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Toys : Shadows Over Camelot |
- Possibly the Best Gaming Experience on the Market.Shadows Over Camelot
I have a large collection of boardgames. I try to drag family members into these games over the holidays. There is a learning curve when you first learn this game, after that it is fun, exciting and with a possibility of a traitor in the mix, tense and even, "spooky".
A word needs to be said about the quality of the product. Excellent art work, miniatures of knights and Saxons and Picts, well produced gameboards and well written rules and instructions.
If you aren't willing to put a little effort into learning the game, than look elsewhere. Otherwise, get ready for a real treat.
Rating:
- A Must-PurchaseFabulous game. If you like games where you can "escape" for an hour or so from the world and immerse yourself in another time and place, this is the game for you. The beautiful components and fun game play make you feel as if you and your friends (and perhaps one enemy) have embarked on a quest to save Camelot from the forces of evil.
Additionally, another aspect of this game that is particularly enjoyable is that it is a cooperative game, where all win or all lose (traitor excepted). Having a possible traitor in your midst adds to the enjoyment and suspicion of the game.
This game can be intense. With each passing moment you may find yourself on the brink of annihiliation. Some at the table may even pay the ultimate sacrifice for the common good before you are through.
Those who think the game is boring likely simply do not enjoy these type of games. You of course have to wait for your turn (not a long wait, I might add), but the time watching others is fun too, trying to discern who might be traitorous and seeing what trouble the forces of evil are causing.
I strongly recommend this game (as well as all other Days of Wonder games). It is an expensive game, but if you take your family out to the movies one night you will spend more. This game, on the other hand, will give you countless evenings of fun for only a one-time expenditure. You will not be disappointed.
Rating:
- Shadows Over Camelot a great family gameWe bought this game because we were intrigued by the idea of a collaborative game. We have three competitive, perfectionist kids (ages 7, 10, and 13), and we thought they may enjoy playing a game where you try to beat the game instead of each other! It worked! They love the beautiful game board and the knights theme, and they love that, when we win, we all win (and losing isn't nearly so bad when we all lose)--not factoring in the traitor here. This game takes a while to learn (a rather lengthy instruction book), but it's great fun. If you like games such as "Settlers of Catan," I think you'd like this one!
Rating:
- Looking for a favorite game?Shadows Over Camelot was the game that got me into board games. It's visually arresting, fascinating to play, and the complexities of the game don't get old, even if you play once a week for almost 2 years! In fact, the game gets better the more you play - at first, wrapping your head around all the rules can be a little daunting. But stick with it! More than likely, by the time you finish playing the first or second time, you'll have all the rules and a good deal of strategy down as well.
But let me skip right to the good stuff. Shadows Over Camelot is my favorite game, for one main reason. The Traitor. Not only does the mere idea that one of your knights might not be loyal throw a wrench into the cooperative mechanics of the game, but actually *being* the traitor is... is... so delightfully treacherous!!! You undermine your friends' work. If you have Lancelot's armor, you pretend to wince about your limited choices while playing a black card that may well screw them all over. And so long as you remain unrevealed, it's wonderfully stimulating to try and remain that way. (Last time I was the traitor, my hands were shaking so hard that I was sure both my "fellow players" (read: opponents) knew what I was up to. Also, the amount of King Arthur lore embedded in the game is really fun to discover! For example - the quest for Lancelot's armor turns out horribly when Guinevere appears on the scene, but Merlin may be able to save you...
One last note - once you get the hang of the game, be sure not to give each other too much information!! Our most recent handicap is that we give each other no advice or information about cards other than what we intend to do on our next turn. If someone wants to say more than that, they have to discard a white card or lose a life point, so you can imagine it doesn't happen very often.
Rating:
- Interesting ConceptThe game's enjoyment really comes from taking on the personas of the characters - kind of like a mini roleplaying game - and getting into the action that way. You're actually working to beat "the game", and not really competing against each other. That's part of what makes this game so creative.
The best part of the game is that one player can end up as "The Traitor" and actually be working against the other players without their knowledge, advancing the cause of the "Dark Side" in the shadows. There are 'loyalty' cards dealt out at the beginning of the game; all of them say "LOYAL" except for one. We always include ONE more loyalty card than there are players, that way, someone probably is the traitor, but not necessarily.
I remember the first time I was the traitor - it was so exciting! I mean, I was just so into that game, trying to pretend like I was helping, and instead going to a location where I could burn through my good cards without anyone realizing it. Then, when I blew my cover, I made a really bad play, intending to harm the other players, and ended up killing off my character! I just wanted to cry. (Well, not REALLY.) Anyway, this is a great game. Takes about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours with four people (but that's with 4 kids running around and lots of snack breaks.)
The other thing about this game is that it is just BEAUTIFUL. I mean, every time we open it I just marvel at the level of detail and the beauty of it. (And it smells good, too!) This game is expensive, but when you open the box and play it, you'll know why. It FEELS like a $[...] game; nothing cheap or cheesy about it.
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