So Very Wrong About Games

Mark and Walker engage in rampant hearsay, or at least that's what someone told me. They perform a dissection of Alien Artifacts, only to discover that it was a shoddy rubber suit all along. They then discuss their thoughts on Kickstarter's influence on the hobby--is it making games cute but stupid?Also, a friendly reminder that Star Control II is the greatest video game ever made.Games Played Last Week:1:00 -Secret Hitler (Mike Boxleiter, Tommy Maranges & Max Temkin, Self-published, 2016)2:39 -Sheriff of Nottingham (Sérgio Halaban & André Zatz, Arcane Wonders, 2014)5:11 -Keyflower (Sebastien Bleasdale & Richard Breese, R&D Games, 2012)7:57 -Neuroshima Hex (Michał Oracz, Portal, 2006)11:08 -Empires of the Void II (Ryan Laukat, Red Raven, 2018)15:45 -Unlock! Mystery Adventures (Cyril Demaegd, Arnaud Ladagnous, Fabrice Mazza, Sébastien Pauchon & Billy Stevenson, Space Cowboys, 2017)19:25 -Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition (Dane Beltrami, Corey Konieczka, & Christian T. Petersen,

Mark and Walker discuss many things Stonemaier games, and ask the rhetorical question: why does everything gotta have a campaign? They then try to answer that question, because they don't know what rhetorical means. Games Played Last Week:1:35 -Monikers (Alex Hague & Justin Vickers, Palm Court, 2015)2:16 -One Night Ultimate Werewolf (Ted Alspach & Akihisa Okui, Bezier Games, 2014)4:10 -Pandemic Legacy Season 2 (Rob Daviau & Matt Leacock, Z-Man, 2017)5:40 -Charterstone (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2017)9:04 -Sakura Arms (Baka Fire, AEG, 2017)11:47 -Alien Artifacts (Marcin Senior Ropka & Viola Kijowska, Portal, 2017)13:56 -El Grande (Wolfgang Kramer & Richard Ulrich, Hans im Gluck, 1995)16:26 -Antiquity (Joroen Doumen & Joris Wiersinga, Splotter, 2004)News (and why it doesn’t matter): 21:13 Next and possibly final expansion for Scythe announced25:20 Seal Team Flix coming from WizKids26:27 Carnival Zombie 2nd Edition coming to Kickstarter27:24 Don Eskidge’s next game will be Bl

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

Mark and Walker engage in furious duel, where Mantis Style triumphs over Crane Style. Music is impugned. Characters disparaged. Time itself is on trial! This is getting metaphysical, people. Games are also discussed.The highs and lows of 2017 are discussed, and each host lists their personal Top 10 before jointly declaring So Very Wrong About Games' 2017 Game of the Year.Games played last week:2:23 -Flip Ships (Kane Klenko, Renegade, 2017)4:33 -Gaia Project (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2017)7:12 -Mystic Vale (John D. Clair, AEG, 2016)8:20 -Feast for Odin (Uwe Rosenberg, Feuerland Spiele, 2016)10:46 -Werewords (Ted Alpsach, Bezier Games, 2017)13:39 Special Holiday Insert: Not Forcing It: Knowing the Room18:44 Year in Review 2017Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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: h

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: ThemeAdv

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.co

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.