

So Very Wrong About Games
Pickaxe
A podcast about all manner of hobby games by Mike Walker and Mark Bigney. Bad games don't go easy on you, so we don't go easy on them. Thorough analysis via reviews, news, and discussion of topics in gaming. We take context seriously, we value your time, and we're not into hype. Just because games are fun doesn't mean we can't take them seriously, and just because we take them seriously doesn't mean we can't have fun.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 26, 2024 • 44min
#304: We Are Sick
We haul ourselves off of our deathbeds to deliver this episode unto you. Prospects for our recovery seem dim, but we would sooner die than deprive you of that which is most sacred--namely content. Of course, illness may yet claim us, but we are far too stoic and noble to complain.01:49 AYURIS: Stroganov (Andreas Steding, Game Brewer, 2021)Games Played Last Week:04:46 -Hissy Fit (Levi Robertson and Chris Stone, Stone Age Distractions, 2023)06:53 -Finished! (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2017)12:01 -City of the Living (Sebastian Bleasdale and Reiner Knizia, Trick or Treat Studios, 2024)15:07 -Legacy of Yu (Shem Phillips, Garphill Games, 2023) 20:27 -Bus (Jeroen Doumen and Joris Wiersinga, Capstone Games, 2019)24:51 -Battlecrest: Metronn Base Game (Dustin Dobson & Milan Zivkovic, Button Shy, 2024)28:59 -G.I. JOE Deck-Building Game: Raise the Flagg Campaign Expansion (T.C. Petty III, Renegade Game Studios, 2023)31:25 -Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs (Joe Klipfel and Nikki Valens, Cephalofair Games, 2024)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 19, 2024 • 1h 3min
#303: Kutna Hora: The City of Silver
We present to you a specially chemically-enhanced episode. Walker has been doping specifically in preparation, eschewing any sustenance other than military-grade lozenges. Mark will be performing his hosting duties while fully immersed in a tank of benzocaine oral painkiller. It is a good thing that the International Olympic Committee has no sway here in SVWAG studios, or we would likely get disqualified for the podcast luge event.Games Played Last Week:01:30 -Raising Robots (Brett Sobol & Seth Van Orden, Nauvoo Games, 2023)08:26 -Omen: Banks of the Styx (John Clowdus, Small Box Games, 2024)11:40 -Set a Watch (Mike Gnade and Todd Walsh, Rock Manor Games, 2019)13:47 -Cryo (Tom Jolly & Luke Laurie, Z-Man Games, 2021)17:33 -Formula D (Laurent Lavaur & Eric Randall, Asmodee, 2008)18:39 -Riftforce (Carlo Bortolini, 1 More Time Games, 2021)22:36 -Piazza Rabazza (Guido Hoffman and Jens-Peter Schliemann, Zoch Verlag, 2022)News (and why it doesn't matter):25:37 RoboRally Transformers: can Autobots get drunk?27:12 An expansion to Unfathomable, the Battlestar Galactica re-theme27:52 Burned was too pure for this crowdfunded world28:19 Etherstone from ThunderGryph Games by Virginio Gigli and Simone Luciani on Kickstarter29:11 Avatar: The Last Airbender co-op deckbuilder29:43 Feature Game: Kutná Hora: The City of Silver (Ondřej Bystroň, Petr Čáslava, and Pavel Jarosch, Czech Games Edition, 2023)51:24 SVWAG Presents Masterpiece Theatre: Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

4 snips
Mar 12, 2024 • 1h 16min
#302: Rules Explanations
The podcast delves into strategic depth and unique features in Sakura Arms, critical review of Unchained game mechanics, immersive adjustments in game themes, exploration of Omen: Songs of Far Shores, comparison between Sentinels of the Multiverse and Street Masters, Ninja Division's bankruptcy, excitement for new characters in games, and mastering the art of board game rule explanations.

