Sleeping Gods | Full & Honest Review

I give my honest thoughts on the game after playing through 2/3rds of a full campaign. I cover what I dislike about the game, what I have mixed feelings on and what I love about the game.

These views and opinions are my own and do not represent Red Raven Games in anyway. I purchased the copy of my game on my own and was not compensated in any way for this video.

[daniellebackus]

I just bought a copy from someone on board game geek, and I LOVE it. About 1/3 of the way through my first campaign, and I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s a super busy/stressful time at work, so it’s a nice thing to focus my mind on when I’m trying to relax. Have been playing coop with my husband and some solo as well. I love everything about it, including that I get to make good use of the giant table I bought for dining and playing board games. I wish there was a little more backstory about the characters in the book (maybe there is and I just haven’t found it), but I still love all the adventures. Something about actually taking the time to do the challenges and combat.. it makes me feel like I’m really on this adventure. The experience is greater than the sum of the games’ parts.

[inotterwords]

Just preordered this, and I'd been having some pre-order regret because I finally found a negative review of Sleeping Gods floating around youtube, and it made me worried I was getting on a hype train. Your review has made me feel more comfortable, because from your descriptions, even if I don't end up liking the game, I think it'd be worth my money to try it out and at least see what these mechanics and stories feel like. Thanks so much for the thorough review!

[StevenAPowers]

I definitely agree about the table space issue. I think this game might take up the most of any game I own other than rebellion. Love the rest of the game though.

This game kills 7th continent for me which is good since I've already sold it.

[jamesgraham]

Would an app be useful to reduce table space?

[BobCowden]

Nice review. Good job covering likes and dislikes.

[neilmorgan]

agree with all your comments and the fact that it is the best game I have played for a long time. Thanks for the videos.

[Boardgametherapist]

I keep getting the sense that these large adventure type board games are really extremely fiddly with the upkeep. Games like this, 7th continent, etc. I almost want to say to myself, “why not just play a video game”…Where the narration, upkeep are all kept track of automatically. I pre-ordered this but am feeling a little doubtful.

[juanv]

My best for 2021… Altar quest, Black list games.

[kosterix]

American product for American table sizes.
Tried it, liked it, retried it, hated it, sold it. I love the idea of playing it rather than actually playing it.

(as with many such US games)

[keithjohnston]

I'm not sure I understand the gender representation choices in this game. Both the captain and the 'warrior' are women and not men. In 1929 one women being in this role would be extremely unlikely and both statistically impossible. Therefore we must conclude that immersion is being forfeited to promote the representation of women, in this case instead of men.

To what end? Is there any evidence that women playing boardgames are inspired by the characters gender? And if there is wouldn't the same apply to men? This may not matter either way in a game which is notionally set in 1929 but in reality is a fantasy. But in a game where historical accuracy does matter to the players -for example a game involving a Tank crew in 1945 - these questions are worth exploring.

If its genuinely important to show women rather than men as sea captains regardless of the era, then why isn't it equally important to show women rather than men as tank crew in 1945? In other words what is the limiting principle, if any?


The problem comes if there isn't any evidence that it matters but the real reason is simply to go along with it all to avoid being accused of sexism. Then we can expect boardgames to follow in the footsteps of modern PC wargames, which are increasingly losing players due to the replacement of characters - generally heterosexual white males - with others where that is not historically justified. I play games in part as escapism and any trend which suggests a hidden hand trying to re-educate me in leftist identity politics is just adding a layer of annoyance.

An addition layer of complexity is that the corruption of the social sciences means that precisely those scholars who could provide an answer - ideally gender studies departments for example - are compromised by being bastions of leftism themselves.

[RedBird]

Guess can’t have male leaders and captains in games and movies anymore.