Say what you want about the evils of filthy lucre, but I find it amazing how managers turn communitarian and high-minded when it comes to fair remuneration. "Don't you believe in the project?" "Aren't you committed to the team?" et al get deployed all the time when people want to, you know, get compensated for their work. One can't help but notice that racialized workers and women get subjected to such nonsense at a higher-than-average rate. Volunteerism is noble and good, but stiffing workers is not. When someone is trying to elide the difference, you can bet that they're up to something.
Games Played Last Week: 01:12 -Wonderland's War (Tim Eisner, Ben Eisner, & Ian Moss, Druid City Games, 2022) 04:36 -Fantasy Realms: Deluxe Edition (Bruce Galssco, WizKids, 2022) 08:55 -Lands of Galzyr (Seppo Kuukasjärvi and Sami Laakso, Snowdale Design, 2022) 12:12 -Horizons of Spirit Island (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2022) 15:25 -Weather Machine (Vital Lacerda, Eagle-Gryphon Games, 2022) 19:01 -Resurgence (Stan Kordonskiy, Half-a-Kingdom Games, 2022) 22:17 -Darkest Dungeon: The Board Game (Nick Niotis and Argyris Poungouras, Mythic Games, 2022) 28:23 -Innovation (Carl Chudyk, Asmadi Games, 2010)
Most of those time loop movies, while enjoyable, lack any degree of verisimilitude--clearly the chief use of a power to undo time or back up would be to get another chance at not saying something terribly stupid and embarrassing. One wonders if such time travelers would have a yet deeper reservoir of memories of sounding like a total cretin, even though those utterances were never said in the actual timeline (setting aside the multiverse version of time travel, or the "Infinite Douchebag" theory).
01:33 AYURIS: Anachrony: Fractures of Time (Richard Amann, Viktor Peter, Dávid Turczi, & Mindclash Games, 2020)
Games Played Last Week: 03:56 -Free Ride (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2021) 10:36 -Embryo Machine (Giguru Akiguchi and Toshimitsu Shigaki, LionWing Publishing, 2018) 11:31 -Monolyth (Phil Walker-Harding, CMON, 2022) 13:58 -Arcana Rising (Tim Armstrong, Grey Fox Games, 2021) 18:17 -Skymines (Viktor Kobilke and Alexander Pfister, Deep Print Games, 2022) 24:18 -Soda Smugglers (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2022) 27:27 -Hot Lead (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2022) 30:42 -Pumafiosi (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2022) 33:55 -Tiny Turbo Cars (Hjalmar Hach, Alessandro Manuini, Jonathan Panada, Laura Severino, and Giulia Tamagni, Horrible Guild, 2022) 38:02 -Terra Nova (Andreas Faul, KOSMOS, 2022)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 42:16 New Patreon-exclusive show: WIRED, about our Oathsworn campaign. 42:37 Check your Patreon messages if you submitted to get a copy of Horizons of Spirit Island! 43:10 Tragedy Looper: New Tragedies by BakaFire 45:49 Michael Crossman's 100 Post Apocalyptic Vehicular Combat Accessories on Kickstarter 47:07 The Last of Us: Escape the Dark 48:48 Minimalist version of Gatefall by Jack Dire on Kickstarter
"Let us go then, you and I, When the board is spread out against the table Like a beast euthanized inside a stable; Let us go, through certain half-deserted tracks, The muttering attacks During restless nights of one-play bad games And sepia box lids with familiar names: Rules that follow like a tedious argument Of soporific intent To lead you to an overwhelming question ... Oh, do not ask, “What to play?” Let us go and have our say.
In the room the gamers come and stay Talking of Asmodee."
-The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
Games Played Last Week: 00:55 -Keep the Heroes Out (Luís Brüeh, Brueh Games, 2022) 06:49 -Air, Land, & Sea: Spies, Lies, & Supplies (Jon Perry, Arcane Wonders, 2022) 11:46 -Skymines (Viktor Kobilke and Alexander Pfister, Deep Print Games, 2022) 15:00 -Calimala (Fabio Lopiano, ADC Blackfire Entertainment GmbH, 2017) 18:46 -Resist! (Trevor Benjamin, Roger Tankersley, and David Thompson, Salt & Pepper Games, 2022) 21:25 -Tindaya (Lolo González, Red Mojo, 2022) 26:04 -Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2022)
Replete with a robust menagerie in this episode, we perhaps begin to see why anthropomorphic animals seem to feature in every other game lately. We have Dalmations (plus a cow named Doog trying to impersonate a Dalmation), horsies, goats, weasels and wombats (seldom do we see such an august alliteration!), meeses (not to be confused with mooses), and some needed stinkin' badgers. Not a great petting zoo, sure--of limited utility in a game of Ark Nova--but an impressive collection nonetheless.
