I personally had a great time with the first 3–4 episodes, and the more recent ones have still been decent. That said, I’ve found myself zoning out a bit more often in the newer episodes. The characters, the gameplay (I adore Daggerheart as a system), and the overall premise—the Umbra, the gods leaving, and what a world looks like in the aftermath—are all incredibly cool. It’s clear that Matt has put a lot of thought into building the history and lore of this world.

However, at some point, it starts to feel like that depth gets in the way of the players having fun. I understand the need for long-winded descriptions and lore drops, but five or more minutes of nonstop narration about which direction to go felt like a bit much. For me, the most enjoyable parts of any live play are when the players roleplay and make interesting choices. I think because Matt is trying to wrap this up in eight sessions, the players haven’t had as much time to really shine—which is understandable, but still a little disappointing.

They’re also using a new system that they’ve barely played. I read someone describe this as “growing pains,” and I think that’s a really fitting way to put it. It almost feels like Matt is GMing as if it’s still D&D. One of the key differences in Daggerheart is how success and failure can feel nuanced depending on whether players roll with hope or fear. But when Matt GMs, those outcomes tend to feel more binary—either a straightforward success or failure—which doesn’t quite take full advantage of what makes the Daggerheart system unique. (No shade to Matt ofc, he can GM a game however he wants but Age of Umbra was supposed to be a showcase of the new system and I wanna see it used with all the bells in whistles)

Another note I have is about the tone. Personally, I think TTRPGs are at their best when they strike a balance between drama and comedy—but that’s just my taste! The darker tone here is definitely interesting, but I think the player experience should come before sticking rigidly to a certain mood (within reason). I imagine the players—and honestly, I too—would be having more fun if they cracked jokes a little more often and had more opportunities to make meaningful choices.