Below is a selection of games that stood out to us while browsing kickstarter.com.
Backing a project can be a great thing, but please do the research on a game before you put money into it. Happy exploring!
Role-Playing Games
Miniatures Games
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@ Hai
That’s hilarious, if I ever see your feline pal fire up a game on KS, I’ll be sure to back it. Thanks for sharing your experiences, I’ve only backed a couple of projects in the past. I currently am backing Red Raven games Artifacts Inc., looked like a safe bet. Now I might make the jump for Posthuman as well (as an alternative to Dead of Winter).
@Provincialguardian Haha! You misunderstand – my cat happens to be named Mr. Bojangles aka Mr. B. Living in this house, I’m sure he dreams of games while rolling around in a sunbeam, but he is much too much the Frank Sinatra type to design one. If he did – I’m sure he’d let you have it for a shake-a-treat. 🙂
My cat’s design skills aside Mr. B games has good street cred – I can’t speak of gameplay but there will be product and it will have good production values.
After about a year and a half of playing the Game of Kickstarter – you get a certain vibe for different campaigns. They aren’t so much investment as gambles.
Cool Mini, Queenie, Eagle/Gryphon, Soda Pop etc – they are using The Kick as a pre-order/interest marketplace – they are ‘Run the Tables’ because you just weigh them by how big they get or what they offer.
Companies that have been to the rodeo before, so much so, they almost have outgrown ‘indie’ are ‘Double-downs’. These are like auto-pledges for me. Stonemaier, Greater Than, Level 99, Gamelyn, Tasty Minstrel. Delays are doubtful. There might be a hiccup or two but they know the game and can spin Kickstarter funding into gold.
Companies that have a good rep or a game or two are fairly ‘Sure Bets’. Heroes Wanted, Fallen, Xia, etc. I’ve gotten things from them. It might have been a bit rocky, but even with hiccups or delays they provided both communication and a good product and they learned. Or maybe they did everything right, but they are still too green to be considered a regular Kickstarter Player. I certainly would investigate their future titles.
Freshman campaigns or out-of-the-box companies – well that’s where the careful watching and analysis comes in. Are they worth a gamble of a ‘Roll the Die’ or should they just ‘Know When to Fold’? I check communication, price point vs funding goal. Funding goal vs production. Budget buffers vs stretch goals etc. Are they playing the campaign like a designer or a backer. That’s one of the good things about Kickstarter you can follow for a dollar and hit the remind me button. When it comes to newcomers – if I like what I see I’ll give them a buck and then 3 weeks to impress me. I make a lot of decisions to back or not during The Final 48.
That’s just how I view The Kick after time spent – it’s a fun speculation game to me and like playing the Cardboard Stock Market.
So Mr. B Games – I am backing Posthuman but I haven’t backed them before. From market research I give them a somewhere between a ‘double down’ and ‘sure bet’.
@Hai
Great to hear that your man is the action behind this game. Maybe I can get a copy from you on the cheap 😉
@provincialguardian Speaking from personal experience Mr. B is the best kitty ever because he’s my kitty! 🙂
As for Mr. B Games, as stated, they have a good rep on the The KickStreet. I would place them in the ‘sure bet’ category. If Posthuman looks like your pocayptic cup of tea I say go for it.
“Paul, Paul! Come check this out! I built this NEW deck; this should work MUCH better! What do you think of this?”
“Suuuuure!”
So >G/Dice Hate Me’s new Kickstarter is probably the funniest board gaming campaign I’ve ever seen. The FAQ at the bottom had me laughing out loud. Got a few strange looks from people passing by my office.
Deck Building: The Deck Building Game… hilarious. Here’s the link:
Meta Games for Small Pockets
Checked just to sate my own curiosity. Sean delivered 3 months early on Clockwork Kingdom, and people seem pretty satisfied. When he produces another game that catches my eye, I won’t hesitate to back with confidence.
Realm of Heroes was estimated for Jan ’15 but delivered in March, but two months is a very reasonable delay for. Kickstarter project, especially considering it was probably held up by the west coast port strikes and nothing on the publisher or manufacturer end.
@provincialguardian Mr. B is top notch. I backed, and received, Alien Uprising and Spurs. Excellent components in both. AU was his first KS and had some delays, Spurs followed it and delivered on time. Both exceeded expectations and are incredible fun to play. Maybe check into Clockwork Kingdom and Realm of Heroes to see how those panned out, as I didn’t back them.
I’ve been checking out Posthuman. The theme of that game looks incredible. I’m generally reluctant to engage in many KS campaigns but this looks incredible. Does anyone have any experience with Mr. B games?
@Paladin/Account/Taxtu I certainly hope it is the comic book (and not Story Wars II:Electric Bugaloo – who wants to talk about throwing Frighttrain off a building?!?!) Although as it is April Fool’s I will also put even money on Iron Legacy the Macaroni Salad.
@Paladin I want Mistfall because I enjoy Exodus to scratch a TI itch when I don’t have nine spare hours formulate a backscratcher. That and Sundays with Darkest Night has created a fantasy co-op niche.
@Paladin/Granny SELL GAMES??? Who does that??? I would work my way slowly through various high ticket video games and comics before pushing cardboard. Although I have kicked The Boy on the couch and made offhand suggestions that piecemealing Zombicide would be a nice cornerstone on a wedding fund.
That being said – anyone want a first print of Ancient Terrible Things that I paid about 60 bucks for on the cheap? Because yeah….
@Granny Thanks very much for the info! Appreciated! I like asymmetric, I like heavy theming, and I don’t mind 4 hour evening killers if they immerse. You also made it harder because I have had Chaos in the Old World on the radar for some time and that might be the easier sell. I guess I have a few days research to decide if it can pass my semi-permeable Euro membrane, if it isn’t too high a price tag for a can’t try-to-buy, and see what Greater Than is bringing to the Kicktable.
@Hai
Hyperborea is definitely more Euro “feeling” than Ice Garden. In Hyperborea and other hybrids like Level 7 Invasion, I find the resource management really pulls you out of the theme. Ice Garden is much more thematic, and keeps you in the theme through interaction with other players and the actions on the board. In Hyperboea, you spend most of your time managing the counters. The asymmetric winning conditions also create a more thematic experience compared to many hybrid games.
Somebody mentioned that the theme is not a known quantity, but I think this is a plus. It is an interesting concept, and the mechanisms are all tied closely to the story and actions used to propell gameplay. The only downside to this game is its length. It is a 4 hour game. Chaos can be played in 2 hours, and is cheaper. However, I enjoy games like this, and love having a variety. This is a great weekend game for inviting a couple friends who enjoy a meatier gaming experience on occasion.
I’d say try before you buy, but there aren’t a ton of copies. The publisher had to contact me to send my personal copy to Nick. IMO it’s worth a try though…and I’d bet you could sell it if you decide it’s not for you, as it will probably not get a reprint anytime soon.
@Paladin: Thanks for the info, i did not know and mainly i was advicing a friend big fan on SotM. So no more preorders i understand? Sadly to have to wait for retail.
I will keep tuned to check what is.
@Paladin – that’s the way I read their news announcement as well… probably going to be the comic we missed out on because they attached it to Story Wars.
@Hai… I think Kickstarter does this just to drive me mad…
@Tatxu: Villains and Broken City were funded via pre-orders and already in production. The pre-orders have been capped. Tomorrow’s GTG project will likely be something very different, like another shot at the SOTM one-shot comic.
@Hai: You want to back Far Space Foundry and Mistfall.
Burgle Bros will be available forever, because Fowers’ games do really well. No particularly exciting exclusives there.
Ice Garden? Blech. The theme is 100% based on a book that hasn’t been translated to English. I’ve read that you can get the same feel from Chaos in the Old World without the same price tag or need for add-ons to have an aesthetically-pleasing game.
Far Space, though — I don’t see this making it to retail with this level of funding. I suspect backers will get their copy and a few might be sold at conventions. As amazing as its gameplay is, though, not counting on seeing it on every game shelf in the country.
You want Mistfall just for the KS exclusives. They’ll be available at cons, but really rare. And that means a stupid high price tag. Back it, play it, get your fill, then sell the exclusives separate and make back all your money plus some.
Seems that tomorrow Greater than Games will start new KS for Villains of Multiverse and/or Sentinel Tactics: Battle for Broken City.
Lets keep tuned in!
@Granny Question about Lords of the Ice Water: I watched Nick’s chit chat and like the asymmetrics and pseudo-worker placement vibe but some of it looks too Euro-archaic for me. Let’s say I finally got to play Hyperborea really enjoyed the ‘tech’ boosts and the cube pulling but found the majority of the rest of it rather dry. Would I hit the same wall?
@Taxtu Hahaha! That is certainly one way to split the Kicks. Enough of this Sunday Brunching and Shared Budget! I need to find me a Kickstarter Sugar Daddy!
@Account Is it yet another Kickstarter facelift because the day counts seem to have went poof?
@Paladin I breathe a sigh of relief that neither the Boy nor yours truly finds Ninja All Stars appealing. Of course, didn’t look closely because I fear I might.
In the aftermath of MYTH and with a Rum & Bones (possible *blech* but I will play the T-Swift faction once or twice for laughs) PM in countdown Kickstarter lion’s share goes to The Boy at the moment. (Luckily MYTH won’t be asking for more cash until summer).
I recently backed a few smallies and surethings in Vault Wars and stealing the pledge away for Bottom of the 9th. Baseball is the only sport I will watch especially live and in concert. I really have to applaud the graphic design on that one. The Boy wanted it for the nostalgia TOPPS card look and once I saw Guise pointing through the card frame The Natural style I wanted pledge credit. The only thing that game needed was a crumbly pink strip of bubblegum to icing the pop culture cake.
But since my budget is cut it is going to be a hard decision between Far Space Foundry, Mistfall, Lords of the Ice Garden, & Burgle Bros. The can be only two most likely and Mistfall is most likely a most definite.
Also, i introduced a gamer friend into KS and he is already into Mistfall
This is another way to indirectly back projects, hehe
Glad to see that Far Space Foundry has been already funded. I am still thinking to join this one, but shipping cost is quite high. I was leaving this apart when there was the risk to not reach the target and thinking in helping cause i feel there is a good game there.
Now i have two days to decide, the question is that if this game will hit retail in quantity enough to reach spanish import shops, and i think it would be difficult. From other kickstarters i have been checking only Myth arrived our local online stores, as well as very big projects like Zombicide and so on.
Some comments also for C’MON, which i have been checking after backing Blood Rage and they announced B-sieged.
Do not know exactly, but it seems C’MON ‘buys’ the game mechanics were there is the opportunity to add miniatures. Blood Rage mechanics does not need the miniatures, only as an enhancement. Of course this could be said for a lot of games… sure you understand what i mean.
So, with different sources for the mechanics of the games, different designers, etc… it is easily understable that the quality or success of the mechanic is very different in each case.
What i most like on KS is that they show the complete set of at least base rules, that makes me more confortable with backing.
I backed Conan before they release the first sketch of the base rules, of course having looked the videos, etc… The uploaded documents made me sad… it is clearly a lot of work to do on the mechanics, scenarios, etc…
If there are other Conan backers here, luck for all us! October 2015 is not a realistic shipping date for me, and in any case while all the goodies will be well received, i would change some (not all, some i expect to be gorgeus and i will have at least a great painting time) for a better and consistent set of rules.