Elder Sign

    $34.95

    It is 1926, and the museum’s extensive collection of exotic curios and occult artifacts poses a threat to the barriers between our world and the elder evils lurking between dimensions. Gates to the beyond begin to leak open, and terrifying creatures of increasing strength steal through them. Animals, the mad, and those of more susceptible minds are driven to desperation by the supernatural forces the portals unleash. Only a handful of investigators race against time to locate the eldritch symbols necessary to seal the portals forever. Only they can stop the Ancient One beyond from finding its way to Earth and reducing humanity to cinders.

    Elder Sign is a fast-paced, cooperative dice game of supernatural intrigue for one to eight players by Richard Launius and Kevin Wilson, the designers of Arkham Horror. Players take the roles of investigators racing against time to stave off the imminent return of the Ancient One. Armed with tools, allies, and occult knowledge, investigators must put their sanity and stamina to the test as they adventure to locate Elder Signs, the eldritch symbols used to seal away the Ancient Ones and win the game.

    To locate Elder Signs, investigators must successfully endure Adventures within the museum and its environs. A countdown mechanism makes an Ancient One appear if the investigators are not quick enough. The investigators must then battle the Ancient One. A clever and thematic dice mechanism pits their exploration against monsters and the sheer difficulty of staying sane and healthy, all within the standard game duration of one to two hours.

    Elder Signs is recommended for 1-8 players ages 13 and up.

    (122 customer reviews)

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    122 reviews for Elder Sign

    1. S. Morriss

      Do it!

      If you like Arkham you will like this game.Just know it is a simplified version which makes it a lot easier to pull out for quick games.If you don’t have the time to deal with a full board and accessories, this is well worth putting down for a few party moments 🙂

    2. Ann L.

      Nice Dice-Based Game

      Very enjoyable! Our gaming group found Arkham Horror a bit intimidating at first glance, so we decided to give this a try. The mechanics are fairly easy to learn, and the story that you explore is engaging. We managed to play a game without too much time in the way of setup and learning how to actually play. I don’t play Yahtzee, so I can’t comment on any similarities between that game and this one, but yes, everything is rolling the special dice and hoping for a good outcome. I’m still hoping that we can get into Arkham Horror as a group, but in the meantime this certainly works as my Cthulu game fix. I’d recommend it if you like dice-based games and want to explore the Arkham Horror world that Fantasy Flight has created.

      One person found this helpful

    3. Zen Dragon

      Elder Signs – Wonderful Fun

      This game is definitely a must buy in my opinion.Take the game Clue, add a horror element to it and make it cooperative instead of competitive and you have Elder Sign. (Thank you again to Wil Wheaton for Table Top and this game!!!)Your goal (1 – 5 players I believe) is to prevent an “Ancient One” from awakening and destroying the world – with a group of seemingly everyday people that have special abilities to help to gather these symbols and prevent the unforeseen doom that is impending.My wife and I played one game by ourselves, and though we won, we did not play 100% correct – trying to learn the rules and play at the same time – it is not complicated to play, I was just in too much of a hurry to do things right -The second, third and fourth time though, we played it correctly and had so much fun and it was a complete blast to play – we also picked a different character each time that we played to see if we had a favorite, which I still do not have one yet – they all could help in so many waysAll in all the only reason that we stopped playing this game was to eat dinner and take care of a few things around the house before bed – but tonight, we will play Elder Sign again – this is so much fun and it is different each time – I highly recommend this for those who want an enjoyable quest for adventure game night!!

      6 people found this helpful

    4. Stride Knight

      Arkham Horror or Mansions of Madness, the 30minute edition.

      I’ll preface this with, I love Arkham Horror and Mansions of Madness. If you like those, and you’re cool with dice-rolling games, then this is definitely worth getting. It plays quickly once you get the hang of it (not too hard if you’re familiar with the aforementioned games). It’s got a lot of replay ability if you’re willing to change up your investigators/ancient ones and it’s fairly family friendly. Just don’t expect the same depth and detail as the other Fantasy Flight Cthulhu games.

    5. James B.

      Great Co Op game in the Lovecraft Mythos.

      This is a great fun board game that you can play alone or with a large group.I love to game, but finding a group to play with can be tricky so having a solo game like this is great. It also works great in that people aren’t put off on playing you because they know you play a lot and could probably beat them. The Co Op nature of the game makes it great to have any level experience at the table.The replayability depends a lot who you play with. The challenge diminishes after a while as you start to learn the best strategies, but that is were playing with new people can make it even funner.Over all I would recommend this game to most any serious or non serious gamer. I have played with people of all ages, 9-50, and everyone has had a great time.Also great fun for fans of the Lovecraft Mythos. Has convinced me to drop the money and try out Arkham Horror, can’t wait.

    6. Stena Swanson

      Fun and challenging!

      Elder sign by Fantasy Flight Games is a really fun game! The artwork is well designed and the game requires a few minutes of easy set up but can be played anywhere due to the lack of a board. The rules are easy to follow, and if you can roll dice you can play Elder Sign. Each game is unique which is why we love it so much. The collection of “missions” allows you to play a new game each time you take it out of the box which gives this game some longevity as far as playability in the long run. One of the other nice things is you can play it alone, or with several others. It makes for a great family game with anyone from i’d say age 12 and up. Great and affordable way to start your game nights too!

    7. Darren

      Quick game of defeating madness and monsters

      For those who enjoy dice rolling games (like King of Tokyo) and also want to combine the Cthulhu mythos for a cooperative fight against Ancient Ones, this game fits the bill. Theoretically can play 1-8, but shines best with 1-4 given the potential downtime between turns since players take turns alternately instead of simultaneously.

    8. Rabbit902

      One of my favorites

      This is a game night favorite. A coop game that never gets boring. The “board” is made of cards or rooms. As such the variations of this game feel nearly endless.

    9. O’Donnell Family

      Fun game with lots of replay-ability

      My wife and I love this game! There are a lot of piece that we keep in small zip locks, but that does not hinder the fun. It did take us a while to read through the instructions in order to get started, and we had to reference them a few times as we played, but it is a relatively simple game to learn.My wife and I are very much into playing co-operative games with each other when we can. The game seems a bit intimidating to set up at first, but the game play itself is very easy: 1. Move your character (or stay put) to any adventure card or the starting card. 2. Attempt to complete an adventure card by rolling the necessary dice combinations. and 3. turn the clock forward. Try to collect as many Elder Signs needed to keep the monster from emerging. If you do, you win, if not, then you have to battle the monster.This would make a great starter RPG-type of game that probably wont scare off newcomers.The first round we played, we won almost too easily. This was partly because we did not follow some of the rules we should have, such as the rule for focusing a roll. We were focusing a die even if we completed an item, which you are not supposed to do. When we played the second time, the monster appeared… very quickly thanks to my lame rolls. The game was much more intense and difficult this time around.There are 16 different characters to play as, and eight ancient monsters to try and keep locked away, which makes for great replay-ability.The art work is beautiful, and the cardboard pieces included with the game a very high quality, and pretty thick. The adventure cards a very large and easy to read. The item cards are small like in Ticket to Ride, or Timeline which are not my favorite size, but there usually is not a lot of information to read, so it works fine.I have not played any other games in the Arkham Horror series, but I look forward to purchasing expansion packs as we go.

      5 people found this helpful

    10. DJ

      Review from a tabletop enthusiast

      What can I say really? WOOT!Okay, so, I watch this show called Tabletop with Will Wheaton. It’s a YouTube show sponsored by Geek & Sundry, go check it out.This game is terrific with friends. You CAN play this by yourself if you get bored, but it’s always more fun with friends. If you watch the Tabletop show and found your way here because of that, then yes, this IS the same game you watched.Elder Sign has a good amount of replay value due to it’s random draw of the “museum” cards and Dark Lords. You can always spice things up by choosing a Dark Lord yourself, randomly choosing a character, and declaring that deaths are permanent. Meaning, if you die, you’re out of the game. The rules state that you can choose another character, but where’s the fun of that?I’ve found that this game is best played with 4 players minimum and if you’re creative enough, you can add different elements to spice it up. I’ve added a defector game type that renewed the game for some of my friends. “Who’s the traitor!?”The packaging is very nice as well. They provide you with reusable ziploc bags that, if done right, can hold everything for neat repacking. I know I hate those games that you pack neatly, then find the pieces all jumbled about the next time you open it to play it. OCD RAWR!All in all, the components are mainly cards, so keep your beverages in check. If I have a negative thing about this it would be that the doom tokens are so small that they’re very easy to lose if you’re not careful.FYI:: My friends and I have played this roughly 40 times in the past 3 months. A game ranges anywhere from 30 minutes to roughly an hour and a half to play.

      5 people found this helpful

    11. Discworldfan

      I play solo.

      Definitely not your average “board-game.” If you are looking for something other than Monopoly to fill game night this week, try this one out.Bases on the stories of H.P. Lovecraft, and with a sinister feel all throughout, this game is entertaining and best played under minimal lighting with some classical music in the background.Suitable for solo gamers like myself, I have found it easy to learn, fun to play and never ever the same experience twice.

      One person found this helpful

    12. DJ

      Review from a tabletop enthusiast

      What can I say really? WOOT!Okay, so, I watch this show called Tabletop with Will Wheaton. It’s a YouTube show sponsored by Geek & Sundry, go check it out.This game is terrific with friends. You CAN play this by yourself if you get bored, but it’s always more fun with friends. If you watch the Tabletop show and found your way here because of that, then yes, this IS the same game you watched.Elder Sign has a good amount of replay value due to it’s random draw of the “museum” cards and Dark Lords. You can always spice things up by choosing a Dark Lord yourself, randomly choosing a character, and declaring that deaths are permanent. Meaning, if you die, you’re out of the game. The rules state that you can choose another character, but where’s the fun of that?I’ve found that this game is best played with 4 players minimum and if you’re creative enough, you can add different elements to spice it up. I’ve added a defector game type that renewed the game for some of my friends. “Who’s the traitor!?”The packaging is very nice as well. They provide you with reusable ziploc bags that, if done right, can hold everything for neat repacking. I know I hate those games that you pack neatly, then find the pieces all jumbled about the next time you open it to play it. OCD RAWR!All in all, the components are mainly cards, so keep your beverages in check. If I have a negative thing about this it would be that the doom tokens are so small that they’re very easy to lose if you’re not careful.FYI:: My friends and I have played this roughly 40 times in the past 3 months. A game ranges anywhere from 30 minutes to roughly an hour and a half to play.

