Four Corners of the Board podcast: Recent Episodes
Four Corners of the Board
Four Corners of the Board is hosting by 4 friends who enjoy getting together and playing board games. We are all relatively new to the hobby (a few years) and all have very different preferences of board games which can lead into some lively discussions! Each podcast we take one board game and discuss it in depth. What we like and don't like about the game and maybe some ways we will play it differently in the future (variants).
This is it, the final episode of Talking Across the Game Board. We have a look back at the history (briefly) of the shows on the network. We also give a behind the scenes look - what do we use to edit the audiofiles? How do we record remotely? How do you publish a podcast? What equipment do you need? We also look at why we are stopping, then look at what is next.
This week Dean and Graeme discuss gaming as relaxation. Can we play games to relax or is there always some level of stress in games? What would make a game relaxing? Are there certain genres of games that are more relaxing?
We then look at our Top 5 Games We Play To Relax.
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at light games. How do we classify light games? Can you have a long light game? What about a simple rule set but lots to think about? Do we look down our noses at light games?
We then do our Top 5 Light Games (rated 1.5 or below on BoardGameGeek)
We look back at 2020, and look at the games we never got a chance to play. We also have a discussion on older games in general. Do we only look at the New Releases section or do we have a list of older games we always keep an eye out for? If we miss a new release, is it out of sight out of mind?
We then do a Top 5 2020 Games We Want To Play
This week Graeme had some sticker shock while looking at games! We look at deluxe editions - do we buy them? Do we want them? How much is too much? Given the option, would we get a Deluxe edition or a normal edition?
Top 5 Games We Want As A Deluxe Edition
Only a few episodes left of the Podcast, please make sure you send in any questions/comments for the finale ASAP!
This week Dean and I look at games that are Stuck in Time - that is games that have a strong connection to the time period in which they are set (not just historical, but could be future time period as well). Do we have a preference for the time period? With our different backgrounds in gaming, does that make a difference in what we call a "Historical Game"?
We then do a Top 5 Games Stuck in Time (pick 5 different Eras and pick one game from each).
This week Dean and Graeme talk about disappointments. What would cause our disappointment in a game? Hype? Designer Expectations? Recommendations? Have gotten wise in our old age and can avoid disappointments?
We then do our Top 5 Games We Wanted to Like but Were Disappointed
This week we look at the BGG Top 100 games - and specifically the ones we have not played. How many do you need to play to get your "gamer" badge? Is there a need to play them? What about genres you like - should you try those from the top 100?
We then do our Top 5 Games we have NOT played in the top 100 that we want to.
It's that time of year! Essen Spiel just finished where publishers show off shiny new games. In our yearly tradition we look back at the 10 games we picked from last year's Essen Spiel to see if we've played them and what we thought of them.
Then we give out Top 10 Games we are looking forward to from Essen Spiel 2020.
This week we look at large publishers. Do we seek out large publishers? Do we trust the games they put out? Are we more willing to take a chance on an unknown game from them? Are their brands diluted?
We then do our pick from 5 large publishers.
This week we start with a brief announcement, then we talk about game endings. What are our favourite ways for a game to end? Can the ending of a game feel anticlimactic? Do we have a favourite way for a game to end?
We then do our Top 5 Game Endings
This week we look at bad expansions. Have you ever disliked an expansion to a game you love? What about an expansion that made you dislike the base game? We look at what makes a bad expansion and decide what exactly the role of an expansion is.
We then do our Top 5 Bad Expansions.
This week we look at what games would we back into an evacuation box if we had to leave our houses in a hurry. Do we have insurance on our games? Would we replace our games if something happened to them or start afresh?
We then look at our Top 5 Games We'd Pack into our Evacuation Box.
Dean and Graeme talk competitiveness in this episode. Since neither one of us is remotely competitive in any way we try and understand the need to do well. Does it effect our enjoyment of the game? Do we wish we were more competitive?
We finish with our Top 5 Games We Are Always Competitive In.
Both Dean and Graeme use BoardGameGeek on a regular basis and agree it is the best board game site out there. But in our perfect world, what would we add to the site to make it even better? We also look at the stats that are available on BGG and see which ones we find useful.
We then do our Top 10 Games from the Most Voted On Games from BoardGameGeek.com
This week we talk about gaming with our families. How often do we get to play? What types of gamers do we have in the house? How do we pick games for them? Do we buy games for them?
We then do our Top 5 Games We Play with our Family
This week we look at heavy games - what makes a game heavy? Do we like them? Do we seek them out? Are there things that a heavy game must have? What about length?
We then do our Top 5 Heavy Games (outside of our Top 100 games of all time).
After finishing our Top 100 Games of All Time and seeing how many different designers there were, we thought it would be a good idea to revisit the topic of Designers. Do designers make a difference to our gaming choices? Are there automatic buys/skips? Is there one designer where we have to get all their games?
We then do our Top 5 Games Designed by Non-male Designers.
This week Dean and Graeme discuss "one hit wonders". What do we mean? What/Who qualifies? Is it more of a percent of games we like/dislike? This is a very subjective topic.
We then do our Top 5 One (or two...) Hit Wonders
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at the Spiel des Jahres nominations. We discuss how useful we find awards and which awards, if any, we follow. Do they influence our purchasing? And what type of jury for awards do we prefer?
We then do our top 5 Spiel des Jahres Games (either nominated or winners)
Dean and Graeme are working on recording our Top 100 Games of all time and I noticed that neither of us had no Abstract Strategy games (or almost none) on our lists. So we decided to have a closer look at this mechanism and find out why.
Then we give our Top 5 Abstract Strategy Games.
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at gimmicks in games. What do we mean by gimmicks? What are some examples of gimmicks? Are minis in games just gimmicks?
We then do our Top 5 Games with Gimmicks
This week Dean and Graeme look at learning. Since our kids have gone back to virtual school, we wanted to look at games that can teach you something. Do these types of games attract us? Or have we done our time in school and want to distance ourselves from learning?