Games Played Last Week: 02:05 -Spots (Alex Hague, Jon Perry, and Justin Vickers, CMYK, 2022) 02:20 -Long Shot: The Dice Game (Chris Handy, Perplext, 2022) 03:37 -Mountain Goats (Stefan Risthaus, BoardGameTables.com, 2020) 06:10 -Mysterium Park (Oleksandr Nevskiy and Oleg Sidorenko, Libellud, 2020) 09:08 -Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2022) 15:50 -Weasel-Tech (Ivan Sorensen, Nordic Weasel Games, 2021) 21:22 -Hand-to-Hand Wombat (Matthew Inman, Elan Lee, & Cory O'Brien, Exploding Kittens, 2022) 25:02 -Root: The Marauder Expansion (Nick Brachmann, Patrick Leder, Cole Wehrle, and Joshua Yearsley, Leder Games, 2022) 28:45 -Capital Lux 2: Generations (Eilif Svensson & Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2020) 29:22 -I.S.S. Vanguard (Andrzej Betkiewicz, Krzysztof Piskorski, Paweł Samborski, and Marcin Świerkot, Awaken Realms, 2022) 36:08 -Cult of the Deep (Sam Stockton, B.A. Games, 2022) 39:58 -Strike (Dieter Nüßle, Ravensburger, 2012)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 42:40 Aegean Sea by Carl Chudyk on BackerKit 43:18 All sorts of Patreon-exclusive content and free games! www.patreon.com/svwag 44:27 Canadian patrons! Sent a message through Patreon to possibly win a copy of Horizons of Spirit Island: Tell us your Spirit Name!
46:08 Feature Game: Dead Reckoning (John D. Clair, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022)
We apologize for the all-caps implied yelling, but really, given this volume we had to have a corresponding... uh, volume. The puns are also somewhat fishy--but those you can feel free to skip, jack. The nautical theme doesn't end with fishing, as the recent Crash Octopus (when compared with older titles that are comparatively crusty) shone. More specifically given that it's about an octopus and we want to minimize the yelling, it's a safe, low pod. Wait, no, that's the wrong family. If you wanna shop in latin... you mall, usque?
Games Played Last Week: 03:27 -Lords of Hellas: Dark Ages Expansion (Adam Kwapiński, Awaken Realms, 2019) 09:43 -Hallertau (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2020) 12:27 -Keep the Heroes Out (Luís Brüeh, Brueh Games, 2022) 17:37 -Nusfjord (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2017) 21:49 -Santa Maria (Eilif Svensson and Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2017) 25:47 -Spots (Alex Hague, Jon Perry, and Justin Vickers, CMYK, 2022) 29:37 -Long Shot: The Dice Game (Chris Handy, Perplext, 2022) 33:37 -Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2022) 41:00 -Return to Dark Tower (Tim Burrell-Saward, Isaac Childres, Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, & Brian Neff, Restoration Games, 2022) 43:52 -Car Wars (Sixth Edition) (Samuel Mitschke & Rany Scheunemann, Steve Jackson Games, 2021) 49:39 -Twilight Inscription (James Kniffen, FFG, 2022) 51:47 -Space Cadets: Dice Duel (Geoff Engelstein and Sydney Engelstein, Stronghold, 2013) 53:56 -Scooby-Doo! The Board Game (Guilherme Goulart and Fred Perret, CMON, 2022) 57:32 -Guards of Atlantis II (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2022) 1:02:50 -Chronicles of Avel (Przemek Wojtkowiak, Rebel Studio, 2021) 1:04:23 -Crash Octopus (Naotaka Shimamoto, itten, 2021)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 1:06:29 Funbrick Series by itten: two Reiner Knizia dexterity games! 1:07:19 Queen's Dilemma, and the consumer's dilemma 1:09:09 Spirit Island: Nature Incarnate on BackerKit. Strangely information-free campaign. 1:12:32 HeroScape campaign floundering. 1:14:08 Another G.I. JOE expansion: Cold Snap 1:14:37 Both Sadler brothers out of professional game design 1:15:26 A reason why we don't do previews 1:16:23 October 27th is Arkhipov Day
Live at SHUX 2022, we are joined with extra-special guest Quinns from Shut Up and Sit Down! He was clearly thrilled to be with us, as evinced by the following exchange:
Games Played Last Week: 05:11 -The Siege of Runedar (Reiner Knizia, Ludonova, 2021) 09:00 -Marrakesh (Stefan Feld, Queen Games, 2022) 14:18 -Endless Winter: Paleoamericans (Stan Kordonskiy, Fantasia Games, 2022) 20:24 -Sidereal Confluence 10m22s (TauCeti Deichmann, Wizkids, 2017) 25:49 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020) 26:10 -Caverna: The Cave Farmers (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2013) 28:31 -Master Word (Gérald Cattiaux, Le Scorpion Masqué, 2020)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 32:42 Terraforming Mars: Dice Game 32:57 Reprint of Yellow & Yangtze: Huang by PHALANX 35:07 Temple of Horrors: Dungeon crawling with shuffleboard combat 36:55 October 27th is Akhipov Day
We apologize for the poor quality of Mark's half of the audio this week. We offer two possible explanations. One is that Walker, motivated as he is by spite and malice, engaged in an elaborate act of sabotage so as to undermine Mark in public. The other is that Mark (the editor, mind you) messed up the audio settings. I agree that the latter is too improbable, too conspiratorial, to take seriously--but we include it for the sake of comprehensiveness.
