Yeah, it's a tough issue for sure. I can play games like Mage Knight and enjoy losing, because Im engrossed in the choices the game presents me and the atmosphere (especially playing solo, I have yet to actually take down all cities or totally fulfill scenario win requirements). I think Legend of Drizzt was slightly more tolerable because I was a huge fan of the books, but I just still couldn't get into it like I thought I would.
The odd thing is, a game like Mage Knight has a lot of random elements to it as well, but I think maybe because there does usually seem to be some kind of way to puzzle out of a bad situation, that it doesn't bother me. I can usually say, "had I done x and y different, I might have taken city #2" instead of saying, "if only those cards didn't come up". But I also know that there are a lot of people who find Mage Knights difficulty and random bits not fun, so definitely to each their own.
BTW, if you get the chance and don't mind 2 player only game, give Claustrophobia a try. So far it's my favorite dungeon crawl.
The odd thing is, a game like Mage Knight has a lot of random elements to it as well, but I think maybe because there does usually seem to be some kind of way to puzzle out of a bad situation, that it doesn't bother me. I can usually say, "had I done x and y different, I might have taken city #2" instead of saying, "if only those cards didn't come up". But I also know that there are a lot of people who find Mage Knights difficulty and random bits not fun, so definitely to each their own.
BTW, if you get the chance and don't mind 2 player only game, give Claustrophobia a try. So far it's my favorite dungeon crawl.