We then do our Top 5 Games That Can Teach You Something
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at multiplayer games that we like at 2 players. Since many of us are looking for things to do while social distancing we wanted to look at our collections to see what games we prefer at 2 players.
We then end off with our Top 5 Multiplayer Games we like best at 2 Players
This week is a little different, Graeme is asking Dean about solo games. Is there a difference between a solo mode and a solo only game? Are there different kinds of solo modes? Which does Dean prefer?
We then do a Top 5 - Dean is recommending 5 Solo Games for Graeme to try, and Graeme picked 5 games he has not played but sounded interesting. Any cross over? Listen to find out!
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at 2nd editions on kickstarter. What defines a 2nd edition? How long should there be between 1st and 2nd? How do we feel when we get the 1st edition then see soon after there is a 2nd edition?
We then do our Top 5 2nd Editions we want to get.
This week Dean and Graeme look at games we feel are underappreciated. Do we go out of our way looking for those hidden gems? Does the increasing cost of games reduce our willingness to take a chance on a game?
We then do our Top 5 Games Only We Seem To Like
This week Dean and Graeme have a look back at 2015. Was it as good as everybody seems to say? Is it just rose coloured glasses?
We then do our Top 5 2015 Games OUTSIDE the top 1000
This week Dean and Graeme look at overhyped games. These are games that people were hyped about after the games were released and were so eager to get, but when we tried them they fell flat. Why? How do we feel when a game is hyped by gamers after it has been released?
Then our Top 5 Games that were hyped up after release but we did not enjoy.
It's the start of the new year so Dean and Graeme have a look back at the last decade (2010-2019). For each year we will have a look at the number of games published, how many are in the top 100/1000, the #1 game from that year, then finally our pick from the year.
So it's that time of year when we get some really big sales on everything, and with Dean and Graeme being pretty cheap we discuss games on sale. Does it mean they are bad games? We play a bad game that is cheap, does it still sting?
Top 5 Games We'd Only Buy on Sale
Dean and Graeme look at our own cynicism as it relates to board gaming. Are we becoming more cynical and hard on games released now? Was it always better in the old days? Are we still excited to crack open a new game?
We then do our Top 5 Games that we have liked it we played them years ago.
This week Dean and Graeme discuss teaching games. Which one of the hosts likes to teach and which one doesn't? Is there a reason one of them usually ends up teaching games?
We then do our Top 5 Games We Like Teaching!
This week Dean and Graeme have a looking at diving deep into games. What do we mean? We are looking at games we feel have a lot of depth to them that we have not explored. Do deep games have to be complex? What about abstract strategy games?
We then do our Top 5 Games we want to further explore!
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at randomness in games. Are there different types of randomness? Do we prefer one type over another? Is it necessary to be able to mitigate all randomness? Will Graeme embrace his inner love for randomness?
We then have a look at our Top 5 Games with Randomness
In our (now) yearly tradition of looking at the games from the Essen Game fair in Germany, we first look back at our picks from last year. How many have we played? How many of them are actually any good?
We then give our top 10 Games we are looking forward to from Essen 2019.
Warning - Dean's side of the recording has some technical issues. But in this episode we talk about narrative in games - not story telling games, or the theme, but games that tell a story. What types of games do this best? Are there some games we play strictly for the story?
We then do our Top 5 Games with Narrative
This week Dean and Graeme take a look at dexterity games. Are these games we week out? What are the different types of dexterity games? What about action games or speed games?
We then do our Top 5 Dexterity Games.
Due to the Labour Day long weekend and technical issues this is going up a day late. This week Dean and Graeme have a look at games for new comers to the hobby. We first discuss what we've done to introduce people to hobby board games, and what mechanisms we think work.
We then do out Top 10 Games that are NOT New Gamer Friendly and why.
In this episode, Dean and Graeme look at good games that we won't play again. What does that mean? Is it the same as highly ranked games we don't like? Why would we not want to play a good game again?
Find out, then hear our Top 5 Good Games We Won't Play Again!
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at deduction games. What types of deduction games are there? Do we like some sub genres better than others? Do we think we are good at them? Are traitor games deduction games?
We then do our Top 5 Deduction games
This week Dean and Graeme look at replacement games. Are we actively searching for replacement games? Are there games we really want to replace? Ever had that "never going to play that old game again" moment when playing a new game? Ever gone back and played games you had previously "replaced"?
We then do our Top 5 Replacement Games (original game and it's replacement)
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at player elimination in games. Do we like it or avoid it? Is it a dated mechanism? What about introducing it to new members to the hobby? Are there different types of player elimination?
We then do our Top 5 games with Player Elimination
This week we look at rule books and some good and not so good points in rules books. Do we like 2 rule books (learn to play and rules appendix)? What about GMT-like rule books? Are there things all rule books must have?
We then have a look at our Top 5 Worst Rule Books (and what makes them bad!)
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at large group games (or games that play 5+ players) that are not party games! Is the higher player count something we look for in games? Do we like playing with the full complement of players? Are there some genres/styles where the more players the better?
Then we do our Top 5 Large Group Games.
Dean and Graeme have a look at party games! What type of games do we like to play at a party? Do we bring games to all the parties? Do we want to get everybody involved? Are there "party" games that we think are misclassified as party games? Do we like party games? How many in our collections?
We then do our Top 5 Games to play at a party
Dean and Graeme have a look back 10 years ago. This is a time before Graeme was into hobby board games, and dean was mostly a war gamer. So how many games from 2009 do we have in our collections? Looking back at it, was it a good year in games? Any games we feel need a 10th anniversary edition? Oh, and Dean did some math!
We end with our Top 5 games from 2009.
Dean and Graeme have a look at small box games. Are they all just filler games? Can a grand game be put into a small box? If our favourite designer makes a small box game, does that excite us or are we a little disappointed?
We then finish with out Top 5 Small Box Games.
This week Dean and Graeme look at reprints. Why do games go out of print? When games are reprinted, should they be kept the same or updated? When is a reprint really just a new game with the same theme? Would you ever go back and buy the original when there is a reprint?
