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.

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421 episodes
Updated July 21

Episodes421

Newest first

Jul 16, 2024 · 1 hr 37 min
#320: Slay the Spire
Our next guest host during Michael Walker's recovery is Efka Bladukas, half of No Pun Included! Efka is an internationally-renowned board game critic and dog enthusiast, known for his detestation of whimsy and tireless tolerance of Mark's yammerings. He once split a mountain in twain with his bare hands while simultaneously inventing cold fusion, but he's so humble he'll probably deny it--which is proof positive that it's all true. Games Played Last Week: 01:37 -Captain Flip (Remo Conzadori and Paolo Mori, PlayPunk, 2024) 08:30 -In the Footsteps of Darwin (Grégory Grard and Matthieu Verdier, Sorry We Are French, 2023) 13:31 -It’s a Wonderful World: Corruption & Ascension (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2020) 17:34 -Cascadero (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2024) 22:03 -Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers--Heroes of Waterdeep (Vangelis Bagiartakis and Konstantinos Karagiannis, WizKids, 2023) 27:27 -Power Vacuum (Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher, Keen Bean Studio, 2024) 39:03 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) 43:32 -Primal: The Awakening (Tommaso Mondadori and Alberto Parisi, Reggie Games, 2024) 53:38 -Dune: Imperium (Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf, 2020) News (and why it doesn't matter): 57:55 Walker continues to recover and is doing well 58:32 Leviathan Wilds expansion and reprint soon on Gamefound; uncertainty as to possible fixes 59:22 Flickering Stars by Matt Leacock and Josh Cappel; another sci-fi flicking boardgame 1:00:34 Feature Game: Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 9, 2024 · 1 hr 10 min
#319: When to Go Digital
Our first guest host while Michael Walker is recovering is James de Moss, aka Jimbo! Many a human being has become lost in the deep recesses of Jimbo's sonorous voice, and thus one must take care lest you become consumed by his powerful charisma. Jimbo brings his extensive experience of digital board games, and board game adaptations, to SVWAG. 02:29 AYURIS: Planet Unknown Games Played Last Week: 06:13 -Skytear Horde: Monoliths (Giacomo Neri and Riccardo Neri, Skytear Games, 2024) 09:32 -Mythwind (Nathan Lige and Brendan McCaskell, Open Owl Studios, 2023) 12:10 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 15:07 -Sentinels of the Multiverse (Christopher Badell, Paul Bender, & Adam Rebottaro, Greater Than Games, 2011) 22:50 -Marshmallow Test (Reiner Knizia, Gamewright, 2020) 26:20 -Primal: The Awakening (Tommaso Mondadori and Alberto Parisi, Reggie Games, 2024) 37:33 -Oak (Wim Goossens, Game Brewer, 2022) 39:50 -Gaia Project (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2017) News (and why it doesn't matter): 42:50 A sincere thank you for the outpouring of support 43:23 Shapeways has filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations, independent operators left in the lurch 44:40 X-Wing community's efforts in the wake of cessation of official support 47:54 Martin Wallace news: Cthulhu: Dark Providence with Travis Chance, and Casus Belli 49:42 Topic: When to Go Digital Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 2, 2024 · 58 min
#318: Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan
One of the under-appreciated virtues of an auction game is that each session can provide its own economy. While daunting to new players, who don't know what things might be worth, their flailing speculation actually helps determine what things are worth. If they buy that share of red for a squillion moneys, guess what, that is what that market would bear. At least for now, that is. Some jerk might then get the next share for two cents and a smile, but watching those economies develop differently every time is part of the magic. Games Played Last Week: 01:22 -Snow Planner (Akashi, Soragame Studio, 2024) 04:24 -That's Not a Hat (Kasper Lapp, Ravensburger, 2023) 05:45 -Guards of Atlantis II (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2022) 10:27 -Iberian Gauge (Amabel Holland, Capstone Games, 2017) 18:17 -Medici (Reiner Knizia, AMIGO, 1995) 23:08 -CATAN: Starfarers Duel (Klaus Teuber and Benjamin Teuber, KOSMOS, 2023) 28:46 -Mythwind (Nathan Lige and Brendan McCaskell, Open Owl Studios, 2023) News (and why it doesn't matter): 31:08 Star Realms 10th Anniversary edition and Star Trek Star Realms 31:41 Satoshi Matsuura illustrates Yield 31:56 Iliad and Ichor from Reiner Knizia and Bitewing on Kickstarter 32:53 Imperial Borders--massive numbers of troops on a massive map from Larry Summers 33:44 Feature Game: Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 25, 2024 · 1 hr 17 min
#317: The 180
While we pride ourselves on our internationalist focus here at SVWAG, we have been remiss in our multilingualism lately. While we reliably rendezvous with French on a semi-regular basis, a skosh of Japanese here and there, a quantum of Latin periodically, and whatever language AYURIS pretends to be, our Spanish could use some work. We thus devote ourselves to utter three whole words of Spanish in this episode. 01:30 AYURIS: Dwellings of Eldervale (Luke Laurie, Breaking Games, 2020) Games Played Last Week: 03:36 -Federation (Dimitri Perrier and Matthieu Verdier, Explor8, 2022) 06:40 -Successors 4th Edition (Richard H. Berg and Mark Simonitch, PHALANX, 2022) 12:10 -Knarr (Thomas Dupont, Bombyx, 2023) 13:13 -TRICKTAKERs (Hiroken, Joyple Games, 2021) [EDIT: Mark mistakenly claimed that there is no English edition, but this is incorrect] 16:40 -Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2024) 22:03 -The Plum Island Horror (Hermann Luttmann, GMT Games, 2023) 26:36 -Sky Team (Luc Rémond, Le Scorpion Masqué, 2023) 28:45 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 35:42 -Gaia Project (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2017) 37:47 -nana (Kaya Miyano, Mob+, 2021) 40:48 -Murray the A**hole Frog (Jenna Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2024) 46:04 -Jenga Maker (Uncredited, Hasbro, 2022) 48:32 -Arcs (Cole Wehrle, Leder Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 55:33 Game Brewer, publisher of Stroganov, Oak and Gugong, calls it quits 55:51 Star Wars: X-Wing and Armada terminated by Atomic Mass Games 56:56 Hans im Glück starts asserting its ownership of the word "meeple" 57:30 Mike Hutchinson and Planet Smasher Games' possible future products: Perilous Tales/Gaslands XL box sets?, Space Gits merging dexterity and miniatures, and more 59:26 Topic: The 180 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 11, 2024 · 57 min
#315: Games that Make You Uncomfortable
All I need to know about animal reproduction I learned from Uwe Rosenberg. I suspect many people have The Talk, which in my case was my father teaching me how to play Agricola. Navigating my twenties in utter ignorance wasn't easy, but now that Uwe has told me about the birds and the bees (and the sheep and the pigs and the cows) via Agricola I'm practically a biologist. 01:25 AYURIS: Dead Reckoning (John D. Clair, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 05:10 -Tigris & Euphrates (Reiner Knizia, Hans im Gluck, 1997) 09:12 -Antike II (Mac Gerdts, PD-Verlag, 2015) 11:32 -That's Not a Hat (Kasper Lapp, Ravensburger, 2023) 16:26 -Galactic Renaissance (Christian Martinez, Matagot, 2024) 21:56 -The Vale of Eternity (Eric Hong, Mandoo Games, 2023) 23:58 -Meeple Circus (Cedric Millet, Matagot, 2017) 27:31 -Mythwind (Nathan Lige and Brendan McCaskell, Open Owl Studios, 2023) 30:48 -Titans Tactics (G. Kelly Toyama, Imbalanced Games, 2013) News (and why it doesn't matter): 33:59 Please support us on Patreon, if inclined! www.patreon.com/svwag 35:06 Dávid Turczi and Nigel Buckle's pseudo-sequel to Imperium, Star Trek: Captain's Chair 36:47 Dungeon Fighter will get a Star Trek reimplementation 37:05 Mark's new podcast with Caitlin Bailey, All My Best Friends Are Digital: video games and the stories they tell 37:37 Defenders of the Realm gets a reprint and a facelift 38:10 Topic: Games that Make You Uncomfortable Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 4, 2024 · 1 hr 13 min