Games Played Last Week: 01:32 -Twilight Inscription (James Kniffen, FFG, 2022) 05:15 -Heaven & Ale (Michael Kiesling & Andreas Schmidt, eggertspiele, 2017) 07:59 -Blood Rage (Eric Lang, CMON, 2015) 09:07 -Fun Facts (Kasper Lapp, Repos Production, 2022) 12:17 -Albedo: Space Pirates! (Kai Herbertz, Herbertz Entertainment UG, 2018) 13:44 -51st State: Master Set (Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal, 2016) 14:31 -Renegade (Richard Wilkins, Victory Point Games, 2018) 17:31 -Flamecraft (Manny Vega, Cardboard Alchemy, 2022) 19:42 -Massive Darkness 2: Heavenfall (Alex Olteanu & Marco Portugal, CMON, 2021) 22:12 -Oneironauts (Oleksandr Nevskiy, IGAMES, 2022) 26:12 -Now Boarding (Tim Fowers, Fowers Games, 2018) 29:25 -Return to Dark Tower (Tim Burrell-Saward, Isaac Childres, Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, & Brian Neff, Restoration Games, 2022)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 33:40 Cthulhu: Death May Die Season 3 coming to KS 35:41 Persona 5 co-op card game by Atlus and Pandasaurus in October '23 36:12 Spiel in Essen! For example, Cyclades 2 37:03 SHUX '22 is a wrap! Thank you, everyone! Live show with Quinns incoming 37:39 Roundtable discussion with BGB released on Patreon, note about review copies 38:39 Video review of Space Station Phoenix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibG5qf1Rwm0 39:14 Daybreak by Matt Leacock on Backerkit 40:18 Arkhipov Day! In recognition of Vasily Arkhipiv saving the entire world on October 27, 1962, we celebrate Arkhipov Day on October 27th.
40:49 Feature Game: Heroscape (Stephen Baker, Rob Daviau, & Craig Van Ness, Hasbro, 2004)
Games Played Last Week: 03:48 -Blood Rage (Eric Lang, CMON, 2015) 06:29 -Wormholes (Peter McPherson, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022) 09:16 -Envelopes of Cash (Andy Schwarz, Envelopes of Cash LLC, 2022) 13:52 -Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2023) 18:44 -Albedo: Yggdrasil (Kai Herbertz, Herbertz Entertainment UG, 2019) 22:47 -Anachrony: Fractures of Time (Richard Amann, Viktor Peter, Dávid Turczi, & Mindclash Games, 2020) 27:58 -Trudvang Legends (Jordy Adan, Fel Barros, Guilherme Goulart, Eric M. Lang, Marco Maggi, Francesco Nepitello, Umberto Pignatelli, & Fabio Tola, 2022) 34:13 -Long Shot: The Dice Game (Chris Handy, Perplext, 2022) 37:10 -Hanabi (Antoine Bauza, ABACUSSPIELE, 2010) 40:42 -G.I. Joe Deck-Building Game: Shadow of the Serpent Expansion (Matt Hyra, Renegade Game Studios, 2022) 42:45 -The Mirroring of Mary King (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2022)
Even the steadfastly Imperial Americans are familiar with metric measurements of distance, volume, and temperature; but alas, the metric French Republican calendar has fallen by the wayside. Consisting of 12 months of exactly 30 days each (3 10-day weeks) with 5 (or 6, for leap years) interstitial days called "complementary days." I mean, you couldn't call them holidays what with your trying to purge religious influence on your calendar! In a fun twist, each of the 360 normal days, instead of Saint's Days, was meant to commemorate the "treasures of the rural economy." Like horseradish day (Frimaire 12), or rabbit day (Nivôse 15). Even more exotic was metric time, and don't get me started on that.