We end with the Top 5 Games We Want Reprinted (for whatever reason)
In this episode Dean and Graeme have a look back at 2014. How much were we into the hobby at that time? How many 2014 games do we own? Was it a good year in gaming?
We then do the Top 5 Games from 2014.
Now that we are a few months into 2019, Dean and Graeme have a look back at 2018. Was it a good year in gaming for us and for the hobby? What were the highlights/lowlights/regrets from the year?
We then answer 5 questions : Biggest surprise, Best gaming experience, Top Expansion, Top Older game you got back to the table, and the 2019 game you are looking forward to.
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at stand up moments in games. Do we like these in games? Does it detract from the rest of the game? Are there certain types of games that these types of moments tend to occur in?
We then move on to our Top 5 Games with Stand Up Moments.
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at designers. Does a designer influence if we will purchase/play a game? We've got insta-buy designers, but what about insta-avoid designers?
We then have our top 5 Designers that make us want to check out the game.
Dean and Graeme have a look at Classic Games this week. What do we mean by classic? Are all older games classics? Is there an age limit for being a classic? What about Modern Classics?
We then do our Top 5 Classic Games we still like to play.
Dean and Graeme have a look at preconceptions in reviewing/looking at boardgames. Do we give some designers/publishers/etc. a free ride when looking at their game? Do we start at different point on the 1-10 scale depending on our preconceptions? Does it matter? Is it fair?
We then do our Top 5 Games that Bucked the Trend.
Since we are all in a holiday mood, Graeme and Dean didn't want to do a heavy episode, so we decided to talk about food.
We look at snacking at the table while gaming. Good idea? Are any foods off limits? Ever seen a food related disaster at the table?
We then finish off with our Top 5 Snacks we like to have at the table.
Dean and Graeme discuss bad games that we still have fun playing. "Bad" of course being completely subjective and arbitrary. We discuss what makes a game bad for us, how do we overcome that, what how can we still enjoy them.
We then finish with out Top 5 Bad Games we Still Find Fun!
Dean and Graeme talk about the differences between a legacy and campaign game. Pretty easy right? Surprisingly figuring out what we like in each family of games ends up more difficult than expected.
We end the episode with our Top 5 Legacy/Campaign games
We all know what card games are right? Well this week Dean and Graeme have a look and see if they agree on what makes a card game. Is there a difference between card games and board games?
We then finish up with our Top 5 Card Games.
Well, this is it. Our final episode. We start off things normally with some recent plays :
Tzolkin
Nusfjord
Clans of Caledonia
Dinosaur Island
Gloomhaven
We then finish off the podcast with a wrap up of the Four Corners. We look at our 5 favourite games we've reviewed, we also recount some of our favourite memories of being the Four Corners. And there maybe some clips from a couple of our listeners.
It's that time of year again! Dean and Graeme look back at our picks from Essen 2017 to see how good we are at picking games.
We then do our top 10 list of anticipated games from Essen 2018! Will we do any better this year!
NOTE : We will be switching to a new RSS feed fairly soon so please update your feeds!
http://acrossthegameboard.libsyn.com/rss
Also slight name change, we are now called "Talking Across the Game Board"
We are recording this on the day after we returned from MAWGCon II - a week long gaming event!
We've got lots of games to talk about :
Diamonds
Detective
Rise of Queensdale
Aquasphere
Village
Root
Doppleganger
Discworld
1500
Riverboat
Since last episode was a bit of a negative one, we figured we'd do the opposite this time! What do we do with underwhelming games? How much sway do our family/friends/reviewers have on us going back to a game?
We then proceed to our Top 5 Games That Have Gotten Better (games we used to find underwhelming, but now like)
We are getting close to the end now, only a few more episodes!
We start this episode talking about some recent plays:
Welcome To...
Detective
Minerva
Choose your Own Adventure : House of Danger
We then get into the main topic of discussion : Dragonsgate College. The game revolves around a dice drafting mechanism, so what do we think of that mechanism? What about the theme and the rest of the game?
Dean and Graeme have a look at cooling off in the hobby. Do we still consume as much news/media/reviews as we used to? Have our tastes changed? Have we realized we no longer like the same styles of games we used to?
We then do our "Top 5 Games we used to love, but don't like as much anymore".
Now that con season is over (mostly) for the group, we get back together to discuss a few games we've played recently :
Antiquity
Black Souls
Waste Knights
Battlestar Galactica
Flotsam Fight
Gloomhaven
We then make a fairly major announcement.
Finally we have a look at Killing Code : Venice Vendetta. This is a new game that not many people know about. Is it worth your time tracking it down? Listen to find out.
Today Dean and Graeme look at forcing the hobby on friends and family. Have we done this? Has it worked or backfired? What would your family do with your games? Any they would keep?
We then do a top 5 "Games That We Would Hope our Family Members Want to Keep"
Dean and Graeme have a look at box covers on this episode. How much does it influence our purchasing decisions? What do we like/dislike on a box? Should the art be consistent from cover to components? Should the art represent what type of game it is?
We then look our Top 5 Deceiving Covers (you'll have to listen to find out our criteria for this one!)
Ok, Vacation/Conventions and podcast editing do not mix! In between DTC, family vacations, and GenCon we had to get this episode up. We first talk about some games we've played
Lowlands
TI4 - Yes, Graeme played it again
Rites of Cthulhu
Killing Code : Venice Vendetta
Sanctuary: Endangered Species
Gizmos
We then get into the main topic of discussion : Whistle Stop. We have a look at the theme (another train game?). Is it a good next step game? What did we think of the mechanisms? And we end with our final thoughts - and we all agree! Find out if that is a good or bad thing!
Dean and Graeme have a quick look at our highlight from Dice Tower Con, then we get into talking about stress in games. What causes stress? Are there different types of stress? Do we like our games stressful?
We then go into our Top 5 Stressful Games that we Love
We are back with our 75th episode! As usual, we start off with some recent plays :
Broadhorns
Ticket To Ride : Wild West
Space Base
We then go into the main topic of discussion, Council of Four. This is a game Graeme has wanted since he saw the original a few years ago, and with CMON reprinting it he wanted to get it to the table. What did everybody think of the game? What about the theme and mechanisms in the game? Was it worth the wait for Graeme?
