

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

Jan 2, 2018 • 1h 5min
#6: Space Hulk and New Year's Resolutions
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 Spyfall21:49 Games Workshop now partnering with WizKids24:03 Feature Game: Space Hulk (Richard Halliwell, Games Workshop, 1989)48:46 Topic: New Year’s ResolutionsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 19, 2017 • 1h 13min
#5: Year in Review 2017
Mark and Walker engage in a duel, games are discussed. 2017's highs and lows are reviewed. Top 10 games are listed. Some games played recently are Flip Ships and Gaia Project.

Dec 12, 2017 • 1h 21min
#4: Spirit Island and Rulebooks
Mark (alias Flavor Flav) and Walker (alias Chuck D) disagree about many things, among them Twilight Imperium 4th ed., Spirit Island, GMT Games, and rulebooks. Fight the power, by which we mean listen to this podcast of a couple of white dudes talking about games.Games played last week:1:37 -Pericles: The Peloponnesian Wars (Mark Herman, GMT Games, 2017)4:42 -Great Western Trail (Alexander Pfister, eggertspiele, 2016)6:32 -Sid Meier's Civilization: A New Dawn (James Kniffen, Fantasy Flight, 2017)9:11 -Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition (Dane Beltrami, Corey Konieczka, & Christian T. Petersen, Fantasy Flight, 2017)21:51 -Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 (Rob Daviau & Matt Leacock, Z-Man, 2017)22:39 -Scythe: The Wind Gambit (Kai Starck & Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2017)News (and why it doesn’t matter): 25:01 CMON announces HATE27:10 Feature Game: Spirit Island (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2017)43:08 Topic: RulebooksAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 5, 2017 • 1h 10min
#3: Hansa Teutonica and Theme
Mark and Walker praise the themeless Hansa Teutonica and proceed to break down what makes for successful themes in games, leading to unexpected agreement on many things Star Wars.Games played last week:1:18 -Castles of Burgundy (Stefan Feld, alea, 2011)2:46 -The Expanse (Geoffrey Engelstein, Wizkids, 2017)5:27-Die Fiesen 7 (Jacques Zeimet, 999 Games 2015)6:54 -Tribune: Primes Inter Pares (Karl-Heinz Schmiel, Heidelberger, 2007)8:19 -Imperial Assault, especially Legends of the Alliance (Justin Kemppainen, Corey Konieczka, Jonathan Ying, Fantasy Flight, 2014)11:52 -Project: ELITE (Konstantinos Kokkinis, Sotirios Tsantilas, Artipia Games, 2016)13:56 -Kingdomino (Bruno Cathala, Blue Orange, 2016)14:34 Feature Game: Hansa Teutonica (Andreas Steding, Argentum Verlag, 2009)News (and why it doesn’t matter): 33:27 Renegade offering pre-orders for Altiplano 33:59 BoardGameGeek End-of-Year Membership Drive35:22 CMON putting out Munchkin games, Eric Lang doing Munchkin CCG36:34 Mayfair Games no more?37:46 Topic: ThemeAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 28, 2017 • 1h 10min
#2: Terraforming Mars and Dexterity Games
Mark and Walker have some civil disagreements concerning Terraforming Mars (Jacob Fryxelius, Stronghold, 2016) and cannibalism before enthusing about playing with toys. As a note, whips are not considered toys in this context.Games Played Last Week:1:27 -Empires (David and Daniel Stephenson, WizKids, 2017)5:03 -Clank! In! Space! (Paul Dennen, Renegade Game Studios, 2017)6:23 -Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 (Matt Leacock & Rob Daviau, Z-Man, 2017)8:47 -Orleans: Trade & Intrigue (Reiner Stockhausen, dlp Games, 2016)11:21 -Mafia de Cuba (Philippe des Pallières & Loïc Lamy, Lui-même, 2015)14:18 -Bunny Kingdom (Richard Garfield, IELLO, 2017)18:18 Feature Game: Terraforming Mars (Jacob Fryxelius, Stronghold, 2016)News (and why it doesn't matter): 43:16 Necromunda: Underhive is out44:06 News on the Imperial Assault App45:04 New Scythe expansion and Big Box, discussion of airship models48:48 Topic: Dexterity GamesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 23, 2017 • 1h 10min
#1: Kingdom Death and Randomness
Mark and Walker talk about how Kingdom Death: Monster (Adam Poots, 2015) is an unrelenting nightmare, and why that's (mostly) a good thing. The featured topic is randomness and how to deal with it, both from a game design and a player's perspective.Games played last week:1:00 Champions of Midgard and its expansions (Ole Steiness, Grey Fox Games, 2015)2:15 Sidereal Confluence (TauCeti Deichmann, Wizkids, 2017)4:17 Orléans: Invasion (Inka Brand, Markus Brand, Reiner Stockhausen, dlp Games, 2015)5:28 Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire (David Sanders, Games Workshop, 2017)7:21 Keyper (Richard Breese, HUCH, 2017)8:51 Immortals (Dirk Henn & Mike Elliott, Queen Games, 2017) 11:18 Feature Game: Kingdom Death: Monster (Adam Poots, Kingdom Death, 2015)News (and why it doesn't matter): 34:12 Betrayal Legacy37:49 WizKids ups its game40:08 Necromunda on its way back45:24 A word from our sponsor45:32 Topic: RandomnessAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