Games Played Last Week: 01:31 -Tobago: Volcano (Bruce Allen, Zoch Verlag, 2020) 03:50 -Ascension Tactics: Miniatures Deckbuilding Game (Justin Gary & Ryan Sutherland, Stone Blade Entertainment, 2021) 06:18 -Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor (Cornelius Cremin, Pawel Mazur, & Dirk Sommer, Nemesis.Games, 2021) 08:50 -Resist! (Trevor Benjamin, Roger Tankersley, & David Thompson, Salt & Pepper Games, 2022) 14:07 -The Adventures of Robin Hood (Michael Menzel, KOSMOS, 2021) 15:44 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020) 16:38 -51st State: Master Set (Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal, 2016) 18:16 -Swords around the Throne (Renaud Verlaque, My Kind of Games, 2022) 23:23 -Wormholes (Peter McPherson, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022) 27:04 -Blitz Bowl: Season 2 (James M. Hewitt, Games Workshop Ltd., 2020)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 33:07 SHUX! September 30-October 2. SVWAG on stage for two live shows on October 1. 33:22 Unboxed: Board Game Experience and Design by Gordon Calleja and MIT Press releases October 4. 34:13 Pandemic everything! Star Wars: The Clone Wars--A Pandemic System Game 34:35 Mac Gerdts' Crossing Oceans 35:43 International Gamers Awards winners announced: Carnegie, Ark Nova, and Cascadia. [EDIT: In the broadcast we mistakenly refer to the International Gamers Awards as the International Gaming Awards. We apologize for the error.] 36:14 Disney trading card game: Disney Lorcana
37:47 Feature Game: Capital Lux 2: Generations (Eilif Svensson & Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2020)
We encourage elaborate deception in this week's episode. Go on designers, up your game. While we can't accept anything from you in terms of gifts or donations, you can totally fool us. Stack yourselves three deep in a trenchcoat! Pretend to be long-lost, estranged, and newly-dead relatives! Don silly hats and fake moustaches!
Games Played Last Week: 01:00 -Monumental (Matthew Dunstan, Funforge, 2020) 06:37 -Spirit Island: Jagged Earth (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2020) 08:52 -Ragusa (Fabio Lopiano, Braincrack Games, 2019) 12:52 -Dead Reckoning (John D. Clair, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022) 18:04 -Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Collector's Edition (Ted Alspach, Bézier Games, 2022) 22:04 -Space Weirdos: A Skirmish Heartbreaker (Casey Garske, Garske Games, 2021) 27:29 -Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2022) 34:38 -Battlecrest: Fellwoods Base Game (Dustin Dobson & Milan Zivkovic, Button Shy, 2022)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 37:53 We have a Patreon. Please keep mum about it, designers! www.patreon.com/svwag 39:11 Fun Facts by Repos Production 39:40 David Thompson and BeyondSolitaire working on a game about the Night Witches 40:31 Almost Innocent on KS: co-op deduction 40:52 Come Together and hold a music festival
41:44 Feature Game: Mosaic: A Story of Civilization (Glenn Drover, Forbidden Games, 2022)
Fatal Fury 3's subtitle was Road to the Final Victory, ironic given that there were then four more Fatal Fury titles (the first's subtitle was The King of Fighters, which is its own huge delightful kettle of fish). While Fatal Fury Special (the actual third Fatal Fury title, which made 3 the fourth, please do keep up) was worthy in its own right, 3 is clearly where the Fatal Fury series hit its stride. This is to say nothing of the introductions of Ryuji Yamazaki and Blue Mary! It's either this or Kant, folks.
