Fhtagn! - Tales of the Creeping Madness

An absolute blast! If you enjoy boardgames or The Yawhg, and you like Lovecraftian horror (with a side of humor), then this game is a must get. You play as a lowdown, dirty, backstabbing, cult higher-up trying to summon evil. But how you go about it is completely up to you: study at Miskatonic Univeristy, blackmail the elite, doublecross gangsters, plan heists, fight monsters, roam among the loonies at Arkham Asylum, prowl the streets for prey, and much, much more. You have 6 turns to prepare for the coming of your ritual, and then you have a myriad extra roles to play in that ritual (including being an FBI informant to stop it, etc.). The writing is extremely varied and well done, all with a humor of Loveraftian self-awareness. PROS: Single player or Two, Three, and Four Player competitive same-screen play (Good party game) Massive diversity of play and narrative, within the "boardgame" Really fun and enjoyable once you get a game or two under your belt Great art style Points accumulate that you can choose to spend to help your future games One of the few games where failing is as fun as winning A large amount of variation on the player-side to customize games More free content to come, in an already complete game Humorous references I didn't expect, from Blackadder Goes Forth to Greek Mythology Vera, the double barreled Tommy Gun CONS: Seems a bit complicated at first, but it's super simple in actual play Slightly repetitive music, a bit "light hearted" for the subject matter, but not too annoying BEGINNER TIPS: Don't feel overwhelmed at first, just play about two games, even if you don't feel you are "getting it" immediately. Don't worry about winning right off the bat, losing in this game is fun. Learn your stats later as you go, and then realize which each one controls. Save up your points for when you "get the game" and then use them to help you succeed. A RECOMMENDED PURCHASE IF THE STEAM STORE PAGE INTRIGUES YOU!

My group of friends and I have been searching for a game to match "The Yawhg" for a couple years now, and the day of prophecy has come. I cannot recommend this game enough, as it became an instant classic for us. It's fun to play solo, but the meat of the game is playing with 1-3 others. The core loop is simple to pick up, but difficult to master: pick a location, pick one of two known actions to gain stats, a random event (based on your location) happens which you need to resolve, then you pass or fail said event and move to the next turn. Failure is not punished so much as laughed at and, occasionally, rewarded. It's difficult to describe this game without talking about The Yawhg (the two games are near identical mechanically, though this is definitely not a bad thing), as the talking points are mostly a compare and contrast of how the two games approach quality of life issues of play and, more minorly, how they approach story telling. Player made content being available is a big plus to this game and the Dev Team already has a decent sized content patch on the way, further extending the life of this gem. TL;DR: If you liked the Yawhg, buy this game immediately. If you like short games with replay value, buy this game. If you're looking for a small group activity for parties or screen sharing online, buy this game. Also, if you like this game, you should buy the Yawhg.

