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This isn't Arkham Horror light. It's what Arkham Horror should have been, which is to say that the rules are revised, streamlined and not a chore to manage. My biggest complaint with Arkham Horror was that, due to its long play time and vast amount of rules (albeit each rule was very simple), I had an extremely difficult time getting it to the table.
Here's an example of a few mild, but excellent changes that make life easier.
-Monsters no longer move
-There is no lost in time and space
-You don't move your character to an otherworld location on the board when exploring a gate
-There is no sneaking around monsters
-There is no adjusting skill sliders
Some people may feel as though this detracts from the overall experience of the game. I would disagree. What these simplifications result in is a tighter focus on what the game does best: telling a story through encounter cards. It also speeds up the game, which really means that you're spending more time playing the game and less time being a book-keeper.
Eldritch Horror feels like a blend between Pandemic and Arkham Horror, retaining the best elements of both games. You get the tight focus of Pandemic with the story-telling elements of Arkham Horror all while maintaining the excellent Cthulhu theme we all love.
I keep referencing the focus of the game. The tightening of the mechanics. The streamlined experience. What does that mean other than there are less rules to memorize and less book-keeping to be done? I believe Eldritch Horror has made huge improvements in the small things that matter.
For example, on the back of clue tokens, there is a number and a depiction of exactly where the clue goes. Mythos cards now list what needs to be done via icons in the top lefthand corner of the card in a logical and easily identified order. Icons on the front of monsters are easily distinguishable and identify when a monster has an effect upon being placed on the board or when a mythos card activates them.
These are all small changes/additions, but they make a HUGE difference, especially when you add them all up. It brings me back to my point earlier: Eldritch Horror allows you to spend more time playing as your investigator and less time playing for the board. If I were to bring to your attention any flaw in the game, it would be that I truly, sincerely, 100% believe that Eldritch Horror will need an expansion ASAP! There simply are not enough encounter cards. After 5 playthroughs, you will more than likely have experienced everything the encounters have to offer and possibly even seen many encounters a few times each. Here are the game's positives
-Steamlined rules, cards, and other components
-Same Arkham Horror feel minus all the book-keeping
-Encounter cards tell a great story
-Production values are top-notch (it's fantasy flight, what did you expect?)
-Play time feels just right
-Doom clock gives a better sense of imminent doom looming
-Cthulhu can be a monster you fight on the board!
Here are the game's negatives
-There is a lack of encounter cards
-Despite the high production values, the artwork on the board isn't quite as flavorful as I would like (I felt Arkham Horror shared the same flaw)
-There aren't enough Ancient Ones
-There are only 4 dice that come in the game, and they are small and cheap
Eldritch Horror tightens the mechanics of Arkham Horror while still retaining the feel that made us all love that game. It sheds the excess weight that held players back, which has allowed the game to run faster than ever. Richard L. and Corey K are two of the best and most well known designers out today. Eldritch Horror is everything you would expect if you put both their brains together and created a game.
Ultimately, I'm sure there will be plenty of people who proclaim that this is a dumbed down version of Arkham Horror just as people complained that Descent 2nd Ed was a dumbed down version of Descent 1st Ed. The truth is, whether or not it is dumbed down, Descent 2nd Ed is better than the original and Eldritch Horror is better than Arkham Horror. see less
By Jon Mountjoy on March 4, 2014