01:25 AYURIS: Dogs of War (Paolo Mori, CMON, 2014)
Games Played Last Week: 03:12 -Cosmic Frog (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2020) 06:20 -Flotilla (J.B. Howell & Michael Mihealsick, WizKids, 2019) 07:55 -Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape (Alex Olteanu & Marco Portugal, CMON, 2022) 09:29 -Dead and Breakfast (Rodrigo Rego, Braincrack Games, 2018) 12:12 -So, You've Been Eaten (Scott Almes, LudiCreations, 2022) 16:13 -Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2023) 20:27 -Ice Floes & Foes (Kees Meis & Dennis Merkx, Keep Exploring Games, 2021) 23:35 -Sentinels of the Multiverse (Christopher Badell, Paul Bender, & Adam Rebottaro, Greater Than Games, 2011) 27:52 -Santorini (Gord!, Roxley, 2016)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 29:02 Chip Theory Games gifting board game media types with swords 30:09 Vital Lacerda and Ian O'Toole: Inventions: Evolution of Ideas 30:40 HeroScape will be distributed by Hasbro's crowdfunding platform, HasLab 31:34 Astra from Mindclash games: straight to retail
Not every game needs to be four huge boxes full of other boxes and plastic. Some can be delightfully simple games... with boxes that are too big due to crowdfunding. Other games could be underappreciated Reiner Knizia classics brought to a new underappreciating audience! Via, I guess, the medium of crowdfunding. Hm. I suppose I don't have a point, except that we, like pearls before swine or a Knizia before a gamer, are ungrateful contradictory ingrates.
Games Played Last Week: 01:58 -Meadow (Klemens Kalicki, Rebel Studio, 2021) 07:26 -Chronicles of Avel (Przemek Wojtkowiak, Rebel Studio, 2021) 10:42 -Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape (Alex Olteanu & Marco Portugal, CMON, 2022) 13:36 -Noli (Jack Caesar & Alessio Cavatore, River Horse Ltd., 2022) 18:40 -Barrage: The Leeghwater Project (Tommaso Battista & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2019) 22:30 -Stephenson's Rocket (Reiner Knizia, Pegasus Spiele, 1999) 25:19 -The Mirroring of Mary King (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2022) 29:05 -Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2022) 36:23 -Siege of Mantua (Amabel Holland, Hollandspiele, 2022)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 41:01 Friedemann Friese's Findorff 41:46 SLightly more HeroScape news on Hasbro Pulse 43:50 Revive by Aporta Games
44:40 Feature Game: It's a Wonderful World (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2019) and It's a Wonderful Kingdom (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2021)
I met a gamer from an antique land Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of plastic Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed: And on the pedestal these words appear: 'My name is Cool Mini or Not, Kickstarter of Kickstarters. Look on my pledges ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that Colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Games Played Last Week: 03:21 -Marvel Dice Throne (Gavan Brown, Nate Chatellier, & Manny Trembley, Roxley, 2022) 05:39 -Yggdrasil Chronicles (Cédric Lefebvre, Ludonaute, 2019) 09:51 -Brian Boru: High King of Ireland (Peer Sylvester, Osprey Games, 2021) 14:37 -Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape (Alex Olteanu & Marco Portugal, CMON, 2022) 16:26 -Paint the Roses (Ben Goldman, North Star Games, 2022) 18:20 -Décorum (Harry Mackin, Charlie Mackin, & Drew Tenenbaum, Floodgate Games, 2022) 21:24 -Horizon Wars: Zero Dark (Robey Jenkins, Precinct Omega Publishing, 2020) 23:11 -Skull (Hervé Marly, Asmodee, 2011) 23:37 -Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers--Heroes of Undermountain (Vangelis Bagiartakis & Konstantinos Karagiannis, Wizkids, 2021) 24:57 -So Clover! (François Romain, Repos Production, 2021) 27:04 -Hour of Need (Adam Sadler & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2022) 29:58 -Framework (Uwe Rosenberg, Edition Spielwiese, 2022) 29:58 -Nova Luna (Uwe Rosenberg & Corné van Moorsel, Edition Spielwiese, 2019) 31:03 -Cerebria: The Inside World (Richard Amann, Viktor Peter, István Pócsi, Frigyes Schőberl, Nick Shaw, & Dávid Turczi, Mindclash Games, 2018) 35:42 -XenoShyft: Onslaught (Keren Philosophales & Michael Shinall, CMON, 2015) and Dreadmire (Michael Shinall, CMON, 2017) 37:32 -Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2023)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 41:59 AGL Tournament Pack--Bixie Edition for Aristeia! 42:37 FFG's Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game 42:50 Pandasaurus and Elizabeth Hargrave's The Fox Experiment
The Smart Car was truly out-of-the-box thinking. "Why do passenger cars all have to be the way they are?" asked some clever group of designers, and designed the minimalistic teensy Smart Car. Of course, the challenges posed by manufacturing the little thing, or driving the little thing on a highway, or walking away from a crash in the little thing, proved to be compelling arguments in favour of more traditional passenger car manufacture. What I'm saying is that sometimes the box exists for a reason, notwithstanding the virtues of experimentation.
Games Played Last Week: 01:48 -The Guild of Merchant Explorers (Matthew Dunstan & Brett J. Gilbert, AEG, 2022) 06:25 -Street Masters (Adam Sadler & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2018) 11:37 -Oltréé (Antoine Bauza & John Grümph, Studio H, 2021) 17:08 -Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape (Alex Olteanu & Marco Portugal, CMON, 2022) 21:46 -Paint the Roses (Ben Goldman, North Star Games, 2022) 24:04 -Groundhog Day: The Game (Propsero Hall, Funko Games, 2021) 26:21 -Framework (Uwe Rosenberg, Edition Spielwiese, 2022) 29:11 -Circadians: Chaos Order (S J Macdonald & Zach Smith, Garphill Games, 2022) 33:59 -For Science! (R. Eric Reuss, Grey Fox Games, 2021) 35:39 -Vengeance (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2018)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 42:24 Tiletum from Daniele Tascini and Simone Luciani, update on the Daniele Tascini controversies 44:47 HeroScape will not return with pre-painted minis and ode to American retail 47:31 SVWAG at the Shut Up & Sit Down Expo: SHUX! September 30 - October 2
47:45 Feature Game: Space Station Phoenix (Gabriel J. Cohn, Rio Grande Games, 2022)
There was a time you could just stroll in a big box store in the United States and just buy a miniatures skirmish game that was actually pretty good. Sure, it didn't have analog movement or anything, but it used true line of sight and had amazing plastic terrain. So much plastic. Like, a whole lot. One the one hand, Hasbro says they're bringing HeroScape back, but on the other, ain't no way it's coming back the same as it was. They're going to bleed us dry for those little pre-painted dolls--even assuming they're still pre-painted, that is.
Games Played Last Week: 02:22 -My Father's Work (T.C. Petty III, Renegade Game Studios, 2022) 04:20 -Kleos (Jim Kavanagh, Azure Horizon Games, 2021) 08:14 -Meeple War (Max Valembois, Blue Cocker Games, 2016) 10:23 -Imperium: The Contention (Gary Dworetsky, Contention Games, 2021) 12:24 -Neuroshima Hex! 3.0: Beasts (Joanna Kijanka, Portal Games, 2021) 13:48 -Catch the Moon (Fabien Riffaud & Juan Rodriguez, Bombyx, 2017) 15:09 -A Feast for Odin: The Norwegians (Gernot Köpke & Uwe Rosenberg, Feuerland Spiele, 2018) 16:45 -Zeppelin Attack! (Eric B. Vogel, Evil Hat Productions, 2014) 19:22 -Arctic Scavengers (Robert K. Gabhart, Rio Grande Games, 2009) 20:43 -Capital Lux 2: Generations (Eilif Svensson & Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2021) 23:04 -Wonderland's War (Tim Eisner, Ben Eisner, & Ian Moss, Druid City Games, 2022) 26:53 -Flourish (James A. Wilson & Clarissa A. Wilson, Starling Games, 2021)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 29:37 Everdell digital on Steam by Dire Wolf 30:37 www.patreon.com/svwag 31:39 HeroScape: Age of Annihilation announced at GenCon 34:35 Imperium: Horizons expandalone for Classics/Legends with 14 new civilizations 37:05 SVWAG at the Shut Up & Sit Down Expo: SHUX! September 30 - October 2
Times are bad. Children no longer listen to their elders and everyone is running a Kickstarter. When I started this hobby I had no idea I would get a crash course in international shipping and logistics. Back in the day you might have had a friend in Germany send you the hot new thing, now you're tracking to see when the container ship with your stuff gets to leave port in China.
01:24 AYURIS: Beyond the Sun (Dennis K. Chan, Rio Grande Games, 2020)
Games Played Last Week: 03:42 -Legacy of Dragonholt (Nikki Valens with Daniel Clark, Tim Flanders, Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda, & Greg Spyridis, FFG, 2017) 09:51 -Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers--Heroes of Undermountain (Vangelis Bagiartakis & Konstantinos Karagiannis, Wizkids, 2021) 11:36 -The Great Wall (Kamil 'Sanex' Cieśla, Robert Plesowicz, & Łukasz Włodarczyk, Awaken Realms, 2021) 15:08 -Eriantys (Leo Colovini, Cranio Creations, 2021) 20:28 -Northgard: Uncharted Lands (Adrian Dinu, Shiro Games, 2022) 26:14 -Space Station Phoenix (Gabriel J. Cohn, Rio Grande Games, 2022) 30:07 -Don't L.L.A.M.A. Dice (Reiner Knizia, AMIGO, 2021) 31:21 -Circadians: Chaos Order (S J Macdonald & Zach Smith, Garphill Games, 2022) 37:35 -Mosaic: A Story of Civilization (Glenn Drover, Forbidden Games, 2022)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 47:38 Peter Pan by Marc Paquien 48:07 Reprint of Traumfabrik: Nightmare Productions (by Trick or Treat Productions) 48:29 Return of the 7th Sea CCG 48:45 Deal with the Devil: hidden roles, app-driven, huge theological questions 49:26 Bloodstones by Martin Wallace 50:31 SVWAG at the Shut Up & Sit Down Expo: SHUX! September 30 - October 2
Much talk of animals this week, what with wombats and mass animal harvesting in Stroganov. Mark's experience was that despite covering many hot-button issues in his medical ethics classes, the one that invariably produced the most voluble emotional responses was that of medical testing on animals. Pit Bull owners, in particular; despite there being no medical testing of the type discussed on Pit Bulls. Go figure.
Games Played Last Week: 01:03 -San Francisco (Reiner Knizia, Rebel Studio, 2022) 04:44 -Ca$h 'n Guns: Second Edition (Ludovic Maublanc, Repos Production, 2014) 06:69 -Carnegie (Xavier Georges, Quined Games, 2022) 08:15 -Vengeance (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2018) 10:17 -Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers--Heroes of Undermountain (Vangelis Bagiartakis & Konstantinos Karagiannis, Wizkids, 2021) 12:58 -Dungeons, Dice & Danger (Richard Garfield, alea, 2022) 15:44 -Space Station Phoenix (Gabriel J. Cohn, Rio Grande Games, 2022) 20:09 -The Great Wall (Kamil 'Sanex' Cieśla, Robert Plesowicz, & Łukasz Włodarczyk, Awaken Realms, 2021) 23:08 -Hand-to-Hand Wombat (Matthew Inman, Elan Lee, & Cory O'Brien, Exploding Kittens, 2022) 26:38 -Transmissions (Adam West, CrossCut Games, 2022) 27:54 -Legacy of Dragonholt (Nikki Valens with Daniel Clark, Tim Flanders, Annie VanderMeer Mitsoda, & Greg Spyridis, FFG, 2017)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 32:06 SVWAG at the Shut Up & Sit Down Expo: SHUX! September 30 - October 2 32:30 SVWAG back on YouTube: Video review of Stars of Akarios' Prelude https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXJrOXhZz0E 32:42 Gordon Calleja's Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan 33:33 Undaunted: Battle of Britain 34:37 Ascending Empires: Zenith edition 2023 WizKids 35:48 Hickory Dickory 36:20 Spirit Island: New Horizons Target-exclusive 38:42 CMON's Dune: War for Arrakis
39:20 Feature Game: Stroganov (Andreas Steding, Game Brewer, 2021)
We celebrate the release of a palindrome episode with the glorious news of the return of SHUX, the Shut Up & Sit Down Expo. Perhaps more relevantly, SVWAG are invited guests! Both Mark and Walker will be in Vancouver from September 30th to October 2nd. Now that you know where they will be, you can more efficiently avoid them. Or you could go play a game with them, whatevs.
02:54 AYURIS: Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef (Tim Eisner & Ben Eisner, Druid City Games, 2020)
Games Played Last Week: 05:45 -Vengeance: Roll & Fight (Gordon Calleja, Noralie Lubbers, & Dávid Turczi, Mighty Boards, 2022) 10:05 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020) 10:52 -Scape Goat (Jon Perry, Indie Boards & Cards, 2020) 12:54 -Battlelore 2nd Edition (Richard Borg & Robert A. Kouba, FFG, 2013) 15:57 -Millennium Blades: Collusion (Joshua Van Laningham & D. Brad Talton, Jr., Level 99 Games, 2021) 21:32 -Golem (Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2021) 22:42 -Clash of the Gladiators (Reiner Knizia, Rio Grande Games, 2002) 27:17 -Guards of Atlantis II (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2022) 28:22 -Ghost Adventure (Wlad Watine, Buzzy Games, 2020) 31:36 -Orléans (Reiner Stockhausen, dlp Games, 2014) 33:01 -Shamans (Cédrick Chaboussit, Studio H, 2021) 37:19 -Carnegie (Xavier Georges, Quined Games, 2022) 38:39 -Scythe (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2016) 39:44 -The Guild of Merchant Explorers (Matthew Dunstan & Brett J. Gilbert, AEG, 2022)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 41:09 Discordia by Bernd Eisenstein 41:25 Spiel des Jahres Winner: Cascadia from Randy Flynn and Flatout Games, Kennerspiel Living Forest from Aske Christiansen and Ludonaute 41:52 The Wordle nightmare evolves into board form 42.32 Sabika by Germán P. Millán 43:00 SVWAG at the Shut Up & Sit Down Expo: SHUX! September 30 - October 2
It's a weird little thematic disconnect when you're not sure who or what your avatar in-game is. Perhaps we have swallowed corporate personhood so fully that we can easily accept playing as a corporation but balk a little at an amorphous group of power brokers--or a faceless protagonist channeling tree spirits.
Games Played Last Week: 01:51 -The Great Wall (Kamil 'Sanex' Cieśla, Robert Plesowicz, & Łukasz Włodarczyk, Awaken Realms, 2021) 08:19 -Stars of Akarios (Brendan McCaskell & Jonathan Thwaites, OOMM, 2022) 12:16 -Messina 1347 (Raúl Fernández Aparicio & Vladimír Suchý, Delicious Games, 2021) [EDIT: An earlier version of this episode uncritically parroted the dodgy history of the game's purported setting. We apologize for the error and will address it further.] 13:56 -So Clover! (François Romain, Repos Production, 2021) 16:01 -Rush Out! (Thomas Dupont, Sit Down!, 2021) 19:43 -Vengeance: Roll & Fight (Gordon Calleja, Noralie Lubbers, & Dávid Turczi, Mighty Boards, 2022) 23:30 -Project L (Michal Mikeš, Jan Soukal, & Adam Spanel, Boardcubator, 2020) 26:45 -Ark Worlds: MOBA Inspired Hero Engagements Game (Orion McClelland, Unpossible Game Labs, 2021) 31:04 -Reichbusters: Project Vril (Jake Thornton, Mythic Games, 2020) 32:42 -The Silver Bayonet (Joseph McCullough, Osprey Games, 2021) 37:30 -Barrage (Tommaso Battista & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2019) 38:12 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020) 38:34 -Aquatica (Ivan Tuzovsky, Cosmodrome Games, 2019)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 40:35 Grand Carnival expansion and Kittens Love Sushi on Kickstarter 41:32 Omicron Protocol: Critical Condition on Kickstarter 42:25 So far so good for Board Game Arena under Asmodee? T&E, Regicide, El Grande
44:17 Feature Game: Sakura Arms (BakaFire, Level 99 Games 2022)
Enjoy the works of Thomas Lehmann while you can! Despite the lack of player interaction of Dice Realms, Mr. Lehmann has violated local, provincial, and federal law by not supplying a solo mode. International treaty has also been flouted by the absence of a campaign. I fear he may be put in boardgame jail as a consequence. Can he build a tableau convincing enough as his defence? His attorney, Dr. Gonzo, does not inspire much confidence.
Games Played Last Week: 01:01 -Titan (Matthieu Podevin, Holy Grail Games, 2022) 09:25 -Carnegie (Xavier Georges, Quined Games, 2022) 12:58 -Core Worlds: Nemesis (Andrew Parks, Quixotic Games, 2021) 16:36 -Transmissions (Adam West, CrossCut Games, 2022) 19:11 -burncycle (Josh J. Carlson & Shannon Wedge, Chip Theory Games, 2022) 21:41 -Lancaster: Big Box (Matthias Cramer & Wolfgang Panning, Queen Games, 2015) 27:49 -Sleeping Gods (Ryan Laukat, Red Raven Games, 2021) 31:21 -Shamans (Cédrick Chaboussit, Studio H, 2021)
News (and why it doesn't matter): 34:49 FlickFleet: Xeno Wars on Gamefound 36:12 Village Big Box 36:39 Puerto Rico decolonized: Puerto Rico 1897 37:53 Furnace expansion: Interbellum 38:25 BoardGameGeek signs deal to push Gamegenic sleeves. Too little independent media in boardgaming?
40:22 Feature Game: Dice Realms (Thomas Lehmann, Rio Grande Games, 2022)
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