by Wildcatfight
This review is about the base with the Shadows over Camelot: Merlin's Company expansion. This review is also mostly targeted at people familiar with BSG.
I was skeptical to buy this game because I am a huge fan of Battlestar Galactica and the general opinion on this site is that Shadows is BSG-lite. After several months of the debate, I found a good deal on it so I picked it up. After playing it, I think this generally held opinion is wrong.
Shadows Over Camelot and BSG Similarities
Both Shadows and BSG are co-op games with a hidden traitor mechanic. The non-traitorous team has to work against both the game and the traitors. The game throws powerful obstacles against the team and the traitors main role is slow down the team's responses to these challenges.
Differences
Besides the obvious thematic differences, the games have significant differences in style of play. Shadows is a much faster moving game (you can play about 3 games of Shadows in the time in takes to play 1 BSG game) and the mechanisms for success are very different.
The Traitors
In BSG, there is always a fixed number of traitors for a given number of players. In expanded Shadows there are anywhere between 0-2 traitors (depending on the number of players). The uncertainty about the number of traitors significantly effects the way players react to the possibility of traitors. In BSG, after the sleeper phase happens there is normally a move to root out all traitors (and their numbers are known). In Shadows, such a move is impossible because there might be no traitors.
Player Interaction
BSG has a greater degree of player interaction. Players can throw each other in the brig, give each other orders, examine their loyalty, etc as well as the in game planning. In Shadows players really only interact in formal accusation of being a traitor (something each player can only do once per game) and the in game planning.
Players vs. the Game
Without the Cylon-traitors in BSG the humans would easily win 9/10 games. The game itself is not a challenge enough for a competent team. In Shadows, the game is perfectly capable of beating a traitor-less team often.
The Mechanics
The basic mechanics of the two games are different. In BSG, the players react to a crisis at the end of each turn by playing cards from their hands and all players can contribute. There is only ever one crisis going on at once (though there might also be a Cylon boarding party and a huge fleet outside). In Shadows, the players must be at a location to contribute to its success. Some Quests don't allow more than one player. The 'crises' can be spread all around the board and it is often difficult for the players to determine where to spend their energy (this can also be true of BSG but that is more of a tactical consideration in those cases).
The 'feel' of the game
This is extremely subjective. But this game doesn't 'feel' like a game of BSG. Even with the traitor component, me and my group agreed that it feels more like a good game of Arkham Horor than anything else.
Overall
Battlestar Galatica is perhaps my favorite board game. Shadows Over Camleot did nothig to change that... but Shadows will see regular table time, because it isn't just BSG-lite. It is very much its own game with its own feel and style. I am extremely satisfied with my purchase and am excited to get it on the table again.
It's lighter playing time and more generally familiar theme are also a big plus in getting non-hardcore gamers to play too.
I recommend this game.
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