atmosfear* in the game is *phantastic*- replete with evocative imagery on both the cards and game components. The board state is reasonably managable, while skill checks have enough mitigation to reward player agency. Certain missions are extremely difficult, but it ain't a game if you can't lose. Personally, I find said challenge highly thematic- given its implications of madness and despair and find games wherein loss is rare to be more an excuse for beer & friends rather than dungeons & dragons. My only gripe with this title is the miniature quality, wherein costs were clearly cut. Attaching many enemies to their bases is impossible without glue, while some have a small foot peg that may or may not affix properly due to inconsistent molding. Size was also not properly considered from a design perspective, as many of said figures do not fit well on the board- crowding it at times. Fortunately, this is offset by the game being more atmospheric than combative, and the fact that the investigator minis at least come adjoined to their own bases, requiring no assembly whatsoever. Ultimately, yes. I would recommend this game. The content and mechanics are well written/executed, and if it wasn't for a few fiddly component gripes- I would've given it 5/5.
Shalimar K
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
If you like Chuthulu type mysteries, then this is the game for you. This game is a bit app heavy and in our first game, we found ourselves occasionally forgetting to go back to the board to move our pieces there. It is easy to get used to though and I can imagine that the number of pieces and the amount of board/rule management that would be required without the app would be very cumbersome and could take some of the joy out of the experience. The app acts kind of like a GM, which is nice if you are looking for a game everyone can just jump into without the need for a GM. If you like games where you get to solve a mystery with your friends or role-playing type board games, definitely give this one a try. There is plenty of replayability too, so if you like this kind of game the investment is worth what you get out of it.
Greg C
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Love this game. Love the use of the app with this game.
JTBBALL
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
This is a great game and I highly recommend it. I would give this game an 8 or 9 on the BGG scale but when I look at the categories provided for this review, I realize that the value for money is a bit on the lackluster side. However the gameplay per dollar is amazing! What I mean by these two statements is that you don't really get a lot of bang for your buck in terms of the volume of content, but the content that you do get is of a very high quality and quite impressive! Plus you can pretty much play this game with anyone, even people who know NOTHING about modern board games because the app guides you through so much stuff. That being said, someone should still to know how to play the game and be able to reference the rulebook to ensure everything is on track.
I hate that the miniatures are of such poor quality, they look good but are flimsy, rubbery, and would not likely hold a paint job well due to the flexible plastic. Also the minis don't really fit in the base holes so most of the time the minis stay in the box and we just use the cardboard tokens. Aside from the minis, every single component is of the BEST quality of it's time, and I would even say that these components are some of the highest quality even in August 2020.
The other negative thing about this game is that there are only 4 scenarios with the core box on the app. You can buy 1-2 more for $5 each but then that's all you get. Now the cool thing is that each scenario you repeat ends up being different, there is a random generator in the app that does change things up a little. After you play each scenario 2-3 times then you have likely exhausted everything new the game has to offer.
I have no expansions but as I understand it, adding new enemies, investigators, tiles, and npc characters is supposed to make every scenario you already have feel different and fresh PLUS you get extra scenarios. I believe there are only 10-12 scenarios between all the expansions which seems pretty light however for most people that is plenty of game.
Bubblerider
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Set up is a breeze! download the app, boom instructions STEP BY STEP all the way! You can't go wrong,
We haven't made it to the other difficulty levels yet on the app. (3 players- easy mode) We've played twice already, first time we didn't succeed. The second time we won. We wanted to make sure we got a good feel of the first difficulty before moving on and a good understanding of the game.
With playing it twice on the same difficulty the game board lay out was different each time, new monsters appeared and different things did happen.
Def will get your usage out of this game with the different options of playing.
Starla
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
I also own the first edition, which rarely made it to the table. The set up was cumbersome and the game had to be planned in advance (no spur of the moment, “Hey, let’s play Mansions.”) Don’t misunderstand, we enjoyed the game once it was set up, and we were sad not to play it more often.
Enter Mansions of Madness 2nd edition. The set up is now a matter of moments. The app streamlines the games, and adds to the atmosphere and immersion in the game world. Game play is smooth as silk. Puzzles feel more authentic. The game gets out of its own way and lets the gameplay shine. The app even allows repeats of the same scenario to be different, so that you can play them again wothout knowing everything! Brilliant!
This game is a masterpiece.
Stefano
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Game is great, but replay-ability is really low. Scenarios have some changes in the map and in the main events, but you will still need to do the same things to be successful. Great game on the first play for each scenario; it is ok when you already know what to do; definitely boring when you know all the possible events in a scenario and you reach this point with 2/3 plays for scenario.
Wh0IsTh3D0ct0r
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Anyone who complains about the use of the companion app has obviously not even PLAYED this version of the game yet. You need to try something yourself before you can give an informed review.
The app really streamlines the whole experience, as you don't get bogged down by the minutiae of setting everything up and making changes to the board. The app gives clear instructions that almost anyone can follow. This really speeds things up so that players can focus on the story of the scenario instead of the logistics.
Some have complained that you don't get much bang for the buck. I completely disagree with that because a.) the quality of the game and the components more than justifies the price to me, b.) the scenarios have subtle variations, especially when you alter the number of players in the game, thus increasing the game's replay value, and c.) optional expansions can introduce new characters for use with the core scenarios, also increasing the game's replay value.
