Game: Monster Mayhem

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

vlasov — 2008-03-26T11:05:14+00:00

My nine year old twin boys adore this game, (I dispatched the strung-out crack whore to the bin, game plays fine). I got it principally to play it with them, knowing their love for zombies, werewolves and vampires and they practice their reading with the cards and their counting with the dice and don't even feel it.

I like the graphics and the victim-name humour, it's very tongue-in-cheek, simple and fun. The kids hoot when the "computer nerd" gets it or when the "hyper bike courier" bounces off the edge of the city and runs smack bang into their monster. They just started clueing into hamstringing and ganging up on dad/zombie with the "trigger weakness" card, which they get a great kick out of. Two thumbs up.

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

SwanEater — 2008-02-22T19:39:13+00:00

I appreciate the review, thank you, but I must admit that I’m rather taken aback by the direction the thread took afterward. I’ve been lurking on the forums for quite some time but have only recently started dropping comments so I’ll likely get flamed into oblivion for saying so but is it possible that this game or more specifically the character cards are being taken way too seriously? I guess as a fright fiction fan perhaps my acceptance of stereotypes is a little more lenient, most genre entries are laced with undesirables whose sole purpose is to end up in a body bag. A family game? Perhaps not, so I can see your point on that front. “Daddy? What’s a backhanding pimp?” is a conversation that’s likely best avoided at the best of times much less with a 10 year old. In the game Mall of Horror there’s a piece where if two cheerleaders are in the same area they attract more zombies because they’re likely gossiping with one another, presumably giving away their position, stereotype? Of course! The prostitute character might offend some but as mentioned above, she’s not a centerfold by any stretch of the imagination, so at very least the stereotypes aren’t glamorized. If there’s nothing inherently racist or sexist in the game then I don’t see what the issue is in my opinion, would there be any words swapped if the prostitute was a guy and the backhanding pimp was a dominating Madame? Just a thought

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drzodiacus — 2008-02-07T21:45:41+00:00

Lisbon's boardgamers group preparing to eat some fresh, tasty victims

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drzodiacus — 2008-02-07T19:17:08+00:00

Some of the heroes, er... vilains... whatever!

Thread: Re: How update Information?

trilobit — 2007-10-08T16:29:51+00:00

Thank you very much Mauro!
I did not see the link "submit corrections"!

Thread: Re: How update Information?

dimarco70 — 2007-10-08T16:12:11+00:00

I did it for you

However, there is a link "submit corrections" under the game ID and rank.

Bye

Mauro

Thread: How update Information?

trilobit — 2007-10-08T15:57:27+00:00

Dear friends,

I noticed that Information is not complete.
I would like to update (in bold the new informations):

Designed By: Ken Cliffe
Published By: White Wolf
# of Players: 2 to 5
Playing Time: in my experience about 30 minutes
Mfg Suggested Ages: 10 and up
Category: Horror
Mechanics: Roll and Move; Modular Board; Dice Rolling; Card Drafting
Other Names: N/A

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

KingCroc — 2007-09-25T03:18:10+00:00

Zordren wrote:

Question is, can you play the game without some of the victims? If we could still play a 2 or 3 player game sans a few of the victims, I think we'll try it out with him. Will that work?

I still don't get the distinction myself, but hey, we all have our opinions.

Yes, Monster Mayhem can easily be played by removing a few of the more "questionable" victims. There would still be plenty to go around, so just look through the victim deck and remove the ones you deem offensive. Although there is a lot of reading on some of the cards, so that might limit the game's appeal to a younger gamer. Though, of course, plenty of younger children are certainly capable of it.

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

Zordren — 2007-09-25T02:17:35+00:00

Thanks, William, for the "fair and balanced" review, and to everyone else for the additional comments.

A good friend of mine got this a while back as an impulse buy, and I had no idea he had it until I saw it on his shelf. I had seen it before here on BGG and thought - 'hmmmm, that might be cool'. Well, I was excited to see an actual copy of it, but unfortunately we had other things to play that night. We were VERY close to playing it with my 9-yr old son. Having read this thread, though, I'm certainly glad we DID NOT play it with him! Sorry, but in my parental opinion, I don't have a problem exposing my son to monsters that eat people, but I think whores and pimps are another matter.

Question is, can you play the game without some of the victims? If we could still play a 2 or 3 player game sans a few of the victims, I think we'll try it out with him. Will that work?

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

Wren — 2007-09-21T15:37:41+00:00

I think the names in question are probably a self-referential allusion. The company previously published a card game called Pimp: The Backhanding, which I think itself was a joke on the usual White Wolf RPG name structure (Vampire: The Masquerade), and which included pimp and whore character cards. I think one of them was crack-addled whore, but I can't remember. I haven't seen the art in Monster Mayhem, but it sounds like it fits in with the art from the previous game, they might have even recycled some of it for those two characters to further the allusion. This was a controversial game on BGG for the way it depicted its characters, you can probably read lots of commentary about that over at its game entry.

