So Very Wrong About Games

Prepare for a mix of topics from four octave vocal ranges to board game reviews. Dive into games like Clinic Deluxe Edition and Dune: Imperium, along with insights on game expansions. Explore the strategic gameplay of El Grande and the influence of characters on AI.

A tragedy of consuming media or goods is that sometimes, regardless of how diligent you are, you cannot keep up with new releases. The creators you love might keep putting out new products, and even a casual enthusiast of a given medium might be disappointed to learn that they missed out on an offering. What I'm trying to get at is that HOW DARE they make a new Macross tabletop game and NOT TELL MARK.01:15 AYURIS: Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy (Touko Tahkokallio, Lautapelit.fl, 2020)Games Played Last Week:03:44 -Cascadia (Randy Flynn, Flatout Games, 2021)06:25 -Contra: The Board Game (Adam Sadler & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2022)12:25 -Planet Unknown (Ryan Lambert & Adam Rehberg, Adam's Apple Games, 2022)14:43 -Mega Man Adventures (Peter Gousis & Michael D. Kelley, Blacklist Games, 2022)19:35 -Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done (Seth Jaffee, Tasty Minstrel, 2018)21:16 -Albedo (Kai Herbertz, Herbertz Entertainment UG, 2017)23:13 -Reichbusters: Project Vril (Jake Thornton, Mythic Games, 2020)28:01 -Medici: The Dice Game (Reiner Knizia, Grail Games, 2020)30:01 -Merchants of the Dark Road (Brian Suhre, Elf Creek Games, 2022)33:57 -Mogul (Michael Schacht, Spiele aus Timbuku, 2002)36:38 -Jekyll vs. Hyde (Geonil, Mandoo Games, 2021)37:05 -Attika (Marcel-André Casasola Merkle, Hans im Glück, 2003)News (and why it doesn't matter):39:43 Robotech Macross DOG FIGHT and Mark loses his mind41:30 Boardgamegeek Golden Geek Award Nominations42:32 A Game of Thrones 2nd. edition app gets A Feast for Crows expansion43:12 New Necromunda gets vehicles: Ash Wastes44:40 Shut Up & Sit Down Expo (SHUX) back in Vancouver: Sep. 30-Oct. 245:09 Topic: End ConditionsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yes, we are but slaves to the new releases, which is why we are reviewing a fifteen-year-old game. "But that's impossible!" you reply, "No one was alive back then!" Records are scant, but there is a rich oral tradition that people have been playing games at least since the release of Nirvana's Nevermind. Archeologists are still trying to carbon-date that period exactly, though.Games Played Last Week:01:39 -Dead Reckoning (John D. Clair, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022)08:14 -Cosmic Frog (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2020)09:54 -Familienbande (Leo Colovini, Winning Moves Germany, 2004)13:23 -Barrage (Tommaso Battista & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2019)16:04 -Cursed Court (Andrew Hanson, Atlas Games, 2017)19:37 -Blockers! (Kory Heath, AMIGO, 2007)21:48 -Dicke Dämonen (Heinrich Glumpler, Edition Erlkönig, 2004)24:09 -New York Zoo (Uwe Rosenberg, Feuerland Spiele, 2020)28:05 -Khmer (team SAIEN, Saien, 2010)30:05 -Priests of Ra (Reiner Knizia, Rio Grande Games, 2009)News (and why it doesn't matter):32:26 Corvus Belli's (of Infinity fame) upcoming fantasy game: Warcrow33:31 Pfister's Mombasa to become Skymines34:13 New Cosmic Encounter expansion: Cosmic Odyssey 35:30 Walker's Who Asked for This? Fantasy Realms Marvel, and Deluxe Castles of Burgundy36:48 Board game beat-em-up à la Golden Axe? Mythic Games' Anastyr38:35 Through the Desert 25th Anniversary Edition from Steeped Games39:50 Feature Game: Agricola (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2007) and Agricola (Revised Edition) (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2016)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kids in the Hall reviewing Great Western Trail:"What's the point of what we do?""Sorry, I don't