"The hardest part of [this game] is understanding what the rules are actually saying." — [Reddit /r/boardgames]

Why? The original English translation from the German edition was poorly localized. Sentences were awkward, phrasing was confusing, and terminology wasn't intuitive for English-speaking audiences.

Impact? New players struggled to parse the rules, leading to early frustration and slower adoption. Many turned to fan-made guides or rewrites. Later editions improved the translation significantly, helping solidify its status as a modern classic.

"A brilliant system almost destroyed by its own rulebook." — [BGG Forums]

Why? Translated from French, the rulebook suffered from inconsistent terminology, unclear explanations of core mechanics (e.g., Overlord gem economy), and disorganized structure.

Impact? Many players were confused during their first plays, unsure how to perform basic actions. The community had to create unofficial guides and flowcharts. The publisher eventually released revised rulebooks to fix the clarity and structure.

"The German rules made perfect sense. The English ones made me question my sanity." — [BGG user review]

Why? The translation lost precision from the original German, introducing vague or contradictory terminology for key mechanics like conflicts and scoring.

Impact? Players frequently argued over rule interpretations, especially in competitive settings. Later editions corrected these issues, but the early confusion limited the game’s popularity outside Europe.

"I love the game, but I had to watch a 40-minute video just to figure out the rules." — [BoardGameGeek user]

Why? Translated from French, the rulebook had grammatical oddities and left out or buried important gameplay rules. The tone was inconsistent and unclear.

Impact? Many players found the rules impenetrable on first read. The game’s popularity survived thanks to strong gameplay and cooperative appeal, but only after the community stepped in with guides and walkthroughs.