As it happens, games do not spawn ex nihilo, fully armed and armored from Zeus' forehead. I'm certain that's what most of you believed, but it's not true! To confirm this implausible fact, Mark sat down with Eric Reuss, the designer of Spirit Island, to talk about stuff. Walker and Mark also discuss The City of Kings, a game that is a fascinating mixture of euro mechanics, grand adventure, and both excellent and terrible theming.
Games Played Last Week: -Kemet 1m25s (Jacques Bariot & Guillaume Montiage, Matagot, 2012) -The Castles of Burgundy 3m22s (Stefan Feld, alea, 2011) -878: Vikings – Invasions of England 4m40s (Beau Beckett, Dave Kimmel, & Jeph Stahl, Academy Games, 2017) -One Deck Dungeon: Forest of Shadows 7m12s (Chris Cieslik, Asmadi Games, 2018) -Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire 8m19s (David Sanders, Games Workshop, 2017)
News (and why it doesn't matter) -Acros forced off of Steam 12m55s -X-Wing Second Edition 14m16s -Empyreal: Spells and Steam 18m39s
Feature Game: The City of Kings 19m01s (Frank West, The City of Games, 2017)
Topic: Interview with Eric Reuss, designer of Spirit Island 41m32s
This podcast scales seamlessly from 2 to an in finite number of listeners, but we're not nearly that optimistic. Walker sometimes dreams of a solo mode, but sadly Mark insists on speaking. Mark and Walker again turn to Vlaada Chvatil, a designer who loves idiosyncrasy and detail--sometimes to excess. Walker asks if it would be appropriate to rant, and Mark gladly lets him off leash.
Games Played Last Week: -Railroad Tycoon/Railways of the World 1m52s (Glenn Drover & Martin Wallace, Eagle-Gryphon Games, 2005) -House of Borgia 3m13s (Scott Almes, Gamelyn Games, 2017) -Ex Libris 5m24s (Ada P. McIver, Renegade Game Studios, 2017) -Situation 7 7m27s (Marvin Glass, Parker Brothers, 1969) -Biblios 10m47s (Steve Finn, Iello, 2007) -Corporate America 13m15s (Teale Fristoe, Nothing Sacred Games, 2013) -Winner's Circle 14m36s (Reiner Knizia, Face2Face, 2001) -Rheinlander 15m30s (Reiner Knizia, Face2Face, 1999)
You wouldn't like Mark when he's angry, but that's probably attributable to his being fundamentally unlikable at the best of times. At any rate, Walker tries to rein him in from ranting too long about obvious component failures, publisher laziness, and alleged outright theft. Walker, for his part, just wants things to mean something. We are seekers here at So Very Wrong About Games.
Games Played Last Week: -Spirit Island 2m10s (Eric Reuss, Fabled Nexus, 2017) -The City of Kings 4m00s (Frank West, The City of Games, 2018) -Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire 6m00s (David Sanders, Games Workshop, 2017) -World of SMOG: Rise of Moloch 9m04s (Fel Barros, Christophe Madura, Alexandru Olteanu, David Rakoto, & Michael Shinall, CMON, 2018) -Shadowrift: Skittering Darkness 9m47s (Jeremy Anderson, Game Salute, 2018). -John Company 15m22s (Cole Wehrle, Sierra Madre, 2018)
News (and why it doesn't matter) -Music and geopolitics 22m14s -Red Raven Targets the mass market 24m10s -App didn't kill Imperial Assault 25m07s -In France, no one can hear you scream theft 26m18s -No app didn't kill Specter Ops 29m24s
Mark and Walker delve into matters of criminal justice this week, pondering the balance and tradeoffs between deterrence, retribution, and rehabilitation. Walker seems to think that Bunny Kingdom a form of cruel and unusual punishment, whereas Mark seems to think that any form of travel is necessarily a form of inhumane rendition. Anyway, they're sellouts now, so if you send them free stuff in the mail they'll say whatever you want them to.