follow you.""Well, I mean, we travel 250,000 light years across the universe, abduct cows, probe them, and release them.""Yeah, and?""Well, doesn't it seem kind of pointless?""I don't think I should question the leadership of our Great Leader.""Oh, come on. We've been coming here for fifty years and performing cow probes, and all that we have learned is that one in ten doesn't really seem to mind. Couldn't we at least abduct their political or religious leaders instead of just random livestock?""I'm sure the Great Leader has his reasons.""Well, I'm sure the Great Leader is just some twisted cow freak."01:21 AYURIS: Cthulhu: Death May Die (Eric M. Lang & Rob Daviau, CMON, 2019)Games Played Last Week:04:19 -Switch & Signal (David Thompson, KOSMOS, 2020)06:32 -Big Monster (Dimitri Perrier, BoardBros, 2018)09:13 -Ghosts of Christmas (Taiki Shinzawa, BoardGameTables.com, 2022)14:29 -Champions of Midgard (Ole Steiness, Grey Fox Games, 2015)16:11 -Tsukuyumi: Full Moon Down (Second Edition) (Felix Mertikat, Grey Fox Games, 2021)22:41 -Yokohama (Hisashi Hayashi, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2016)24:15 -Dinosaur Table Battles (Amabel Holland, Hollanspiele, 2020)27:17 -Great Western Trail: Rails to the North (Alexander Pfister, eggertspiele, 2018)29:12 -Quirky Circuits (Nikki Valens, Plaid Hat Games, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):33:55 Agricola 15; not remotely a "big box"-style omnibus36:03 Squats return to Warhammer 40K 37:25 Trick Shot Second Edition soon on Gamefound38:13 Topic: MiniaturesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let us not, as the saying goes, hold the perfect in opposition to the good. We here at SVWAG always encourage the lowering of standards, which the hosts tend to do by their very presences--dragging down the average of any group of which they are a part. We offer but a portion of an episode, but let us be optimists and observe that that allows us to be less wrong.01:34 AYURIS: Versailles 1919 (Geoff Engelstein & Mark Herman, GMT Games, 2020)Games Played Last Week:05:42 -Creature Comforts (Roberta Taylor, Kids Table BG, 2022)10:18 -IKI (Koota Yamada, Sorry We Are French, 2015)14:24 -The Red Cathedral (Israel Cendrero & Sheila Santos, Devir Games, 2020)18:45 -Switch & Signal (David Thompson, KOSMOS, 2020)22:55 -Core Worlds (Andrew Parks, Stronghold, 2011)26:08 -SCOUT (Kei Kajino, Oink Games, 2019)28:50 -Dinosaur Island: Rawr 'n Write (Brian Lewis, David McGregor, & Marissa Misura, Pandasaurus Games, 2021)31:16 -Just One (Ludovic Roudy & Bruno Sautter, Repos Production, 2018)33:30 -Brass: Birmingham (Gavan Brown, Matt Tolman, & Martin Wallace, Roxley, 2018)36:40 -Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor (Cornelius Cremin, Pawel Mazur, & Dirk Sommer, Nemesis.Games, 2021)38:33 -Clinic Deluxe Edition (Alban Viard, AVStudioGames, 2019)News (and why it doesn't matter):40:43 Pathways: Canadian dexterity game on Kickstarter41:25 Come see Warmboy's website sowronggames.com! Merch, esoteric information, streaming and more!43:22 ONUS! Traianus on Kickstarter: 2D miniatures-esque gaming.44:16 Sidereal Confluence: Bifurcation expansion44:50 Air, Land & Sea: Spies, Lies & Supplies expandalone45:20 Crescent Moon by Steven Mathers and Osprey Games46:44 Richard Garfield rolls, writes with Dungeons, Dice & Danger47:07 Reiner Knizia's follow-up to My City: My Island47:43 Simpler Lacerda? Bot Factory48:07 A BGG Top 100 without Reiner Knizia (and Tigris & Euphrates)?51:39 SVWAG Presents Masterpiece Theatre: ClueAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The range of new features our merch line has opened up is endless. Who wore it better?, SVWAG Hypebeast, Project Runway SVWAG, Making the Cut SVWAG, the possibilities abound! Get me Tim Gunn on the line, I'm sure he's heard of us. I'm sure we'll see His Grace, Professor Doktor Doktor