#314: Leviathan Wilds
After a prolonged period where we have not discussed Kramer & Kiesling (the Kramer & Ulrich duo yielded El Grande, which we mention rather frequently), here we see a bumper krop of K&K kollaborations. The gibbons are fickle, and even the mighty Wolfgang and Michael must yield to their whims. But fortune (and apes) have at last smiled on them, and we revel in the classic Euro goodness as well as their more recent offering. Games Played Last Week: 01:05 -Monikers (Alex Hague and Justin Vickers, CMYK, 2015) 05:34 -Java (Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer, Ravensburger, 2000) 11:31 -Tikal (Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer, Ravensburger, 1999) 13:31 -Wandering Towers (Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer, ABACUSSPIELE, 2022) 18:30 -Morgan's Magic Map (Gian Andrea Cappuzzo, Rio Grande Games, 2023) 20:17 -Tiny Towns (Peter McPherson, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2019) 22:08 -Sniper Elite: The Board Game (Roger Tankersly & David Thompson, Rebellion Unplugged, 2022) 25:43 -Earthborne Rangers (Andrew Fischer, Brooks Flugaur-Leavitt, Andrew Navaro, Adam Sadler, and Brady Sadler, Earthborne Games, 2023) 35:57 -Through the Desert (Reiner Knizia, Allplay, 2024) 38:34 -Mythwind (Nathan Lige and Brendan McCaskell, Open Owl Studios, 2023) 44:41 -Tapple (Uncredited, The Op Games, 2021) 46:04 -G.I. JOE: Battle for the Arctic Circle (Matt Hyra, Renegade Game Studios, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 48:56 CYSMIC update on Gamefound and board game bundling economics 51:03 Ada's Dream from Alley Cat 51:20 So much drama around Wonders of the First CCG! AI art, NFTs, ratings, oh my! 53:10 Feature Game: Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 28, 2024 · 1 hr 7 min
#313: The One that Broke the Kallax's Back
In the vast panoply of human misfortunes, it is often fruitless to try to rank misery. Was historical tragedy X worse or better than atrocity Y? It seems callous to ask. That said, thanks to the applied research of a retired ethicist with the aid of Reiner Knizia's Zoo Vadis, we have conclusively discovered that it is better to be extorted by a marmoset than assaulted by an armadillo. Thus is human knowledge expanded. 01:01 AYURIS: Heroscape (Stephen Baker, Rob Daviau, & Craig Van Ness, Hasbro, 2004) Games Played Last Week: 05:30 -Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor (Cornelius Cremin, Pawel Mazur, & Dirk Sommer, Nemesis.Games, 2021) 10:23 -Zoo Vadis (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2023) 15:53 -Marabunta (Reiner Knizia, Space Cowboys, 2023) 22:35 -Feed the Kraken (Maikel Cheney, Dr. Hans Joachim Höh, and Tobias Immich, Funtails, 2022) 26:19 -La Granja: Deluxe Master Set (Michael Keller and Andreas "ode." Odendahl, Board&Dice, 2023) 31:30 -Sand (Ariel Di Costanzo and Javier Pelizzari, Devir, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 38:45 Calico spinoff: Knitting Circle 39:29 Founders of Reyvick: Richard Garfield and GMT 40:54 Boardgaming has jumped the shark: Winston: Nineteen Eighty-Four 42:56 Expeditions: Gears of Corruption 43:14 Radlands gets 1.2 rules and a new deck 44:20 Topic: The One that Broke the Kallax's Back Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 21, 2024 · 56 min
#312: Cascadero
Before the people of Quebec celebrated the Journée nationale des Patriotes (National Patriots' Day), they instead on the same day had the Fête de Dollard. A cynic might speculate that the timing of these holidays was chosen so as to pre-empt the English Canadian Victoria Day, and that cynic would be right. Games Played Last Week: 01:21 -Dice Flick (Rami Gaber, Pegasus Spiele, 2021) 04:49 -A Message from the Stars (Clarence Simpson, Allplay, 2024) 11:21 -Switchbacks (Susumu Kawasaki, Allplay, 2022) 14:23 -Mage Knight: The Board Game (Vlaada Chvatil, WizKids, 2011) 18:29 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) 19:32 -Priorities (Uncredited, Clarendon Games, 2020) 22:11 -Word Traveler (Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance, Office Dog, 2024) 25:59 -Cascadito (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 28:27 Grail Games will be reprinting Marc André's Barony with its Sorcery expansion 28:53 Indonesia reprint from Splotter with a new board 29:51 Black Forest from Tido Lorenze, Uwe Rosenberg, and Feuerland Spiele 30:04 Another Frostpunk game, this time from Board&Dice 30:28 Walking Dead game from Button Shy 30:39 New expansion for Aquatica, Coral Reefs 30:50 Followup to Oathsworn from Shadowborne and Jamie Jolly: Avalon: The Riven Veil 31:02 Darktide the miniatures game from Games Workshop 31:33 Dungeon Twister 20th Anniversary Edition by Christophe Boelinger and Ludically 32:57 Congratulations to the Golden Geek winners! 34:02 Feature Game: Cascadero (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 14, 2024 · 1 hr 17 min
#311: Omnibus Questions Delta Bet
It is striking that no one submitted a question regarding the hues of our auras, so allow us to address the issue here and declare that amber is the colour of our energy. I regret nothing. 01:39 AYURIS: Capital Lux 2: Generations (Eilif Svensson & Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2020) Games Played Last Week: 03:46 -G.I. JOE Deck-Building Game: Raise the Flagg Campaign Expansion (T.C. Petty III, Renegade Game Studios, 2023) 07:10 -Through the Desert (Reiner Knizia, Allplay, 2024) 11:27 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) 14:14 -Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers--Heroes of Waterdeep (Vangelis Bagiartakis and Konstantinos Karagiannis, WizKids, 2023) 16:44 -Set a Watch (Mike Gnade and Todd Walsh, Rock Manor Games, 2019) 20:52 -Mysterium Park (Oleksandr Nevskiy and Oleg Sidorenko, Libellud, 2020) 24:08 -Biohack (Yofiandhy D Indrayana, uchibacoya, 2024) 30:05 -Mage Knight: The Board Game (Vlaada Chvatil, WizKids, 2011) 32:31 -Word Traveler (Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance, Office Dog, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 36:23 Regicide Legacy on Kickstarter! Can Badgers from Mars triumph again? 38:30 Dune: War for Arrakis expansion/reprint on Gamefound 40:03 Topic: Omnibus Questions Delta Bet Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 7, 2024 · 1 hr 27 min
#310: Omnibus Questions Delta Aleph
There is only one novel and commendable Kant pun, delivered in the novel and commendable film Hedwig and the Angry Inch: "I got kicked out of university after delivering a brilliant lecture on the aggressive influence of German philosophy on rock and roll, entitled, 'You, Kant, Always Get What You Want.'" 01:41 AYURIS: Mosaic: A Story of Civilization (Glenn Drover, Forbidden Games, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 04:11 -Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs (Joe Klipfel and Nikki Valens, Cephalofair Games, 2024) 07:59 -Scrap (Kenny Michael-Otton, Jolly Swagman Games, 2023) 14:52 -Biohack (Yofiandhy D Indrayana, uchibacoya, 2024) 18:42 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) 23:44 -Wolves (Connor Alexander, Coyote & Crow LLC, 2024) 33:57 -Dungeon Fighter: Second Edition (Aureliano Buonfino, Lorenzo Silva, and Lorenzo Tucci Sorrentino, Horrible Guild, 2021) News (and why it doesn't matter): 38:42 Mythic Battles goes to Egypt 40:07 Vote for the Golden Geek and for the Deutsche Spiele Preis (DSP) awards! 40:44 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag Coming soon: 3-part series on philosophy 42:07 Topic: Omnibus Questions Delta Aleph Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 30, 2024 · 54 min
#309: An Age Contrived
We are storytellers here at SVWAG. This week, we tell the stories of mismatched plagues with dead llamas posing as European dudes, of quixotic strivings for yet more skirmish games, of famous philosophers who hustled cards. Of course, if you wish to hear different stories, the power is yours! You have but to submit your questions for the upcoming Omnibus Questions episode, and all your idle demands shall be satisfied! Games Played Last Week: 02:33 -Scrap (Kenny Michael-Otton, Jolly Swagman Games, 2023) 09:12 -Root: The Marauder Expansion (Nick Brachmann, Patrick Leder, Cole Wehrle, and Joshua Yearsley, Leder Games, 2022) 14:29 -Cartographers: A Roll Player Game (Jordy Adan, Thunderworks Games, 2019) 16:52 -Lacuna (Mark Gerrits, CMYK, 2023) 19:21 -The Edge: Dawnfall (Michał Oracz, Krzysztof Piskorski, and Marcin Świerkot, Awaken Realms, 2018) News (and why it doesn't matter): 27:26 dlp's Orléans 10th Anniversary Edition, Walker has grievances 30:47 Star Control II sequel, Free Stars: Children of Infinity, on Kickstarter 31:56 Feature Game: An Age Contrived (Chris Matthew, Bellows Intent, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 23, 2024 · 1 hr 10 min
#308: Favourite Mechanisms
No topic is off-limits for the upcoming return of our Omnibus Questions, as we demonstrate in this episode by tackling such issues as pre-Reformation papal indulgences. And if you were to guess which host brought up that little historical nugget, you'd be wrong! Possible questions: who would win in a street fight, J.G. Fichte or Nietzsche? Do sheep poop? Who is the best member of Team Avatar? (Fichte, yes, and Appa, respectively) 02:17 AYURIS: It's a Wonderful World (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2019) and It's a Wonderful Kingdom (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2021) Games Played Last Week: 06:23 -Orléans: The Plague (Reiner Stockhausen, dlp games, 2023) 13:59 -Antiquity (Joroen Doumen & Joris Wiersinga, Splotter, 2004) 20:30 -Just One (Ludovic Roudy & Bruno Sautter, Repos Production, 2018) 22:51 -Green Team Wins (Nathan Thornton, 25th Century Games, 2022) 23:47 -Quest (Don Eskridge, Indie Boards & Cards, 2021) 28:38 -Sidereal Confluence (TauCeti Deichmann, Wizkids, 2017) 32:53 -Fast Sloths (Friedemann Friese, 2F-SPiele, 2019) 35:59 -Set a Watch (Mike Gnade and Todd Walsh, Rock Manor Games, 2019) 37:38 -The Big Push: Trench Warfare on the Western Front in World War One (Renaud Verlaque, Hollandspiele, 2017) 42:14 -Robinson Crusoe: Collector's Edition (Joanna Kijanka and Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal Games, 2024) 45:43 -Wabash Cannonball (John Bohrer, Rio Grande Games, 2023) News (and why it doesn't matter): 48:28 Adventure Time RPG on crowdfunding 49:27 Business Time! Embracer group spins off Asmodee (with debt), Goliath acquires Lucky Duck Games 51:06 Munchkin Big Box solves our problems 51:43 Topic: Favourite Mechanisms Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 16, 2024 · 1 hr 11 min
#307: Galactic Renaissance
While we have little experience with Ed Sullivan's TV offerings, his legacy is a fascinating one. While he capitulated to pressure during the Red Scare, he did show remarkable courage in platforming African American performers despite opposition from his sponsors. Quite surprising is that the illness that eventually killed him was kept a secret from him by his family, a practise that was already frowned on in the United States by the seventies but is still widespread in many parts of the world. Games Played Last Week: 01:36 -The Vale of Eternity (Eric Hong, Mandoo Games, 2023) 04:28 -Voidfall (Nigel Buckle & Dávid Turczi, Mindclash Games, 2023) 08:42 -Radlands (Daniel Piechnick, Roxley, 2021) 10:11 -Mindbug Battlefruits (Christian Kudahl, Marvin Hegen, Skaff Elias, and Richard Garfield, Nerdlab Games, 2024) 14:36 -ICECOOL Wizards (Brian Gomez, Brain Games, 2024) 19:32 -Ratyl (Andy Gallagher, Busy Dad Games, 2023) 25:46 -Agricola (Revised Edition) (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2016) 29:42 -Almost Innocent (Philippe Attali, Kolossal Games, 2023) 31:18 -E.T. The Extra-Terestrial: Light Years from Home Game (Propsero Hall and Brian Kirk, Funko Games, 2022) 33:55 -Dune: Imperium--Uprising (Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf, 2023) 38:16 -Word Traveler (Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance, Office Dog, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 41:11 Earth Reborn by Christophe Boelinger possibly to be expanded 44:31 Vladimír Suchý and Delicious Games go to Resafa 45:12 Feature Game: Galactic Renaissance (Christian Martinez, Matagot, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 9, 2024 · 58 min
#306: What Brings You Back
It is said that both politics and religion are not good conversational fodder among people you don't know well (and perhaps not even for people with whom you are close), but sadly those are among Mark's favourite topics. The sun having been devoured may cause the astronomers to be delighted, but Mark knows a portent when he sees one, and he is confident some kind of sacrifice to appease violent spirits is in order. Walker escalates things by invoking the divine right of kings, the intersection of religion and politics, but then again escalation is Walker's default instinct. Further proof of Fenrir's influence, no doubt! 01:44 AYURIS: Space Station Phoenix (Gabriel J. Cohn, Rio Grande Games, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 03:54 -Black Rose Wars: Rebirth (Andrea Colletti, Diego Fonseca, and Marco Montanaro, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2024) 11:15 -G.I. JOE Deck-Building Game: Raise the Flagg Campaign Expansion (T.C. Petty III, Renegade Game Studios, 2023) 12:34 -Hissy Fit (Levi Robertson and Chris Stone, Stone Age Distractions, 2023) 16:09 -Almost Innocent (Philippe Attali, Kolossal Games, 2023) 16:47 -Don't L.L.A.M.A. Dice (Reiner Knizia, AMIGO, 2021) 17:15 -Matches (Daniel McKinley, Thing 12 Games, 2024) 19:42 -FORK (Ta-Te Wu, Sunrise Tornade Game Studio, 2023) 22:08 -Voidfall (Nigel Buckle & Dávid Turczi, Mindclash Games, 2023) 25:13 -Battlecrest: Metronn Base Game (Dustin Dobson & Milan Zivkovic, Button Shy, 2024) 28:55 -Omen: Whispers of the Muse (John Clowdus, Small Box Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 32:11 Divine Right is back on Kickstarter 34:04 Light Speed Arena by Tablescope Games on Kickstarter May 7 36:26 Topic: What Brings You Back? Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 2, 2024 · 53 min
#305: Barely Alive
I never really understood the term "undead." I mean, it's a binary, right? If it's not dead it must be alive, at least in the context of things that could or were once alive. The negation never seemed to be doing enough work to imply what it was intended to imply. That is, until Walker and Mark got sick. They're not dead, but going straight to "alive" seems a rather hopeful exaggeration. Undead seems appropriate for now. 01:47 AYURIS: Carnegie (Xavier Georges, Quined Games, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 03:48 -Legacy of Yu (Shem Phillips, Garphill Games, 2023) 07:30 -Set a Watch (Mike Gnade and Todd Walsh, Rock Manor Games, 2019) 09:12 -Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs (Joe Klipfel and Nikki Valens, Cephalofair Games, 2024) 15:03 -Stonespine Architects (Jordy Adan, Thunderworks Games, 2024) 17:23 -Marshmallow Test (Reiner Knizia, Gamewright, 2020) 19:21 -Black Rose Wars: Rebirth (Andrea Colletti, Diego Fonseca, and Marco Montanaro, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2024) 21:47 -Almost Innocent (Philippe Attali, Kolossal Games, 2023) 25:52 -Paint the Roses (Ben Goldman, North Star Games, 2022) 28:50 -Fromage (Matthew O'Malley and Ben Rosset, Road to Infamy Games, 2024) 32:40 -Dragonbond: Lords of Vaala (Jack Caesar and Alessio Cavatore, Draco Studios, 2023) 37:52 -City of the Living (Sebastian Bleasdale and Reiner Knizia, Trick or Treat Studios, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 42:31 Micro Macro Bonus Box has come home 43:26 Age of Innovation balance adjustments for Illusionists and Navigators 46:22 Don't Starve the board game 47:26 Upcoming from Alex "Green Team" Cutler: Don't Skip Leg Day and Box Top Pinball Haunted House from Pandasaurus 48:44 Walker cuteness weakness: Kyoto no Neko 49:30 Railroad Tiles from Horrible Guild 50:38 Lots of content on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/svwag Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 26, 2024 · 44 min
#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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 19, 2024 · 1 hr 3 min
#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-theme 27:52 Burned was too pure for this crowdfunded world 28:19 Etherstone from ThunderGryph Games by Virginio Gigli and Simone Luciani on Kickstarter 29:11 Avatar: The Last Airbender co-op deckbuilder 29:43 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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 12, 2024 · 1 hr 15 min
#302: Rules Explanations
For reasons both personal and highly arbitrary, the SVWAG style guide (authored by gibbons, of course) does not countenance using the word "teach" as a noun, with the possible exception as a casual nickname for a teacher. Thus a game does not, in our parlance, have a "teach" except insofar as you call the person explaining the rules to you "teach". As in, "yo, teach, thanks for doing this thankless job, you make our hobby possible, I'm certainly not going to give you a hard time for any minor rules errors or didactic missteps, lemme buy you a pizza, teach, you incredibly physically attractive hero." 01:25 AYURIS: Sakura Arms (BakaFire, Level 99 Games 2022) Games Played Last Week: 04:04 -La Granja: Deluxe Master Set (Michael Keller and Andreas "ode." Odendahl, Board&Dice, 2023) 10:19 -Unchained (David Gregg, Trick or Treat Studios, 2024) 18:04 -Paku Paku (Antoine Bauza, Ravensburger, 2017) 21:34 -Turbo Kidz (Emmanuel Gauvain, Scorpion Masqué, 2023) 23:46 -Nine Tiles Panic (Jens Merkl and Jean-Claude Pellin, Oink Games, 2019) 25:49 -5 Towers (Kasper Lapp, Deep Print Games, 2023) 26:33 -Clip Cut Parks (Shaun Graham and Scott Huntington, Renegade Game Studios, 2019) 28:17 -The Same Game (Wolfgang Warsch, Edition Spielwiese, 2023) 34:17 -Omen: Songs of Far Shores (John Clowdus, Small Box Games, 2024) 38:45 -The Vale of Eternity (Eric Hong, Mandoo Games, 2023) 43:27 -Sentinels of the Multiverse (Christopher Badell, Paul Bender, & Adam Rebottaro, Greater Than Games, 2011) News (and why it doesn't matter): 49:39 Ninja Division declares bankruptcy, leaves thousands of Kickstarter backers in the lurch 50:57 New Mage Knight expansion! Apocalypse Dragon from WizKids by Phil Pettifer 51:43 Star Trek Star Realms 52:02 Magical Athlete reprint by CMYK in 2025 52:41 Topic: Rules Explanations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 5, 2024 · 1 hr 10 min
#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 Loon 36:49 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 redux 48:15 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/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 27, 2024 · 1 hr 18 min
#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 Carneades 47:27 Mike Hutchinson running a survey on Gaslands: https://forms.gle/8DjmJDxpaivpsznW7 48:06 Eric Lang and Ken Grul's Life in Reterra from Hasbro 48:24 Please support us on Patreon, if so inclined! www.patreon.com/svwag 51:02 Topic: The Patrons' Top 20 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices