Pocket Madness

Pocket Madness is really a a sweat

little game about, well, insanity. This is another game inspired by HP Lovecraft, so you know it's going to be good. Ok, so it's a little creepy, but look at that adorable art! look at that staring eyeball! Look at those cute little green cubes! It's almost worth it to collect the madness cubes just to shuffle them around and hear the satisfying clinking. Sure, it makes you insane but, some things are just worth it, you know? I fully enjoy this game, not just because of the cuteness, but also the gameplay is quick and engaging.


TGN score:

Story - 8
Because this is a Cthulhu game, it comes with a built in story. You are trying to invoke the Ancient Ones' powers using card sets to drive your play fellows insane. fun, right? The story isn't incredibly complex, but it enough fantasy and paranormal horror to drive up the score.

Immersive - 4
Not counting the artwork, the gameplay doesn't really have anything to do with the theme or premise. You cou
ld probably remove the paranormal elements and it wouldn't change gameplay at all. But on the other hand, there are elements that add to the immmersiveness (immersivity?) of the game. Not even counting the artwork, the collecting of the madness cubes keeps the theme in the forefront of your mind.

Learning Curve - 3
Because this is a numbered card came, it is similar enough to traditional card games to be fairly easy to learn. The rules take a few minutes to get the hang of, but reading the rulebook itself goes quick. This may take away from the nerdiness a little, but it is definitely a positive in this game.

Time - 4
Takes about a half hour to play. Again, this short time may take away from the nerdiness, but it does not take away from the enjoyment of the game. Sometimes you just need a quick little game with some nerdy themes, right?

Final TGN score - 4.24
All in all, this could be played by a wide range of players, even non-gamers if they can get past the initial nerdy theme. It makes it a perfect game to play with your friends as a gateway nerd game, or if you are getting tired of the hour long set up for Runebound and need a breather.