In this episode Dean and Graeme have a look at Cooperative games. Do we favour one type over another? Do we prefer Co-op to competitive? What makes a good co-op game? What about the alpha gamer problem?
We then have a look at our Top 5 Co-Op games.
We start like we normally do, but with all 4 of us, and back on schedule! Wow! We look at some recent plays :
Star Trek Ascendancy
Dice Brewing
Demon Worker
Antiquity
1960 : The making of a president
Concordia
Village of Horror
Escape Rooms
We then look at the main topic of discussion : Heaven and Ale. Do we wish there was actual beer in the box? How well does the theme hold up? What about the different mechanisms? Are there multiple paths to victory? What about our thoughts on it being nominated for the Spiel des Jahres? Is this a game we can all agree on???
In this episode Dean and Graeme look at our least favourite mechanisms (or mechanics if you prefer).
We discuss mechanisms in games, and do we avoid or insta-buy games based solely on mechanisms?
We then do our Top 5 Least Favourite Mechanisms but with a Game we like the Mechanisms in (ok, it sounds confusing, but listen to the episode to find out what I mean!)
We are all back together (mostly) - but we still managed to be a week late on this podcast. We start off the podcast by looking at some games we were able to play
Whitehall Mystery
Gloomhaven
Inis
7th Continent
Lanterns
We then have a deep dive into Noria. We start off with theme (?) and components, and we talk about the main mechanisms of the game - the very interesting player wheel and the "stock market". What did we think of the game? Listen to find out how high (or low) Noria reached?
Dean and Graeme have a look at gamer envy/jealousy. We start off by talking about shelfies - are they to make people jealous of your collection? Have we felt envious of a game/kickstarter/blinged game? What about people going to cons?
We then do our top 5 Games in the other person collection we wish we had in ours.
On this episode, Dean and Graeme look at mastering games. What does that mean to us? Have we mastered any games? What does mastering a game mean to the enjoyment of a game?
We then do our Top 5 Games We Want to Master.
We are a week late and a host short! Graeme just got back from vacation and Lella just left for vacation so this episode is a little later than planed.
Needless to say we start by talking about some games we've played :
Ticket to Ride France and Old West
Orphans and Ashes
Resistance
Saboteur 2
Mechs vs. Minions
London
Twilight Imperium 4
Good Society
We then get into the main topic of discussion - Kepler 3042. It's another space game, so how is it different? What about the mechanisms in the game? Is there enough variety? Is it really just an abstract game with a light space theme on top?
This episode Dean and Graeme look at our collections and collecting in general. How big are our collections? Will we ever stop? Do we have a goal in mind? Do we sell/trade/donate games?
We finish with the top 5 games that will never leave our collections.
Well, we promised it, so here it is, our spoiler filled review of Charterstone! But before we get to that, we talk about some other games we've played :
Tavern Masters
Who should we eat
Gentleman’s Deal
Raiders of the North Sea
We then get to Charterstone - WARNING : THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD. We talk about all aspects of the game which I will not list here. We then give our final thoughts on this legacy game.
Dean and Graeme have a look at Game Length this week. Do we have a time limit to games? Are there game lengths we just won't play? Does it detract from the game or are some games better longer? Or does it all come down to game length vs. fun?
We then do our top 5 games that are the perfect length.
We start off with looking at some games we have played recently:
Civilization : A new Dawn (all 4 of us)
Kepler 3042
Okanagan Valley of the Lakes
We then move on to the main topic of discussion : Pulsar 2849. We look at the (lack) of theme, components, and the different mechanisms in the game. We also have a look at the randomness and replayability of the game. We then give our final thoughts - and we have a rare occurrence for the group, but you'll have to listen to find out what is was!
And don't forget to check out some other great board gaming podcasts on http://www.dicetower.com/dice-tower-network
The math guy in the group got messed up counting to 3, so this one is a bit late. But as usual we start with some games we've played
Sid Meyers Civilization
Grimm Forest
Cytosis
Trajan
Photosynthesis
Coffee Roaster
We then move on to the main topic - Rajas of the Ganges. R&R Games usually does one euro a year and Graeme always gets them. Rajas is this years, so does it stack up? Is it a simple race game? Are there multiple paths to victory? Did everybody enjoy it (if you know the group, you should already know the answer to that last one!)
Dean and Graeme have a look at kickstarter. How many games have we backed, and would we do it again? What are our feelings on large companies using kickstarter? What about delays - does that lessen the game for us?
We then do our Top 5 Games I Wish I Had Kickstarted (and Graeme's #1 is a cop out).
Phew! 2017 was a great year, and the 4 corners look at all the 2017 games that Graeme owns and that we have played and give a quick run down on each (around 50 games in total - yes it is a long episode!). We finish the episode off with each of us picking their top 3 games from 2017.
Dean and Graeme have a look back at 2017. How did we find the year in gaming? Did our spending change? What about kickstarter?
We then look at :
Our Top Gaming Experience
Top Expansion to make us get the game back to the table
Top Let down (disappointment) of 2017
Top Older game we got (back) to the table
Top Game Surprise
First game we want to get to the table in 2018!
So it's getting close to the end of the year, and we start to think about giving gifts to our friends and relatives. So we decided to do a game gift giving guide. First though, we talk about some recent plays:
Iron Dragon
Vinhos
Fallout
Custom Heroes
We then get into our gift suggestions in 4 categories : Stocking Stuffers, Party Games to play at family gatherings, Casual Games, and Gamer Games. Each corner provides a few games in each category so hopefully there will be some suggestions if you are looking to give a gift (or want to add them to your wish list)!
We spent a week up at a resort - perfect time to play lots of games! We start off by talking about some games we played while away :
Magic Maze
Viral
Nina & Pinta
Nomads
We then get into the main topic of discussion : Perditions Mouth : Abyssal Rift. An Ameritrash+Euro game - this is a game that takes a dungeon crawl and combines it with a rondel. So how does the group think it works - do the euro players like the dungeon crawl, and do the dungeon crawl fans like the euro mechanisms?
