GoliathThe Last Podcast on The Left Presents: The Real Truth - Strategy Game of World Conspiracy Theories and Mysteries with Over 300 Components - Ages 14 and Up, 2-5 Players

This came up in my Amazon recommendations and, reading the description, I decided to give it a try as a present for my 15 year old son who likes to watch "bigfoot" documentaries and movies with me.I had no idea what the game would actually be like and fully expected it to be at best a fun but overly simplistic game in the vein of Horrorfied (sorry to the Horrorfied fans out there).To my surprise, and I think to the surprise of my son who has grown up playing a LOT of board games with his dad, this game was much more detailed than expected and likewise more fun too!This game reminds me of The Lords of Waterdeep game a bit but with a creepy, crypto-conspiracy theory vibe instead of high fantasy. One must gather resources to meet mission goals and "capture" creatures to best maximize a chosen role that is randomly selected at the start of the game (tabloid reporter, detective, etc.). This mechanic reminds me the most of Waterdeep in which each player selects a "Lord" at the start of play. This "Lord" has secret goals that provide bonus victory points at the end of the game.The Real Truth is quite similar but instead of "Lords" you have several crypto-related personalities whose secret agendas provide victory points as well.The game has an interesting mechanic for movement around the globe (cards; no dice) and an alignment mechanic that provides an element of strategy. Overall, a very enjoyable game and a nice surprise. We've already played this game several times and I foresee that it will be a regular staple in our board game rotation over the years. I recommend this for anyone that has played The Lords of Waterdeep and has at least a passing interest in anything crypto-related.

The game itself and fun and creative. We have been enjoying it. However, I did have to request a replacement because when it was shipped, it was shipped in a bag instead of a box. IDK if the seller or Amazon is responsible for that. But that part was inconvenient. The first one came completely damaged, with a gaping hole in the bag and the game box. Then when they sent a replacement, it was in a bag again...corners of the game box were worn, but otherwise was ok.

Absolutely worth the money and my friends caught on quickly and enjoyed the gameplay. I love the Last Podcast on the Left so I fully support the boys. If they make an expansion with more secret identities and/or creature cards I would throw my money at them!

This game was lots of fun once I got the hang of it. Make sure you watch the instructional video (Explained by Ben and Henry), because the instruction book is a little vague at times.At first it seemed pretty one dimensional, but once you play for a bit you start seeing the levels of strategy available.The cards were pretty thin, but laminated, not the most durable. Everything else was pretty solid, and the artwork is great.

Gameplay wise the game is fun and easy to play! Very unique!

Fun to play. Nicely made.

I bought this for myself and my boyfriend. The set-up is easy and the concept is fun, but the instructions are a bit lacking. Either the instructions are a bit too vague and we didn't play completely right or the game is just unbalanced because our first play wasn't even remotely competitive (or strategic) and it seemed too easy to exploit the follower tokens and the points they award. The game also felt like it took longer than it should have, although you can shorten or lengthen your games.Also the cards are laughably cheap. They literally stick together in a giant block and crack like a glow-stick when you bend them. The first time I split the deck some of the printing peeled away against other cards.I don't listen to The Last Podcast on the Left (I just like horror/monster/mystery games) but I think even as a non-fan this can be fun, but because our first playthrough was a little underwhelming we're not super motivated to try again. This might be a more fun game with more people or people who more regularly play board games.

'The Real Truth' is an absolute gem for anyone who enjoys a thrilling blend of strategy and conspiracy theories. This game had me hooked from the very beginning with its intriguing premise and intricate gameplay. The attention to detail in recreating famous conspiracy theories and mysteries from around the world is truly impressive. Whether you're exploring the enigmatic world of secret societies or unraveling government cover-ups, 'The Real Truth' keeps you engaged and intrigued at every turn. The strategic elements add an extra layer of excitement as you navigate through the intricate web of conspiracies, making each decision feel like a high-stakes move. The game strikes the perfect balance between challenging and accessible, making it suitable for both casual gamers and hardcore conspiracy enthusiasts. If you're looking for a captivating and thought-provoking gaming experience, 'The Real Truth' is an absolute must-try.

The game wasn't really sealed at all, there were tabs on each side, but all were opened already. The outside of the box was scuffed, marked, and damaged, and there were missing pieces.

Sadly this is not a review of the game, as we haven’t played it. I ordered this as a present for my wife who is a big fan of the podcast, It arrived today, and the only way I can describe it is, the box is in the same condition as an old puzzle you might find in second hand shop, even the sticky seals have hair on them. The board corners are all smashed, the cards were loose, creased and folded, and it looks like some pieces are missing. Very disappointed as now I won’t be able to give it to her on the day. I have tried ordering it again. Let hope I can review the actual game next time.

Fantastic Game!! Great for 2 plates as well as more...Gather your friends and have a great criptid filled hunt!!

Ok so heads up we are not the most successful family at board games! We have a certain amount of neuro diversity among us all so finding a game that doesn’t cause fractured nerves, boredom, explosive tantrums, tears or all of the above can be a search for a holy grail! One time never to be repeated during lockdown we tried Risk… That went very badly!So a new game and my hunt for a game we can play together continues! Have I found one? The answer is ‘possibly’. The worst part was getting past the instructions. It took us 90minutes to set up and figure out how to play. We tried to watch the you tube video but found it to stimulating (very fast talking, American, gibberish jokes mixed up making it confusing, we gave up with the video and went back to plodding through the booklet halfway through. ADHD meant that my son and I switched off at various intervals during the 90 minutes and by the end we were ready to give up but persist we did, and I’m glad we did!The instructions seem really complicated but actually once you get playing it’s quite simple to master and a fun game. We took out two of the event cards as suggested to make the game shorter and it took us (family of 4 on our first game) about 75 minutes to play the game. I think now we have learnt the game we will be able to convince my son, who wasn’t happy about losing the entire evening to the game, to play again, as it was fun , easy to get the hang of and unique,The cards were all stuck together but they peeled apart no problem for us and I thought everything was pretty good quality. £30 is an average board game price and it includes lots of pieces and playability so I think this is reasonable.

The Real Truth board game by Last Podcast on the Left========================================I didn't know this before looking at this game, but The Last Podcast on the Left is a real weekly podcast featuring comedians that explore real and imagined horrors. It's a great dark adult comedic take on true crime, paranormal and horror. If you like their podcast it's a great game.The game itself has a lovely printed game manual. The game pieces are a little on the thin side, and the cards are glossy but do initially stick together, but are easily separated. I feel Goliath the manufacturer could have done better in some places - for eg the player ‘mats’ and playing cards while some are glossy, they are also very thin cards, the set I had had one of the player mats, very thin card, was slightly bent, on other areas done really well - like the four miniatures. And the great artwork on the cards.There are lots of roles you can play within the game, which they call ‘secret identities’. Has a crazy shaped playing board which will take you a few minutes to orientate correctly the first time around. The game is possibly best played by first watching the 15 minute video by Ben / Marcus, the Podcast hosts, which explains the game really well, (search for VNZQeSM0758 on you.tube), and some of the cards also have QR codes to provide more info on popular conspiracy theories in the game.Whilst the game components are a little on the flimsy side and the game can be a little daunting/confusing when you first open it up, it's actually quite a good and enjoyable game. It gets a little easier once you get the hang of it. It's also got me interested enough to check out their podcasts too. Currently selling for 29.99