A co-op game thread.

Drawback · 2nd June 2009, 07:04 PM

Yes, I know. We all love Pandemic and Battlestar Galactica!

But what about the others?

I've heard a bit about Ghost Stories, Space Alert.

Who has a good word to say about these 2 games. Others to recommend?

I'm beginning to feel a co-op gaming buying itch as my girlfriend LOVES these types of games...

Crothian · 2nd June 2009, 07:49 PM

Red November you play gnomes on a submarine and try to stop the whole thing from blowing up and other problems.

Lord of the Rings makes for a pretty good game as well.

I've not played those you've mentioned.

Asmor · 2nd June 2009, 11:00 PM

I really don't care for coop games as a general rule. I've played Space Alert (which I highly recommend playing at least once even though I don't like it. It's something you really ought to experience), Lord of the Rings, Battlestar Galactica, Shadows over Camelot, Red November... didn't like any of them except BSG (which of course isn't really coop so much as a lopsided team game).

I haven't played Pandemic yet, but I've seen it a few times.

Crothian · 2nd June 2009, 11:14 PM

I'll bite: Why don't you like co op games?

roadtoad · 2nd June 2009, 11:48 PM

A co-op game thread on an RPG site and no mention of Arkham Horror? For shame... I credit Arkham Horror with helping me transition my girlfriend from videogame RPGs to D&D:

"A Rat-thing is attacking me? Can I throw my bottle of whiskey at it?"

"No... but if this was a roleplaying game, you could..."

By far my top co-op boardgame.

Asmor · 3rd June 2009, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crothian

I'll bite: Why don't you like co op games?

Don't know, they just tend to not appeal to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadtoad

A co-op game thread on an RPG site and no mention of Arkham Horror? For shame... I credit Arkham Horror with helping me transition my girlfriend from videogame RPGs to D&D:

"A Rat-thing is attacking me? Can I throw my bottle of whiskey at it?"

"No... but if this was a roleplaying game, you could..."

By far my top co-op boardgame.

Ah, I knew I was forgetting something. And yes, I disliked Arkham Horror, too.

MerricB · 3rd June 2009, 06:53 AM

I'm with Asmor to a large extent: I'm not fond of purely co-operative games. If they have a moderate amount of complexity I tend to like them a lot more, but even so - many I'd rather play solo!

Co-operative games I've played:

Lord of the Rings (FFG/Reiner Knizia) - this was my first co-op game, and I still do enjoy it, even if we don't play it very much. As many of your decisions are based on cards hidden in your hand (and then events cause complications) I don't feel it suffers quite the same problems as Pandemic with regard to one player controlling the game.

Arkham Horror (FFG/Kevin Wilson) - it's big, it's sprawling, and it really takes too long. I love this game solo, and it's not bad multiplayer either, but once you get to 4+ players I begin to cringe at the play time. Many paths to take - and few obvious choices - make it a great co-operative game.

Pandemic (Z-Man/Matt Leacock) - beautifully elegant mechanics and great scaling of difficulty, but I find the game too obvious; to my mind, the game can too easily degenerate into one person calling the shots as there are few real actual choices to make.

Red November (FFG/Bruno Faidutti & Jef Gontier) - chaotic fun... but a bit too chaotic for my real liking, IMO.

When you get down to it, I prefer more team-orientated or traitor form of co-ops: BSG, Shadows over Camelot, or the "DM-style" games like Descent or Doom.

Cheers!

Thanee · 3rd June 2009, 03:26 PM

Warhammer Quest. Best. Coop. Game. Ever.

Unfortunately, long out of print.

Bye
Thanee

Drawback · 3rd June 2009, 04:20 PM

As for the one player "calling the shots" problem, I don't have it in my group (yet) but it makes me really want to try Space Alert (which has short time limits between "crisis") and Battlestar Galactica (who would want to listen to a possible toaster?)...

Crothian · 3rd June 2009, 10:15 PM

The one player calling the shots is a player problem not a problem with the game.

Drawback · 3rd June 2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crothian

The one player calling the shots is a player problem not a problem with the game.

All hail the words of wisdom!

That's why my group is VERY picky as to whom gets "inducted" in our gaming group... After all, we know what one rotten apple can cause!

MerricB · 4th June 2009, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crothian

The one player calling the shots is a player problem not a problem with the game.

I'm afraid that co-op games encourage this problem, which you don't get in competitive games. While it may be a player problem, you are playing a game that maximises the potential for it to arise.

Crothian · 4th June 2009, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MerricB

I'm afraid that co-op games encourage this problem, which you don't get in competitive games. While it may be a player problem, you are playing a game that maximises the potential for it to arise.

Perhaps, but the players I know who are commanding in co op games aren't that much fun to play against in other games.