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For Elder Sign, 112 customer reviews collected from 2 e-commerce sites, and the average score is 4.7.

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3.2.2015

Elder Sign is set in the same Arkham Horror universe and based on the Lovecraftian mythos that has proven popular for countless games and other knockoffs that has surfaced over the years. Unlike some of its predecessors and counterparts, however, this game is simple and quick to pick up and you can have a game in under a hour with 4 players once people know what they are doing.The idea behind the story is that you are a team of intrepid investigators going into the Arkham museum each night in hope of closing a gate that has opened, thus stopping on the of the Ancient Ones (of which you get 8 in the base game) from rising. How do you stop him/her/it from rising? Simple,get enough Elder Signs t do so before the Ancient One amasses enough Doom Tokens to awaken fully and take the world by storm (one of my gaming groups believe they intend to take over Broadway and attain stardom through a plethora of successful musicals, but we shall see). The Ancient One awakening does not automatically mean game over though, for you then get to combat the great ancient evil and try to force it back before it devours you and then the world (or conquers the aforementioned Broadway).While all of the dice rolling adds a significant luck factor to your endeavors, there is still strategy required in working with your strengths and what items you have to help you and working cooperatively toward your goal, you really do not want to try to be greedy and work solo thinking eveyone else will be fine, your character may quickly die and your teammates may not want to help you (as one fellow in another of my gaming groups found out).So get out there, kick down some monsters, solve those dastardly (and often deadly) investigations and send that Ancient One back down the hole It came from, but you'll be back as there are plenty more where It came from.While I do not have any of the expansions for this game I have had dozens of games and enjoyed each one since each game plays very differently since you never know what investigations or mythos cards events will come out next and you can really end up scratching your head trying to work out how to get 3 Terror results whilst also dealing with 2 monsters that have also attached itself to that devilish investigation. So, yes, while there is plenbty of dice rolling, it certainly is not the be and end all of this game, not by a long shot.
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9.4.2016

This has quickly become a favourite in the house thanks to its easy to learn rules and quick set up.The basic premise is that you are a group of adventurers and experts in the occult rushing around Miskatonic University trying to gather enough Elder Signs to seal the dark lord Cthulhu or one of the other Old Ones before they wake from their ancient slumber and cause a nuisance. For Lovecraft fans everything will be instantly familiar. For those new to the world, each card and token comes with a brief but atmospheric bit of text that I like to read out in an old and creaky sounding voice.During initial setup you will lay down six adventure cards. These are rooms and events around the University that you must complete to earn rewards.The rewards will most commonly be magical or mundane items to help you clear further adventures but your main goal is to pick up Elder Signs from these cards which you will need a certain amount of to seal the current Old One you are facing off against. Fail these adventures and you will suffer the penalties which will most often reduce the players health or sanity, the two factors that keep each investigator alive. However they may also add Doom to a counter. Accumulate too much Doom and the Old One will wake up and you will be pushed into one last ditch effort to defeat the Old One as they wrack your body and mind with their ancient evil.To resolve these adventures you will have to roll six dice. Each adventure card has a number of results you must roll. Meet the requirements with a roll and solve that portion of the card. Fail and you must discard a dice and try again. When you run out of dice you fail the adventure and suffer the penalties. There are items and mechanics within the game that can help you make this easier or harder. Like items that let you use extra dice or monsters that will lock a die until you defeat them. It adds a nice layer of strategy to what could have been a frustrating reliance on the luck of the roll.The game is not perfect of course. It can be a bit too easy sometimes as the game really stacks the odds in your favour. Especially if you are choosing your own investigator at the start of the game, since certain combinations make you almost unstoppable. After a couple of games though it should be easy enough to tweak the experience slightly to add an extra challenge if you think it needs it.
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3.9.2016

