by MrMT
All I can say is that I've had this game for 2 years, and still can't get anyone to play it through. The couple of attempts we had went on way too long and no-one ever wanted to try it again.Simply put, this game is too convoluted for most people, and suffers as a result. What could have been some relatively simple mechanics - grab territory, fight each other, get resources, hunt runes - became instead a vast interlocking machine, requiring constant checking and rechecking of the rule book. If I recall, many of the rule details are not obvious, and need learning.
Sure with multiple plays that will diminish, but first impressions last, and a game really needs to do well in its first play to become a standard.
I am sure with the right group it's great, but it's just not as tight and quick into the fun decision points as some of the more modern game designs out there.
Rune Wars has its place for sure, but to my mind M.D they have a big point with the fiddliness of it all. It's a lot of effort.
I wish someone would come up with a more streamlined and accessible ruleset that could breathe new life into this game.