Games Played Last Week: -When I Dream 3m22s (Chris Darsaklis, Repos Productions, 2016) -Noria 6m09s (Sophia Wagner, Stronghold, 2017) -A Feast for Odin 8m46s (Uwe Rosenberg, Feuerland Spiele, 2016) -Space Hulk 3rd Edition 12m13s (Richard Halliwell, Games Workshop, 2009) -XenoShyft: Onslaught 14m00s (Michael Shinall, CMON, 2015) -Massive Darkness 18m07s (Raphaël Guiton, Jean-Baptiste Lullien, & Nicolas Raoult, CMON, 2017) -Feudum 21m12s (Mark K. Swanson, Odd Bird Games, 2018)
News (and why it doesn't matter) -More Shade, more Spire 28m15s -Boarders' backers left in the lurch 28m46s -Battlestar Galactica minis 30m20s -Starship Samurai 32m11s
Feature Game: Quartermaster General 33m50s (Ian Brody, Griggling Games, 2014) Quartermaster General: Victory or Death: The Peloponnesian War (Ian Brody, Griggling Games, 2016) Quartermaster General: 1914 (Ian Brody, Griggling Games, 2016)
Times are bad--children no longer respect their elders and everyone is running a Kickstarter. Nostalgia fuels our news segment today, with varying levels of scorn for cherished memories. For those of you playing along at home with their So Very Wrong About Games bingo cards, Walker talks about a Mystic Vale expansion and Mark brings up Macross--let us know if that makes five in a row.
Games Played Last Week: -Not Alone 1m48s (Ghislain Masson, Stronghold Games, 2016) -Quartermaster General: 1914 2m49s (Ian Brody, PSC Games, 2016) -Mythic Battles: Pantheon 5m07s (Benoit Vogt, Monolith, 2017) -Formula D 7m10s (Laurent Lavaur & Eric Randall, Asmodee, 2008) -Rising Sun 9m30s (Eric Lang, CMON, 2018) vs. -Blood Rage 9m30s (Eric Lang, CMON, 2015) -The City of Kings 13m34s (Frank West, The City of Games, 2018)
News (and why it doesn't matter) -Mousetrap Redux...? 16m59s -Robot? Eck. 19m12s -The Mystic Vale gets yet bigger 20m11s -So much Confrontation 21m21s -2nd editions for Claustrophobia and Race 23m15s
Feature Game: GKR: Heavy Hitters 23m41s (Matt Hyra, Cryptozoic and WETA Workshop, 2018)
We adopt a policy of firm opposition to irresolvable paradoxes here at So Very Wrong About Games. Then again, everything we say is wrong, so take that for what it is worth. Don't even ask us about sets not containing themselves. We turn our attention to Vlaada Chvatil's work for the first time, and ruminate about multiplayer conflict games and how they often fail. Also, swimwear...? And "cascades of nightmarish terribleness," which might become our new podcast name.
Games Played Last Week: -World of SMOG: Rise of Moloch 1m10s (Fel Barros, Christophe Madura, Alexandru Olteanu, David Rakoto, & Michael Shinall, CMON, 2018) -Concordia 2m59s (Mac Gerdts, PD-Verlag, 2013) -Meeple Circus 8m30s (Cedric Millet, Matagot, 2017) -Clans of Caledonia 10m13s (Juma Al-Joujou, Karma Games, 2017) -Rum & Bones: Second Tide 11m31s (Michael Shinall, CMON, 2017) -Warfighter 13m59s (Dan Verssen, DVG, 2014)
News (and why it doesn't matter) -April Fools disappointment roundup 16m06s -More Mystic, more Vale 17m25s -More Gloom, more Haven 17m51s
Feature Game: Space Alert 19m21s (Vlaada Chvatil, CGE, 2008)
Topic: Problems in Multiplayer Conflict Games 43m33s
Mark references several films while trying, and failing, to keep his composure. Walker tells stories that may or may not resemble reality. Both hosts rant about design decisions they find inexplicable. It's a very cathartic experience for all involved.