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at the rating of 7. Is it just a catch all for ratings? How do we rate games, on on our scales, what is a 7 rated game?
We then do a top 5 (yes, should have been a top 7) of our best 7 rated games - these are the games that just missed being in that "excellent" category.
In a slightly shorter episode we look at Roll Player. First we look at some games we've played :
Railroad Revolution
Letters from Whitechapel
Gold Raiders
Fox in the Forest
We then move on to Roll Player. We've got 2 RPGers in the group, so does the theme sway them? For the other 2 who are not roll players, is there enough in the game to keep them interested? Can an aspect of the game, which is not the games fault, affect the score? Sure it can, listen to find out!
This week Dean and Graeme have a look at the upcoming Essen Game Fair. As reviewers, do we feel this is something we have to go to? Are we missing out?
We then count down our top 10 (yes 10 this time) most anticipated games that are coming out at Essen 2017.
For our Halloween episode this year, we start off by doing a very quick recap of ProtoTO con that B and Graeme attended. Then we talk about some games we've played :
Roll Player
Beneath Nexus
Ragers : Champions of the Arena
Fate of the Elder Gods
Zombicide Black Plague
We then get into the main topic of discussion. Warning : We are looking at a game intended for ages 14+ with some more mature themes this week. We are talking about Lobotomy from Titan Forge Games. We spend some time on the theme and the implications, then get into the game play, mechanisms, and play length. And we end, as usual, with our final thoughts.
In this episode Graeme and Dean have a look at the BoardGameGeek ranking system. Do we use it? Is it helpful for new comers? Do we ever buy (or not buy) based on a games rankings?
We end the discussion with our Top 5 games that we like (or love) but are ranked poorly on BoardGameGeek
This episode Dean and Graeme look at transition games. We've been asked how to get people into the general board game hobby if they enjoy Magic, or RPG, or Miniature games. Is just picking a game close to their other hobby a good choice?
We then finish with our top 5 games that made us want to try different subgenres of the hobby (war games, 18xx, minis, RPGs, etc.)
After a slight delay because of Graeme being in GrandCon last week, we have another podcast. We did experience some technical difficulties with the computer that were not noticed until editing, but hopefully they will be unobtrusive.
We start out by looking at some games we've played :
Sherlock : Holmes and Mycroft
Of Dreams and Shadows
Noxford
Castles of Burgundy Dice Game
Ulm
Railroad Revolution
We then get into the main topic of discussion - Unfair. This is a CMoN game, with no minis? We talk theme and components, before we delve into the meat of the discussion - is this a take-that game or a game where bad things happen to you? How do you feel about that? Is there a different between PvP attacks and when the game attacks you?
This week Dean and Graeme look at Theme. What does theme mean for us? How important is it to buy and playing games? Are there themes we stay away from, or are instant buys?
We then give our top 5 Games from our favourite themes!
In this episode Graeme and Dean look at winning. Does it alter how we feel about a game? Do we feel we have to win every game? Are there times when we hold back or put extra effort? What about winning at any cost and what happens when you play against somebody who wants to win at any cost?
We finish up the episode with the top 5 games we love, but generally lose at!
We start of the podcast as normal with some games we've played :
Exit the Game
Deathbot Derby
Flatline
Honshu
Dice Forge
Age of Thieves
Rhein River Trader
Kingdomino
Deception Murder in Hong Kong (although in the banter on this game I got the number of cards wrong, we did play it correctly - 8 not 6 cards per person)
We then get into the main game of discussion - Lorenzo Il Magnifico. This is another game that has split the group, try and guess who likes it and who doesn't - it might surprise you!
The inaugural episode of Across the Board.
Since the Four Corners of the Board has gone to every three weeks, I thought a "filler" podcast might tide you over till our next regular show.
I teamed up with Dean Ligget from the Board Game Buffet podcast, and we will be having a 30 minutes podcast every two weeks. We will take one topic and discuss, then finish the podcast off with a top 5 list.
This week is Con Fever, and our top 5 list is top 5 games we loved at a Con, but we didn't love as much when we got them home.
Before we get into the main reviews of 2 small publisher games, we have a look at some games we have played recently :
Automobiles
Purrrlock
Einstein
Haspelknecht
Lobotomy
Nina and Pinta
We then get into the main games of the episode - Heir to the Throne and Affliction Salem 1692. Now one of these games one of the corners really, well, dislikes - and it maybe not who you think. We talk about the theme and components, mechanisms, and various other aspects of the games.
We just flew back from Dice Tower Con 2017, and boy, have we got games to talk about!
We do a quick review of a large number of games this episode, then finish with our favourite part of the con.
Captain Sonar
Plague Inc.
Grimm Forest
Watch the Skys
Cthuhulu Wars
Codenames Duet
Werewords
Unlock Sausage and Squeak
Ethnos
Gravity Warfare
Manhatten Project Energy Empire
Gondola
Lorenzo il Magnifico
Word Slam
Kerala
Times Up!
We've just got back from Origins, and have we got some games to tell you about! We start off talking about a few games we played before we went.
Yokohama
Then we get into games we got to play at origins. We tried to play a bit of everything - big publisher games, kickstarter games that will soon be going out to backers, and small publisher games.
Unfair
Heir to the Throne
Psychological Warfare
Affliction Salem 1692
Game of Thrones The Card Game 2nd Edition
Rabbit Island
Quests for Valeria
Witches of the revolution
Wits and Wagers - Vegas style
Doctor Who The Card Game
Barenpark
Junkyard Art
Century Spice Road
Lisboa
We wrap it all up with our highlights of the con!
We review a light euro game called In the Name of Odin, but first we have a look at some games we've played over the last few weeks :
Noir
The Colonists
Canterbury
Perdition’s Mouth
Food Chain Magnate
Sea of Clouds
Mythos Tales
Then we get into the heart of the episode with a look at In the Name of Odin, a light euro game that plays in about an hour. We have a look at the components - are minis really needed? What about the main mechanisms - interesting? We also have a look at play length, player count, and does it matter if you go last? We wrap it all up with our final thoughts.