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

Shijuro — 2007-08-04T01:26:40+00:00

These are also common stereotypes in cheesy monster flicks, which the game seems to be trying to capture the feel of.

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plutonick — 2007-07-29T11:52:39+00:00

Zombie mold

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plutonick — 2007-07-29T11:40:43+00:00

Werewolf mold

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plutonick — 2007-07-29T11:38:33+00:00

Mummy mold

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plutonick — 2007-07-29T11:36:22+00:00

Poltergeist mold

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

KingCroc — 2007-07-06T21:23:54+00:00

See, there's where we have some disagreement. I don't think the victims are meant to be funny. They are indeed stereotypes, but I don't think you're supposed to find the back-handing pimp or strung out hooker amusing. If I thought the game was trying to make me laugh about prostitution or drug addiction, I'd definitely agree with you, but just because the artwork is stylized, that's no reason to consider it a joke. The prostitute doesn't look funny to me, just worn out and used up, which is an honest portrayal of the results of that lifestyle.

Again, how is it more offensive to have a pimp victim in the game than a werewolf (that the player actually may take the role of) who kills and eats his victims? If one were to take it seriously, then one would have to walk away from this game immediately because, since it is about monsters, it does indeed glorify the act of killing. Not that I take it that far, but you know what I mean.

We all have our sensitive areas, and I'll agree that the game could've been more mainstream if they had avoided certain ideas (particularly in the victims) but it's hard for me to consider the acknowledgment that pimps, hookers, and drug addicts exist as being in bad taste. I personally find the idea of tearing a person apart and chewing on their bones to be far more repellent.

I understand where you're coming from, and I do agree that people should obviously know about this element of the game before they consider purchasing it. But I still can't help but be puzzled by the strange power certain words have over our collective psyche.

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

Jude — 2007-07-06T19:08:18+00:00

KingCroc wrote:
I did find some of the victim names to be an odd decision. They didn't offend me, but I can see a lot of people not liking them. Kind of odd that someone would be offended by a pimp character in a game about monsters stalking and killing people. Funny how language is such a sore spot for so many.

Language can be a powerful means of expression. I would rather not be subjected to "humorous" ugliness aimed at groups or types of individuals. Imagine someone labeling someone you love with a nasty stereotype description and I think you'll see what I mean.

I was offended not so much by there being a pimp victim, as by the obvious derision and ugliness in the stereotypes of the names and images. And it seemed worse somehow that it appeared to be an attempt at humor. Where's the humor in a pimp back-handing a woman? What's so funny about a woman addicted to drugs and forced to prostitute herself to feed her addiction? Many of the other victims' depictions were similarly offensive, although not as blatently.

Yes, I know it's just a game, but IMHO, it was done in bad taste.

That being said, the game is still fun, even with the unnecessary nastiness of the character names and images.

Jude

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

KingCroc — 2007-07-06T18:18:44+00:00

I did find some of the victim names to be an odd decision. They didn't offend me, but I can see a lot of people not liking them. Kind of odd that someone would be offended by a pimp character in a game about monsters stalking and killing people. Funny how language is such a sore spot for so many.

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

Jude — 2007-07-06T13:47:09+00:00

I agree with the reviewer that the game is rather fun, especially if the players go into it expecting a short, luck driven game.

I have played it several times, using various monsters and map set-ups.

Some of the victim names and pics are pretty offensive and I almost didn't play at all because of them.

The rules, although not put in a logical order, do seem to cover everything, and a FAQ and example of play in the back provide some clarifications. The rules are short and simple enough that, once having played a couple of times, I didn't need to refer to them again.

I thought the game was rather expensive for what I got, component-wise, but the components, while not fancy, do seem adequately hardy.

I like how the board can be set up differently for each game, and three sample set-ups are included in the rules (although the descriptions of the second and third are reversed).

Recommendations for better gameplay:
Do not use the Zombie unless there are at least 4 players. The likelihood of too many Weakness cards being played against it will cripple it.

If there are less than 4 players, add 3 more victims to the board at game start, moving them normally, but they provide no bonus of a card (from the deck or another player) and no extra points when captured. This will make it more likely for the players to be able to reach at least one victim, and prevent the capture of all victims early in the game.

Jude

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

Axelfudge — 2007-07-05T14:57:58+00:00

This is a great review to remind everyone to beware reviews. While I think there are some great ones on BGG I sometimes wonder if some people just own too many games.

I've ended up picking up a few games despite bad reviews and found the games to be pritty good I especially find this happens in the "FUN" category of games. They often have randomness and chaos and I think it's games like this make many reviewers uncomfortable. Sometimes I just want chaos on the table.