Mar 5, 2024 • 1h 11min
#301: Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester
Before shouting about toys professionally, Mark taught ethics at a health sciences university. He discussed matters of life and death, of cutting edge controversial technologies, of war and politics, and matters of fundamental rights and duties. He has learned two lessons from those experiences: never ever talk about animal rights with a pit bull owner, and his views on Mass Effect are vastly more controversial than any of his other views. In this episode, he is at least smart enough to stay silent about dogs.Games Played Last Week:01:54 -Street Masters (Adam Sadler & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2018)07:45 -The Barracks Emperors (Wray Ferrell and Brad Johnson, GMT Games, 2023)15:08 -Dune: Imperium--Uprising (Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf, 2023)17:58 -Tank Duel: Enemy in the Crosshairs (Mike Bertucelli, GMT Games, 2019)28:09 -Lunar Rush (Steven "Skippy" Brown, Dead Alive Games, 2023)32:27 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):34:44 Modiphius' upcoming Mass Effect game by Eric Lang and Calvin Wong Tze Loon36:49 Ares will publish and distribute new Mega Empires (further descendants of Mega Civilization)38:17 Heroscape: Age of Annihilation from Renegade Games--prepaints and all your money 44:57 Street Masters Kickstarter buyer's guide redux48:15 Feature Game: Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester (Changhyun Baek, Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, Stefano Luperto, and Antonio Tinto, DiceTree Games, 2023)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 27, 2024 • 1h 19min
#300: Patrons' Top 20
Walker was all like "there's this card effect in Successors" and Mark was all like "nuh-uh" but Walker was like "yeah, fer sure" and Mark goes "no way" and Walker says "way" and that's a 100% accurate transcript.01:53 AYURIS: Dice Realms (Thomas Lehmann, Rio Grande Games, 2022)Games Played Last Week:04:07 -Lorenzo il Magnifico (Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, and Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2016)10:55 -Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester (Changhyun Baek, Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, Stefano Luperto, and Antonio Tinto, DiceTree Games, 2023)17:00 -Darwin’s Journey (Simone Luciani and Nestore Mangone, ThunderGryph Games, 2023)21:23 -The North: Provenance (John Clowdus, Small Box Games, 2020)27:03 -Sail (Akiyama Koryu & Korzu Yusei, Allplay, 2023)28:18 -MLEM: Space Agency (Reiner Knizia, Rebel Studio, 2024)31:15 -My Island (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2023)36:48 -Successors 4th Edition (Richard H. Berg and Mark Simonitch, PHALANX, 2022)News (and why it doesn't matter):46:25 Lifeboats reprint: Plank of Carneades47:27 Mike Hutchinson running a survey on Gaslands: https://forms.gle/8DjmJDxpaivpsznW748:06 Eric Lang and Ken Grul's Life in Reterra from Hasbro48:24 Please support us on Patreon, if so inclined! www.patreon.com/svwag51:02 Topic: The Patrons' Top 20Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 20, 2024 • 57min
#299: Nucleum
The theory of the atom first posited by the pre-Socratic philosopher Democritus in roughly the 4th Century BCE. None of his actual writings have survived. The great thing about the pre-Socratics is that so few of their works are available, you can spend about ten minutes (or less!) and have read as much of their stuff as have the world's leading experts. Games Played Last Week:01:53 -Kingdom Rush: Elemental Uprising (Alara Cameron, Helana Hope, and Sen-Foong Lim, Lucky Duck Games, 2023)04:15 -Assault on Doomrock: Ultimate Edition (Tom Stasiak, Beautiful Disaster Games, 2023)06:43 -Caverna: The Cave Farmers (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2013)07:22 -Hidden Leaders (Andreas Müller, Markus Müller, & Raphael Stocker, BFF Games, 2022)08:28 -AQUA: Biodiversity in the Oceans (Dan Halstad and Tristan Halstad, Sidekick Games, 2024)13:05 -Project: ELITE (Konstantinos Kokkinis, Marco Portugal, & Sotirios Tsantilas, CMON, 2020)16:54 -Lacuna (Mark Gerrits, CMYK, 2023)19:33 -5 Towers (Kasper Lapp, Deep Print Games, 2023)News (and why it doesn't matter):24:05 Kemet: Rise of the Gods reprint with additional modules on crowdfunding soon from Matagot25:11 Burned on Kickstarter February 13 from Stone Circle Games and Jon Moffat25:52 Wandering Galaxy: new Crossroads game from Plaid Hat Games26:52 Feature Game: Nucleum (Simone Luciani & Dávid Turczi, Board&Dice, 2023)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 13, 2024 • 1h 9min
#298: Deckbuilding
Every man wants to be a macho, macho manTo have the kind of body always in demandJogging in the mornings, go man goWork outs in the health spa, muscles glowYou can best believe that he's a macho manReady to get down with, anyone he canYou can tell a macho, he has a funky walkHis western shirts and leather, always look so bossFunky with his body, he's a kingCall him Mister Ego, dig his chainsYou can best believe that he's a macho manHe likes to be the leader, he never dresses grand-"Macho Man" by The Village People03:05 AYURIS: Guards of Atlantis II (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2022)Games Played Last Week:05:06 -AQUA : Biodiversity in the Oceans (Dan Halstad and Tristan Halstad, Sidekick Games, 2024)08:05 -Bloodstones (Martin Wallace, Wallace Designs, 2023)09:36 -Kingdom Rush: Elemental Uprising (Alara Cameron, Helana