      5 people found this helpful

    13. Lee D. Krystek

      Pretty Much Exactly What I was looking for…

      I really wanted to try one of these Lovecraft based games, but knew that the chances of getting a bunch of people together for 5+ plus hours to play Arkum Horror would be unlikely. What I like about this game is that it is fairly complex, but you can still easily finish the game in less than two hours. Other reasons I like it:-It’s cooperative: Everyone plays against the game together to win, which is a switch from most other games I’ve played.-Its easy to introduce a new player to it. As long as other people playing the game understand it they can help (because it is cooperative) a new player out until that person understands all the rules.-The hardness is just about right. We’ve won about half the games we have played.-The graphics are really beautiful and the game well constructed. (I guess that I would like to have some actual figures to manipulate, but that would probably kick the price of the game up quite a bit).-No dungeon master is required and the set up (at least after the first time you play it) is pretty quick and easy.I’ve heard people complain that it is too luck based, but my expereince is that you have a fair bit of control on the outcome based on which adventure cards you choose to try and how and when you apply your items that get you extra rolls, dice, etc. If choose your investigators as opposed to dealing them randomly it can make it easier to win too.Maybe eventually we will tire of it, but so far for the price I seems like a winner!

      One person found this helpful

    14. Belial

      So good I’m giving it to everyone

      A must have for gamers and Lovecraft fans. Easy to pick up, flexible player count, and lots of fun. Got one for myself, then my dad, next up is friends.

    15. Ann L.

      Nice Dice-Based Game

      Very enjoyable! Our gaming group found Arkham Horror a bit intimidating at first glance, so we decided to give this a try. The mechanics are fairly easy to learn, and the story that you explore is engaging. We managed to play a game without too much time in the way of setup and learning how to actually play. I don’t play Yahtzee, so I can’t comment on any similarities between that game and this one, but yes, everything is rolling the special dice and hoping for a good outcome. I’m still hoping that we can get into Arkham Horror as a group, but in the meantime this certainly works as my Cthulu game fix. I’d recommend it if you like dice-based games and want to explore the Arkham Horror world that Fantasy Flight has created.

      One person found this helpful

    16. Amazon Customer

      Fun!

      I’ve been playing Arkham Horror for years, and recently finished getting my fiance all the expansions. This is a really nice way to have a quick game of what FEELS like Arkham Horror, without having to spend 30 minutes arguing over which boards to use, and how many, and blah blah blah. AH is awesome, don’t get me wrong, but this is nice and fast and still has that Eldritch feel.

    17. Amazon Customer

      Fun!

      I’ve been playing Arkham Horror for years, and recently finished getting my fiance all the expansions. This is a really nice way to have a quick game of what FEELS like Arkham Horror, without having to spend 30 minutes arguing over which boards to use, and how many, and blah blah blah. AH is awesome, don’t get me wrong, but this is nice and fast and still has that Eldritch feel.

    18. Flores Family

      Try the Elder Signs: Omens app first

      My wife and I love this game. There’s alot of Cthulhu Mythos boardgames out right now but with Elder Sign being an 80% luck game due to your success and failures relying on your dice rolls, you actually come to feel a sense of dread when faced with seeing the bad stuff that could happen should you fail. Honestly, if you have and doubts about the or the price then buy the Elder Sign: Omens app. I believe it’s on both the itunes store and android/google play. It’s tutorial will explain all the rules and if you decide you don’t like it within a certain time frame then just get a refund. You’ll lose…. guaranteed, but you’ll understand the system with minor differences between the board game and app.

      2 people found this helpful

    19. Ben

      Great co-op dice game!

      Elder Sign is heavily themed with Lovecraftian horror and Arkham Horror details. However, you don’t need to be into the mythology to enjoy the game. The cooperative dice mechanics remind me of craps, in a very good way. Everybody is invested in every roll, and the celebration when a miraculous roll comes up is priceless.

    20. Suzanne Jones

      Fun group game

      We bought this game for our son, and he loves it. We have played it several times as a family. It’s difficult enough that sometimes you lose, but we have generally one. I also like that it’s a cooperative game. I like having everyone working together to try win.

      One person found this helpful

    21. Christine L

      The Co-Op that made us love Co-Ops

      I started a monthly board game day at my house after my local comic book store started a used board game auction. While researching the games up for bid, I watched the TableTop Games youtube episode for Elder Sign. Our game group had always played competitive games in the stand vein (clue and scrabble and trivial pursuit), but this looked like a ton of fun and I had to have it.After losing my bid, I ordered this on Amazon. I am amazingly greatful that I did. This game has come out at every single board game day since and we never get tired of it. We recently even picked up the expansion. The game has the right level of difficulty. We don’t often lose, but it is often close enough that we’ve thought there was a good chance we would lose.The physical elements of the game are fantastic. High quality cardboard throughout, though I do wish the player tokens were a little different, as we often have a hard time differentiating the characters. The box also does not provide a good way to keep all the elements organized. We used our 3d printer to make a nice tray, but if you don’t have one, keeping everything straight is a bit rough and you’ll want plastic bags to store your bits and pieces.The gameplay is mostly dependent on making good strategic decisions on which challenges to take on and is based soley on dice rolling to determine if you are successful. The goal is to get combos of dice, similar to yahtzee. It takes very little time to learn how to play, and about 3-5 rounds to teach new players the basic mechanics. Very enjoyable and lots of replay value. You don’t need to get too into the theme of the game either, if role-playing holds not interest for you (we barely pay attention to the theme). This is a must have game for just about any collection.

      2 people found this helpful

    22. Andy F.

      Great theme and mechanics make this a very fun game.

      This is an excellent game. It’s a cooperative game that allows you and other players to root for each other to beat the game rather than compete against each other. The game has quality components, cards and custom dice.This game offers a great theme (H.P. Lovecraft’s fiction) along with stellar artwork. If you take the time to read the cards and monster tokens, the theme definitely adds to the whole experience.As far as the game mechanics go, this game is primarily a dice rolling game where you roll the custom dice to match symbols on rooms to try and collect points, helpful items, allies and symbols that help prevent an “ancient one” from awakening. Strategy comes into play in deciding which card to explore and how/when to apply items and your characters’ special abilities. Trying to make your rolls while avoiding damage and losing to the ancient one creates just enough tension without excessive stress to make this a fun nail biter. This game will have a permanent place in my collection.

      3 people found this helpful

    23. Amazon Customer

      Great, but difficult game

      There is a learning curve here. Be patient, watch a few ‘how to play…’ videos, and you will be gifted with some fantastic and challenging play. The card stock and pieces are very good quality, the artwork is excellent. Numerous available expansions will keep you playing this game for years.

    24. Uy Tran

      The only way to defeat the Ancient Ones… is with dice!

      Introduced to my friends as Cthulhu Yahtzee, the name stuck. I was looking for a game within the Lovecraft universe, but that was also easy to introduce to people new to board gaming. This eliminated Arkham Horror, but I found out about Elder Sign and couldn’t be happier with my purchase.Players choose an Ancient One to battle, choose an investigator (that each have their own talents), and then lay out adventures to accomplish. Players must then roll dice to accomplish tasks on those adventure cards. Win, and they get items, spells, and elder signs (a certain number must be collected to win). Lose, and they lose health, sanity, and march inevitably towards doom and the awakening of the Ancient One.The game is a cooperative game, so it’s actually quite easy to introduce other people to it. Only one player needs to know the rules, and can guide by hand the newer players: “This adventure is too risky, so you should go for that easier one to build up some items and clues!” The game manages to be just atmospheric enough to capture that eerie feel, as you fill up the doom track and face terror effects during adventures. At the same time, the fun boils down to rolling dice, which I think all mortals have an inclination to love.I think Elder Sign is a great gateway board game, and could even be fun for the whole family, if you don’t mind introducing your children to insanity inducing aliens from other worlds!

      One person found this helpful

    25. Lois

      A lot of little pieces and a lot of fun!

      This game is intimidating to look at. It has a lot of little pieces, eight different types of cards, and so many tokens that it’s genuinely hard to keep track. There’s also a pretty daunting 16 page rulebook, but honestly it’s faster to learn while playing than it is to figure it all out at the beginning.Game one was all learning. Games two through nine have all been mad Lovecraftian monster-bashing races against the clock- literally- to best an Old God. Games can go pretty quickly by boss rushing, or you can stretch it out by hoarding items and strategizing (to an extent- once the Doom Counter is full, it’s time to wrestle Cthulhu).I got this game as a gift for my boyfriend, and we both love it. We’ve played with groups as large as six and I’ve played it by myself. It’s been a blast either way. It’s a challenge, but not impossible. The rules are different every time you play, but you notice patterns. It keeps you on your toes for sure.I highly recommend this game if you are into Lovecraftian horror, tabletop gaming, man-vs-game formatted games, or have a get together coming up and want to do something more involved than taking turns on Mario Party.

      One person found this helpful

    26. Ahi

      Challenging Fun

      I have played this game three times and have lost three times. But winning and losing doesn’t matter–it’s quite fun to play. With different Elder Ones and different investigators, this feels different enough each time.Some of the reviews comment on how small it is, and how few pieces it has. It has a lot of pieces, and in the box as is it isn’t very portable. But all-in-all I’ve really enjoyed going insane and getting devoured by Eldritch beings.

    27. Donna O.

      Hours of fun.

      I have really enjoyed the way that this game plays out differently on every occasion we have broken it out to play. Our family loves game night, and this is engaging. Our 10 year old loves to play with us, but it also plays fantastic with just the two of us.

    28. Stride Knight

      Arkham Horror or Mansions of Madness, the 30minute edition.

      I’ll preface this with, I love Arkham Horror and Mansions of Madness. If you like those, and you’re cool with dice-rolling games, then this is definitely worth getting. It plays quickly once you get the hang of it (not too hard if you’re familiar with the aforementioned games). It’s got a lot of replay ability if you’re willing to change up your investigators/ancient ones and it’s fairly family friendly. Just don’t expect the same depth and detail as the other Fantasy Flight Cthulhu games.

    29. Chris Mennens

      One of the best coop tabletop games we have

      One of the best coop tabletop games we have. I highly recommend this if you are interestedIn the mythos boardgames. This one in a particular has a much lighter learning curve than the others with a great deal of story telling and character options. I also recommend the first two expansions or at least unforeseen forces as this one wonderfully blends and adds extended content. This game can easily be solo’d or played with friends. Again, I couldn’t recommend it enough.

      3 people found this helpful

    30. S. Morriss

      Do it!