"Fhtagn! - Tales of the Creeping Madness" is the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ definition of hidden gem: a funny, engaging, weird, unexpected title left flying under the radar for long enough, to mix metaphors here because you can’t stop me. The creators could be monetizing expansive content easily but instead have encouraged mod growth on Steam workshop. The already rich game invites a freedom and participation that layers it with new content and all kinds of unofficial official expansions. I was instantly attracted to the premise, but worried about a slow learn. The first time I loaded it up there was this massive term-list and details that had my eyes glazing over. Rather uncharacteristically, I said ♥♥♥♥ that and jumped right in. It was all the for the best. It's incredibly simple to pick up, and at least half of that stuff isn't relevant at first anyway. The game opens up in all sorts of really cool, optional ways for added depth latter on, but even its base form is a blast. Just play a quick round and it'll all come together. The gist of the game is such: you're playing as a cultist with six rounds to accumulate enough stat points of whatever category will help you pull off the grand role you select.... usually raising the old gods, but hey we all join cults for different reasons. Each round you pick one of the buildings to visit, with each offering varied (known) bundles of points, followed by a random event providing an opportunity for extra, different, or lost points. At the end of the rounds, you select your role and get a nice detailed story for how that whole apocalypse thing pans out for you. You can play each game as an individual or set yourself up with competition, in which buildings are limited to one player visiting each round, and the end role you're aiming for being first-come first-serve as well. The other 2-4 players can be AI controlled or done as local co-op. Or even yourself playing as four different people if you’re particularly lonely since everyone takes turns anyway. And if playing under the (included) expansion cult, there are other options to create a more competitive experience. For as fun as the game mechanics are, they’re a body structure whereas you uncover the real soul within the game's rich writing, witty references, and wonderful sense of humor. It’s such a great combination that you never even question whose soul it was originally or how they got it. Those random events that pop-up within each building really expose the game's truest self. Your chaotic encounters convey the best of the writing, while the options--often depending on skill checks--aren't really fixed into good or bad. Sometimes failing a skill check can end up way more beneficial than passing. Other times the events can set you far back enough from your aimed-role that you end up needing to improvise whatever role you’re closest to pulling off based on the actual way your points are shaping up. And hopefully someone doesn't snag that one for themselves first. Sometimes you'll know how to progress those events from seeing them repeat, but the catalog of encounters is absolutely massive. If you somehow do manage to see it all, the open support of the modding community means a nigh-endless access unique story-events as long as people are crafting their own. One of my favorite things about the game, perhaps a reason I'd never expected but that's got me enthralled: it’s a refreshing [i]game[/i] game. You can play for 10 minutes or 10 hours. Okay probably not the latter without some high-grade amphetamines, but you get the gist. It's something I've found myself loading up in the middle of other things as a fun time killer, if working and needing a small break, when desperate to evoke the impression of ANY completed experience, or ready for playing game after game. If you're even considering buying this game, then do it. It's absolutely worth 10bux and equally worth supporting this kind of developer and indie niche gem. Oh and it’s pretty good if I haven’t said so already. [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/802400/Fhtagn__Tales_of_the_Creeping_Madness/?curator_clanid=32660416] You can check out “Fhtagn! - Tales of the Creeping Madness” on Steam now [/url] [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32660416-Weird-Wonderful-Game-Watch/] And find more recommendations on our curator page, Weird Wonderful Game Watch. [/URL] [i] [Disclosure: My game copy was provided freely over curator connect to our group for review as many titles are. The only impact that has on this (or any of our reviews) is the checkbox I'm supposed to hit that makes people skip past without reading it anyway. So.. hah! Got you sucker! You read this far and still full transparency! Take that!] [/i]

If you're looking for a fast-paced boredom buster that just so happens to be Lovecraftian-based, then Fhtagn! - Tales of Creeping Madness has you covered. It has a very defined board game style that has been converted into video game format, and it comes packed with tons of content; 113 randomized events that have nearly 400 various outcomes, almost 150 different endings, and up to 4-player local co-op for those that enjoy playing together. There was even a free expansion added, along with community mod support. Even though the rounds last, on average, about three minutes, the replay factor is high due to just how unpredictable the next match will be. The game can come off as overwhelming at first, with a six-page tutorial that does nothing for new players until they actually play a few rounds. Essentially, there are several stats (influence, riches, (in)sanity, body, knowledge, magic) that can be gained or lost through the aforementioned events. Players visit several locations around a town, such as the Miskatonic University and Arkham Asylum, and partake in one of two events. The events lead to different outcomes, which cause that player to either gain or lose stats. These locations show what stats they provide the most of, and at the end of six cycles the player then chooses a card to try and perform a ritual to summon the great dreamer Cthulhu. Each end-game card requires a specific number of points in two particular stats, though that information is unknown to the player until they unlock it with Elder Signs; the currency gained by completing rounds. Therefore, dozens upon dozens of playthroughs are necessary to unlock all of the end-game information, and the plethora of possible endings associated with each card. There's a lot of quirky tongue-in-cheek humor here, but it all simply falls short. It's mildly chuckle-worthy sometimes, when it's not resorting to fart jokes, but it wears thin quickly; much like the gameplay itself. The music is also a horribly short loop of one repetitive up-beat jazz track, with one other song that plays only during the weirder, more obscure events. You're best off just muting the entire thing and enjoying your own Spotify playlist. This release is another perfect example of why Steam needs a 'meh' rating, since this game is neither good nor bad. It doesn't deserve to be not recommended, there ws clearly a lot of effort put in by the developers, but those that it can be recommended to are a small crowd; that crowd being those who can make a lot of use out of time wasters. Waiting on deliveries? Fhtagn! Simmering some rice on the stove? Fhtagn! Doing the laundry? Fhtagn! Overall, Fhtagn! - Tales of the Creeping Madness is a video game that would fair better if it were translated into a board game format. It's got the perfect blend of fast-paced rounds that are ideal for party play sessions, and easy to remember pick-up-and-play rules and mechanics. Each round is different, thanks to the hundreds of random events and nearly 150 outcomes that can be obtained. There's definitely a lot of content here, but as a video game it sadly falls short of being anything noteworthy or captivating. The charm wears off in less than an hour, and even with couch co-op you'll be hard up to get more than a cumulative handful of hours out of the sessions. If you can get it somewhere near 75% off, you may get the full value out of the price. [h1]Rating: [b]3.0/5.0[/b] - Average, can take it or leave it.[/h1] The Horror Network [url=http://store.steampowered.com/curator/28221963/]Curator[/url] | [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/thehorrornetwork]Group[/url] Click for Gore

