Board Game Hot Takes

Latest Episodes:

TimCon Coverage - Part 1 - 14 Games Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 63, we discuss the first 14 games that were played at TimCon where Tim, Adam, Chris, and Steve got together for 5 days of non-stop gaming!

Games covered include Glen More II: Chronicles, Shards of Infinity, Gaia Project, High Society, Cubitos, Dominant Species, The Bridges of Shangri-La, Kabuto Sumo, The Expanse Board Game, Cascadia, Terraforming Mars, Aquatica, Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for the Galaxy, and Scythe.

Follow along as we share the TimCon Championship scoring for the weekend.

Part 2 will be coming next week!

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
02:55 Glen More II: Chronicles
04:26 Shards of Infinity
08:26 Gaia Project
10:16 High Society
13:55 Cubitos
15:50 Dominant Species
22:18 The Bridges of Shangri-La
26:06 Kabuto Sumo
28:44 The Expanse Board Game
37:58 Cascadia
41:57 Terraforming Mars
49:01 Aquatica
55:51 Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for the Galaxy
1:06:22 Scythe

Robotech: Reconstruction Oct 18, 2021

Show notes

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

Fractal: Beyond the Void Oct 14, 2021

Show notes

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

Voidfall Oct 11, 2021

Show notes

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

Furnace and Cerebria: The Inside World Oct 04, 2021

Show notes

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

Top 5 Incoming Kickstarters 2021 Sep 27, 2021

Show notes

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

7 Wonders Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

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

Rococo Sep 13, 2021

Show notes

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

Cascadia Sep 06, 2021

Show notes

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

Top 5 Solo Board Games Aug 30, 2021

Show notes

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

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