I'll have to take a second look at this one as I almost picked it up in my FLGS a few weeks back. I picked up Formidable Foes instead as it was half price. Another game that kinda gets beaten up on but honestly, not such a bad game.

Thanks!

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

KingCroc — 2007-07-04T16:23:51+00:00

That's a nice way of putting it. Games like Puerto Rico and the like are commendable for what they are, and I think games like Monster Mayhem deserve some respect for simply being quick and enjoyable with some nice flavor. There's nothing really wrong with disliking a game for just about any reason. There's enough games out there that no one should really have to bother with a game they don't care for. But I just think it's a shame that "fun" games are so looked down upon (mostly) at BGG.

The problem with labels like Eurogame and Ameritrash is that it automatically puts games into two different camps. If you like one, you're not supposed to like the other. But that's assuming that I'm always playing games for the same reason. Sometimes I want deep. And sometimes I want light. And so many games aren't competing in the same arena, nor even attempting to.

It's like comparing Jurassic Park to Terms of Endearment. They just isn't really a fair way to do it.

I would compare Monster Mayhem to such classics as Survive! and Battle Ball. Very light games with a solid theme that emphasis quick play over complex rules. In that category, it is one of my more enjoyable recent purchases.

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

volnon — 2007-07-04T13:28:43+00:00

KingCroc wrote:

I realize none of that matters to the diehard gamers, who will pick up on the negativity aimed at this game and feed on it like frenzied sharks with a scent in the water. But I'd rather play this than Puerto Rico any day myself.

Amen brother.

What really bugs me is that some so-called Ameritrash-lovers spit on this game so early. So this is not a classic in any sense- but it has lots of theme and great plastic minis.

Why can't gamers just accept the fact that not all games are great and enjoy a game for what it does have going for it?

I would say that Fireball Island, if it came out tomorrow, would be ridiculed. As it stands today, it is a sought-after classic, despite it is so predictable. But it has lots of atmosphere!

I compare Monster Mayhem to Fireball Island in that regard, and I think it is a decent game that I would pick to play over many Euros. Not because it is such a great game, but because it has soul.

Thread: Re: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

KingCroc — 2007-07-04T05:39:15+00:00

I think Monster Mayhem is a decent light game. I wasn't bothered by the rulebook (though I agree it is tightly packed) and I found all the victim descriptions to be good. This is a simple game with a lot of luck, but the theme makes it for me. It's not one of my favorites, but the fact that it has a built in time limit (and that unlike many games, the later turns are usually much shorter than the beginning) make it a solid game in my opinion. Nothing to get too excited over, but worth playing.

Worth the price? That's hard to say. I've spent more on games I liked less, but there's a lot of competition out there. Still, it fills a nice niche on my gameshelf, and everyone I've played it with so far has enjoyed it.

I realize none of that matters to the diehard gamers, who will pick up on the negativity aimed at this game and feed on it like frenzied sharks with a scent in the water. But I'd rather play this than Puerto Rico any day myself.

Thread: Monster Mayhem: Not Great, Not Terrible

mst3k4ever — 2007-07-04T01:49:42+00:00

Like many, I got sucked in by the box and the theme. I had no idea it was coming out, so it was a 100% impulse buy. Hey, it's nice to make those every now and then.

Then I got home and read on BGG and F:AT that everybody and his uncle Charlie was lamenting that the game stank. And I had already opened it up and punched it. D'oh!

So my urge to play it fell, and it sat around until last weekend, when my girlfriend, her brother, and I finally dragged it out for what almost seemed a "pity play."

General Impression

More fun than people said it was. Perhaps this is the result of expecting very little. Frankly, it's not much worse than Zombies!!!. In fact, it's got a very similar dynamic (run around, trip up the other players, roll a ton of dice, highly random, "humor"), yet it has the distinct advantage of having a fixed end.

Components

I agree with most others that the figures are nice, the board is okay, and the cards are decent. I'm not sure why the Event cards use Labelmaker font; it doesn't inspire fear. I guess it's supposed to have a modern feel.

The Victim tokens are a nice thick cardboard, as are the monster player cards.

The green dice with purple spots are too low-contrast, making it hard to read them.

Tone

I thought the vaguely humorous tone of the rulebook (which has too dense a text layout) was kind of lame. I thought the inclusion of adjectives to describe the Victims (Buxom Coed, Leering Janitor, Scheming Magnate, Sneering Bouncer, X-addled Raver, etc.) was hit and miss; together with the cartoony/semi-caricature art style, it was a bit of a turn off. Then the inclusion of the Back-handing Pimp and Strung-out Crack Whore was the final straw -- that detracted a lot for me. YMMV, but I wasn't impressed. The monster art and powers were good, though.

Rules

In brief, you pick one of five monsters: Werewolf, Vampire, Zombie, Mummy, and Poltergeist (That last is stupid. Poltergeists rattle furniture and make noise, they don't eat people! It should have been a Ghost or a Wraith, or even a Vengeful Spirit).