My wife and I are not huge horror fans (to each their own). However, I borrowed this game from a friend to see if she and I would like it and because it is currently out of stock almost everywhere. We both LOVED it because it plays more like a mystery novel than a horror movie. And with the co-op mechanic, we aren't competing with each other, so my wife can enjoy it as much as I enjoy a great 4-X strategy game.
I am planning on buying this as soon as it's back in stock and gifting it to my wife. I know that she wants to own it, too.
Alex
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Great improvement over the 1st edition. Love the app. Spent countless hours with friends and family playing it.
Mike
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
I did not know much about Mansions of Madness when I dove in head first. I purchased the main set as well as the 3 expansions together. I will break the game down like this:
Gameplay: All I can say is it was an amazing experience! Nobody wanted to stop playing! We actually played till 2:30am on a Saturday night because of the game! We had no issues with the app and the game was a blast! You feel immersed into the game from the start. The theme is extremely strong, which I believe the app helps bring that out. Just a "wow" experience!
Difficulty: The game is not difficult to learn and play. I would say some other "Ameritrash" games are slightly harder to learn. So if you like a game that really makes you think this might not be for you. However, I do can not see people not having fun!
Quality: The game tiles are exceptional. The monsters and players pawns are not the best. I had 2 player bent fairly bad. Several monsters had to have superglue to hold them together. Getting the chit inserts into the bases were not easy. Some still are not lined up. I can honestly say this is my biggest disappointment with the game!!
Price: You pay up for the plastic and I am sure some of it is for the app. If the pieces were not such a mess, I could see the price. However, with the issues I had I am a little disappointed in the value.
Overall, I am happy to own it. I love playing it! I hope we don't burn it out with only 9 adventures on the app, (1 you pay for $5.99). it will see a fair share of table time.
William
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
I have been thoroughly enjoying this game. I've had a lot of fun hanging out with friends, and having the game whoop up on us.
CasperTheGamer
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Another amazing game by Fantasy Flight. It's not everyday that a company gets a chance to redesign a game they have already produced. They not only reprinted the game, but they fixed and re-imagined so many aspects of the original game. The app adds so much to the game it's ridiculous! I highly recommend.
Bob
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
I played the first edition and loved it; needing someone to be the Keeper was never an issue as I was always the GM in any roleplaying game we played and I enjoy the position, I actually like knowing the full story and watching it unfold as the players explore the setting. My main beef with the second edition is the fact that you CANNOT play the game without the app - maybe my group is excessively old school but although we all have plenty of tech at our disposal when we get together to game we don't want to have to rely on an app to play a boardgame. Otherwise this is standard Fantasy Flight stuff, which is to say excellent components and game elements. Overall though I prefer the first edition and that is solely due to the requirement of the app to play the second edition.
Chris
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Very little replay value
Mark
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Lots of fun and enjoying it very much, The app makes it so much better than first edition. Smooth and immersive gameplay.
Daniel
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Instead of having piles of cards and a player telling you what it is happening you have an app. The app does a great job of streamlining and simplifying this process. This is also great news for groups that want to play pure co-operative games. The game boils down to following the instructions on the app and using the board for player markers and monsters. In some ways this does feel like it is almost an app game but the experience with your friends and family is excellent. The music and voice acting really help to set the mood.
All of the components are top notch. The miniatures have a good amount of detail. My only complaint is that 3 of the minis kept popping out of their base buy a little glue solved that problem. The insert is the Fantasy Flight valley and once expansions are purchased storage will become an issue.
With the app leading the game you only have a few scenarios. This will definitely be a game where you will need expansions and to purchase more of the scenario packs as they become available. There is a good amount of variation in the same mission within the app but I do see it getting stale after running the same one with the same group after 5 or 6 times.
I recommend this game if you and your group love thematic experiences and game play. The rules are light and straight forward. After 5 minutes anyone should be good to go.
Great game but scenario additions and expansions will be required.
MAGA
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Overpriced, app game.
Nathan
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
Beautiful game with tons of fun and horror!
Steve
Verified Buyer
Reviewed Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)
I highly recommend this game to any Lovecraft fan who enjoys board games. It plays well, has very nice components, and captures the spooky, shadowy world of HPL very well.
I owned the 1st edition and never played it- it was just too much trouble to find someone wanting to be "The Keeper" ( Dungeon Master). I ended up selling the game. When this 2nd edition came out, I instantly grabbed it, knowing that having an app be The Keeper made this game a, uh, keeper.
I rarely get a game these days that actually excites me, but this one actually got me fired up enough to not only paint all the miniatures, but also do some base alterations to suit my own tastes.
It took a few days before I actually played the game (finished painting the figures, reading the rules, watching videos on YouTube), but when I did, I was very thrilled with the game play.
My only complaint (and purely a personal viewpoint) is that the game seems to try to rush you through the house more than I like. I actually enjoy exploring the mansion but the game wants you to hustle through the place to save the world, therefore it has a built in "timer" to be sure you don't poke around too leisurely. I am aware that is the nature of these co-ops, but I would still like at least one scenario where the emphasis is less on speed and more on exploration.
Overall, despite the somewhat exorbitant price tag, it is a game worthy of a spot on your shelf.