Oath Review – 2021’s Most Exciting Board Game
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23.12.2021
It's been a long time since SU&SD convinced me to buy a game in 15 minutes, flat. Great job to the game designers and Tom's passionate review, both. This is the first BG purchase I've made in the last year.
Tom! I just realized you never offered Oath any test accommodations as needed!
Bird launches poop out of the window @ 18:30
This guy has my approval
I have given some rather critical comments about Oath, I think mainly because I really wanted to find that magic people keep talking about, an amazing mix of politics, rpg, and history. In practice, the rules overhead is just so severe that we could never get a game where everyone around the table were comfortable with all the rules. So no politics, no rpg, no real history to speak of. Just lots of rules and random.
It's claims to be a competitive game, but this is a co-op game through and through, the competitive aspect is really just there as an engine for telling a story. If you go into the game hoping for a competitive experience like in euros or in Root, you will be disappointed. It is definitely not competitive in the sense that the best player wins, or that solid planning is rewarded. The players around the table are more like watching the game play, and it is up to them to make a story of what the randomness hands them.
It's a story generator, not a game in the sense that is usually meant.
This is probably why it's so divisive. If just one player around the table was hoping for a game, not a story, the story will crumble.
However, if everyone around the table is in on this actually being closer to improv theater than a gaming experience, you might well walk away from the table with memories for live.
So after a few plays something caught me off guard in this review, and that was the comparison to TI4. I had the same thought that similar stories arose from Oath of epic deeds and back stabbing…just without the strategy. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's bigger and better than TI4 as I'm more on the side of strategy, but there is more "WHOA that was so random and cool!" than TI4 due to the lack of aforementioned strategy.
Man got sick to tell us about an amazing board game, you Chad.
Oath does stories and role-playing better than TI 4? I respectfully disagree.
TI 4 has amazing alien races, brimming with lore and personality styles for you to find the one you gel with to seek victory.
Oath has a picture of a well-drawn exile with zero lore or starting personality and hopes your creative dungeon master brain is turned on to max through multiple plays. While I love that personally, a game that leaves all lore, story, and creativity up to the players doesn’t cut it for me.
anyone know the bg music around 8 min mark
I see Vivec has started reviewing boardgames.
I couldn't help but buy this game based on how well done this review was. Tom is too good!
Board games are fun and Tom brings that vibe in all of his reviews. I hope he stays at SU&SD for 10 years and keeps making these stellar videos.
best review I've seen in ages, well done!
Good luck introducing this game to new players… I lost him at 9 min mark. Even after watching whole review I'm still till not sure what to do in the game. Legacy mechanics is interesting but you need a VERY dedicated game group that is willing to learn and play the game several times.
Like Root, game is probably good when everyone knows how to play it but DAMN, this is one overengineered game. Does it really need to be that complex!? Sounds like Twilight Imperium that requires everyone to study rulebook in advance and then have 1.5h walkthrough of the rules prior playing.
I hope they will make an online version as good as digital version of Root. So one can learn the game with bots and then find some other people to play with.
The moment i started typing : "damn you, you make me feel im looking at cones of dunshire". then you just referenced it yourself.
Age of Mythology tune in the background!!
I finally found a KS edition of the game to buy. Thank you Tom for this review. It pushed me on buying it 🙂
So this is what madness looks like…
Kyle Ferrin explained how the Chancellor is made to look as though any of them races can be under that mask and layers of clothes while ruling the land.
With the descriptions you're giving I feel like the best comparison for Oath would be a TTRPG really.
Honestly, I'm extremely jealous of you guys getting to play these games and all that. Telling your stories, having your memories, forming and cherishing your bonds, while the one time I suggest my family plays Root, I get a pointless lecture barrage on "needing to find likeminded players and looking for groups online", just tell me no and move on alright??
But this game looks like tons of fun, storytelling galore. Its a game I would ADORE, like Heroes Journey and Root, but sadly…I rolled VERY poorly on the luck dice in terms of friends to play with. 🙁
Sounds fucking awesome!!!
Calling a d6 a "dice" rustles my gamer jimmies but apart from that, this is an excellent review.
The actual amount of hair growth in this review shows how long it must've taken to make 😛
I've watched this review 3 times. I love it. And now I played Oath I actually get it!
Is that the age of mythology theme?! Great choice!
This game reminds me of my family. Through generations, it gets more and more toxic.
This is such a great review that I can't stop watching! This is my forth time around!
I've only had the opportunity to play two games so far, and this review hits it spot on. The first game, nine of us really knew what to do at any moment, and the rules can be somewhat obtuse given a particular situation. However, after the winner wrote the chronical for the first time, everyone realized how much role-playing can be in this game.
Our second session was a complete blast, as one of the players quickly became a greedy trader in secrets, constantly using the combination of Alchemist along with the Wizard school to drain the economy of favor without actually loosing a secret. The player took that role on, full bore quickly adopting a Scrooge McDuck personality to the delight of all at the table!
It seems this is a game for boardgamers. The theme, the mechanics, the concept, heck, even the legacy-like format. I’d love to experience games like these, but to have that one group of friends with the same interests, time, and dedication is… difficult.
i hear age of mythology music
This video is a masterpiece.
Guys…. I don't have a group ready and waiting, I'm not ready to fork out a hundo for a game I'll not have many opportunities to play and the twitch playthrough is no longer available. Why u do dis 2 me?
Is it like cosmic encounter? Imbalance by design, somewhat random and with moments like "you think you were going to win and now I do this and you lose"
I watched this entire review and have no idea what this game is about.
I like everything about Tom's analysis and brand .. except the knackered white T's. I'm thinking relaxed collars and a bit of chest hair. The man's eyes are too good, his mind too sharp, and his hands too expressive to be counterpointed by .. last week's laundry!? I can hear him saying "It's clean, you plonker!" Yes well, maybe, but I have .. MIXED FEELINGS!! most of them really really good.
The minute I saw the Hide the Pain Herald card at 7:43 I knew I was buying this.
I just love the flute scepter!
The white board say OATS XD
I desperately wish that Twilight Imperium would somehow learn something from this
By my oath that’s a lot of rules!
A game so long, you grow a beard through out
Just an over-produced munchkin.
The amount of work and ideas put in this video is at least as impressive as the game. Incredible game, incredible review. And the beard!
7:00 age of mythology ost in the background
I should point out that you made a (debatable) mistake.
You said that the winner of 1 game becomes chancellor in the next game.
THIS IS NOT A RULE. IT’S A SUGGESTED HOUSERULE.
AoM soundtrack playing in the background <3
Anyone in Manchester, UK willing to play this one? I have a copy gathering dust…
Commenting to help with engagement
You know this is filmed for far too long when the host shaved and grown a beard throughout this 30 minutes video.
I'd love to see Leder Games make a full on videogame (one thats not just an adaptation of a board game, but the more of those the better ofc). They could legit compete against some major 4x games by having simple but deep design systems like here.
Just watched this a second time around. Still don’t get how to play but cool video