Games Played Last Week: -Dinosaur Island 1m16s (Jonathan Gilmour & Brian Lewis, Pandasaurus, 2017) -Cockroach Poker Royal 2m17s (Jacques Zeimet, 999 Games, 2012) -Caverna: The Cave Farmers 4m05s (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2013) -Unusual Suspects 6m00s (Paolo Mori, Cranio Creations, 2015) -Too Many Bones 8m45s (Adam & Josh Carlson, Chip Theory Games, 2017) -Infinity 12m16s (Gutier Lusquiños Rodríguez, Corvus Belli, 2005) -Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire 13m38s (David Sanders, Games Workshop, 2017) -Food Chain Magnate 15m35s (Jeroen Doumen & Joris Wiersinga, Splotter, 2015)
News (and why it doesn't matter) -Bruno's Imaginarium 19m15s -Other Bruno's Chawai 19m45s -Asmodee: The Movie 20m20s -Shilling for Dinosaur Island 21m10s -Infinity plus one 22m06s -SVWAG Giveaway 23m00s
Feature Game: Champions of Midgard 24m14s (Ole Steiness, Grey Fox Games, 2015)
Mark and Walker explore how sophisticated the rejoinder "git gud" can be, perhaps indicating that they are getting good at unhelpful trash talking. Perhaps anything can be an art. Perhaps being a better degerenate is truly the life lesson they have extracted from their years as hobbyists; Mark's experiences have certainly turned him into a fantasy racist. Join us for A Very Special Episode of So Very Wrong About Games.
Games Played Last Week: -Path of Light and Shadow 1m05s (Travis R. Chance, Jonathan Gilmour, & Nick Little, Action Phase Games, 2017) -Catacombs 4m02s (Ryan Amos, Marc Kelsey, & Aron West, Elzra Corp., 2015) -Barony 5m56s (Marc Andre, Matagot, 2015) -Core Worlds 7m22s (Andrew Parks, Stronghold, 2011) -Antike II 8m05s (Mac Gerdts, PD-Verlag, 2014) -Rum & Bones: Second Tide 10m49s (Michael Shinall, CMON, 2017)
News (and why it doesn't matter) -Mercury taking on Valley Games' legacy with Big City 13m59s -Monsterpocalypse mutates, rises again 14m50s -Death Note, an animated series, is licensed 16m44s -Plan B for Tric Trac and gaming coverage? 16m59s -Samurai Jack, an animated series, is licensed 18m55s -Higher prices are constant as the Northern Star 19m43s -Renegade stays Frosted, stuns the world with Rosenberg agriculture 21m01s
Feature Game: BattleLore 2nd Edition 21m57s (Richard Borg & Rob Kouba, FFG, 2013)
Walker pretends to tolerate Mark's digression into pronunciation, and in exchange Mark pretends to be surprised to hear that TI4 has problems. Both fail to be even remotely surprised that CMON is in the plastic pushing business, novelty or creativity optional.
Games Played Last Week: -Zombicide: Black Plague 4m39s (Raphaël Guiton, Jean-Baptiste Lullien, & Nicolas Raoult, CMON, 2015) -Black Orchestra 6m08s (Philip duBarry, Game Salute, 2016) -Tobago 15m00s (Bruce Allen, Zoch Verlag, 2009) -The Nasty 7 16m07s (Jacques Zeimet, Drei Hasen in der Abendsonne, 2015) -Twilight Imperium 4th Edition 17m10s (Dane Beltrami, Corey Konieczka, & Christian T. Petersen, Fantasy Flight, 2017) -Ortus Regni 18m08s (Jon Sudbury, Jon Sudbury Games, 2014)
News (and why it doesn't matter) -Zombies! In! Space! 20m30s -Where to avoid hearing more from Mark 21m57s -Mage Knight likes big boxes and cannot lie 23m27s
Feature Game: World of SMOG: Rise of Moloch 24m08s (Fel Barros, Christophe Madura, Alexandru Olteanu, David Rakoto & Michael Shinall, CMON, 2018)
Why can't we all just get along? This week Mark and Walker agree that anyone causing pain should be tortured to death. Wait, that doesn't work. Okay, can we agree that people who cause pain wrongly are wrong? Hm. That seems problematic. What about we should shun those that aren't friendly? Crap. Let's just say that everyone should be nice to me, how's that?
Games Played Last Week: -Clans of Caledonia 2m45s (Juma Al-Joujou, Karma Games, 2017) -Gaia Project 5m15s (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2017) -Path of Light and Shadow 6m08s (Jonathan Gilmour, Travis Chance, & Nick Little, Indie Boards and Cards, 2017) -World of SMOG: Rise of Moloch 11m19s (Fel Barros, Christophe Madura, Alexandru Olteanu, David Rakoto & Michael Shinall, CMON, 2018) -Deception: Murder in Hong Kong 15m50s (Tobey Ho, Jolly Thinkers, 2014)
News (and why it doesn't matter) -Luma Games and historical linguistics 16m34s -Palladium finally puts Robotech backers out of their misery 17m24s -Terraforming Mars needs to be longer 20m53s -Fireball Island: this time with choices? 21m14s -Batman. Lots of Batman. 23m14s
Walker acts on his firm conviction that sympathy is for the weak, and the internet seems to endorse this position. Fueled by Mark's misery, the pair utter a great deal of words on the topic of Rising Sun, which has had a firm grip on their gaming time of late. They then decide to move on to matters of history and politics, which are always safe topics. Nothing could possibly go wrong.
Games Played Last Week: -Arcane Academy 3m49s (Eric Lang & Kevin Wilson, IDW Games, 2016) -Dogs of War 5m26s (Paolo Mori, CMON, 2014)
News (and why it doesn't matter): -Deep in deep trouble 11m04s -Star Trek Ascendancies yet further 16m19s
Feature Game: Rising Sun 18m12s (Eric Lang, CMON, 2018)
Mark and Walker dare the siege perilous in this, their thirteenth installment. Walker shares a rare moment of sincerity, and Mark restrains himself from taunting him for the lapse. Rising Sun is revisited and compared to Twilight Imperium, and shockingly Mark highlights ways in which that is favorable to TI:4. Mass hysteria ensues.
Games Played Last Week: -Tigris & Euphrates 2m16s (Reiner Knizia, Hans im Gluck, 1997) -Inkognito 3m36s (Leo Colovini & Alex Randolph, Ares Games, 1988) -Charterstone 4m40s (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2017) -Barony 9m29s (Marc Andre, Matagot, 2015) -Rising Sun 10m58s (Eric Lang, CMON, 2018) -Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition 13m44s (Dane Beltrami, Corey Konieczka, & Christian T. Petersen, Fantasy Flight, 2017) -Han 19m14s (Michael Schacht, ABACUSSPIELE, 2014)
News (and why it doesn't matter): -Harry Potter Minis Game 21m38s -Race for the Galaxy's Branching Expansions 23m04s -Munchkin CCG...? Munchkin CCG. 24m20s -AMIGO en los Estados Unidos 25m23s
Feature Game: 51st State Master Set 26m45s (Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal Games, 2016)
Mark has a bit of an identity crisis, but his devotion to his listeners will see him through. Walker, as is his wont, merely patiently rolls his eyes-especially when Mark almost tries to get him to review a game they've only played once. The insolence!
Games Played Last Week: -Rising Sun 2m14s (Eric Lang, CMON, 2018) -Sid Meier's Civilization: A New Dawn 11m31s (James Kniffen, Fantasy Flight, 2017) -Domaine 13m27s (Klaus Teuber, KOSMOS, 2003) -Tigris & Euphrates 14m56s (Reiner Knizia, Hans im Gluck, 1997) -Codenames 15m34s (Vlaada Chvatil, CGE, 2015) -Star Trek: Ascendancy 16m19s (Aaron Dill, John Kovaleski & Sean Sweigart, Gale Force Nine, 2016) -One Deck Dungeon 17m30s (Chris Cieslik, Asmadi Games, 2016)
News (and why it doesn't matter): -Asmodee Buys Something Important 20m18s -Walker at Cons 23m15s -A Wrinkle in Time License 24m02s -Games Workshop Tolerates File Submissions on BGG 25m12s
Feature Game: Deception: Murder in Hong Kong (Tobey Ho, Grey Fox, 2014) and Deception: Undercover Allies (2018)
Mark and Walker switch roles this week in a stunning reversal. Walker avoids telling Mark to "get good," but it's a close thing only narrowly avoided. In Walker's defense, Mark really should git gud--as has been noted by many a scholar and physician. They discuss the redevelopment of Terra Mystica called Gaia Project, and then they generalize to how publishers sometimes mess up new editions of their games. Mark's sanity is questioned throughout; probably a sound policy.
Games Played Last Week: -Stone Age 1m17s (Bernd Brunnhofer, Hans im Gluck, 2008) -Corporate America 3m44s (Teale Fristoe, Nothing Sacred Games, 2013) -Scythe: The Wind Gambit 8m12s (Kai Starck & Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2017) -Mythic Battles: Pantheon 9m55s (Eric Bourlett & Benoit Vogt, Monolith, 2017) -Galaxy Trucker 14m26s (Vlaada Chvatil, Czech Games Edition, 2007)
News (and why it doesn't matter): -Asmodee Buys Something 18m01s -ShipNaked and Dan Yarrington's Run-in with Phil Eklund 18m20s
Mark and Walker address so many questions this week. How many ways can Walker pronounce "coyote?" Why is all of Oceania laughing at CMON? What is the best social and economic system? How condescending can Mark get? Listen up, as all will be explained herein.
Games Played Last Week: -First Martians: Adventures on the Red Planet 1m59s (Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal Games, 2017) -Mombasa 3m17s (Alexander Pfister, eggertspiele, 2015) -Blood Rage 5m54s (Eric Lang, CMON Limited, 2015) -Empires of the Void II 7m47s (Ryan Laukat, Red Raven, 2018) -Coyote 11m23s (Spartaco Albertarelli, New Games Order, 2015) -Sakura Arms 14m21s (BakaFire, AEG, 2017)
News (and why it doesn't matter): -Wiki Kiwi Kotahi Rising Sun Fail 15m10s -Menara 18m41s -Progress on Myth? 19m45s -Starship Samurai 20m43s
Feature Game: A Feast for Odin 21m29s (Uwe Rosenberg, Feuerland Spiele, 2016)
Topic: Apps in Board Games 41m02s -Companion Apps 41m48s -"Overlord" Apps 48m58s -App-Driven Games 54m42s
Mark and Walker engage the ALL CAPS in a very HARDCORE WAY. Or something. All in all, they're very civil, even while disagreeing about Sidereal Confluence and being mystified by people's strong reactions to HATE. Rage gets all the love, but HATE gets all the confusion.
Games Played Last Week: 0:54 -Sakura Arms (BakaFire, AEG, 2017) 2:31 -Blood Rage (Eric Lang, CMON Games, 2015) 4:15 -Assault on Doomrock (Tom Stasiak, Beautiful Disaster Games, 2014) 7:31 -Star Wars: Imperial Assault (Justin Kemppainen, Corey Konieczka, & Jonathan Ying, FFG, 2014) 8:52 -Charterstone (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2017) 10:28 -Great Western Trail (Alexander Pfister, eggertspiele, 2016)
News (and why it doesn’t matter): 10:57 Reiner Knizia returns to Tigris & Euphrates with Yellow & Yangtze 14:56 BGG suffered a DDoS attack from bots this week 16:09 New expansion for Great Western Trail coming 16:52 Nemesis on Kickstarter, but does the publisher have the track record?
Mark and Walker engage in rampant hearsay, or at least that's what someone told me. They perform a dissection of Alien Artifacts, only to discover that it was a shoddy rubber suit all along. They then discuss their thoughts on Kickstarter's influence on the hobby--is it making games cute but stupid? Also, a friendly reminder that Star Control II is the greatest video game ever made.
Games Played Last Week: 1:00 -Secret Hitler (Mike Boxleiter, Tommy Maranges & Max Temkin, Self-published, 2016) 2:39 -Sheriff of Nottingham (Sérgio Halaban & André Zatz, Arcane Wonders, 2014) 5:11 -Keyflower (Sebastien Bleasdale & Richard Breese, R&D Games, 2012) 7:57 -Neuroshima Hex (Michał Oracz, Portal, 2006) 11:08 -Empires of the Void II (Ryan Laukat, Red Raven, 2018) 15:45 -Unlock! Mystery Adventures (Cyril Demaegd, Arnaud Ladagnous, Fabrice Mazza, Sébastien Pauchon & Billy Stevenson, Space Cowboys, 2017) 19:25 -Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition (Dane Beltrami, Corey Konieczka, & Christian T. Petersen, Fantasy Flight, 2017) 20:31 -Cockroach Poker (Jacques Zeimet, Drei Magier, 2004)
News (and why it doesn’t matter): 23:04 Immortal 8, a new drafting game, but is it Fairy Tale? 23:36 Chinese New Year has been mainstreamed in BG community 25:13 Clash of Cultures reprint on hold
Mark and Walker discuss many things Stonemaier games, and ask the rhetorical question: why does everything gotta have a campaign? They then try to answer that question, because they don't know what rhetorical means.
Games Played Last Week: 1:35 -Monikers (Alex Hague & Justin Vickers, Palm Court, 2015) 2:16 -One Night Ultimate Werewolf (Ted Alspach & Akihisa Okui, Bezier Games, 2014) 4:10 -Pandemic Legacy Season 2 (Rob Daviau & Matt Leacock, Z-Man, 2017) 5:40 -Charterstone (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2017) 9:04 -Sakura Arms (Baka Fire, AEG, 2017) 11:47 -Alien Artifacts (Marcin Senior Ropka & Viola Kijowska, Portal, 2017) 13:56 -El Grande (Wolfgang Kramer & Richard Ulrich, Hans im Gluck, 1995) 16:26 -Antiquity (Joroen Doumen & Joris Wiersinga, Splotter, 2004)
News (and why it doesn’t matter): 21:13 Next and possibly final expansion for Scythe announced 25:20 Seal Team Flix coming from WizKids 26:27 Carnival Zombie 2nd Edition coming to Kickstarter 27:24 Don Eskidge’s next game will be Black Hole Council 28:49 Mantic Games will release Hellboy: The Board Game
Mark and Walker spend zero moments wondering what a lang syne is, but instead praise the classic Space Hulk and look forward to 2018 with some gaming resolutions. As is the way with such things, they've probably already been broken--especially the one where Mark tries to be more nice.
Games Played Last Week: 1:34 -Through the Desert (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 1998) 4:19 -Santorini (Gord!, Roxley, 2016) 5:51 -Beowulf: The Legend (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2005) 10:06 -Alien Artifacts (Marcin Senior Ropka & Viola Kijowska, Portal, 2017) 13:00 -Tajemnicze Domostwo/Mysterium (Oleksandr Nevskiy & Oleg Sidorenko, Portal, 2013) 16:05 -Trivial Pursuit (Scott Abbott & Chris Haney, Parker Brothers, 1981)
News (and why it doesn’t matter): 20:20 DC Spyfall
21:49 Games Workshop now partnering with WizKids
24:03 Feature Game: Space Hulk (Richard Halliwell, Games Workshop, 1989)
Mark and Walker engage in furious duel, where Mantis Style triumphs over Crane Style. Music is impugned. Characters disparaged. Time itself is on trial! This is getting metaphysical, people. Games are also discussed.
The highs and lows of 2017 are discussed, and each host lists their personal Top 10 before jointly declaring So Very Wrong About Games' 2017 Game of the Year.
Games played last week: 2:23 -Flip Ships (Kane Klenko, Renegade, 2017) 4:33 -Gaia Project (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2017) 7:12 -Mystic Vale (John D. Clair, AEG, 2016) 8:20 -Feast for Odin (Uwe Rosenberg, Feuerland Spiele, 2016) 10:46 -Werewords (Ted Alpsach, Bezier Games, 2017)
13:39 Special Holiday Insert: Not Forcing It: Knowing the Room
Anmelden