      If you like Arkham you will like this game.Just know it is a simplified version which makes it a lot easier to pull out for quick games.If you don’t have the time to deal with a full board and accessories, this is well worth putting down for a few party moments 🙂

    31. LL

      We love this game

      This is a very fun game that is full of atmosphere. The game is appropriate for 10 and up if they are good readers, probably 12 or so is better. My 10 year olds love it. Elder Sign is a great family game if you want a little more than Monopoly. There is a lot of theme. My kids really wanted Arkham Horror but I think that was too long and involved. This plays in about 90 minutes and is very engaging. It is very interesting how the different characters abilities make the game play differently. Highly recommended.

    32. Christofer Kurilov

      Fun Simple Sweet!

      This game is very fun to play and it is fairly simple. I really like the short writings on the adventure cards that turn the mood on for the game. This is a co-op game and the mechanics in the team work are really smooth to use. I like other games like talisman and descent that have figures and you have to move around the map but I got tired and wanted to try something new and that didn’t take as much time and I am just loving this game. Especially for the price you can’t go wrong.

    33. Amanda

      it’s his new favorite! I can’t believe how much he liked it

      I wanted to get a unique gift for my boyfriend for Christmas so I did some research on board games. Although neither of us had heard of this game, it’s his new favorite! I can’t believe how much he liked it. You can play by yourself too which is interesting. There’s so many different characters and monsters, it’s a different game each time! It’s a lot of fun and I’d recommend to anyone that likes adventure/strategy games that aren’t your average board game.

      One person found this helpful

    34. G. Farnsworth

      Good cooperative game, relying primarily on dice

      This is a fun little cooperative game. Very luck-based. It’s all about the dice and getting a roll that satisfies the conditions on the cards. Does a pretty good job with the Cthulu theme and it can be learned and played in a reasonable time, but you have to love those dice!

      2 people found this helpful

    35. Darren

      Quick game of defeating madness and monsters

      For those who enjoy dice rolling games (like King of Tokyo) and also want to combine the Cthulhu mythos for a cooperative fight against Ancient Ones, this game fits the bill. Theoretically can play 1-8, but shines best with 1-4 given the potential downtime between turns since players take turns alternately instead of simultaneously.

    36. Lookatthatstuff

      Creepy fun time.

      Elder Signs by Fight of Fantasy is a fun little game. The one player-ability of the game is what attracted me in the first place. That and the Cthulhu mythos since I was a big fan of the rpg Call of Cthulhu way back in the day.The artwork is beautiful and eerie. I collect tarot card sets and Elder Signs reminds me of shuffling through a tarot deck. There is a dice component to the game which will scratch that D&D table top itch for gamers. The dice mechanics of Elder Signs is similar to a twisted Yahtzee or Tenzees match.The game does have a steep learning curve but to my understanding is easy compared to other versions of the game such Arkham Asylum, which admittedly I haven’t had the pleasure of playing.Honestly, if I were to play a harder more in-depth game my YouTube smartphone addled brain would kick in and I’d get sidetrack. I set up a game on my dinning room table and play a couple turns here and there between doing responsible adult stuff. It’s an excellent break from staring at my mobile device too.Elder Signs is a neat little game that will appeal to card players, dice rollers and Lovecraft fans alike.

    37. J. Conklin

      Fun! Meant for those who want more from their board games!

      This is an excellent board game! I first saw it played on the web show “Table Top” with Wil Wheaton. My main attraction to it was the fact that it is a collaborative game. Players must work together to defeat the monster instead of competing against each other. This makes for a lively board game night as everyone is forced to focus on long term strategies. My friends who don’t like to play anything more complicated than Apples to Apples did not really enjoy the game, but both my siblings and my more gaming experienced friends truly thought it was a blast! I love it and have played it on 3 separate occasions already!

    38. M. Snow

      Super fun!

      Easy game to play once you figure it out. Watch a YouTube video and go through the rule book and you’re off and running. Has tons of characters to play as, and lots of adventure cards. No two games will ever be the same. There are several expansions that each add their own flair as well. My kids love it. My 7 year old plays it just fine, but she is a “gamer girl.” I’d say anyone 9 or older would have no problem with this.

      3 people found this helpful

    39. Mitch

      Cooperative game for intermediate players

      Elder Sign is one of my favorite games I’ve played in the past year. This game is for sure not for every one but for anyone looking to spice up a weekly board game night or to start collecting new a different games, Elder sign is a great choice.Because this game is cooperative you’ll find the atmosphere very different from other games. Working together as a team is KEY in Elder Sign, if you don’t you’re sure to fail. There are a lot of different rules in the game but in the end this game is basically a supernatural yahtzee. Your goal is to rule various dice combinations while attempting to prevent a Lovecraftian creature from rising and destroying the world.If you get this game do not fret if your first attempt at this game is confusing. You will stumble, you will forget rules, and you probably will either lose miserably or win because you misunderstood how the game works (what happened to my gaming group). Once the rules are grasped, you’ll find this game is one you’ll want to come back to constantly.With so many character options, monsters and varying circumstances, you’ll find this game has GREAT replay ability.

      2 people found this helpful

    40. Uy Tran

      The only way to defeat the Ancient Ones… is with dice!

      Introduced to my friends as Cthulhu Yahtzee, the name stuck. I was looking for a game within the Lovecraft universe, but that was also easy to introduce to people new to board gaming. This eliminated Arkham Horror, but I found out about Elder Sign and couldn’t be happier with my purchase.Players choose an Ancient One to battle, choose an investigator (that each have their own talents), and then lay out adventures to accomplish. Players must then roll dice to accomplish tasks on those adventure cards. Win, and they get items, spells, and elder signs (a certain number must be collected to win). Lose, and they lose health, sanity, and march inevitably towards doom and the awakening of the Ancient One.The game is a cooperative game, so it’s actually quite easy to introduce other people to it. Only one player needs to know the rules, and can guide by hand the newer players: “This adventure is too risky, so you should go for that easier one to build up some items and clues!” The game manages to be just atmospheric enough to capture that eerie feel, as you fill up the doom track and face terror effects during adventures. At the same time, the fun boils down to rolling dice, which I think all mortals have an inclination to love.I think Elder Sign is a great gateway board game, and could even be fun for the whole family, if you don’t mind introducing your children to insanity inducing aliens from other worlds!

      One person found this helpful

    41. Flores Family

      Try the Elder Signs: Omens app first

      My wife and I love this game. There’s alot of Cthulhu Mythos boardgames out right now but with Elder Sign being an 80% luck game due to your success and failures relying on your dice rolls, you actually come to feel a sense of dread when faced with seeing the bad stuff that could happen should you fail. Honestly, if you have and doubts about the or the price then buy the Elder Sign: Omens app. I believe it’s on both the itunes store and android/google play. It’s tutorial will explain all the rules and if you decide you don’t like it within a certain time frame then just get a refund. You’ll lose…. guaranteed, but you’ll understand the system with minor differences between the board game and app.

      2 people found this helpful

    42. MPH

      Awesome boardless boardgame.

      Just to let you know where I’m coming from: I’m a long time H.P. Lovecraft fan/Cthulhu mythos enthusiast, and RPG/boardgame fan. Haven’t gotten into any CCG’s or FF’s LCG’s…Yet.The quality is excellent, as I expected of a Fantasy Flight product. If you’ve wanted to try Arkham Horror, but were a little intimidated by its mechanics, options, and slew of expansions, this is a GREAT game to get. It’s a lot like AH, but has simpler rules, faster play times, and all the same Lovecraftian thematics. My wife and I love it. The rules are written succinctly, and simple enough, yet allow for a lot of variation in play experience and table-rulings. The art and design is awesome. The replayability is great as well.My only problem is that some of the heavy cardboard chits (the life, sanity, and investigator tokens, specifically) are really way too small. (Think 1cm^2). We’ve remedied that by using red and blue d8s to represent sanity and health (your abilities’ maxes are never higher than 7), and using actual miniatures for our investigators (easier to see, and pick up).I really hope they make expansions, I’ll buy them. It does come with a nice stack of adventure cards, but the item, magic tome, etc. card stacks are thin.Anyway, if you like HPL, FF games, and want a faster, lighter play experience than many of Fantasy Flight’s other offerings, pick this up.Peace.

      3 people found this helpful

    43. Discworldfan

      I play solo.

      Definitely not your average “board-game.” If you are looking for something other than Monopoly to fill game night this week, try this one out.Bases on the stories of H.P. Lovecraft, and with a sinister feel all throughout, this game is entertaining and best played under minimal lighting with some classical music in the background.Suitable for solo gamers like myself, I have found it easy to learn, fun to play and never ever the same experience twice.

      One person found this helpful

    44. David Lundy

      Super fun game!

      I initially saw this played on Wil Wheaton’s “TableTop” web series on YouTube and thought “Huh, that looks kinda fun.” A friend bought it and three of us have played it 10 times now and LOVE IT. The rules are a tiny bit arcane at first, but once you play through the game once, it becomes second-nature. There’s a LOT of strategy concerning which adventures to attempt when, whether to use your items to get the extra red or yellow dice, whether to hold symbols on spells for your friends to use, etc.Warning: the game, much like Arkham Horror, is designed to beat you. Our current split is 4/6 win/loss and in all but one of those wins we were really close to losing. My favorite part of the game is not only the challenge you have beating it, but that it’s a cooperative game like Pandemic or Castle Panic; that is, the players vs. the game. Some of my friends aren’t very competitive-minded, so playing an adversarial game isn’t always fun for them. With Elder Sign, there’s no competition between players, which they like.The game plays fairly quickly when you’re familiar with the rules; around 40 minutes per game. The materials are very high quality, with cards printed on heavy stock and laminated like playing cards. The tokens are all thick paperboard and also laminated. This game should last a long time with normal care. And since there’s no game board to worry about, you could consolidate everything into a box 1/4 of the size of the game box and play it pretty much anywhere.Overall, a great game that has a ton of replay value. This is one that I’ll be sure to keep in our regular game-night rotation!

      3 people found this helpful

    45. Andy F.

      Great theme and mechanics make this a very fun game.

      This is an excellent game. It’s a cooperative game that allows you and other players to root for each other to beat the game rather than compete against each other. The game has quality components, cards and custom dice.This game offers a great theme (H.P. Lovecraft’s fiction) along with stellar artwork. If you take the time to read the cards and monster tokens, the theme definitely adds to the whole experience.As far as the game mechanics go, this game is primarily a dice rolling game where you roll the custom dice to match symbols on rooms to try and collect points, helpful items, allies and symbols that help prevent an “ancient one” from awakening. Strategy comes into play in deciding which card to explore and how/when to apply items and your characters’ special abilities. Trying to make your rolls while avoiding damage and losing to the ancient one creates just enough tension without excessive stress to make this a fun nail biter. This game will have a permanent place in my collection.

      3 people found this helpful

    46. John T. Biank

      Great mid-weight game

      Really enjoyed this more than I thought I would. At first glance it appears that fate is the only factor in the game. But after playing quite a few games I can safely say that strategy plays a big part. Some say the game is too easy and I think I can agree with that. However it is very easy to adjust this by choosing only 2 investigators instead of say using 4. Also, the way I play is, once an investigator dies they do not get replaced. I found these things make the game perfectly balanced for my skill level (though ymmv).What I love most about this game is how often it hits the table. The game can be medium in terms of time length (about 1-2 hours), but setup and take down is super quick making you want to bust it out quite often.Slight warning – Even though this game is part of the Silver Line series, it does require the player/s to keep track of many things and it can be overwhelming to new players. It is VERY easy to miss something. For example you have the normal trappings of keeping track of your player options such as items and default abilities, but you also have to keep track of the Ancient One’s persistent abilities, mythos cards that have daily affects, and adventure cards that have triggers at midnight and one of my personal favorites, forgetting to advance the clock. A few times when I played I would punish myself by removing an Elder Sign (the tokens needed to win the game), just because I wasn’t sure if I accidently gave myself an advantage by forgetting to do something.All in all, this game is very addictive and beautiful to look at. It is also very reasonably priced for how much you get in the box. Easily one of my favorite games.

      3 people found this helpful

    47. M. Snow

      Super fun!

      Easy game to play once you figure it out. Watch a YouTube video and go through the rule book and you’re off and running. Has tons of characters to play as, and lots of adventure cards. No two games will ever be the same. There are several expansions that each add their own flair as well. My kids love it. My 7 year old plays it just fine, but she is a “gamer girl.” I’d say anyone 9 or older would have no problem with this.

      3 people found this helpful

    48. J. Marsh

      Really fun game.

      I don’t have much experience with tabletop games and recently decided I’d like to try some. I purchased Elder Sign first, because it seemed easy to pick up, had a fun theme, and it can be played co-op with as little as two people (a huge selling point, since most of my friends no longer live in my area.)The dice are well-made, the game is fun (other reviews should go into enough detail,) and the cards are really cool looking.My only qualms are that the flavour text on cards is nearly impossible to read with poor eyesight and a few of the pieces (doom tokens and character tokens are the worst) are very, very small. My friend’s gaming area wasn’t very well lit, so I had to have him read the entire time. Of course, you can play without reading, but that makes it less fun for me. Just be sure you have good eyes or a magnifying glass before you try to pick this game up. And be careful not to drop the doom tokens. You might have trouble finding them.

    49. John T. Biank

      Great mid-weight game

      Really enjoyed this more than I thought I would. At first glance it appears that fate is the only factor in the game. But after playing quite a few games I can safely say that strategy plays a big part. Some say the game is too easy and I think I can agree with that. However it is very easy to adjust this by choosing only 2 investigators instead of say using 4. Also, the way I play is, once an investigator dies they do not get replaced. I found these things make the game perfectly balanced for my skill level (though ymmv).What I love most about this game is how often it hits the table. The game can be medium in terms of time length (about 1-2 hours), but setup and take down is super quick making you want to bust it out quite often.Slight warning – Even though this game is part of the Silver Line series, it does require the player/s to keep track of many things and it can be overwhelming to new players. It is VERY easy to miss something. For example you have the normal trappings of keeping track of your player options such as items and default abilities, but you also have to keep track of the Ancient One’s persistent abilities, mythos cards that have daily affects, and adventure cards that have triggers at midnight and one of my personal favorites, forgetting to advance the clock. A few times when I played I would punish myself by removing an Elder Sign (the tokens needed to win the game), just because I wasn’t sure if I accidently gave myself an advantage by forgetting to do something.All in all, this game is very addictive and beautiful to look at. It is also very reasonably priced for how much you get in the box. Easily one of my favorite games.

      3 people found this helpful

    50. dmMatrix

      Excellent Game, fun for groups, easy to learn

      My wife and I both really like this game. Its a cooperative game that can actually keep your interests.The game if played 100% by the rules is a little bit too easy to win but if you modify the rules slightly the game can be a bit more difficult and more fun.We use this game (with our house rules) at many board game nights and everyone seems to love it. Several of the people who play for the first time end up buying it.

    51. Topher Ferguson

      A great, “light” option in the Arkham universe

      I’ve had this on my list for a while. I normally play more complex games, and love Arkham Horror second edition, Eldritch Horror, and Mansions of Madness. I have had the app for a while. The tabletop version is so much better. And it plays great solo! Beginner or not, pick it up!

      One person found this helpful

    52. Mitch

      Cooperative game for intermediate players

      Elder Sign is one of my favorite games I’ve played in the past year. This game is for sure not for every one but for anyone looking to spice up a weekly board game night or to start collecting new a different games, Elder sign is a great choice.Because this game is cooperative you’ll find the atmosphere very different from other games. Working together as a team is KEY in Elder Sign, if you don’t you’re sure to fail. There are a lot of different rules in the game but in the end this game is basically a supernatural yahtzee. Your goal is to rule various dice combinations while attempting to prevent a Lovecraftian creature from rising and destroying the world.If you get this game do not fret if your first attempt at this game is confusing. You will stumble, you will forget rules, and you probably will either lose miserably or win because you misunderstood how the game works (what happened to my gaming group). Once the rules are grasped, you’ll find this game is one you’ll want to come back to constantly.With so many character options, monsters and varying circumstances, you’ll find this game has GREAT replay ability.

      2 people found this helpful

    53. Jes G.

      Arkham Horror Lite

      Elder Sign is a great way to get into the Arkham Horror universe and is much easier to learn and play than the full board game of Arkham Horror.The mechanics are very straight forward and after a few round we had it down.I would recommend it for those who love a good board game but can’t always do a 2+ hour session.I would NOT recommend this for casual board game players who are looking for a simple “party” game.Pros:-Easy to Learn-Lots of Replay Value-Co-operative PlayCons:-Lots of small pieces (buy a bead or button box for storage)-Cards are small and tough to read without good light (or young eyes)-Instructions are poorly laid out, make a crib sheet.

      One person found this helpful

    54. scortezano

      Great game for those who want more than just Monopoly

      This is a great game for those looking to be more interactive with their games. I like to describe it as a better version of Clue. But unlike Clue, it is a cooperative board game where you all have to work together to beat the objective. Also, if you’re a fan of Horror/Sci-fi Fantasy then this game is perfect for you. If you’ve other reviews talking about how hard it is that’s because its true. Another great aspect of this game is that there are many characters to play as and many monsters to fight. Therefore making the replay value extremely high. I guess my only bad opinion has to be all the small pieces. So, this is not a game for little children. This is a smart game and I highly recommend it to any play group looking for a cooperative challenge.

    55. Amazon Customer

      Great, but difficult game

      There is a learning curve here. Be patient, watch a few ‘how to play…’ videos, and you will be gifted with some fantastic and challenging play. The card stock and pieces are very good quality, the artwork is excellent. Numerous available expansions will keep you playing this game for years.

    56. CiderJack

      Great game, fun even when losing.

      I purchased this game after watching it played on Tabletop on the Geek and Sundry youtube channel. It can be a little daunting when you first set it up but is easier to play than it looks. I really like that it supports up to 8 players as we have a large group of friends that game together. It can be hard to find good quality games that support more than 4-6 players and many of the ones that do can become tedious waiting for your turn.On our first time playing we got our butts kicked, but we still had a great time.

    57. M. Riffle

      Elder Sign is not a toy.

      The title is because Amazon made me rate this “toy”. Elder sign is not a toy. It is a well-designed board game that allows for 1-8 players and explores the mythos of the Ancient Ones as they try to break free from their sleep (a la Cabin in the Woods). As a fan of cooperative board games I found this game to be a really enjoyable experience and really easy to pick up quickly. I learned how to play in the time it took to go through one turn, but don’t let its simplicity fool you into thinking the game itself is simple. It employs a myriad of strategies in order to keep the ancient gods from destroying or enslaving the world. With multiple unique characters to play and a whole crew of gods trying to escape every time you play through the game is a new experience. Would buy again.

      One person found this helpful

    58. Dennis McCarthy

      Arkham Horror Lite… But that’s OK

      As a long time gamer, I’ve developed a taste for many of the more complex games that are out there (Descent, Twilight Imperium, Arkham Horror). Unfortunately, those games don’t resonate with most people and, with play times of 3 plus hours, really require a dedicated event to play.My wife enjoys tabletop gaming, but usually taps out after about 2 hours, enjoys games that she can play and learn quickly, and likes to have a mix of strategy and luck in her gameplay. She loved Arkham Horror, but doesn’t have the gaming stamina to play it more than once a year.Enter Elder Sign.I’ve had it 48 hours and already played 5 games of it with 2 different groups. Fun gameplay mechanics, excellently executed Lovecraftian theming, and excellent price point make this one of the best gaming purchases I have made since I bought my first copy of Carcassonne. Great casual gaming night entry with just the right amount of creepy thrown in.

      2 people found this helpful

    59. Suzanne Jones

      Fun group game

      We bought this game for our son, and he loves it. We have played it several times as a family. It’s difficult enough that sometimes you lose, but we have generally one. I also like that it’s a cooperative game. I like having everyone working together to try win.

      One person found this helpful

    60. TFORTITUDE

      Wonder Game for Any Collection

      I LOVE THIS GAME! Every time I play it I don’t know whether it will be easy or difficult. There is a learning curve for what is the best strategy but if you have the characters come out randomly like usual, it adds a fun element of dread if things start to get difficult.

    61. Steven Sexton

      Great game.

      This is a great game. I don’t recommend playing with more than 4 or 5 people, as the game play really starts to drag with more than that (even though it plays up to 8).I would highly recommend checking out the iPhone/iPad app, called “Elder Sign: Omens.” The rules to the board game aren’t too difficult to pick up, but seeing most of the mechanics in the app really helped me appreciate the board game play even more.Enjoy!

    62. dmMatrix

      Excellent Game, fun for groups, easy to learn

      My wife and I both really like this game. Its a cooperative game that can actually keep your interests.The game if played 100% by the rules is a little bit too easy to win but if you modify the rules slightly the game can be a bit more difficult and more fun.We use this game (with our house rules) at many board game nights and everyone seems to love it. Several of the people who play for the first time end up buying it.

    63. M. 9 Fingers

      Excellent table top game, and all things Cthulhu are good. . . right?