Each monster is dealt three Victims; these are your particular targets -- you can eat any Victim on the board, but "yours" are worth more to you. Each Victim has a value (1-3) in Blood, Bones, Brains, Organs, and Spirit. As you can probably guess, Vampires care about a Victim's Blood value, Mummies care about the Organs value, etc.

Each turn you and your opponents first move the Victims and then stalk them. If you can catch one, you roll dice to try and eat them; if you do, you get "craving points" equal to their value in the area you care about (+2 if they were "yours"). If you fail, they run away again, perhaps right into the arms of your opponents, who then get a free grab at them.

Each monster has a special power that usually relates to moving either yourself or a Victim; they were kind of useless. Each monster also has a weakness (triggered by opponents using Event cards), but they don't seem to hurt too badly.

You can also fight other monsters, although you can really only weaken them a little and possibly waste their turn.

The monster with the most craving points at the end of turn five wins.

Gameplay

I guess the big surprise for me was that the game was actually kind of fun. Yes, play is very random, although not horribly so (I guess this is the "mayhem"). Basically, the Victims take off in all directions, but moving them was fast and easy.

Hunting them down is trickier than it seems it would be. Catching up to them isn't so bad (the board isn't so big, and the subways provide handy shortcuts), but dispatching them is not a sure thing, since the Victims most valuable to your monster are the hardest to kill, and the other players have multiple opportunities to throw mud in your eye.

I thought five turns would be too few, but we had actually killed all the Victims by the end of turn three (2 for me, 2 for my gf, and a lucky 5 for my gf's bro). So the remaining two turns consisted on me and my gf trying to beat down her bro, who was way ahead in both points and cards. It didn't work, but we did bruise him somewhat.

The game went by fast; we were done within 45 minutes or so.

Impressions

Yes, I'd probably play it again, although there are plenty of games I'd rather play instead. Should you pick it up? If you like the theme, don't mind randomness, and can find it cheap, I say go for it.

As a side note, I can't understand other reviews I've read that bothered to set the whole thing up and then bailed on it after a couple of turns; honestly, it's not a disaster, and they were practically finished! There are lots of "screw your buddy" moments that are fun but not fatal, and there is some room for tactics (not much strategy).

Heck, I hate to flog a dead horse (heh), but the first time I played Zombies!!! I thought it would never end, which is not a problem with MM.

Thread: Re: Feel free to avoid Monster "Meh" hem

Narlgoth — 2007-06-21T17:11:52+00:00

I really wanted this game to be good, but I have to say that I agree with you JA, there's just not anyway to apply strategy in amongst all the hopeless and random dice rolling! This is a shame because as a Horror fan I think it's a reasonable idea.
We're going to take the game back to formula and see if we can house-rule it into a good game...

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giochiusati — 2007-06-18T10:41:31+00:00

The Box

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rhox — 2007-06-10T18:44:37+00:00

Freshly opened, what you get in the box

Thread: Feel free to avoid Monster "Meh" hem

JayAdan — 2007-06-04T17:54:57+00:00

It's not often that I play a bad game. Normally I'm playing games that I've played before or that somebody else vouches for. In this case, somebody picked this one up at a convention and we read the rules and played - all learning together.

Big mistake.

Monster Mayhem seems pointless from the beginning. The idea is to play through 5 turns trying to increase your "craving" total by devouring victims on the board. Pretty straight forward. The problem is that it lacks anything that could really be considered strategy or even fun for that matter.

You start by building the board. Hex tiles that serve as starting positions for our monsters, the victims and as escape points for victims as well. This takes a lot longer that it seems like it should. Each hex has no number designation so you are left to count rows and columns to try to place hexes where the rules show them to be based on the various configurations.

Half of your turn is taken up by moving the victims randomly. The other half is taken up by trying to track down said victims and devour them. You can play "screw you" cards pretty much whenever you want to hose the other players. Unfortunately, none of these things are particularly fun to do. You have no choice in what to do with the victims. You draw an escape card and move where it tells you to. You have a little more control over the monsters. You roll dice to figure out your move, decide where to go and if you reach a victim you can try to devour them. The crux of this is more dice rolling and strategy is limited to deciding whether you want to spend any of your current craving points to boost your dice rolls.

We made it through two turns before deciding that it wasn't going to get any more fun.

Bad games make me sad. Spending hours trying to play them makes me mad.

Thread: review from Boardgame News

Germarish — 2007-05-24T12:00:45+00:00

Boardgame News has posted a review on Monster Mayhem.

http://www.boardgamenews.com/index.php/boardgamenews/comment...

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Shiny Blue Robot — 2007-03-23T21:30:13+00:00

Victims

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Shiny Blue Robot — 2007-03-23T19:29:51+00:00

Green and purple dice