Heroes of the Sanctum: The Strategy Card Game

:!block: [b]IMPORTANT NOTE:[/b] [B][COLOR=#FF0000]TEMPORARY RATING[/COLOR][/B] This rating is done considering the Ultimate Pledge I own, which include all the original add-ons of the KS campaign listed below

• [thing=430411]Heroes of the Sanctum: The Strategy Card Game - Epic Expansion[/thing] (2024) (Not rated yet!)
• [thing=430412]Heroes of the Sanctum: The Strategy Card Game - Multiplayer Expansion[/thing] (2024) (Not rated yet!)
• [thing=430413]Heroes of the Sanctum: The Strategy Card Game - Comic Campaign Book[/thing] (2024) (Not rated yet!)

[b](KICKSTARTER GAME)[/b] Campaign End = 2024/04 Original ETA = 2024/10 (6M) Received = 2024/09/12 (-1M) TOTAL TIME = 5M

[b]Base Game: Games Played (Standalone / With Expansions) = 3 + 0 = 3 times[/b] (4-5-10-20) :goo:

[b]With Epic Expansion: Games Played = 0 times[/b] (3-4-8-15) :goo:

[b]With Multiplayer Expansion: Games Played = 0 times[/b] (3-4-8-15) :goo:

[b]With Comic Campaign Book: Games Played = 0 times[/b] (2-3-6-12) :goo:

[b] :STAR: COMPLETE RATING: [/b] [c] [b]SCORE CRITERIA WEIGHTING ------- STAR RATING SCALE -------[/b]

(7.0) FUN (x15): BORING :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: REALLY FUN

(7.0) GAMEPLAY (x5): NO DEPTH :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: LOT OF DEPTH (FOR THE WEIGHT) (7.0) GAME FLOW (x5): FIDDLY :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: SILKY SMOOTH (7.0) DOWNTIMES (x2): LOT OF :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: ZERO (7.0) RANDOMNESS (x2): PURE LUCK :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: PURE SKILLS (7.0) MECHANICS (x2): BORING :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: INTERESTING / INNOVATIVE

(7.0) REPLAYABILITY (x5): ZERO :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: INFINITE (7.0) SCALABILITY (x3): POOR :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: GREAT AT ALL PLAYER COUNTS (7.0) PORTABILITY (x1): BULKY :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: SUPER EASY TO PLAY ANYWHERE

(7.0) THEME (x1): UNATTRACTIVE :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: ATTRACTIVE (7.0) AESTHETICS (x1): UGLY :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: GORGEOUS (7.0) COMPONENTS (x1): LOW QUALITY :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: HIGH QUALITY (7.0) VALUE (x2): TOO EXPENSIVE :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: REALLY CHEAP(LOW COST FOR WHAT WE GET)

(7.0) SETUP TIME (x2): LONG :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: ZERO (7.0) GAME LENGTH (x2): TOO SHORT/LONG :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: JUST PERFECT (7.0) RULES COMPLEXITY (x1): COMPLEX :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: SIMPLE [/c]

[b]TOTAL = 350.0/50 = 7.00[/b]

:thumbsup: [b]POSITIVE POINTS:[/b]

++ ABC

:thumbsdown: [b]NEGATIVE POINTS:[/b]

-- The game flow is a bit hard to follow without always referring back to the rule book for the first few games until this get internalized correctly. It would have been great to have a double-sided player aid with one page with the full game structure with the phases and the important steps within these phases (and not only what is at the back of the rule books) and the other side with all the icons and other useful informations. -- There are some inconsistent words and phrase choices that uselessly complicate the learning of the game, by not always using the same words or structure of phrase for the same ability, like "ATTACK threats in any Battle Lines" or "You may ATTACK threats in any Battle Lines" or "You may ATTACK any Battle Line" which are all the same put not written the same, so at a quick glance these look different but they are not. Also, while talking about Any Battle Line, something this is referred as the Battlefield. In this kind of game, wording is extremely important for ease of play and also to correctly understand rule changes from the cards, in order to limit the moments you feel you have to double check the rule in the rulebooks or on BGG. -- There are also some graphic design choices that uselessly complicate the learning of the game since it's not always all consistent and thus easy to grasp quickly. One exemple of this is the inconsistent banner with most of the Character and Threat stats: for the Characters the top left circle indicates the HP, then the banner under it indicate attack and then Defence stats; but for the Threats, the top left circle indicate Difficulty level (and not HP), and then the banner is on the right side instead of being bellow the circle, and it indicates Attack and then HP (I know that for now Threats don't have a Defence value, but it might be a miss opportunity to not have kept this consistent with a consistent graphic design.). Also, I find that the Summon Threat value at the top right corner of the Region cards should have been in the Arrived section to not forget about this: you already have a section that need to be check when we arrive so why not putting this information there where it needs to be done when we arrive? Another minor example is using the Hand symbols at the middle of Threats for their Passive ability, but why not just put the Passive keyword in the black area of the Threat card with all the other keywords. I would have kept this symbol just for the Quests. -- The dual rulebooks (one for How to Play, and another one for the Rules Reference) doesn't work great, as when you are in your first few games, you constantly are switching between the two to find the answers to your questions, always snot knowing where the information will be. I wish they just did ONE comprehensive rulebook, as anyway, having two rulebook is rarely helpful. -- The game length is longer than what is written on the box and the Quest cards. I'm still only leaning the game, but this time is more like 2 to 2.5 time the written play time. This makes me a bit afraid of the harder and longer Quests since these will maybe take me way too much time.

:arrowE: [b]OTHER GAME INFO:[/b] [b] Game Weight = 2.3/5 Release Date = 2024 Number of Player = 1-4 (SOLOABLE) 1-player length = 60-120 min. 2-player length = 60-120 min. Player Count Preference = Best at 1, great at 2! (Not recommended at 3 and 4) :thumbsup::thumbsup: [/b]

The deterministic version of Warhammer Quest the Card Game, with clever stratagem cards.

Loved it! While Aeon's End remains my favourite solo battle adventure, this is a fantastic small-box alternative. Definitely give it a try if you can!