      The game play on this well made and beautifully illustrated co-op game is fun, but not too labor/rules intensive. This is a great game for when my D&D group is short a few players and we want to pass a few hours while we talk about nerdy stuff and don’t want to be bothered with more complicated games. I suppose that I could complain that the strategy elements are not as important as the luck of the dice rolls, but that is pretty much what I expected, so I am not penalizing the game and I am awarding full marks. The pieces are cardboard, but nice quality and printed on both sides. The cards have a nice feel and the artwork is great. This game went beyond my expectations, and I have even played it a few times by myself (not as fun as with friends, but it keeps my hands busy while I watch TV).

    64. Lookatthatstuff

      Creepy fun time.

      Elder Signs by Fight of Fantasy is a fun little game. The one player-ability of the game is what attracted me in the first place. That and the Cthulhu mythos since I was a big fan of the rpg Call of Cthulhu way back in the day.The artwork is beautiful and eerie. I collect tarot card sets and Elder Signs reminds me of shuffling through a tarot deck. There is a dice component to the game which will scratch that D&D table top itch for gamers. The dice mechanics of Elder Signs is similar to a twisted Yahtzee or Tenzees match.The game does have a steep learning curve but to my understanding is easy compared to other versions of the game such Arkham Asylum, which admittedly I haven’t had the pleasure of playing.Honestly, if I were to play a harder more in-depth game my YouTube smartphone addled brain would kick in and I’d get sidetrack. I set up a game on my dinning room table and play a couple turns here and there between doing responsible adult stuff. It’s an excellent break from staring at my mobile device too.Elder Signs is a neat little game that will appeal to card players, dice rollers and Lovecraft fans alike.

    65. Dennis McCarthy

      Arkham Horror Lite… But that’s OK

      As a long time gamer, I’ve developed a taste for many of the more complex games that are out there (Descent, Twilight Imperium, Arkham Horror). Unfortunately, those games don’t resonate with most people and, with play times of 3 plus hours, really require a dedicated event to play.My wife enjoys tabletop gaming, but usually taps out after about 2 hours, enjoys games that she can play and learn quickly, and likes to have a mix of strategy and luck in her gameplay. She loved Arkham Horror, but doesn’t have the gaming stamina to play it more than once a year.Enter Elder Sign.I’ve had it 48 hours and already played 5 games of it with 2 different groups. Fun gameplay mechanics, excellently executed Lovecraftian theming, and excellent price point make this one of the best gaming purchases I have made since I bought my first copy of Carcassonne. Great casual gaming night entry with just the right amount of creepy thrown in.

      2 people found this helpful

    66. Ahi

      Challenging Fun

      I have played this game three times and have lost three times. But winning and losing doesn’t matter–it’s quite fun to play. With different Elder Ones and different investigators, this feels different enough each time.Some of the reviews comment on how small it is, and how few pieces it has. It has a lot of pieces, and in the box as is it isn’t very portable. But all-in-all I’ve really enjoyed going insane and getting devoured by Eldritch beings.

    67. Ricardo F. Gonzalez

      Super fun game!

      Very good game! If you love chucking dice, this game is for you! You are an investigator trying to solve and put a stop to the evil that is taking over the Arkham Museum. The gameplay is completely based on luck, but the magic spell cards do give you some sort of small strategical advantage as you whittle down your dice pool. This game REALLY shines when paired up with “Unseen Forces” it’s first main expansion that adds blessed and cursed dice, doubles the amount of investigators and event cards and adds a bit more of a challenge. This rules of play included in this game is a little tough to read through the first couple of times, (it’s obvious Fantasy Flight terminology) if you haven’t ever played a game associated with this genre or from the publisher. This game could use a new rules reprint much like what they are doing now with a “Learn to play” and “Rules of Play” booklets. But other than that, once the learning curve has been mastered (which isn’t too bad) it’s an addictive game!!

    68. Ben

      Great co-op dice game!

      Elder Sign is heavily themed with Lovecraftian horror and Arkham Horror details. However, you don’t need to be into the mythology to enjoy the game. The cooperative dice mechanics remind me of craps, in a very good way. Everybody is invested in every roll, and the celebration when a miraculous roll comes up is priceless.

    69. David Lundy

      Super fun game!

      I initially saw this played on Wil Wheaton’s “TableTop” web series on YouTube and thought “Huh, that looks kinda fun.” A friend bought it and three of us have played it 10 times now and LOVE IT. The rules are a tiny bit arcane at first, but once you play through the game once, it becomes second-nature. There’s a LOT of strategy concerning which adventures to attempt when, whether to use your items to get the extra red or yellow dice, whether to hold symbols on spells for your friends to use, etc.Warning: the game, much like Arkham Horror, is designed to beat you. Our current split is 4/6 win/loss and in all but one of those wins we were really close to losing. My favorite part of the game is not only the challenge you have beating it, but that it’s a cooperative game like Pandemic or Castle Panic; that is, the players vs. the game. Some of my friends aren’t very competitive-minded, so playing an adversarial game isn’t always fun for them. With Elder Sign, there’s no competition between players, which they like.The game plays fairly quickly when you’re familiar with the rules; around 40 minutes per game. The materials are very high quality, with cards printed on heavy stock and laminated like playing cards. The tokens are all thick paperboard and also laminated. This game should last a long time with normal care. And since there’s no game board to worry about, you could consolidate everything into a box 1/4 of the size of the game box and play it pretty much anywhere.Overall, a great game that has a ton of replay value. This is one that I’ll be sure to keep in our regular game-night rotation!

      3 people found this helpful

    70. Island Girl

      Lots of fun once you get the hang of it.

      I bought this for my son for his birthday. We are fans of the Eldritch Horror game and have been playing it for years. This game is pretty easy to pick up; we played it wrong the first time but did much better the second time. It’s also a lot shorter and can be played in an hour or so. Sometimes our games go on for days so this is a nice switch.

      One person found this helpful

    71. Stena Swanson

      Fun and challenging!

      Elder sign by Fantasy Flight Games is a really fun game! The artwork is well designed and the game requires a few minutes of easy set up but can be played anywhere due to the lack of a board. The rules are easy to follow, and if you can roll dice you can play Elder Sign. Each game is unique which is why we love it so much. The collection of “missions” allows you to play a new game each time you take it out of the box which gives this game some longevity as far as playability in the long run. One of the other nice things is you can play it alone, or with several others. It makes for a great family game with anyone from i’d say age 12 and up. Great and affordable way to start your game nights too!

    72. Rabbit902

      One of my favorites

      This is a game night favorite. A coop game that never gets boring. The “board” is made of cards or rooms. As such the variations of this game feel nearly endless.

    73. BasenjiMom019

      Elder Sign: Keep the Evil Asleep!

      We hold monthly game day parties playing Pandemic, 7 Wonders, Dead of Winter, Forbidden Island, and a bunch of other coop/competitive games. This was a perfect addition to the cooperative ones.Elder Sign has a lot going on. The general premise is a crazy other dimensional monster is about to wake up. Work with your friends (or by yourself as multiple people) to stop the creature awakening! The set up is 1920’s and you must use the dice to conquer rooms with specific combinations to roll. You must collect Elder Signs by conquering rooms which will reward you with items or Elder Signs.Each character has a special ability, a specific amount of health, and a specific amount of sanity. If the character dies, they will lose everything that they gained. Time moves forward by a quarter of an hour every turn, and Midnight holds potentially bad things.. like a Monster Appears! (Which makes the rooms more difficult to conquer)It isn’t a terribly difficult game to understand, but there is a bit of set up. (Also great on the Ipad!)

      One person found this helpful

    74. Lee D. Krystek

      Pretty Much Exactly What I was looking for…

      I really wanted to try one of these Lovecraft based games, but knew that the chances of getting a bunch of people together for 5+ plus hours to play Arkum Horror would be unlikely. What I like about this game is that it is fairly complex, but you can still easily finish the game in less than two hours. Other reasons I like it:-It’s cooperative: Everyone plays against the game together to win, which is a switch from most other games I’ve played.-Its easy to introduce a new player to it. As long as other people playing the game understand it they can help (because it is cooperative) a new player out until that person understands all the rules.-The hardness is just about right. We’ve won about half the games we have played.-The graphics are really beautiful and the game well constructed. (I guess that I would like to have some actual figures to manipulate, but that would probably kick the price of the game up quite a bit).-No dungeon master is required and the set up (at least after the first time you play it) is pretty quick and easy.I’ve heard people complain that it is too luck based, but my expereince is that you have a fair bit of control on the outcome based on which adventure cards you choose to try and how and when you apply your items that get you extra rolls, dice, etc. If choose your investigators as opposed to dealing them randomly it can make it easier to win too.Maybe eventually we will tire of it, but so far for the price I seems like a winner!

      One person found this helpful

    75. scortezano

      Great game for those who want more than just Monopoly

      This is a great game for those looking to be more interactive with their games. I like to describe it as a better version of Clue. But unlike Clue, it is a cooperative board game where you all have to work together to beat the objective. Also, if you’re a fan of Horror/Sci-fi Fantasy then this game is perfect for you. If you’ve other reviews talking about how hard it is that’s because its true. Another great aspect of this game is that there are many characters to play as and many monsters to fight. Therefore making the replay value extremely high. I guess my only bad opinion has to be all the small pieces. So, this is not a game for little children. This is a smart game and I highly recommend it to any play group looking for a cooperative challenge.

    76. Alex K

      One of my favorite board games and a great mythos themed game

      This is one of my favorite mythos themed board games. It’s a lighter weight version of Arkham Horror that can be completed/played in a more ‘reasonable’ (read: shorter) amount of time even with several players!I’ve also found this to be one of my favorite coop 2 player games to play with the wife. The balancing is really quite good and there is a solid chance for winning as well as losing.All of the parts and pieces are of amazing quality and really hold up.The art and overall mythos style comes across beautifully in this game and it really does feel like a staple to any board game collection.I haven’t yet purchased any of the expansions, but I can see them only adding to exciting, replayable adventures.

      2 people found this helpful

    77. Lois

      A lot of little pieces and a lot of fun!

      This game is intimidating to look at. It has a lot of little pieces, eight different types of cards, and so many tokens that it’s genuinely hard to keep track. There’s also a pretty daunting 16 page rulebook, but honestly it’s faster to learn while playing than it is to figure it all out at the beginning.Game one was all learning. Games two through nine have all been mad Lovecraftian monster-bashing races against the clock- literally- to best an Old God. Games can go pretty quickly by boss rushing, or you can stretch it out by hoarding items and strategizing (to an extent- once the Doom Counter is full, it’s time to wrestle Cthulhu).I got this game as a gift for my boyfriend, and we both love it. We’ve played with groups as large as six and I’ve played it by myself. It’s been a blast either way. It’s a challenge, but not impossible. The rules are different every time you play, but you notice patterns. It keeps you on your toes for sure.I highly recommend this game if you are into Lovecraftian horror, tabletop gaming, man-vs-game formatted games, or have a get together coming up and want to do something more involved than taking turns on Mario Party.

