Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 65 we provide our hot take review of Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss a big change coming for Board Game Hot Takes and ask for your input. We then discuss some games on our table including Paladins of the West Kingdom and the expansion for My Little Scythe - Pie in the Sky and then give our future takes on Brian Boru: High King of Ireland and Wayfarers of the South Tigris. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:34 Big Changes Coming 05:00 Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy 07:36 Gameplay and Mechanisms 30:37 Production and Theme 40:17 Memorable Moments 46:48 Final Thoughts 51:56 Paladins of the West Kingdom 1:04:35 My Little Scythe: Pie in the Sky 1:21:57 Brian Boru: High King of Ireland 1:25:12 Wayfarers of the South Tigris

In Episode 64, we discuss the next 8 games that were played at TimCon where Tim, Adam, Chris, and Steve got together for 5 days of non-stop gaming!  We also discuss our biggest disappointments and biggest surprises out of the 22 games played from the entire weekend. Games covered include Smartphone, Inc., Samurai, Tapestry, Cerebria, Shamans, Outlive, Anachrony, and The Mind. Follow along as we share the TimCon Championship scoring for the weekend and announce the Champion! Part 1 was released last week so if you haven't listened to that yet, go check it out! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:57 Smartphone, Inc. 04:45 Samurai 11:07 Tapestry 15:36 Cerebria 24:13 Shamans 33:05 Outlive 41:41 Anachrony 49:07 TimCon 2021 Champion Announced! 49:45 The Mind 50:17 Games we missed 52:31 Biggest Disappointments 53:22 Biggest Surprises  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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