We have a look at a heavy-ish euro this time called Solarius Mission, but first we talk about a few games we've played, and it turns into a mini look back.
7 Wonders
Trajan
Kreus
We then get into the main game. This is a game that we are not impressed with the components, and the rules got in our way of playing the game due to not fully understanding them. When do these things get in the way of enjoying a game? Our group tends to be split on heavy games, does that hold true for this time? It uses an interesting dice mechanism (from Ora & Labora) - how do we feel about it? We then wrap it up with our final thoughts, which may surprise you!
For our first official tri-weekly podcast we are looking at the game The Networks. First we talk about our trip to Snakes and Lattes to meet some of the Gathering of Friends people, and the games we played.
Harry Potter Deck Builder
Raptor
No Siesta
Anarchrony
Qin
Marakech
Arcane Academy
Sagrada
We then go into our main game of the episode The Networks. We all agree the theme is fantastic in this game, but what about the actual game play? Is Graeme really saying he wants more randomness? And B saying it is too short? What is happening to the group?
It's been longer than it should have been for this podcast, and what happened to the intro? This week we look at First Class. But first we look at some games we played including our time at Breakout Con in Toronto.
Formula D
Fury of Dracula
Kilt Castle
Santorini
Arkham Horror the Card Game
The Speicherstadt
Mombasa
Colosseum
We then get into First Class - and it's a game we almost all agree upon. It is another train game, but also a card engine game - so that a good thing? What about the theme? Do the 5 modules mix things up enough? And finally, what do we think of the game over all?
We visited a local con called Play and Pub and we quickly talk about the games we've played there, followed by our regular report of published games we've played.
We have a quick look at :
Please Drive Through
Poisoner's Guild
Synx Trap and the Larklamp
Camelot 101
Mercenaries of the Right
Random Encounter Plains of the Troll king
First Class
Mission Red Planet
Akrotiri
Phew! We then look at our review game of the podcast - Great Western Trail. As usual we look at the theme and components, as well as the learning curve and the iconography in the game. We also discuss if this is just a box of euro mechanisms, and is that a bad thing? What about the overall game length, and the limited ability of players to rush the ending? This was on Graeme and Megan's top games for 2016, does it still stand up after repeated plays?
We start off this episode by looking at some games we've played :
Solaris Mission
Codinca
Monarch
Food Chain Magnate
Electronic Stop Thief! (prototype)
We then get into Cry Havoc. We discuss many aspects of the game : are all the races balanced? What about the skills? Is it OK to have a game that is unbalanced? Who is this game for? Would we recommend this game? Does it have a run away leader problem? Are the trogs fun to play? Are they over powered? As usual there are vastly different opinions on this game
We have a look at Inis in this episode, but first we look at some games we've played over the last few weeks, including
Secrets of the Lost Tomb
Black Orchestra
Covert
Starfall (quick revisit)
We then have a look at Inis. This is a game from Matagot, and their previous game from them that we looked at (Kemet) was not a huge hit with us, so how will this one fare? We have a look at the interesting drafting mechanism, the victory conditions, and the different card types in the game. We then wrap it all up with our final thoughts - is it better than Kemet for us?
Happy New Year! In this episode we do our yearly tradition of looking back at all the 2016 games we've played in 2016 (well, atleast all the ones Graeme owns). Each is presorted into a ok, good, or great pile and then we have a very quick discussion on why (of course there are some disagreements, why wouldn't there be).
We then finish off the podcast with our game of the year and a runner up - these are the games that we feel are the ones to have in your collection from 2016.
Don't forget to check out our videos on youtube - links for them can be found on our website : http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com
You can also check out other great podcasts on the dice tower network at http://www.dicetowernetwork.com
We review a big box of bling! Otherwise known as Mechs Vs Minions. But first we start off by looking at some games we've played recently :
Above and Below 02:00
Oceanos 09:22
Feast of Odin 15:36
Geek Out! 23:20
Inis 29:12
We then look back a year at Lords of Vegas and Vegas Showdown.
We then dive into Mechs vs Minions - sure it has fantastic components, but what about the game? How does it play? What about the mechanisms? It's co-op, so how does it handle the alpha player(s)? It's programmed movement, is that OK? It has a simplist minion AI, are we OK with that? It has drafting, does it do that well? Oh, look at the pretty minis.....
We review Pandemic Legacy Season 1 this time, but don't worry, we will warn you before the review starts so you can avoid any spoilers! First we talk about some games we've played :
The Boss 01:00
Elder Sign 06:00
Pandemic : Reign of Cthulhu 12:00
We then do a look back at Powergrid (19:25)
And finally, the spoilers start at 22:00 but again, we will warn you before we start the section. Also, since you are listening to the spoilers, we are assuming you know how to play the game so there is no walkthrough in this episode during the review.
You can also find other great podcasts at http://dicetowernetwork.com
Also check out our website for our latest video uploads http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com
This episode we look at a new deck building adventure game - we are calling these types of games Deck Builder Plus. But first we look at some games we've played over the last 2 weeks :
Rolling Freight 00:30
Costa Rica 14:15
Pandemic The Cure 18:35
We then have a look back at Zombicide (25:50)
We then get into Clank (30:05). Is this a new trend of Deck Building plus something else? Do we like the trend? How well does this one do it? What about the Clank mechanism itself? We also look at the card purchasing from a common, random pool of cards, is that a good change? We finally wrap it all up with giving our final thoughts.
Check out our website for links to past shows and to our videos on youtube http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com
Don't forget - for more great podcasts on boardgaming, check out the Dice Tower Network at http://www.dicetowernetwork.com
After a brief hiatus the Four Corners is back (unfortunately we are a corner down) with our second most requested review game - Mansions of Madness 2nd Edition!
First we talk about some games we have been able to play in the last few weeks:
Dice Town 01:35
Onitama 06:44
Blueprints 10:28
Tiny Epic Galaxies 18:04
We then have a look back at Canterbury 25:34 (Lella does eventually remember the game) - since B enjoys this game, why don't we play it more?
