Miami Dice: Mountains of Madness 

I really like the three reviewer videos, rather than a single reviewer. I appreciate the extra effort to get 3 different opinions in the vid. Thanks for doing them when possible!

"There's a reason for the goofiness." Would you say there's a method to the Madness? Eh? Eh???

I walk into a board game shop with my friends to buy a game to play during our weekend getaway. Everybody with me is light boardgamer, I give them two options legendary or betrayal at the house on hill, telling them these are great games. But one of them just picks up this game and says this is a cool cover art so let's take itwow And what a fun evening we had.. So happy that I didn't take a stressful heavy game. Some of the things that stood out 1. The game is hard 2. It's really funny (I was concerned about the about replayability, but if that can be addressed my adding few of your own cards that can be a lot of fun) 3. Everyone really liked the game because it was funny and serious at the same time 4. No one in my group knows who Lovecraft is so had no expectations from the story 5. Having different leaders and individual cards made sure it doesn't turn into pandemic like decision making where only 1 or 2 people take all decisions. Final verdict: a really fun and tough game which makes you think but definitely gives you a laugh.

I researched this earlier and knew it wasn't a serious game. The play-through looked great and I'm still super keen to get this one. Bring on the madness!!!!!!!

Wow, glad I watched the review! Not at all what I was expecting from the presentation.

I definitely agree with Zee on this one. I wouldn't mind playing someone else's copy, but it isn't a game I'd look to add to my collection. Thanks for the great review!

This game would benefit from an App for the timer and for the madness cards (bringing easy, cheap expansion possibilities for endless replayability)

I have an idea! ...

I'm leaning towards Zee's opinion here. I had all those exact thoughts when Tom was running us through the game haha.

This looks great for my game nights

Those sanity cards sound so fun

It seems as though it has a maturity arc. As you play more, you will get better at the game and be able to strategize around it.

I would argue this theme is actually pretty strong with characters going insane as they explore and tamper with these artifacts and their "madness" spilling out of the game through the 4th wall. It reminds me of the video game Eternal Darkness where the character would explore the world, go insane from what they witness, and lead to changes with how the player would interact with and view the game world. I think calling this a party-type game and silly is missing the point a bit. It is actually quite novel to have this madness affect the way the players communicate and act. I will say though that I agree that with a limited number of cards, once someone reads or plays with the cards it would lose some of the novelty.

That is some nice box art, though.

Don´t you think the drawing on the box is slightly off center to get us mad about it?

Glad I watched before I bought this. This is not at all what I was expecting.

I'll tell you one audience. My family will dig this. The little bit of Lovecraft. The silliness. The gamey aspects. All will blend together for a game they will want to play. It's not one I think my weekly group would want to play but a Friday night of gaming with the kids... without question.

THE CREW

Watching the Dice Tower live play through was absolutely hilarious and entertaining. I think this review has me a little gun-shy on purchasing. Although tge game woulf probably would be a hit at conventions.

What's the music from

Maybe should have had a spoiler alert in the title since you are saying it might not be replayable because of knowing all the madness cards and in the review you reveal a lot of the madness cards effects. Just an idea.

What does Sam say at the end? "Color matter?"

It sounds like it needs an app to change up the madness and avoid the problems Zee highlighted

halfway thru this i watched the live playthru, which i think that is almost necessary. Its hilarious, and i bet it would be hilarious the first several times playing this game. I wouldn't mind playing this... but with zee i agree and imagine that the 7th or 8th time ittl get stale. That being said... if it showed up in my frendly local game store, i would buy it. Mostly so people can see it.

What happens when the timer runs out?

Better humor with a purpose than humor with a porpoise. Hmm, on second thought...

Great review, once I saw the timer I knew, not my kind of game.

I play tested this. I came away feeling it was a boardgame version of a Live Action Roleplay. The hardest part was acting out your affliction, making decisions, and watching the time. More than a few times we forgot to do one of those elements. Never felt the humor in it, though. I guess we were trying to assume the atmostphere of the theme.

This doesn't look...that bad, but I'm also inclined to feel this is "Gamer's Quelf, Cthulhu edition" But The game is a decent price(31.99 on MM) has really nice components and artwork(which I wish was used for a more Gamer...game?...) and might be great for newer groups and whatnot. Ahh, on the fence somewhat, but I'm leaning more towards the"not for me" group, but I may recommend it to someone who doesn't play those crazy euros/ameritrash games with more meat

I agree. The make players be silly mechanism is one that I'm not crazy about but it makes sense with the theme.

this definitely IS a party game...

Cthulhu Quelf?

I could see this being a hit in some groups, but I think ultimately it will be forgotten in a few years.

