The way rulebooks are written now just bums me out

I mean, back when I got into board games, rulebooks were simple and made sense. You could read them once and basically know how to play. Now, it feels like every new game has a rulebook that's fifty pages of tiny text and exceptions. I tried learning this new space game last week, and the rules had so many cross references I gave up and watched a video instead. But even the video skipped over key parts, so we had to house rule it. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like they're more focused on being perfect than being clear. It just kills the mood when you're excited to play and end up confused. Idk, I wish they'd go back to making rules that help you have fun, not stress you out.

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3 Comments

tyler5026mo ago

Remember some newer games actually nail the quick start guides. It's not all bad out there.

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nathanwalker6mo ago

Have you found any games lately with quick start guides that actually work? I grabbed 'Deep Rock Galactic' last month and its guide just listed five simple steps to jump in. The best ones cut out all the story setup and only show the controls you need right away. When a game does that, I can start having fun in minutes instead of slogging through tutorials.

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emma_ramirez6mo ago

Totally agree with what tyler502 said. I had the same experience with 'Vampire Survivors' last week. The guide just showed moving, attacking, and picking items, nothing else. Getting right into the action makes a huge difference for after-work gaming when you're tired.

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