Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 62 we provide our hot take review of Robotech: Reconstruction covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss where we buy board games and some related poll results. Chris provides a Robotech themed cocktail and then we discuss some games on our table including Azul and Glen More II and future takes on Azul: Queen's Garden and Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Poll: Upgrading board game components 04:40 Robotech: Reconstruction Description 07:50 Gameplay and Mechanisms 27:09 Production and Theme 45:42 Memorable Moments 53:51 Final Thoughts 1:01:13 Themed Cocktail of the Week 1:06:14 Azul 1:09:50 Azul: Queen's Garden 1:10:30 Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy 1:12:30 Glen More II: Chronicles

Bonus episode!  In Episode 61 we provide our hot take review of Fractal: Beyond the Void covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.   Then we compare Fractal: Beyond the Void to Voidfall (another epic 4x space game on Kickstarter right now) and discuss which one we preferred and which one each of us plans to back on Kickstarter.  If you want to hear our full thoughts on Voidfall, you can find our review in episode 60. Sorry for the minor audio quality issues with Chris' audio track. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:14 Fractal: Beyond the Void Description 03:37 Gameplay and Mechanisms 28:39 Production and Theme 36:10 Memorable Moments 42:00 Final Thoughts 44:20 Comparison to Voidfall

In Episode 60 we provide our hot take review of Voidfall covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game (as well as whether we plan to back it on Kickstarter).  We also discuss upgraded board game components and some related poll results. Then we discuss some games on our table including The Dragon Prince: Battlecharged and Crimes in History: H. H. Holmes' Murder Castle. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:32 Poll: Upgrading board game components 07:13 Voidfall Description 10:17 Gameplay and Mechanisms 43:19 Production and Theme 55:36 Memorable Moments 1:02:12 Final Thoughts 1:12:33 The Dragon Prince: Battlecharged 1:15:52 Crimes in History: H. H. Holmes' Murder Castle

In Episode 59 we provide our hot take review of Furnace covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss traveling with board games and some related poll results. Chris provides a Furnace themed cocktail and then Tim goes deep on his experience with Cerebria: The Inside World. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:34 Poll: Travelling with board games 05:26 Furnace Description 07:32 Gameplay and Mechanisms 28:12 Production and Theme 35:46 Memorable Moments 40:02 Final Thoughts 43:22 Themed Cocktail of the Week 48:26 Cerebria: The Inside World

In Episode 58 we discuss our top 5 incoming board game Kickstarters. First, we discuss poll results on board game Kickstarters that haven't been delivered yet.  Then we take a look at our top 5 incoming Kickstarters from last year (discussed in episode 6) and score them with a VERY SCIENTIFIC scoring method. Finally, we look at our current top 5 incoming Kickstarters and discuss why we backed them and why we're excited about them. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:57 Poll: Undelivered Crowdfunded Game Count 7:06 2020 Kickstarter Scorecard 10:05 #5 Adam - High Frontier 4 All 11:09 #5 Chris - Star Realms: Deluxe Nova Collection 14:23 #5 Tim - It's a Wonderful World: Ascension 16:22 #4 Adam - Valhallamas 17:20 #4 Chris and Tim - Terraforming Mars: Big Box 18:42 #3 Adam - Imperium: The Contention 19:10 #3 Fossilis 20:09 #3 Frosthaven 21:33 #2 Adam - Capital Lux 2 23:09 #2 Chris - Return to Dark Tower 25:30 #2 Tim - Glen More II: The Highland Games 26:13 #1 Adam - Canvas 27:05 #1 Chris - Dawn of Madness 29:03 #1 Tim - Dwellings of Eldervale 30:37 2020 Scorecard Final Results 33:31 2021 Top 5 Incoming Board Game Kickstarters 33:57 #5 Chris - Hyperspace 36:14 #5 Tim - Artisans of Splendent Vale 40:32 #5 Adam - Cora Quest 41:36 #4 Chris - Canvas 43:20 #4 Tim - One Deck Galaxy 45:45 #4 Adam - They Live: Assault on Cable 54 48:03 #3 Chris - Distilled 49:38 #3 Tim - Paperback Adventures 51:45 #3 Adam - Chaosmos: The Temple 55:53 #2 Chris - Robot Quest: Arena 58:48 #2 Tim - Now or Never 1:00:33 #2 Adam - SHASN: AZADI 1:04:20 #1 Chris - The Great Wall 1:07:28 #1 Tim - Everdell: Newleaf and Mistwood and Complete Collection 1:12:20 #1 Adam - Fractal: Beyond the Void 1:18:39 Random Segue - Unconscious Mind 1:19:10 Kickstarter Final Thoughts

