I traded this game for 2 games. In the beginning I thought, maybe I was to quick and had received a complex version of Poker. Many reviews mentioned that the game wasn't fun and that it was too simplistic so I started to learn the rules biased by those comments.


First of all I was very surprised by the quality of the design and the components. Not because it's not days of wonders style, I already own Battlelore so I wasn't expecting less, but because of the so many pieces and miniatures the system tease you with. Everything beautiful and reflecting a detailed quality control. The first sign of a great company.


So I placed the components and started reading the rules. In the beginning as always I got all wrong and thought the game was too easy so my fixing nature made me create some rules to make it a 2 players - 1 player game. It was after the comment of a BGG user about my rules increasing the difficulty too much that I decided to read again everything. I have to confess that I do not like the idea of the rules being splitted in 2 books. It's a mess and there are several points that weren't addressed as other users mentioned. But once the rules are understood. The game system i very, very simple.


Of course, I was more than worried that the simplistic system would take out the theme atmosphere but it happened on the contrary that it helped us focus more on the tactics at hand. Plus the black deck was really what was setting the mood. So I played a solitary game and it was a lot of fun. Then I played with my girlfriend and we both have fun. Finally I called some friends and again... more fun. So I got rid of my prejudices and finally understood this game was perfect in it's core. It can be played with any numbers of players and the difficulty stays the same plus the game time is very low and it feels a lot more cooperative than Arkham Horror.



The gamplay basically is divided in 2 steps, the darkness step and the heroes step. In the first one you have to choose between 3 actions that will make the system hurt you somehow. On the other step you have to choose between 5 heroic actions. The more you play the more you start seeing your mistakes and what can be probably done in the next game. The Arthurian myth is well carried eventhough the way the quests have to be completed is too POKER style. To help you understand my words, there are 2 main decks: white deck and black deck. The black deck are the events that will screw the players. The white deck the cards that will help you complete quests. Basically the white deck holds 3 types of cards: numbers, grials and special. Each quest has to be compeleted by placing a flush or 2 pairs or a lot of grials or by discarding cards from your hand. That's it. But what makes the game good is that mostly you require other knights to help you on the big quests. Add to this that there is a traitor in the ranks that can screw you all very easily and the game is a perfect combination of mechanics.


So... did I like it ? Of course. Why ? Because the game doesn't play you like in Arkham Horror, because the theme is all over the game, because the gameplay is simple but the strategies are not, because is FULL COOPERATIVE and the traitor mechanics does not hurt it, because it can perfectly be played by 1 to 6 players and because it's not easy to win. Add to that the components are beautiful and you have a certain winner.


I gave it a 10, because beyond the rules misunderstandings the game is very solid and we don't get tired to play it. A fine addition to my collection and I do not regret the trade at all.