The stars aligned and concocted a game perfectly tailored to my liking. Whacky humor, Lovecraft, and the ability to add my own whacky, humorous, Lovecraftian tales, all within the capabilities of my attention span (aka "oh look an elder horror"). Great artwork, fun gameplay (almost board game-esque), replayability, good modding documentation, devs who care - I have no complaints at all and highly recommend this.

Do you like quick party games for up to 4 people? Have you played The Wolf's Bite and The Yawhg, but are looking for something a little darker? Then this is the game for you! Cryptic tasks, dark discoveries and intertwining stories lie within Fhtagn! Play it again and again to unlock new endings, new twists, and raise the Great Dreamer from his slumber! 10/10 Co-op/ Competitive Storyline Fun

[h1]7.8/10 - [i]That is not dead which can eternal lie; and with strange aeons even death may die[/i][/h1] Fhtagn! - Tales of the Creeping Madness is essentially a digitalized tabletop game, driven by a series of binary choices. While ideally played in co-op mode over some drinks with friends, the game also delivers a great single player experience, balancing a pleasant dose of light dark humor in the Lovecraftian vein, with the surprisingly challenging endgame of selecting the class which makes best use of your stats. A wide variety of player choices and randomized events ensures replayability, which has been increased still further by the addition of both official and community mods. Credit is due to the amazingly conscientious team over at Design Imps, who are completely dedicated to making sure everyone experiences the game as they intended. Their amicable lead developer quickly and personally handled troubleshooting, when I encountered a bug which consistently caused my game to freeze up. He even suggested that I request a refund while still eligible, and offered me a complimentary key while we figured out the problem!

Fun game. The different options and choices that occur throughout the game keep things interesting. It is fun figuring out what is required to bring about the end time in the game. Definitely recommend checking it out.

Absolutely adored this game. Gave me a good laugh, places really simply and easily and even takes a few jabs at Scientology so win win!

If you like Lovecraft's (and other writers') Mythos tales, and if you like your Dark Ones with a pinch of Dark Humor by any means pick up this game. It's ideal for the casual couch cultist. Playtime is not too long, and you can play with up to 4 players - all on one ceremonial couch, or over the infernal internet (via Teamviewer, Skype etc.). The price tag is low enough to get it even when it's not on sale, as it's totally justified. When you think you've played through all the story bits, go grab the mods from the workshop (definitely a must). And then there's the content creator that lets you write and implement your very own sinister tales/adventures into the game. Terribly loverly, that indeed! Also, the devs are very responsive and fix the game if there's ever a need. :)