Hope, and Sen-Foong Lim, Lucky Duck Games, 2023)10:45 -Imperium: Horizons (Nigel Buckle and Dávid Turczi, Osprey Games, 2024)15:48 -Tokyo Highway: Rainbow City (Naotaka Shimamoto and Yoshiaki Tomioka, itten, 2023)19:32 -Sail (Akiyama Koryu & Korzu Yusei, Allplay, 2023)21:33 -For Science! (R. Eric Reuss, Grey Fox Games, 2021)24:45 -Charioteer (Matt Calkins, GMT Games, 2022)27:59 -Great Western Trail: New Zealand (Alexander Pfister, eggertspiele, 2023)35:09 -Don't L.L.A.M.A. Dice (Reiner Knizia, AMIGO, 2021)36:14 -That's Not a Hat (Kasper Lapp, Ravensburger, 2023)News (and why it doesn't matter):37:54 Bus from Capstone reprint in 202438:34 Burned on Kickstarter February 13 from Stone Circle Games and Jon Moffat39:15 CMON moving to Gamefound for A Song of Ice and Fire Tactics41:37 Topic: DeckbuildingAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 6, 2024 • 1h 12min
#297: Envelopes of Cash
Let us, following in Andy Schwarz's example, highlight the fine work of Nancy Skinner, a California state senator whose "Fair Pay to Play Act" granted college athletes in California the right to profit from their name, image, and likeness. This forced the NCAA to allow such changes more broadly.It hasn't been perfect, but let's acknowledge one thing: if someone's gonna be making millions off your name and face, maybe--just maybe!--you should be able to get a cut. Games Played Last Week:01:43 -AQUA : Biodiversity in the Oceans (Dan Halstad and Tristan Halstad, Sidekick Games, 2024)06:24 -Imperium: Horizons (Nigel Buckle and Dávid Turczi, Osprey Games, 2024)13:40 -World Wonders (Zé Mendes, Arcane Wonders, 2023)19:33 -MLEM: Space Agency (Reiner Knizia, Rebel Studio, 2024)24:14 -Maskmen (Jun Sasaki and Taiki Shinzawa, Oink Games, 2014)28:27 -The Barracks Emperors (Wray Ferrell and Brad Johnson, GMT Games, 2023)32:17 -Tokyo Highway: Rainbow City (Naotaka Shimamoto and Yoshiaki Tomioka, itten, 2023)37:14 -Vengeance (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2018)40:03 -Charioteer (Matt Calkins, GMT Games, 2022)News (and why it doesn't matter):44:29 "Wednesdays with Walker"--streaming on Twitch45:05 Unpublished Flickateers by Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson45:55 Storm Raiders by Shem Phillips46:48 Voidfall Solo Online by Mark Hutchinson! https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3222419/play-voidfall-solo-online-fan-made-app47:59 Feature Game: Envelopes of Cash (Andy Schwarz, Envelopes of Cash LLC, 2023)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 30, 2024 • 1h 22min
#296: Dexterity Games Revisited
It has been many a year since our early days, our salad days when we were younger and dumb and didn't know what we were doing. Much has changed, in that we are now older and dumb and don't know what we're doing. But the inexorable march of time has at least offered many new offerings in the broad tent of dexterity games, and so it is past time that we focus on one of our preferred genus of toy.01:26 AYURIS: Golem (Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2021)Games Played Last Week:04:19 -Anachrony (Dávid Turczi, Mindclash Games, 2017)11:11 -Welcome to the Moon (Alexis Allard & Benoit Turpin, Blue Cocker Games, 2021)15:44 -General Orders: World War II (Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, Osprey Games, 2023)22:16 -Sail (Akiyama Koryu & Korzu Yusei, Allplay, 2023)25:25 -Burned (Jon Moffat, Stone Circle Games, Unpublished)28:39 -My Island (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2023)34:50 -Bloodstones (Martin Wallace, Wallace Designs, 2023)News (and why it doesn't matter):39:59 Mythic Games sells Anastyr and Hel: The Last Saga to CMON; backers will get base game only41:44 Renegade Games' Axis and Allies: G.I. Joe44:19 Ads for Votes for Women pulled from Facebook because they apparently think women's suffrage is contentious47:00 Carolingi pulled from Gamefound, pre-orders directly from Sea Cove Games47:59 7 Empires from Mac Gerdts49:27 Star Trek: Away Missions goes Original Series51:52 Topic: Dexterity Games RevisitedAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 23, 2024 • 1h 6min
#295: Federation
A pretty solid rule of thumb is that if you've been disappointed in a kind of game, try David Thompson's version of it and see how delightful it can be. Hidden movement got you down? Sniper Elite is the cure. Abstract chunky tiled fighty thing didn't please? War Chest might please. Mediocre skirmish cramping your style? For What Remains is ready to serve. It's a good thing he has styles of games he hasn't explored, lest he just obsolete the remainder of the games industry. Give him time. He'll collaborate with everyone eventually.Games Played Last Week:01:41 -Beast (Aron Midhall, Elon Midhall, and Assar Pettersson, Studio Midhall, 2022)07:17 -Iberia (Jesús Torres Castro and Matt Leacock, Z-Man Games, 2016)11:42 -Sankoré: The Pride of Mansa Musa (Mandela Fernandez-Grandon and Fabio Lopiano, Osprey Games, 2024)18:16 -Bitoku: Resutoran (Germán P. Millán, Devir, 2023)23:00 -Kurz vor Knapp (Helmut Punke and Tobias Punke, Zoch Verlag, 2020)28:06 -Animal Upon Animal (Klaus Miltenberger, HABA, 2005)29:33 -Bloodstones (Martin Wallace, Wallace Designs, 2023)News (and why it doesn't matter):38:01 Shipyard reprint from Delicious Games38:55 In the Gang from KOSMOS39:56 Kabuto Sumo: Sakura Slam on Kickstarter40:51 Feature Game: Federation (Dimitri Perrier and Matthieu Verdier, Explor8, 2022)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