Although I've always been a big gaming fan I only recently started getting into the hobby seriously, after taking some time to read several reviews I decided to make Elder Sign one of the first additions to my collection - and I'm so glad I did.Initially I was interested in Arkham Horror because I really love the theme of the game but its so huge and detailed I wanted something a bit lighter that still had the feel and atmosphere that Arkham brings, which is where Elder Sign steps in. This is set in the same Lovecraft universe as Arkham but takes that rich theme and condenses it into a 60 to 90 minute gaming experience instead of the colossal 240+ minute marathon that Arkham delivers.So obviously this makes Elder Sign a much less intimidating game for somebody who is just getting started in gaming but wants a taste of that dark horror/sci-fi vibe, also at a much lower cost.Just in case you don't already know in Elder Sign you and the other players work together as a group of 1920's pulp investigators making your way around an old museum and completing adventures in the many different areas of the building in a collective effort to stop one of the ancient evil gods from entering our world and basically destroying everything.Overall for me this game ticks so many boxes, firstly it sets up quickly and the various cards and components are all beautifully made with great artwork. Secondly its easy to learn and teach which makes it perfect to pick up and play in a fairly short space of time. Thirdly it plays at a good speed and doesn't ever feel boring, thanks to the fast paced dice rolling nature of the game it gets really exciting at times. And finally the whole thing is dripping with that great Lovecraftian theme, everything from the monsters and investigators right down to the items you collect - it's very satisfying going into a creepy old museum armed with The Necronomicon and a tommy gun.So if you're interested in Arkham or Eldritch Horror but like me you want something more accessible then have a look at Elder Sign. Also even if you have no interest in these other games but want a fun cooperative game that plays quickly and has a solid theme then definitely pick this up.
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8.8.2015

Components: All of the cardboard pieces are of high quality material and are pleasantly thick, so there are no problems in picking the pieces up. The cards have a nice, high-quality textured feel to them. However, although the adventure cards are a nice 'tarot card' size, the smaller ones (which are smaller than normal playing cards) can be a bit fiddly when shuffling. The custom dice are also high quality and will last a very long time.Rules: The rulebook is quite brief but explains everything clearly with examples of gameplay given. At the back of the booklet, there is a quick guide to reference when playing to show the players the order of what they have to do.Gameplay: The artwork is of professional quality and is extremely pleasant to look at,with many cards providing some flavour text for additional immersion. Although it's worth noting that only the adventure cards contain flavour text, the other cards such as the player cards do not. The amount of randomness can alter slightly depending on the players' preferences. For example, the players may choose who to play as and what Elder God to fight against, or they may choose at random. With that said, there is some strategic elements the players must consider such as which adventure card to pick and deciding on whether the risk vs reward is worth it.Replay Value: Due to the amount of randomness, Elder Sign has a lot of replay value, ranging from adventure cards having certain terror effects that will affect the players negatively, or an Elder God's power that may be prevalent throughout the game. I have been spoilt a little by Betrayal at House on the Hill, with winning and losing flavour texts telling us a brief story on the outcome of the games. With Elder Sign, once you have beaten (or lost to) an Elder God, that's it. This somewhat breaks a little immersion, although this is subjective.Fun: Is it a fun game? Yes. The various mechanics the game has to offer does make this game quite fun to play, even with the sudden abruptness of the aforementioned flavour text, or lack thereof. I would definitely recommend this game to have in a board game collection.
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25.12.2014

Brilliant game of horror in the Museum. Equally enjoyable solo as with a small group. I only stumbled on this game a few weeks ago ... and with 500 games on my attic ... I stood perplex how good it is with a rather modest complexity.Those who think this is just dice rolling have no clue and probably played it a few turns without knowledge.In straight H.P. Lovecraft style you need to beat monsters and bad guys in a haunted museum. Choose among 16 investigators to beat the bad things before the big Elder (several choices of end bosses) comes down to destroy humanity. In order to do that you need to enter many rooms and defeat the the things.You need to roll dice indeed,but LOTS of items and spells can help you with manipulating them. Those just throwing dice will be devoured for ever :).The tension is great and the atmosphere is awesome for such a rather small game. Components are top notch. Protect this jewell with card sleeves :)I would advice taking 3 investigators in solo mode and 4 investigators with 2-4 players (best with 4 people each playing one investigator).I have been playing board games since 1965 and it is telling that Elder Sign is easy top 5 in my solo/co op games (right up there with Ambush OOP or the Lord of the Rings Living Card Game).If you are in doubt : buy the very cheap tablet version of Elder Sign and see for yourselves. I like the board game version more though as the board gives a much better overview and the setting is gorgeous.Must buy.
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16.11.2016

I wasnt sure what to expect when I ordered this. I have recently just got back into gaming, as an alternative to playing video games as I was finding that video games ont really excite me like they are used to.First off I have to say that the production quality is absolutely excellent. All of the tokens are sturdy, and well designed with great artwork. The same goes for the cards which definitely feel robust (although I might get sleeves for them later down the line).Elder Sign can be played with anything from 1 to 8 players. I have only played 1 and 2 player games at the moment, but would definitely like to get some more players involved. Even as a 1 player game, this really stands up well,but I roped my daughter into playing and we had a blast. The games so far have lasted 1-2 hours, with the first taking the longest as I was constantly referring to the rules, but once I had the basics down it got a lot quicker.I mainly bought this, as my daughter has recently started enjoying games, but doesnt cope well with the competitive side of things, so we play as a team. Both the games I have played have been very difficult, but we won both times.I really enjoy the fact that by shuffling and randomly dealing the demon/adventure/investgator cards you can have a completely different game every time.Although this is initially a deep game to get in to, it doesnt take long, and Im pretty much hooked already. Im already looking into the expansion packs.
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17.2.2015

This expansion creates more of an Arkham Horror feel to the game, as you now have to explore the streets of Arkham, but this time the cards are face down with added "at midnight effects" and a basic colour code on the card, which denotes the difficulty of the adventure. This creates more tension as not only do you flip over the card to enter the adventure environment, but you are also forced to flip certain cards over to stop the midnight effect. Gates also appear that link to other worlds, new event cards are now initially drawn before the adventure starts, these could help or hinder the investigator, also skill cards help can create helpful benefits. The museum shop has been replaced with the entrance to the streets of Arkham,this is far less helpful than the shop, which makes this expansion a lot tougher than Unseen Forces.I love this expansion as it creates more of an adventure like theme to the game, as you feel as though you are really venturing through unexplored and mysterious locations, as apposed to the confined space of an old museum ,but saying this, I am already thinking of new ways of how to incorporate the museum cards into this expansion !I dont think that you could memorise all the cards, as the game comes with 78, also I tried to use the gate stands, but this damage the gate markers, so I just lay them flat.Overall, if you are into Elder Sign then just get this, you will love it :)
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16.1.2017

I really like this game but I have literally never lost it. Not even once, and not even coming close to losing. The base game is simply too easy. I've bought a couple of expansions that claim to increase the difficulty level so hopefully they will add some challenging twists.However, I'm still rating it 5 stars because I love it. My favourite Fantasy Flight game is still Arkham Horror but finding the time to play a game and the players willing to sit through a 4 to 6 hour session is challenging. This takes much less time and although it looks complex when all the bits are laid out it's still a relatively straightforward dice resolution game at heart. All the game mechanics fit together very well.The clock phases that trigger mythos and location events, items and spells that power-up investigators, health and sanity, monsters, etc. Then you have the special abilities of the different investigators that will make the group think a bit different about how they approach the game and the special rules that each ancient one brings to the game round off a good set of variations.I've already played this more than Arkham Horror despite having only just got it a few months ago and I'm looking forward to seeing what the expansions bring. I'd just like to feel that we're heading closer to the brink, or that we have to take more risks to win.
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28.10.2011

While Arkham Horror has been a mainstay of our games' sessions over the years, there's been a notable lessening of our willingness to play it as add-on added to add-on, such that set-up took an age, and then every turn required a checklist of a whole wealth of conditions, to the point where it lost any immediacy it had.Elder Sign reclaims this, and brings back the playability of the original game while being dosed with a strong sense of mood and atmosphere. It's basically Arkham Horror with adventure resolution courtesy of Risk Express, and has worked really well in the sessions we've had so far. There has been talk of it being too easy in some forums,but this hasn't seemed to be the case so far: probably the only real drawback of this release is that you *need* to read the FAQ that clarifies a few rules (especially the distribution of new monsters) and does make it harder! The tiny pieces in some cases are a nuisance, but nothing worse.It would have been nice to have the game a bit bigger, as I get the sense that there'll be a few add-ons with more monsters and players and rules, and then we're back to square one with the whole lack of immediacy. But for the moment this is a lot of fun, a much faster game than its parent, but just as thrilling and scary.
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5.4.2015

I love this game.Roll dice, match symbols to complete tasks, until you have collected enough goodies to defeat the impending evil.I mean, yes, as some have said - it's simply rolling dice. But then, aren't lots of games 'just' rolling dice, or 'just' playing a card?The strategy comes with knowing which dice to role, when to test your luck, and working out some odds. The different characters, with their varied abilities, mean you have to balance completing a task that's causing you a headache now, or waiting a couple of turns until a person with a killer ability or card can do it easily.It also opens up with the expansions, which add greater difficulty and more strategic options.Once you're used to the rules it plays in 30-45 minutes (usually).You shouldn't be comparing this to Arkham Horror just because it shares a theme, but it's better thinking of this as an alternative way to spend an hour to games like Munchkin, or Castle Panic, or any other shorter tabletop game.
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31.8.2017

As is well recorded Elder Sign is a dice rolling game.That is perhaps simplistic but is essentially at the heart of the matter.However, there are a variety of methods to manipulate the rolls, from saving dice rolls to changing some results. Once that's done those not saved (and options are limited) are re-rolled in the hope of hitting the required results. The whole theme is based around the Cthululu mythos and has a decent atmosphere.Bottom line. If you hate dice rolling this isn't for you. Most board games though involve at least a few dice and/or card drawing so are inherently luck biased.If this is ok by you, then this us a good little game, quick to set up and play,relatively rules light and very nice components. Nowadays there are a good few expansion too so if it turns out to be your bag there is extra longevity in it.I recommend it as a not too taxing enjoyable game. Go for it.
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17.10.2018

I really enjoyed this game, I have a copy now and it's been a while since I played it, but like any lovecraft IP in game form, you play the role of an investigator as you work with the other players to stop the elder gods from entering our world. There's a deck of different deities from Cthulhu to Yig and they all have different strengths so when I played it we picked one at random. Sometimes the deities affect the board, the weaker ones generally don't and can be taken out, as my friend says, "Hollywood style" where you need to destroy it with either conventional or magical weapons, depending on their strength...apart from ones of Cthulhu who, if they complete the portal and step through you all lose.I had a lot of fun with this,but the only thing I'll say that doesn't make this 5-star is I have played better board-games, but this is still a VERY good game with little to no problems.
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6.1.2012

This game is great fun, kinda similar to Arkham Horror, but plays in a quarter of the time.I wouldn't call it especially deep, as after all, this is a card / dice game. But it is fun solo or with 2 or more players, get the drinks and snacks out and have a laugh.Some reviewers claim that this game is too easy, i don't agree, as it is easy to miss out on some of the tighter rules. I think if the rules are followed then the game is of a decent enough difficulty.I own and have previously reviewed Last Night On Earth and Mansions of Madness, which i both love. This game creates an alternative to the above and sits nicely next to them thematically.If you like rolling dice, a bit of horror,like making choices that are not overly complex and don't mind a chunk of random luck chucked in, then this could be the game for you.
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23.5.2020

This is a great game, but it has quite a lot of elements to it (8 card types, 6 token types, and 3 colours of dice) which can be a little confusing at first. The first time we played it we had to refer back to the rule book practically every round and we had to pause once or twice to check a Youtube video's explanation (not necessary at all from game 3 onwards). If you find this game confusing, check for a tutorial video online and persevere because it's super worth it. The game basically has two phases: the first part is more strategic and cooperative and the second part makes for a really great change of pace which prevents things from getting stale. It's also a really well put-together game,all the pieces are well designed and made, and the box comes with plenty of bags to store tokens and dice.
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12.4.2014

Sounds like a negative review, but this game is really very challenging. You can play solo or with several friends but, unlike games like Pandemic, the difficulty level remains pretty static and that means you're in for a fight and beating the game feels pretty rewarding. Once you start to lose, it can snowball pretty quickly until you're completely defeated but the dice mean you always feel like you might have a chance to turn it around.This is probably a game for "board gamers" - it can take a fair bit of setting up and explaining to people new to Lovecraft and/or board games and it's not a game of instant gratification so you probably wouldn't want to use it to introduce someone to the genre.Absolutely worth picking up if you're a few games into the hobby, though,
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