Vincent, Duke of Diesel, esq. O.B.E. in a t-shirt two sizes too small before long. 01:07 AYURIS: Imperial Struggle (Ananda Gupta & Jason Matthews, GMT Games, 2020)Games Played Last Week:03:26 -Black Hole Rainbows (Uncredited, June Dune Games Production, 2022)06:45 -Ascension Tactics: Miniatures Deckbuilding Game (Justin Gary & Ryan Sutherland, Stone Blade Entertainment, 2021)15:00 -Meeples and Monsters (Ole Steiness, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022)17:17 -Assault on Doomrock: Ultimate Edition (Tom Stasiak, Beautiful Disaster Games, 2022)22:45 -Teotihuacan: Late Preclassic Period (Rainer Ahlfors, Andrei Novac, & Daniele Tascini, Board2Dice, 2019)28:01 -Crash Octopus (Naotaka Shimamoto, itten, 2021)31:39 -Reichbusters: Project Vril (Jake Thornton, Mythic Games, 2020)33:45 -Città-Stato (Simone Cerruti Sola, Giochix.it, 2021)37:06 -Clinic Deluxe Edition (Alban Viard, AVStudioGames, 2019)40:32 -IKI (Koota Yamada, Sorry We Are French, 2015)News (and why it doesn't matter):41:51 SVWAG on break42:25 Warpgate: Beyond by Artyom Nichipurov and Wolff Designa on Gamefound43:11 Renegade reprinting Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done and distributing expansion44:30 Can we stop using the word "pimp" in gaming contexts? Let us "bling" instead45:18 MERCH! soverywrongaboutgames.myspreadshop.com (or .ca) 15% off the next two weeks!46:45 Topic: Draws and Red FlagsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Much art is discussed this week, from French Romantics, to pirate stuff, to conspiracist vision boards, to whatever Walker is doing when he uses clothespins on felt. Mark wonders whether he can justify leaving in dead air and calling it "bold use of negative space," but the deeper worry is that too many people would prefer the silence. Games Played Last Week:01:14 -Ark Nova (Mathias Wigge, Feuerland Spiele, 2021)05:46 -Agricola (Revised Edition) (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2016)10:09 -Witchstone (Martino Chiacchiera & Reiner Knizia, R&R Games, 2021)10:50 -Republic of Virtue (Amabel Holland, Hollandspiele, 2021)15:08 -Pulsar 2849 (Vladimír Suchý, CGE, 2017)22:58 -Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest (Paolo Mori, Stonemaier Games, 2022)31:16 -Pictures: Orange (Daniela Stöhr & Christian Stöhr, PD-Verlag, 2021)34:50 -Reichbusters: Project Vril (Jake Thornton, Mythic Games, 2020)38:11 -Table Battles (Amabel Holland, Hollandspiele, 2017)43:19 -Ascension Tactics: Miniatures Deckbuilding Game (Justin Gary & Ryan Sutherland, Stone Blade Entertainment, 2021)News (and why it doesn't matter):47:22 Arcs: Collapse and Conflict in the Void by Cole Wehrle and Leder Games48:06 Zheng He solo game by Geoff Engelstein and David Thompson49:07 Avatar: The Last Airbender Fire Nation Rising50:01 Dead by Daylight board game by Brad Talton of Level 99 Games 51:53 No singing in The Wizard of Oz Adventure Book Game53:09 Feature Game: Riftforce (Carlo Bortolini, 1 More Time Games, 2021)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're always on the lookout for new potential taglines here at SVWAG, as our earlier efforts "that one where the guy talks to that dude" and "we shout into a can so you don't have to" have been deemed insufficient. "We like it hard" was put forth by Walker, but the editorial staff are afraid it is apt to be misconstrued. "We weaponize children" was rejected for the opposite reason, namely that it might be correctly interpreted. Specificity tends to get us into trouble, which is why we have kept "a boardgaming podcast about boardgames" for as long as we have.1:04 AYURIS: Project: ELITE (Konstantinos Kokkinis, Marco Portugal, & Sotirios Tsantilas, CMON, 2020)Games Played Last Week:02:33 -Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done (Seth Jaffee, Tasty Minstrel, 2018)04:54 -Beyond the Sun (Dennis K. Chan, Rio Grande Games, 