0:30 OMG Those eyes

This seems heavily similar to a small published kickstarter game last year, Escape the Nightmare. Co-op where you have to complete sets of cards, whilst acting out hidden unhelpful madness tropes. Like..... being silent, getting a high five, mumbled speech, rhyming sentences.

Hahaha "I Sam Healey!" Love that

You know, as silly as that sounds, it's still more faithful to Lovecraft's stories' spirit than say, killing 5 dark youngs and a chtonian with a revolver during a playthrough of arkham horror. Still, I'll pass, mostly because the fiddly bits sound like a real pain in the neck when this should be a very snappy game.

Sam nails it.

This shouldn't have had a Cthulhu/Lovecraft theme. As a somewhat party game, connecting it to the story of Mountains of Madness is sheer madness in itself. This should have just been a themeless game with a fun cover.

Thanks for the review! This is definitely a pass for me...

Wow at first I was it looks cool, until I saw the 30 sec timer. I hate timed games. I am not good at timed games, I tend to freeze up when timed. It's a pass for me. Bummer.

color matter?! :D

Just remove the cards that only work once. Or take it further and make your own?

So I hope someone else takes this box art and puts an actual game into it. So glad they reviewed this. The guys here really didn't seem like they were listening to each other. And I feel like they were stretching to like it. They beat up goofy gimmick games that make you so dumb stuff (I.e. Quelf) and they hate pasted on themes. This is a silly, Party style game with a wasted theme that will continue to be funny for a very finite amount of time until it gets so old. I expect two camps on this game: those who buy it and sell it after a couple months and those who buy this game and are instantly pissed about what's in the creepy box. Oh yea, and me-who instantly removed it from my wish list.

Zee nails it again. I would definitely give this a try but the theme is so minimal and misrepresented. Either mechanics or theme, a game has to nail one or the other for enjoyment and this appears to have neither.

Thanks for the review guys. This is a hard pass for me now.

I'd love to play this. but it seems like a game to be played in a home setting instead of public place.

Well, this review saved me some money. I loved this short story. It's one of my favorites. Unfortunately, it looks like people will get the wrong idea from this board game. Read the story; skip the game.

I'm guessing this only works if you're playing with an english speaking group.

Tom, it would have been nice if you included a ***SPOILER ALERT***, as you were showing examples of the level 1 madness cards. You're not supposed to tell anyone what they are, but I now know what some are and I've yet to play the game. Sloppy reviewing, sir.

Eh, "I have an idea" could still be funny the second time, especially if you're introducing new people or that person ACTUALLY does have an idea. Imagine: "I have an idea!" *looks at new person* "Ignore him! He's mad!" New person "Wait, what?!" Or... "I have an idea!" "Ignore him!" "No, I really ha-" "IGNORE HIM!" Besides, there'll likely be more cards added. With all that said, I like the idea of making madness such a big part of the game though do have to agree that the cover should make that more clear. At least describe it on the back of the box for buyers that way new players are completely baffled when the game starts.

Cards telling me to do silly stuff isn't my cup of tea. I'll pass on Quelf: Cthulhu

This ticks almost all of my 'nope' boxes: Real time (And short real time, at that.) Disconnect between theme and mechanics. Disconnect between aesthetic and mechanics. Convoluted win conditions. Forced silliness for the sake of making the game work. Yeah... I'm avoiding this like the plague.

So this is basically a flashier Quelf... doing stupid things. Didn't you all hate that game?

Pretty Quelf. Big pass.

Was interested until Tom got to the Madness Cards...no thanks, I'm out.

this is a skip then.

I am SO disappointed. A game with this cover, themed after one of LC's best stories, is a PARTY GAME? After Seafall and this, Rob Daviau's name has become a warning >:(

For those who need an excuse and external direction to act silly in front of others? Oof. Thanks for the warning. (I guess it's better than the old standby for fulfilling such a purpose ... alcohol.) What a waste of a title / IP. A mockery, even. "A funny game to watch ... lots of yelling and screaming" ... kill it with fire, please.

I really think this game should have been packaged in a smaller box as a card game. The board serves no purpose than a place to put the cards. This might have been a lot more palatable to families in a smaller box at a lower price point. Also, besides the cover, I feel this is one of Iello's ugliest games. The graphic design is so bland. This could have been a fun family game that I could have easily thrown in a backpack for a vacation. This is gonna be a pass.

Wow... this really gets beaten from all direction. I get that the LC-fans get disappointed but for me this Is a pass because of the Cthulhu-theme. Would love to play with these madness cards, but I don't touch anything Cthulhu...

The madness of this game is hardly thematic. Madmen in Cthulhu don't avoid saying numbers, repeat words, or walk like a duck or whatever silliness. They get nightmarish visions of horror, become recluse, or obsessed with learning more of the mythos, and ultimately suicide. I'm glad I made my "due research" by looking at this video, I'm not interested anymore.