In Episode 57 we provide our hot take review of 7 Wonders covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also have a Battle of the Board between Gaia Project and Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for the Galaxy and discuss poll results on these 2 games. Then we discuss some games we've been playing this week in our On The Table segment including This War of Mine, Kabuto Sumo, and Flamme Rouge and we look at some games that have our attention in our Future Takes segment including The Spill, and Shasn: Azadi. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:38 Battle of the Board Poll: Gaia Project and Eclipse 07:18 7 Wonders Description 09:35 Gameplay and Mechanisms 25:28 Production and Theme 35:43 Memorable Moments 40:18 Final Thoughts 44:24 This War of Mine 57:26 Kabuto Sumo 1:02:29 Flamme Rouge 1:07:50 The Spill 1:13:37 Shasn: Azadi

In Episode 56 we provide our hot take review of Rococo covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss shelves of shame and poll results around this topic. Then we discuss some games we've been playing this week in our On The Table segment including Nunami, Viticulture: Visit from the Rhine Valley, and Shamans and we look at some games that have our attention in our Future Takes segment including Earth Rising, Fractal: Beyond the Void, and This War of Mine. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:35 Poll: Shelf of Shame size 09:40 Rococo Description 14:07 Gameplay and Mechanisms 39:45 Production and Theme 46:36 Memorable Moments 54:50 Final Thoughts 1:10:15 Cocktail of the Week 1:06:27 Isle of Cats 1:10:32 Nunami 1:18:10 Shamans 1:22:33 Viticulture: Visit from the Rhine Valley 1:28:37 Earth Rising: 20 Years to Transform Our World 1:29:11 Fractal: Beyond the Void 1:31:54 This War of Mine

In Episode 55 we provide our hot take review of Cascadia covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we make a lot of comparisons to a similar tile drafting and placement game by Flatout Games: Calico.  We also discuss different types of card games and poll results around this topic. Then we discuss some games we've been playing this week in our On The Table segment including Battle for Rokugan, One Deck Dungeon, and Watergate and we look at some games that have our attention in our Future Takes segment including Nemesis, One Deck Galaxy, and the Dragon Prince: Battlecharged. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:06 Poll: Favorite Type of Card Game 11:04 Cascadia Description 13:06 Gameplay and Mechanisms 24:07 Production and Theme 29:22 Memorable Moments 37:33 Final Thoughts 42:23 Cocktail of the Week 47:07 Battle for Rokugan 50:35 One Deck Dungeon 1:09:22 Watergate 1:19:19 Nemesis 1:24:35 One Deck Galaxy 1:25:31 Dragon Prince: Battlecharged

In Episode 54 we discuss solo board gaming and our picks for the top 5 solo board games. Tim and Adam list off our top 5 solo games of all time and Chris discusses the top 5 solo games he thinks might get him into solo gaming.  We also discuss poll results around solo gaming. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:52 Poll: Do you solo game? 8:51 #5 Tim - Underwater Cities 10:14 #5 Adam - Space Corp - 2025-2300AD 12:05 #5 Chris - This War of Mine 16:17 #4 Tim - Cthulhu: Death May Die 19:23 #4 Adam - Baseball Highlights: 2045 20:35 #4 Chris - Nemesis 26:43 #3  Tim - One Deck Dungeon 29:25 #3 Adam - Dune: Imperium 32:08 #3 Chris - Cthulhu: Death May Die 33:07 #2 Tim - Everdell 36:26 #2 Adam - Imperium: The Contention 38:36 #2 Chris - Return to Dark Tower 40:27 #1 Tim - Lost Ruins of Arnak 43:54 #1 Adam - Pax Pamir - 2nd Edition 46:23 #1 Chris - Dawn of Madness 49:17 Honorable Mentions - Smartphone, Inc., Nemo's War, Under Falling Skies, Gaia Project, Scythe, Tapestry, Mage Knight

Episode 53 is our 1 year anniversary episode! we provide our hot take review of Aquatica covering the mechanisms, the production, noteworthy moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss poll results around re-buying games when a new edition is released. Finally, we celebrate our 1 year anniversary by telling our origin story.  We talk about how the podcast got started and then each of our 5 hosts tell you how they got started with board games and answer a bunch of rapid fire questions about their board game past and present. Thank you for listening for the last year! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:06 Poll: Re-buying games 06:36 Aquatica Description 09:37 Gameplay and Mechanisms 12:55 Production and Theme 17:45 Standout Moments 21:22 Final Thoughts 25:45 BGHT Origin Story 38:12 Jen Gaming Background 43:22 Tim Gaming Background 49:24 Adam Gaming Background 54:37 Steve Gaming Background 1:00:59 Chris Gaming Background 1:05:49 Rapid Fire Questions