RDTN Episode 158: Arkham Horror, Shadows: Amsterdam and More Table Talk

RDTN Episode 158 puts its game table at the center of the conversation: the crew played Arkham Horror: 3rd Edition and Shadows: Amsterdam at Marty’s annual BooBQ, then shared impressions of other games and corrected a mix-up from an earlier discussion. The strongest takeaway is practical. Arkham can reward a group willing to learn its rules carefully, while Shadows: Amsterdam caught the host’s interest through a blend of familiar game ideas and real-time play.

Arkham Horror rewards a careful first game

The host recommends Arkham Horror to players who haven’t tried it, with one important piece of table advice: find someone who knows the rules to teach the game, and avoid adding house rules during that first session. The rules can be a tough read, but the group’s experience suggests that learning them pays off once play gets underway.

That learning curve matters because the game can become intense. The host describes moments when the outcome seems to rest on a dice roll, giving the table a reason to pay attention to each result. For a cooperative game, that kind of uncertainty can make a session feel shared: players face the same challenge, and a single roll can change how the moment lands. The episode doesn’t detail the game’s full turn structure or explain specific rules, so new players will still want a proper teach before sitting down.

The host’s verdict is emphatic: Arkham Horror is a strong gaming experience and a welcome addition to a cooperative collection. For groups considering it, the advice is less about mastering the rules in advance than about setting aside time for a clear explanation. A patient first session seems likely to make the game’s tougher rules easier to appreciate.

Shadows: Amsterdam brings familiar tastes together

Shadows: Amsterdam was a game the host had been looking forward to playing after seeing it at Gen Con. Their comparison is personal and specific: they enjoy Mysterium and Codenames, and describe Shadows: Amsterdam as a mash-up of the two. They also call out its real-time mechanic as a reason for fans of timed board game play to give it a try.

That combination gives interested players a useful starting point without promising that the game will feel exactly like either comparison. The episode offers an early impression rather than a full rules explanation or review. What stands out is the host’s enthusiasm for the blend and the sense that the pace of play is a key part of its appeal. The episode points listeners toward trying it when it comes out, but gives no release date.

A lighter route into deck building

The discussion also turns to Extraordinary Adventures: Pirates, described as a light racing game that was on Kickstarter and had funded at the time of recording. The host sees it as a possible introduction to deck building for players who might be put off by a game where that mechanic takes center stage. Here, deck building is presented as part of the experience, with the race supplying the broader frame.

That distinction may help groups choose a game for a mixed table. Players curious about deck building can encounter the mechanic in a lighter racing context, while the host’s description suggests it won’t dominate the whole experience. The source doesn’t provide a player count, play time, price, pledge levels or a detailed account of how cards affect the race, so listeners shouldn’t take the brief mention as a substitute for those specifics.

The host also makes a correction from the podcast: Forbidden Games produced Railroad Rivals and Raccoon Tycoon, two titles they had accidentally blended together while speaking. It’s a small clarification, but a helpful one for listeners keeping track of the games discussed.

Episode guide and listener survey

The episode’s segment list offers a quick route to the tabletop discussion. The BooBQ segment starts at 15:37, followed by Shadows: Amsterdam at 16:11 and Extraordinary Adventures: Pirates at 23:01. Hail Hydra appears at 28:35, while Arkham Horror: 3rd Edition begins at 34:13. The running order also includes an opening, Queen, a Push Up Challenge, lawn maintenance, Miniature Market, Portal Games, an outro, survey time and Bizarro World.

Listeners are invited to complete the annual RDTN Survey. The hosts describe it as short, suggesting it should take less time than one of their 5 Minute Initiative segments. For players choosing what to try next, the episode leaves two clear leads: bring an experienced teacher to the first Arkham Horror session, and look to Shadows: Amsterdam if a real-time game with echoes of Mysterium and Codenames sounds appealing.

Episode links: Push Up Challenge; Shadows: Amsterdam; Extraordinary Adventures: Pirates; Hail Hydra; Miniature Market; Arkham Horror: 3rd Edition; Portal Games; The Broken Token.