Finally we get into Mansions of Madness 2nd edition. We talk about the theme and components - Graeme, as the buyer of games, has his say on the cost of the game. We also look at the app and the integration with the game. We look at some of the different aspects in the game including the dice rolling and clue tokens, the different investigators, and the number of actions. We also ask, since this is an Arkham game, is the game winnable?
Check out our website for links to past shows and to our videos on youtube (video links coming very shortly) http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com
Don't forget - for more great podcasts on boardgaming, check out the Dice Tower Network at http://www.dicetowernetwork.com
We just got back from GrandCon in Grand Rapids, MI - so we give a quick review of the Con, but we spend most of the episode giving quick reviews of the games we played :
Tash Kalar 09:40
Night at Higsley Manor 14:12
Saloon Tycoon 23:19
Thunder Alley - Crew Chief expansion 31:27
Legends of the American Frontier 36:00
Cleopatra and the Society of Architects 51:00
Mad Science Foundation 57:30
Artemis Ship Simulator 1:01:00
Royals 1:10:00
And don't forget as always, if you want other great podcasts on board gaming, head over to Dice Tower Network http://dicetowernetwork.com
We have a look at Flash Point Fire Rescue this week (one of the games requested during the contest). First though we have a look at a few games we've played in the last few weeks.
Railways of the World 01:40
Voyages of Marco Polo 06:24
Thurns and Taxis 13:05
Friday 20:43
We then have a look back (24:55) at a game we all really enjoyed (well, most of us anyway) - Dungeon Petz. We've all played it since right? Right? Why or why not?
We then delve into Flash Point - this is an early cooperative game for the group, does it still hold up? With 2 (potential) alpha gamers in the group, how does this game handle that? What do we think about the interesting theme? What about the random fire spread and random points of interest? And we end off as usual with our final thoughts on the game.
We announce the winner of the our contest and they will be entered into the Dice Tower Mega Contest pool to be drawn next week!
For the rest of the show we talk about the Proto TO convention we attended - what does it mean to attend a Prototyping convention? Would we recommend it? What did we see and play? Was there anything there that we are especially eager to purchase when it is published? Does it make us want to design our own game(s)?
We talk about 3 games we played at the convetion :
Campfire Tales
Campaign Trail (working title)
Hope Inhumanity - Marshal Law expansion
We have a chat about a hot game from last year, Blood Rage. We also give the details of our first contest (we are participating in the Dice Tower mega contest - $50 gift card to CoolstuffInc with a chance at $1000 gift card at CoolStuffInc). Somewhere in the podcast we give you details on how to enter!
First we start off by looking at some recently played games :
Imhotep 01:00
Time Stories + Expansions 07:21
Mystic Vale 15:21
We then look back at the two games we reviewed a year ago (22:00) - Machi Koro and Betrayal at House on the Hill. Do these games still hold up?
We then get into Blood Rage (27:00) - Theme and components? it's Cool Mini or Not so you know the minis are good, but how is the game? What about the depth of strategy and multiple paths to victory? It's got combat as a main focus, and you know how we feel about that, is it the same for this game? And it's got one of Gray's least favourite mechanisms - drafting...
If you want to have more chances of winning the $1000 dollars, listen to the other podcasts that are participating in the Mega Contest - they can be found at http://www.dicetowernetwork.com
We have a chat about a new hotness - Scythe on our 42nd podcast (and there maybe a few Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy jokes thrown in as well). First off we start with some games we've played :
Grand Austria Hotel 01:00
Empire Builder 09:55
La Granja 21:03
Favor of the Pharaoh 26:10
We then have a look back at Pandemic - has it been replaced by Pandemic Legacy? Will we go back and play original Pandemic?
Any finally on to Scythe (39:00) - We all agree that the components in Graeme's Collector's edition are fantastic, but is there a fantastic game behind the glitz and glamour? We look at player count and play length. We then have a look at combat and discuss if we like that deterministic style. We then end with a discussion on strategy - is this just a game on rails or is there a depth of strategy to match the world the game is set in?
After getting back, we have a look at Dice Tower Con this week. What do we think of the Con, how does it compare to Origins, and are we going back?
We then have a look at some of the new games we've played :
Burano 18:12
Karuba 24:13
Celestia 29:48
Mombasa 32:45
Animals on Board 40:14
Imhotep 46:44
Bear Valley 51:46
Then we have a quick look at a few older games that we wanted to quickly mention:
Trajan (With one of our listeners) 1:00:00
The Game (last years Spiel nominee) 1:02:00
Lewis and Clark (the lowlight of the con?) 1:07:00
We then finish off the podcast looking at this years Spiel des Jahres nominees and winners - since we've played them all, do we agree?
No indepth review of a game this week - but a review of the Origins Game Fair! First we start off by giving a quick look at some of the games we've played recently :
Quadrolopis (3 player game) 00:57
Planet Steam 06:30
Fire and Axe 16:23
Dalek Dice 24:24
Stockpile 33:34
Then we review Origins! Graeme and B were at Origins for 5 days. What was it like for first timers? Did Gray enjoy his time as at the Dice Tower booth? Would we recomment the con? What did we do there? What did we like and dislike about the con? Would Lella and Megan enjoy the Con? Gray also quickly comments on the few games he played while down there :
Tyrants of the Underdark
Merchant of Venus
The Spoils
Betabots
We have a look at a game that is up for a dice tower award for "Game of the Year by a Small Publisher"
First we look at a few games we've played recently :
Quadropolis (00:30)
City of Iron (08:00)
Merchants and Merauders (17:30)
Red Dragon Inn (25:10)
Then we have a look back at Thunderstone Advance (29:00) - does it still hold up being one of the first deck builders?
Finally we look at Champions of Midgard - theme and components. Are we tired of vikings? Does this add anything to a worker placement genre? Are there any interesting mechanisms? Is there anything we would change?
Don't forget to check out dicetower.com and click on the Awards link to view all the great games up for an award!
