Playing with 4, a chronicle so far that has spanned 5 games.
Playing so far exclusively on TTS; 3 of us purchased kickstarter and are awaiting our copies (North America)
Learning the game
Not nearly as bad as you might think if you hang out in these forums. We started with the playthrough, which is really just the first four turns or so, and then continued on into the gameplay. First game will require rules clarifications, googling these forums (what game doesn't, though?). Only in one case did we have one big confusion in the first game. This led to my post https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2557132/definition-more-it-..., which ended up in the official errata https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p2tHzbTmQhU8tPfZeK5gSJvm...(I feel cool).
Playing the game
The best thing about this game is the constant shift in victory conditions, which can see huge swings in what you think to be true. For example, in our last game, we were certain the Chancellor would win. He had an impenetrable fortress of secrets, banners, and a relic that required we first remove it before going after any of his other key items. His citizen, who had been loyal all game, asked for reinforcements. Only then did the citizen make a mind blowing back stab play to campaign against his weakened chancellor and steal these treasures. This then made us certain the traitor citizen would win as the game was nearing the final rounds. This opened the door for me to then go in and campaign against the chancellor's remaining banner which provided me the oathkeeper title, and now it seemed certain I would win. 366
In a matter of a few key and highly strategic plays, the ebb and flow of power was palpable. Guess who ended up winning? None of the three of us! The other exile! Who found the one vision he needed for the win, with the vengeance-filled chancellor backing his win.
Will you like this game?
Do you like great stories like Game of Thrones? Do you like emergent narrative? Do you like highly strategic card interplay where spotting a combo at just the right time could catapult you from the back of the game to the front? Where the bullseye on someone's back is always changing? Where the rug gets pulled out from under everyone in succession, and everyone gasps? Then you will love it.
My one critique, which really isn't a critique, when I think about it
Kingmaking. There is a lot of kingmaking in this game, so be ready for that. Normally, it would feel a bit deflating to be in the lead, only for another player to hand the victory to a third player out of spite. They couldn't win themselves, but you had taken the win from them, so they pass the win to another. This can happen. However, when you step back and look at it from the story, and thematic point of view - it makes perfect sense. Why would the chancellor not want to pull the win away from the citizen who stabbed him in the back? Et tu <PERSON>?
Closing thoughts for now
This game appealed to me early on, I followed the designer diary. It has quickly risen to a top 3 for me after 5 plays. I believe it has so much more to see, as our chronicle continues. Every single game has felt different from the last. If you are looking at the rulebook or reading the forums about the rulebook and thinking, ugh - I don't want to learn this...I would say, get on TTS, get a few friends, and just try it. 366