2020)08:48 -Gutenberg (Katarzyna Cioch & Wojciech Wiśniewski, Granna, 2021)11:24 -Reign (Uncredited, PlayMonster, 2020)16:55 -Gizmos (Phil Walker-Harding, CMON Global Limited, 2018)18:30 -Combat Commander: Mediterranean (Chad Jensen, GMT Games, 2007)23:15 -Jekyll vs. Hyde (Geonil, Mandoo Games, 2021)27:08 -Ankh: Gods of Egypt (Eric M. Lang, CMON, 2021)30:52 -Merchants Cove (Jonny Pac, Carl Van Ostrand, & Drake Villareal, Final Frontier Games, 2021)33:33 -Caverna: The Cave Farmers (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2013)News (and why it doesn't matter):37:16 Co-op Carcassonne: Nebel über Carcassonne, "Fog over Carcassonne"38:00 Frostpunk and Dying Light Adaptations39:00 Undaunted Normandy on PC, Mac, and iPad by Bookmark Games40:04 51st State Master Set Ultimate Edition on Gamefound 40:29 Topic: Difficulty in Co-opsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are Canadian, and thus must perforce apologize for those we may have slandered, misquoted, or used their name in vain: Warmboy, Alan Turing, Dewey, Peggy Lee, Dick Pound, Bruno Faidutti, and His Grace, Professor Doktor Doktor Vincent, Duke of Diesel, esq. O.B.E. We are honoured to have inadvertently tarnished the reputations of such grandees.Games Played Last Week:00:52 -The Quest for El Dorado: The Golden Temples (Reiner Knizia, Ravensburger, 2019)03:59 -Copenhagen (Asger Harding Granerud & Daniel Skjold Pedersen, Queen Games, 2019)05:12 -Imperium: Classics and Imperium: Legends (Nigel Buckle & Dávid Turczi, Osprey Games, 2021)07:51 -Città-Stato (Simone Cerruti Sola, Giochix.it, 2021)10:39 -Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes! (Paolo Mori, PSC Games, 2022)15:07 -Petrichor: Collector's Edition (David Chircop, Mighty Boards, 2021)17:58 -Merlin: Big Box (Stefan Feld & Michael Rieneck, Queen Games, 2020)20:24 -Kleos (Jim Kavanagh, Azure Horizon Games, 2021)24:51 -Vampire: The Masquerade -- Vendetta (Charlie Cleveland & Bruno Faidutti, Horrible Guild, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):26:46 Turing Machine from Scorpion Masqué 28:06 Reiner Roundup: Into the Blue, Longboard, San Francisco29:05 New logo and incoming SVWAG merch!29:55 Feature Game: Bitoku (Germán P. Millán, Devir, 2021)1:01:15 SVWAG Presents: Masterpiece Theatre: All of Us Are DeadAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is a strange thing for one's hobby to be utterly infused with a nominally competitive structure. I would venture to say that knitters, for instance, devote precious little thought as to whether they can knit more or less well than their fellow crafters. Perhaps it is different for scrapbookers, I don't know, they seem like a ruthless lot.01:16 AYURIS: Aristeia! (Alberto Abal, Jesús Fuster, & David Rosillo, Corvus Belli, 2017)Games Played Last Week:04:20 -Città-Stato (Simone Cerruti Sola, Giochix.it, 2021) 07:04 -Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor (Cornelius Cremin, Pawel Mazur, & Dirk Sommer, Nemesis.Games, 2021)15:34 -G.I. JOE Deck-Building Game (T.C. Petty III, Renegade Game Studios, 2021)17:16 -Bitoku (Germán P. Millán, Devir, 2021)22:58 -Steamwatchers (Marc Lagroy, Mythic Games, 2021)29:44 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020)30:58 -Boonlake (Alexander Pfister, Capstone Games, 2021)38:18 -Shards of Infinity: Into the Horizon (Gary Arant, Justin Gary, Ryan Sutherland, Jared Saramago, Mataio Wilson, & Jason Zila, Stone Blade Entertainment, 2021)39:49 -For Science! (R. Eric Reuss, Grey Fox Games, 2021)41:43 -Niagara (Thomas Liesching, Zoch Verlag, 2004)News (and why it doesn't matter):43:34 Riftforce expansion: Beyond43:57 Instead of sci-fi -> fantasy, Aeon's End -> Astro Knights44:30 Ravensburger investing in GameFound45:45 Sláine: Warlord Games' cavalcade of talent47:05 Topic: Having Fun While LosingAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices