Sleeping Gods

I’ve not really had a chance to play it seriously. I started a game but life got in the way. I did like what little I played if it and it will be the next solo game on my table when I have time again. I would say if you enjoy narrative-based games that reward exploration with a surprisingly solid combat mechanic this game will make you happy. Just be prepared to give up a lot of table space it is surprisingly expansive.

Sleeping Gods was on my list of top 5 from the last 5 years or whatever.

I think it’s a very good game, as long as you go in with the right expectations: this probably ISN’T the best boardgame of all time.

But that’s OK!

For me it is a very good game that does a lot of interesting things mechanically to make it fun and interesting to play – and that’s before considering the story and writing.

It’s an excellent solo game and also very good with 2 players. I can’t report on whether it’s any good with 3 or 4, however.

For those playing Sleeping Gods is it a one and done game? Is there much to the game or is it more narrative than gameplay? I always am hesitant to buy these kind of games but it looks really cool.

It’s a branching narrative where you’re likely to see about 20% of the story content on any given playthrough. The “wrap-around” plot including boss fights stays consistent each time you play. I’ve played three solo campaigns totaling about 50 hours or so. I’m planning to play through one more campaign before I put it away. So definitely not “one and done.” (I’m playing with the Tides of Ruin expansion but not the Dungeons expansion.)

When I put it away, I’m wondering if I’ll decide to keep it or pass it on to a new home. I’m new to board gaming and don’t really want to start a collection of them so I’m considering letting it go. Then again, Distant Skies is still a long way off and I might get the itch to play this game again before that comes out.

Good with the Mrs you think?

I’m playing a second straight campaign and exploring areas I never touched in the first. In addition, I’m trying to play differently, more aggressively, so that even if I end up in areas I’ve been to in the first campaign, I’m choosing riskier options. And there are still entire map areas I haven’t touched.

I would say 2-3 run throughs would be it for most players. Definitely not infinitely replayable, but definitely not one and done.

How important are the expansions?

Excellent for 2 players. One of my wife’s and my favourites.

The mechanics are easy enough to learn if one of the 2 players is happy to read the rules / watch the Watch It Played video. And then the 2 players can immerse themselves in the exploration, the stories, the resource management and the combat.

I haven’t played with either yet. Tides of Ruins adds extra zones to the world map. That one we will use next time. The Dungeons one is more like a mini expansion that adds some more places you can scour for resources.

The expansions are certainly not needed at all until you have played your first 20 hours campaign. After which you can decide whether you’d like to add them. You won’t be missing out by not having them your first game.

There’s actually quite a bit to the game, especially for a narrative-driven game. There’s more “game” type stuff with worker placement, resource management and combat tactics than there is with Tainted Grail, I think, and far more than with 7th Continent.

I have a question. I bought this game last year to play with a buddy on our yearly game playing vacation. It didn’t arrive in time and I forgot about it until it showed up on my porch.

Now I’m debating if I should play a campaign solo, and then play another campaign with him this summer. Do ya’ll think that spoils the magic for him? Would the narrative be confusing for him if he joins for a second campaign but wasn’t there for the first?

No, it wouldn’t spoil it for him. It might spoil some moments for you if they come up a second time – but the world is big enough that that won’t happen much if at all. And playing it solo first will allow you to learn the game better, so you don’t have annoying rules confusion when he joins later. In short, I think your plan is a good one.

Just finished a 2-player campaign.

This game is just chef’s kiss

We only found one totem, primarily because we just squirrel brained the whole thing. Off in a million directions.

Ha! That’s what I did first time out. Turns out you find more totems if you follow the quests! :D

Started a second campaign. 2 totems a third of the way through.

We decided to run our campaign as cold ruthless treasure hunters, and it has added so much flavor to try and keep within that role. Actively avoiding to help folks if money is the other option!

We have also had 3 massive battles right out of the gate. The crew has spent the first third mostly shattered, including a magnificent last final attack by Odessa that net us out first totem. We won by a single HP, and required a 4+ fate draw to get the killing blow.

I don’t see any way I avoid getting the expansion in a moment of weakness, because I want more market items and events… But I’m not sure how many campaigns I will end up playing

I’ve been meaning to give the game a go for a while now. How complicated is it to set up and pack up again after a gaming session?
Gloomhaven kinda burned me a bit and I’ve actually moved over to the steam game to play through the whole campaign there.

Unfortunately I don’t have a spare table where I can leave the game set up for a few days.

I think it is a lot easier than Gloomhaven for setup and teardown.

They have instructions to save your progress. I think with a little practice it could probably happen in 5-10 minutes. They give you baggies to slide the player cards in entirely, and a sheet to mark a few other bits of information.

The game is really just spectacular. I’m trying to decide if it just dethroned Spirit island as my number 1.

Thats very encouraging! :) Thanks! Perhaps its time to finally unpack it and go adventuring.

I’d say the Tides of Ruin expansion is pretty essential. It merges seamlessly with the rest of the game and allows you to explore the full map. Plus trips to the market have more variety. (I never tried Arcade Mode. Seemed unnecessary.)

I guess I don’t mind how they did it, but I would have preferred to spend the extra money on the base game and just have it all in one box. Now I don’t know what to do with my empty expansion box! It’s handsome to look at but completely useless.

I never got the Dungeons expansion. It looks kind of intriguing I suppose. Maybe someday.

Easy. I threw it away after incorporating it into the main game. Life’s too short and my house too small to worry about storing empty boxes. :)

I agree that having the whole map is a must have and worth the purchase, in my opinion.