We Need More Adventure Games like The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era
I love a really good adventure board game, and have played a ton over the years. I’ve had a blast with Descent: Legends of the Dark and Betrayers War, The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle Earth, Tainted Grail: Kings of Ruin, and of course, The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era. The one thing that makes The Elder Scrolls different form the other games is that each game is broken down into very clear sessions ranging from 2-3 hours, and each campaign is only three sessions long. Why is this important? Let’s take a look.
King of Ruin is a fantastic experience with some of the best storytelling I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing through in a board game. The game is broken down into chapters, which is fantastic, but the game itself is incredibly long. And because the story is so important, and amount of waiting between sessions might break the overall experience as you forget little tidbits of information that are actually important and carry over from session to session. The story is so important, but the game is so long, so we’ve spent so much time trying to catch up, only to say multiple times, “Oh crap, I forgot about that!”
The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era is the perfect mix of something that is easily completed, lots of fun, and is broken down into three sessions. Each session runs about 2-3 hours with a group of 3, and the entire campaign only runs for 3 sessions, or 8-10 hours. Some will argue that this is too short for an adventure where you build a character, but the team at Chip Theory Games wants you to try this game again and again and again, playing in different regions, completing quests for different guilds, and using different character builds. The game begs you to play again and again, trying new things each and every time. And since it’s all easily completable, it’s not a big ask either.
There is no doubt in my mind that within a few years, The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era will be my most played campaign game, and for good reason: I feel liek I can complete it. In a hobby where most people never finish their adventure games, Chip Theory is giving experiences that beg to be completed because the ask isn’t all that great. And I think more companies should take note.
Article By Adam