      One person found this helpful

    78. G. Farnsworth

      Good cooperative game, relying primarily on dice

      This is a fun little cooperative game. Very luck-based. It’s all about the dice and getting a roll that satisfies the conditions on the cards. Does a pretty good job with the Cthulu theme and it can be learned and played in a reasonable time, but you have to love those dice!

      2 people found this helpful

    79. MPH

      Awesome boardless boardgame.

      Just to let you know where I’m coming from: I’m a long time H.P. Lovecraft fan/Cthulhu mythos enthusiast, and RPG/boardgame fan. Haven’t gotten into any CCG’s or FF’s LCG’s…Yet.The quality is excellent, as I expected of a Fantasy Flight product. If you’ve wanted to try Arkham Horror, but were a little intimidated by its mechanics, options, and slew of expansions, this is a GREAT game to get. It’s a lot like AH, but has simpler rules, faster play times, and all the same Lovecraftian thematics. My wife and I love it. The rules are written succinctly, and simple enough, yet allow for a lot of variation in play experience and table-rulings. The art and design is awesome. The replayability is great as well.My only problem is that some of the heavy cardboard chits (the life, sanity, and investigator tokens, specifically) are really way too small. (Think 1cm^2). We’ve remedied that by using red and blue d8s to represent sanity and health (your abilities’ maxes are never higher than 7), and using actual miniatures for our investigators (easier to see, and pick up).I really hope they make expansions, I’ll buy them. It does come with a nice stack of adventure cards, but the item, magic tome, etc. card stacks are thin.Anyway, if you like HPL, FF games, and want a faster, lighter play experience than many of Fantasy Flight’s other offerings, pick this up.Peace.

      3 people found this helpful

    80. Chris Mennens

      One of the best coop tabletop games we have

      One of the best coop tabletop games we have. I highly recommend this if you are interestedIn the mythos boardgames. This one in a particular has a much lighter learning curve than the others with a great deal of story telling and character options. I also recommend the first two expansions or at least unforeseen forces as this one wonderfully blends and adds extended content. This game can easily be solo’d or played with friends. Again, I couldn’t recommend it enough.

      3 people found this helpful

    81. BasenjiMom019

      Elder Sign: Keep the Evil Asleep!

      We hold monthly game day parties playing Pandemic, 7 Wonders, Dead of Winter, Forbidden Island, and a bunch of other coop/competitive games. This was a perfect addition to the cooperative ones.Elder Sign has a lot going on. The general premise is a crazy other dimensional monster is about to wake up. Work with your friends (or by yourself as multiple people) to stop the creature awakening! The set up is 1920’s and you must use the dice to conquer rooms with specific combinations to roll. You must collect Elder Signs by conquering rooms which will reward you with items or Elder Signs.Each character has a special ability, a specific amount of health, and a specific amount of sanity. If the character dies, they will lose everything that they gained. Time moves forward by a quarter of an hour every turn, and Midnight holds potentially bad things.. like a Monster Appears! (Which makes the rooms more difficult to conquer)It isn’t a terribly difficult game to understand, but there is a bit of set up. (Also great on the Ipad!)

      One person found this helpful

    82. The Cunningham Fam

      Fun and unique…

      This game is exactly what we were looking for. The individual token pieces are made of great quality materials, the colors are vibrant and the images used throughout the game set are very good. We reccomend this game to anyone who is looking to try a new board game of a different breed. The Elder Sign game is fun to play along with the Call of Cthuhlu game!!! The game is imaginative and unique. I would use discretion if getting this game for children younger than 8 or 9 as some of the themes presented in the game are a little mature. But a great game nonetheless. I reccomend purchasing sleeves to protect the cards and cheap little bins to protects the tokens from humidity and cimply from getting lost. I highly reccomend this game to anyone looking to spend a rainy day having fun.

    83. Alex K

      One of my favorite board games and a great mythos themed game

      This is one of my favorite mythos themed board games. It’s a lighter weight version of Arkham Horror that can be completed/played in a more ‘reasonable’ (read: shorter) amount of time even with several players!I’ve also found this to be one of my favorite coop 2 player games to play with the wife. The balancing is really quite good and there is a solid chance for winning as well as losing.All of the parts and pieces are of amazing quality and really hold up.The art and overall mythos style comes across beautifully in this game and it really does feel like a staple to any board game collection.I haven’t yet purchased any of the expansions, but I can see them only adding to exciting, replayable adventures.

      2 people found this helpful

    84. Ian K

      Simple and Effective

      I’m somewhat new to tabletop gaming, having only really started delving into board games about two years ago. Elder Sign was a game that had caught my eye as a sort of gateway game because of the Wil Wheaton webseries Tabletop. I decided to give it a shot to see if it was ACTUALLY as fun as portrayed and certainly found some joy there.It’s a much MUCH more toned down and simple version of Arkham Horror. While the characters, theme, and purpose remain the same, it is basically just a test your luck team variant with some strategy. It’s quite easy to teach and has actually been a pretty big hit with all but one of my non-board game loving friends. The cooperative aspect is a good way to introduce those concepts before moving onto a game like Pandemic or Flash Point, but not so ingrained that a person can’t “do their own thing” and still contribute to the team effort.Would certainly recommend to people interested in a short, simple experience.

    85. C. Anderson

      Gives the feel of the Cthulhu mythos

      I bought this game due to seeing it on TableTop, although I had played something similar back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. As such, I had familiarity with the genre, the setting, and the flow of play.This game is a setting-based game. If you’re not familiar with the Cthulhu Mythos, then this game may not be as fun. If you are familiar with Lovecraft’s works, then this game reasonably gives the same feel as the Mythos. For those of you who know Lovecraft, then you’re aware that on a good day, your characters can expect to (a) die, (b) go insane, or (c) both at the same time. It’s only a matter of time.Elder Sign gives that same feel of constant, impending, doom. As you move through the game, even if you’re doing well, it’s very obvious that it can all change in an instant. The longer you go, the more likely that you start losing characters. That’s the draw for this game: giving the feel of the Mythos.The game itself is a cooperative game: all the players work together in order to survive and defeat the Great Old One. The game-play is fairly streamlined and simplified, and a typical game is 30-60 minutes.It’s an enjoyable time.

    86. Drew Squire

      Dice Rolling at its finest.

      This is probably one of the better dice rolling games out there. They have just enough mechanics in the game to change the random nature of dice into a not-quite-as-random set of parameters that make for an enjoyable game. this game has the unique feature of letting you have as many or as few players as you want to play, making it an easy pick up and play game.My only complaint is the game is not very balanced, some investigators are clearly better than others, and some cards are mind blowingly difficult to defeat due to the random nature of dice.

      One person found this helpful

    87. Roy Brewer

      Quick and easy fun!

      I’m getting back into board games with the recent surge of interest in the hobby. I am interested in trying some of the more in depth Lovecraft based games but after seeing this on Tabletop I knew I had to try it. The game doesn’t feature much in the way of complicated strategy but the setting is very cool and it has a great Lovecraft flavor! It’s perfect for a quick game after work and definitely whets my apatite until I can get into some longer and tougher games on the weekends. For a quick and fun “players vs the board” kind of game you can’t go wrong with this one.

    88. Brian

      Great Cooperative Game

      My friends and family love this game. Sometimes we can get a little too competitive when playing other games which takes the fun out of it. In this game you work together toward a common goal, but you play your own part by yourself. It is tons of fun and has quickly become our new favorite game to play when friends come over.

    89. Belial

      So good I’m giving it to everyone

      A must have for gamers and Lovecraft fans. Easy to pick up, flexible player count, and lots of fun. Got one for myself, then my dad, next up is friends.

    90. Island Girl

      Lots of fun once you get the hang of it.

      I bought this for my son for his birthday. We are fans of the Eldritch Horror game and have been playing it for years. This game is pretty easy to pick up; we played it wrong the first time but did much better the second time. It’s also a lot shorter and can be played in an hour or so. Sometimes our games go on for days so this is a nice switch.

      One person found this helpful

    91. Amazon Customer

      Well balanced but intense.

      This game is a well balanced but intense challenge. Adult friends enjoy it and my 9 and 11 year old kids both enjoy it, too. And a big plus that it is true to the Lovecraft mythos that I enjoyed reading when I was a teenager.

      One person found this helpful

    92. James B.

      Great Co Op game in the Lovecraft Mythos.

      This is a great fun board game that you can play alone or with a large group.I love to game, but finding a group to play with can be tricky so having a solo game like this is great. It also works great in that people aren’t put off on playing you because they know you play a lot and could probably beat them. The Co Op nature of the game makes it great to have any level experience at the table.The replayability depends a lot who you play with. The challenge diminishes after a while as you start to learn the best strategies, but that is were playing with new people can make it even funner.Over all I would recommend this game to most any serious or non serious gamer. I have played with people of all ages, 9-50, and everyone has had a great time.Also great fun for fans of the Lovecraft Mythos. Has convinced me to drop the money and try out Arkham Horror, can’t wait.

    93. Artemisfair

      The stars are right: all 5 of them!

      I bought this game after seeing an episode of Tabletop on the Geek & Sundry youtube channel featuring it. I knew from the beginning that I had to have this game. This is a great, fun game. I have a roommate who loves Cthulu and my boyfriend and I love board games.Pros:- You can play by yourself or with up to 8 players. So far I’ve played it with 2 players and 4 players and the results were wonderfully varied. I haven’t played by myself, but I think it’s safe to assume that it’s a lot more fun with others.- The artwork is beautiful and really sets the feel for this game.- It is a cooperative game, so you can even play it with friends who are a little too competitive.- It’s pretty quick for a game of this genre.- Lots of characters, items/abilities and monsters give the game high replay value.- Price is pretty reasonable for this type of game.- It’s essentially a game of chance, so it can be pretty suspenseful. Always fun.Cons:- There are a lot of pieces and cards to keep track of.- The rules (including set-up) can be a bit complex the first time you play.- As with any game of chance, sometimes you just don’t get the rolls you need. There are items and abilities that can help you reroll, add dice or boost your rolls, but in the end sometimes you just don’t get what you want which can be frustrating.In conclusion, I’m definitely happy with my purchase and foresee myself playing a lot more in the future. I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys cooperative games, likes H.P. Lovecraft or collects board games. I’m happy to have this one as part of my collection.

    94. Brian

      Great Cooperative Game

      My friends and family love this game. Sometimes we can get a little too competitive when playing other games which takes the fun out of it. In this game you work together toward a common goal, but you play your own part by yourself. It is tons of fun and has quickly become our new favorite game to play when friends come over.

    95. Christine L

      The Co-Op that made us love Co-Ops

      I started a monthly board game day at my house after my local comic book store started a used board game auction. While researching the games up for bid, I watched the TableTop Games youtube episode for Elder Sign. Our game group had always played competitive games in the stand vein (clue and scrabble and trivial pursuit), but this looked like a ton of fun and I had to have it.After losing my bid, I ordered this on Amazon. I am amazingly greatful that I did. This game has come out at every single board game day since and we never get tired of it. We recently even picked up the expansion. The game has the right level of difficulty. We don’t often lose, but it is often close enough that we’ve thought there was a good chance we would lose.The physical elements of the game are fantastic. High quality cardboard throughout, though I do wish the player tokens were a little different, as we often have a hard time differentiating the characters. The box also does not provide a good way to keep all the elements organized. We used our 3d printer to make a nice tray, but if you don’t have one, keeping everything straight is a bit rough and you’ll want plastic bags to store your bits and pieces.The gameplay is mostly dependent on making good strategic decisions on which challenges to take on and is based soley on dice rolling to determine if you are successful. The goal is to get combos of dice, similar to yahtzee. It takes very little time to learn how to play, and about 3-5 rounds to teach new players the basic mechanics. Very enjoyable and lots of replay value. You don’t need to get too into the theme of the game either, if role-playing holds not interest for you (we barely pay attention to the theme). This is a must have game for just about any collection.

      2 people found this helpful

    96. Amanda

      it’s his new favorite! I can’t believe how much he liked it

      I wanted to get a unique gift for my boyfriend for Christmas so I did some research on board games. Although neither of us had heard of this game, it’s his new favorite! I can’t believe how much he liked it. You can play by yourself too which is interesting. There’s so many different characters and monsters, it’s a different game each time! It’s a lot of fun and I’d recommend to anyone that likes adventure/strategy games that aren’t your average board game.

      One person found this helpful

    97. Anthony Fullmer

      A Worthy Introduction to the Arkham Horror Universe

      When purchasing this product, I was initially interested in the larger, much more complex Arkham Horror. However, after reading the reviews on Elder Sign (same universe, simpler setup, shorter games), I was convinced to purchase it instead. I must say, I was not disappointed.The first thing I noticed when unboxing the game was the high quality of the pieces. From the cards to the cardboard tokens that make up so many of the game’s components, you could tell the makers didn’t skimp on construction.Next, the gameplay itself was excellent. The game is completely cooperative (all players vs. the board) which allows a lot of interesting strategies that wouldn’t be possible if every player were on their own. Some of the rules are a bit ambiguous in certain situations; however, after a couple of playthroughs things started to coalesce. There is a very good balance of difficulty in the game, I always felt uneasy about our chances to win while never feeling completely hopeless. I love the end game in the situations that the “Ancient One” is fully summoned and the players have to fight them. It is almost always a lost battle, but provides an adrenaline rush comparable to watching your favorite football team throw up a Hail Mary at the last second of a game to try to pull out a win. On those times where you actually defeat the “Ancient One” in battle, the victory is just as sweet.I would definitely recommend the game to anyone looking for a fun addition to their board game collection. The varied environment of the game and interesting twists give this game a lot of longevity. Well worth the money.

      One person found this helpful

    98. Zen Dragon

      Elder Signs – Wonderful Fun

      This game is definitely a must buy in my opinion.Take the game Clue, add a horror element to it and make it cooperative instead of competitive and you have Elder Sign. (Thank you again to Wil Wheaton for Table Top and this game!!!)Your goal (1 – 5 players I believe) is to prevent an “Ancient One” from awakening and destroying the world – with a group of seemingly everyday people that have special abilities to help to gather these symbols and prevent the unforeseen doom that is impending.My wife and I played one game by ourselves, and though we won, we did not play 100% correct – trying to learn the rules and play at the same time – it is not complicated to play, I was just in too much of a hurry to do things right -The second, third and fourth time though, we played it correctly and had so much fun and it was a complete blast to play – we also picked a different character each time that we played to see if we had a favorite, which I still do not have one yet – they all could help in so many waysAll in all the only reason that we stopped playing this game was to eat dinner and take care of a few things around the house before bed – but tonight, we will play Elder Sign again – this is so much fun and it is different each time – I highly recommend this for those who want an enjoyable quest for adventure game night!!

      6 people found this helpful

    99. TFORTITUDE

      Wonder Game for Any Collection

      I LOVE THIS GAME! Every time I play it I don’t know whether it will be easy or difficult. There is a learning curve for what is the best strategy but if you have the characters come out randomly like usual, it adds a fun element of dread if things start to get difficult.

    100. The Cunningham Fam

      Fun and unique…

      This game is exactly what we were looking for. The individual token pieces are made of great quality materials, the colors are vibrant and the images used throughout the game set are very good. We reccomend this game to anyone who is looking to try a new board game of a different breed. The Elder Sign game is fun to play along with the Call of Cthuhlu game!!! The game is imaginative and unique. I would use discretion if getting this game for children younger than 8 or 9 as some of the themes presented in the game are a little mature. But a great game nonetheless. I reccomend purchasing sleeves to protect the cards and cheap little bins to protects the tokens from humidity and cimply from getting lost. I highly reccomend this game to anyone looking to spend a rainy day having fun.

    101. M. Riffle

      Elder Sign is not a toy.

      The title is because Amazon made me rate this “toy”. Elder sign is not a toy. It is a well-designed board game that allows for 1-8 players and explores the mythos of the Ancient Ones as they try to break free from their sleep (a la Cabin in the Woods). As a fan of cooperative board games I found this game to be a really enjoyable experience and really easy to pick up quickly. I learned how to play in the time it took to go through one turn, but don’t let its simplicity fool you into thinking the game itself is simple. It employs a myriad of strategies in order to keep the ancient gods from destroying or enslaving the world. With multiple unique characters to play and a whole crew of gods trying to escape every time you play through the game is a new experience. Would buy again.

      One person found this helpful

    102. Drew Squire

      Dice Rolling at its finest.

      This is probably one of the better dice rolling games out there. They have just enough mechanics in the game to change the random nature of dice into a not-quite-as-random set of parameters that make for an enjoyable game. this game has the unique feature of letting you have as many or as few players as you want to play, making it an easy pick up and play game.My only complaint is the game is not very balanced, some investigators are clearly better than others, and some cards are mind blowingly difficult to defeat due to the random nature of dice.

      One person found this helpful

    103. M. 9 Fingers

      Excellent table top game, and all things Cthulhu are good. . . right?

      The game play on this well made and beautifully illustrated co-op game is fun, but not too labor/rules intensive. This is a great game for when my D&D group is short a few players and we want to pass a few hours while we talk about nerdy stuff and don’t want to be bothered with more complicated games. I suppose that I could complain that the strategy elements are not as important as the luck of the dice rolls, but that is pretty much what I expected, so I am not penalizing the game and I am awarding full marks. The pieces are cardboard, but nice quality and printed on both sides. The cards have a nice feel and the artwork is great. This game went beyond my expectations, and I have even played it a few times by myself (not as fun as with friends, but it keeps my hands busy while I watch TV).

    104. CiderJack

      Great game, fun even when losing.

      I purchased this game after watching it played on Tabletop on the Geek and Sundry youtube channel. It can be a little daunting when you first set it up but is easier to play than it looks. I really like that it supports up to 8 players as we have a large group of friends that game together. It can be hard to find good quality games that support more than 4-6 players and many of the ones that do can become tedious waiting for your turn.On our first time playing we got our butts kicked, but we still had a great time.

    105. Kindle Customer

      Great Game, lots of fun and challenging

      I heard mixed reviews of this game from people who had played it, but decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed. It’s challenging enough not to be boring, and takes a few play thrus to understand the depth of strategy available with the different characters. You don’t need to like Lovecraft or the Cthuhlu mythos to appreciate the game, however it might add another layer of appreication. I’ve played it now with people of varying ages and all have enjoyed it.The main premise of the game is increasing your statistical odds on dice rolls. You will the game by rolling dice and coming up with combinations that allow you to win items to defeat the Ancient One. Item(s) are obtained through challenges of specific dice combinations, and the resulting items can give you both items towards the defeat of the Ancient One, or more items to assist with your next challenge (e.g. some give you an extra dice to roll, others allow you to hold a dice to the side while rerolling the others.)The one recommendation I would make for play strategy is this; don’t hold on to your items, use them when appropriate to complete challenges. If you win, you get more items, if you lose, you no longer have the items towards your next challenge.Overall it is an enjoyable game to play with friends and family. Takes about an hour+ to play, but is time well spent.

      2 people found this helpful

    106. Christofer Kurilov

      Fun Simple Sweet!

      This game is very fun to play and it is fairly simple. I really like the short writings on the adventure cards that turn the mood on for the game. This is a co-op game and the mechanics in the team work are really smooth to use. I like other games like talisman and descent that have figures and you have to move around the map but I got tired and wanted to try something new and that didn’t take as much time and I am just loving this game. Especially for the price you can’t go wrong.

    107. O’Donnell Family

      Fun game with lots of replay-ability

      My wife and I love this game! There are a lot of piece that we keep in small zip locks, but that does not hinder the fun. It did take us a while to read through the instructions in order to get started, and we had to reference them a few times as we played, but it is a relatively simple game to learn.My wife and I are very much into playing co-operative games with each other when we can. The game seems a bit intimidating to set up at first, but the game play itself is very easy: 1. Move your character (or stay put) to any adventure card or the starting card. 2. Attempt to complete an adventure card by rolling the necessary dice combinations. and 3. turn the clock forward. Try to collect as many Elder Signs needed to keep the monster from emerging. If you do, you win, if not, then you have to battle the monster.This would make a great starter RPG-type of game that probably wont scare off newcomers.The first round we played, we won almost too easily. This was partly because we did not follow some of the rules we should have, such as the rule for focusing a roll. We were focusing a die even if we completed an item, which you are not supposed to do. When we played the second time, the monster appeared… very quickly thanks to my lame rolls. The game was much more intense and difficult this time around.There are 16 different characters to play as, and eight ancient monsters to try and keep locked away, which makes for great replay-ability.The art work is beautiful, and the cardboard pieces included with the game a very high quality, and pretty thick. The adventure cards a very large and easy to read. The item cards are small like in Ticket to Ride, or Timeline which are not my favorite size, but there usually is not a lot of information to read, so it works fine.I have not played any other games in the Arkham Horror series, but I look forward to purchasing expansion packs as we go.

      5 people found this helpful

    108. Roy Brewer

      Quick and easy fun!

      I’m getting back into board games with the recent surge of interest in the hobby. I am interested in trying some of the more in depth Lovecraft based games but after seeing this on Tabletop I knew I had to try it. The game doesn’t feature much in the way of complicated strategy but the setting is very cool and it has a great Lovecraft flavor! It’s perfect for a quick game after work and definitely whets my apatite until I can get into some longer and tougher games on the weekends. For a quick and fun “players vs the board” kind of game you can’t go wrong with this one.

    109. Donna O.

      Hours of fun.

      I have really enjoyed the way that this game plays out differently on every occasion we have broken it out to play. Our family loves game night, and this is engaging. Our 10 year old loves to play with us, but it also plays fantastic with just the two of us.

    110. Amazon Customer

      Well balanced but intense.

      This game is a well balanced but intense challenge. Adult friends enjoy it and my 9 and 11 year old kids both enjoy it, too. And a big plus that it is true to the Lovecraft mythos that I enjoyed reading when I was a teenager.

      One person found this helpful

    111. Kindle Customer

      Great Game, lots of fun and challenging

      I heard mixed reviews of this game from people who had played it, but decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed. It’s challenging enough not to be boring, and takes a few play thrus to understand the depth of strategy available with the different characters. You don’t need to like Lovecraft or the Cthuhlu mythos to appreciate the game, however it might add another layer of appreication. I’ve played it now with people of varying ages and all have enjoyed it.The main premise of the game is increasing your statistical odds on dice rolls. You will the game by rolling dice and coming up with combinations that allow you to win items to defeat the Ancient One. Item(s) are obtained through challenges of specific dice combinations, and the resulting items can give you both items towards the defeat of the Ancient One, or more items to assist with your next challenge (e.g. some give you an extra dice to roll, others allow you to hold a dice to the side while rerolling the others.)The one recommendation I would make for play strategy is this; don’t hold on to your items, use them when appropriate to complete challenges. If you win, you get more items, if you lose, you no longer have the items towards your next challenge.Overall it is an enjoyable game to play with friends and family. Takes about an hour+ to play, but is time well spent.

      2 people found this helpful

    112. Jes G.

      Arkham Horror Lite

      Elder Sign is a great way to get into the Arkham Horror universe and is much easier to learn and play than the full board game of Arkham Horror.The mechanics are very straight forward and after a few round we had it down.I would recommend it for those who love a good board game but can’t always do a 2+ hour session.I would NOT recommend this for casual board game players who are looking for a simple “party” game.Pros:-Easy to Learn-Lots of Replay Value-Co-operative PlayCons:-Lots of small pieces (buy a bead or button box for storage)-Cards are small and tough to read without good light (or young eyes)-Instructions are poorly laid out, make a crib sheet.

      One person found this helpful

    113. LL

      We love this game

      This is a very fun game that is full of atmosphere. The game is appropriate for 10 and up if they are good readers, probably 12 or so is better. My 10 year olds love it. Elder Sign is a great family game if you want a little more than Monopoly. There is a lot of theme. My kids really wanted Arkham Horror but I think that was too long and involved. This plays in about 90 minutes and is very engaging. It is very interesting how the different characters abilities make the game play differently. Highly recommended.

    114. Steven Sexton

      Great game.

      This is a great game. I don’t recommend playing with more than 4 or 5 people, as the game play really starts to drag with more than that (even though it plays up to 8).I would highly recommend checking out the iPhone/iPad app, called “Elder Sign: Omens.” The rules to the board game aren’t too difficult to pick up, but seeing most of the mechanics in the app really helped me appreciate the board game play even more.Enjoy!

    115. C. Anderson

      Gives the feel of the Cthulhu mythos

      I bought this game due to seeing it on TableTop, although I had played something similar back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. As such, I had familiarity with the genre, the setting, and the flow of play.This game is a setting-based game. If you’re not familiar with the Cthulhu Mythos, then this game may not be as fun. If you are familiar with Lovecraft’s works, then this game reasonably gives the same feel as the Mythos. For those of you who know Lovecraft, then you’re aware that on a good day, your characters can expect to (a) die, (b) go insane, or (c) both at the same time. It’s only a matter of time.Elder Sign gives that same feel of constant, impending, doom. As you move through the game, even if you’re doing well, it’s very obvious that it can all change in an instant. The longer you go, the more likely that you start losing characters. That’s the draw for this game: giving the feel of the Mythos.The game itself is a cooperative game: all the players work together in order to survive and defeat the Great Old One. The game-play is fairly streamlined and simplified, and a typical game is 30-60 minutes.It’s an enjoyable time.

    116. Topher Ferguson

      A great, “light” option in the Arkham universe

      I’ve had this on my list for a while. I normally play more complex games, and love Arkham Horror second edition, Eldritch Horror, and Mansions of Madness. I have had the app for a while. The tabletop version is so much better. And it plays great solo! Beginner or not, pick it up!

      One person found this helpful

    117. J. Conklin

      Fun! Meant for those who want more from their board games!

      This is an excellent board game! I first saw it played on the web show “Table Top” with Wil Wheaton. My main attraction to it was the fact that it is a collaborative game. Players must work together to defeat the monster instead of competing against each other. This makes for a lively board game night as everyone is forced to focus on long term strategies. My friends who don’t like to play anything more complicated than Apples to Apples did not really enjoy the game, but both my siblings and my more gaming experienced friends truly thought it was a blast! I love it and have played it on 3 separate occasions already!

    118. Artemisfair

      The stars are right: all 5 of them!

      I bought this game after seeing an episode of Tabletop on the Geek & Sundry youtube channel featuring it. I knew from the beginning that I had to have this game. This is a great, fun game. I have a roommate who loves Cthulu and my boyfriend and I love board games.Pros:- You can play by yourself or with up to 8 players. So far I’ve played it with 2 players and 4 players and the results were wonderfully varied. I haven’t played by myself, but I think it’s safe to assume that it’s a lot more fun with others.- The artwork is beautiful and really sets the feel for this game.- It is a cooperative game, so you can even play it with friends who are a little too competitive.- It’s pretty quick for a game of this genre.- Lots of characters, items/abilities and monsters give the game high replay value.- Price is pretty reasonable for this type of game.- It’s essentially a game of chance, so it can be pretty suspenseful. Always fun.Cons:- There are a lot of pieces and cards to keep track of.- The rules (including set-up) can be a bit complex the first time you play.- As with any game of chance, sometimes you just don’t get the rolls you need. There are items and abilities that can help you reroll, add dice or boost your rolls, but in the end sometimes you just don’t get what you want which can be frustrating.In conclusion, I’m definitely happy with my purchase and foresee myself playing a lot more in the future. I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys cooperative games, likes H.P. Lovecraft or collects board games. I’m happy to have this one as part of my collection.

    119. Ian K

      Simple and Effective

      I’m somewhat new to tabletop gaming, having only really started delving into board games about two years ago. Elder Sign was a game that had caught my eye as a sort of gateway game because of the Wil Wheaton webseries Tabletop. I decided to give it a shot to see if it was ACTUALLY as fun as portrayed and certainly found some joy there.It’s a much MUCH more toned down and simple version of Arkham Horror. While the characters, theme, and purpose remain the same, it is basically just a test your luck team variant with some strategy. It’s quite easy to teach and has actually been a pretty big hit with all but one of my non-board game loving friends. The cooperative aspect is a good way to introduce those concepts before moving onto a game like Pandemic or Flash Point, but not so ingrained that a person can’t “do their own thing” and still contribute to the team effort.Would certainly recommend to people interested in a short, simple experience.

    120. Anthony Fullmer

      A Worthy Introduction to the Arkham Horror Universe

      When purchasing this product, I was initially interested in the larger, much more complex Arkham Horror. However, after reading the reviews on Elder Sign (same universe, simpler setup, shorter games), I was convinced to purchase it instead. I must say, I was not disappointed.The first thing I noticed when unboxing the game was the high quality of the pieces. From the cards to the cardboard tokens that make up so many of the game’s components, you could tell the makers didn’t skimp on construction.Next, the gameplay itself was excellent. The game is completely cooperative (all players vs. the board) which allows a lot of interesting strategies that wouldn’t be possible if every player were on their own. Some of the rules are a bit ambiguous in certain situations; however, after a couple of playthroughs things started to coalesce. There is a very good balance of difficulty in the game, I always felt uneasy about our chances to win while never feeling completely hopeless. I love the end game in the situations that the “Ancient One” is fully summoned and the players have to fight them. It is almost always a lost battle, but provides an adrenaline rush comparable to watching your favorite football team throw up a Hail Mary at the last second of a game to try to pull out a win. On those times where you actually defeat the “Ancient One” in battle, the victory is just as sweet.I would definitely recommend the game to anyone looking for a fun addition to their board game collection. The varied environment of the game and interesting twists give this game a lot of longevity. Well worth the money.

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    121. J. Marsh

      Really fun game.

      I don’t have much experience with tabletop games and recently decided I’d like to try some. I purchased Elder Sign first, because it seemed easy to pick up, had a fun theme, and it can be played co-op with as little as two people (a huge selling point, since most of my friends no longer live in my area.)The dice are well-made, the game is fun (other reviews should go into enough detail,) and the cards are really cool looking.My only qualms are that the flavour text on cards is nearly impossible to read with poor eyesight and a few of the pieces (doom tokens and character tokens are the worst) are very, very small. My friend’s gaming area wasn’t very well lit, so I had to have him read the entire time. Of course, you can play without reading, but that makes it less fun for me. Just be sure you have good eyes or a magnifying glass before you try to pick this game up. And be careful not to drop the doom tokens. You might have trouble finding them.

    122. Ricardo F. Gonzalez

      Super fun game!

      Very good game! If you love chucking dice, this game is for you! You are an investigator trying to solve and put a stop to the evil that is taking over the Arkham Museum. The gameplay is completely based on luck, but the magic spell cards do give you some sort of small strategical advantage as you whittle down your dice pool. This game REALLY shines when paired up with “Unseen Forces” it’s first main expansion that adds blessed and cursed dice, doubles the amount of investigators and event cards and adds a bit more of a challenge. This rules of play included in this game is a little tough to read through the first couple of times, (it’s obvious Fantasy Flight terminology) if you haven’t ever played a game associated with this genre or from the publisher. This game could use a new rules reprint much like what they are doing now with a “Learn to play” and “Rules of Play” booklets. But other than that, once the learning curve has been mastered (which isn’t too bad) it’s an addictive game!!

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