You can also check us out on the web to find all the ways to get in contact with us. http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com
We have a look at Airlines Europe - an Alan R Moon game, so based on Ticket to Ride, it's going to be great!
First we look at some games we've played recently :
New York 1901 00:30
Cacao 05:11
Gallerist 08:11
Worlds Fair 1893 11:15
We then have a quick look back at Thunder Alley (17:09).
Then into Airlines Europe - it's got paper money, but how are the other components? How close is the game to Ticket to Ride? Is it an entry level game? Do we have any strategy for the game? How does Lella keep winning this game?
Don't forget to check out the dice tower award nominees, which can be found at www.dicetower.com!
Also we'll be at Origins and Dice Tower Con, so if you want to play a game with the corners, drop us an email!
We look at Steam this week (an intro to train games)? Firstly a quick look at some other games we've played (not too many this podcast)
Orleans 00:40
Champions of Midgard 04:21
Then into Steam. Is it a good intro to train games? Is it even a train game? We have a look at this game coming from eurogames, with next to no experience with train games (18xx style games). How does this game work for us? Do we want do delve into the rabbit hole of heavier train games after this? The ratings we gave at the end might surprise you, as well as who rated it the highest!
We start this podcast with looking at some games we've played recently :
Shakespeare 00:40
Brass 04:45
Patchwork 8:28
A Touch of Evil 13:15
Fisticuffs! 21:55
Blood Rage 31:40
We then have a quick look back at the Discworld games, have we played them? Do we want to?
Then it is the main part of the podcast, Trajan. We look at the components and theme - do we read more theme into a game if we enjoy the game? Do we think the game is balanced? What about the main mechanism of the game - good/bad/indifferent?
For the first time in our history, we all agree on 2 games in this podcast - one terrible and one excellent!
We are having a look at Letters from Whitechapel today. First we have a look at a few games we've played since the last podcast :
Mysterium 00:50
Roads and Boats 05:34
Gold West 12:12
Grand Austrian Hotel 17:54
Age of Sigmar 22:26
Walled City 25:07
We then get into the main game. We start with theme and components - since this is based on a real event, how does that effect the theme of the game? We are a group of 2 alpha gamers, how does this game handle that (or does it)? Is the game balanced? Does the game go on too long for what it is? Which is the more fun side to play - Jack or the police?
We actually mostly agree on many points, but the game is not for everybody in the group, find out why!
You can visit us at http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com
Find other great podcasts at http://dicetowernetwork.com
We have a look at Smash Up today - including the newest expansion It's Your Fault.
First we talk about some games we've played over the last 2 weeks :
Leonardo Da Vinci 00:35
Formula D (and the live stream!) 05:50
Stronghold 2nd Edition 08:50
Sunrise City 16:13
Roads and Boats 23:55
We then get into our main game, Smash Up! (31:50). We look at the components (hey, it's just cards) and theme (?!?). We also discuss if this is a light weight filler game or something more substantial. How do we like the idea of smashing up 2 different decks, and does it work? What about play length? And is this just a munchkin game in disguise?
We have a look at Kemet this week. It's ranked in the 60s on boardgamegeek, we've got to like it right? Right?!?
We start off by looking at a few games we've played in the last 2 weeks :
Murano 00:35
Theophrastus 04:13
Hamburgum 10:15
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective 15:00
Red Dragon Inn 18:30
We then get into Kemet (26:15). We look at the usual items, theme and components. We then get into the mechanisms and the strategy of the game - since we are not an aggressive group, and some of us like to hold back and turtle, how did we approach the game? Since it forces you to be on the attack, did we like that? Is it a good Weuro game (War+Euro)? What, if anything would we change about the game?
We have a look at the newest expansion to a much beloved classic game - Ticket To Ride United Kingdom and Pennsylvania.
First we have a quick look at some games we've played recently :
Clacks
Archaeology
We then have a look back at Race for the Galaxy. Are we still split on the game.
Next comes a discussion on original Ticket to Ride to get a base feeling around the board before talking about the expansions.
We have a look at components (the colourful UK map and the not so colourful Pennsylvania) and theme - and we discuss when we tend to internalize the theme (or read more into the theme than is actually there). We also discuss if we have any problems with the game, or is this just the perfect intro game for new games. We finally give our ratings for the base ticket to ride.
We then discuss the two expansions - United Kingdom and Pennsylvania. We discuss the differences between the base game and the expansion and does the expansion fit with Ticket to Ride. We are split on the two expansion, and have quite strong feelings on the two expansions.
We decided to have a look at a much loved game, Smallworld! First we talk about some of the games we've played recently, including Codenames (and does it work in a large group of non-gamers?) and Red Dragon Inn.
We then do a look back at Formula D - does it still hold up a year later?
We then get into the meat of the episode, Smallworld. We discuss the theme and components (as usual) - it's Days of Wonder, so you know there will be no issues with the components! We then talk about the main mechanism of the game - and is it really just the novelty of the race/power combinations that make this game interesting? Is the game long enough? For those of us that like meaty, strategic games, is this one still enjoyable?
You might not be surprised by now, but we have a split at the table in our final opinions!
Make sure to check out other boardgaming podcasts at http://www.dicetowernetwork.com
You can also find out about us at http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com
The holiday's are all over, so it is back to normal! We start of the podcast by have a quick look at Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective and Lanterns.
Then we have a look back one year at Shadows Over Camelot.
Finally we get into discussion Elysium. As usual we have a look at theme and components. Then the different flavours of the god decks (and is there a difference?). Are the decks balanced? Do we feel the game is missing anything? What about strategies, is there more than one?
We finish off with our final thoughts, and the Red Corner has a quick look at the game from a casual gamer point of view.
This is it! Our end of year look back episode. We have a look at all the 2015 games we've played in 2015 (26 in total). Surely, amongst all those games, there is something we all agree upon right? Sit tight for a long episode to find out!
Bottlecap Vikings 00:55
Time Stories 02:50
7 Wonders Duel 08:53
Terra 10:47
Artifacts Inc. 15:47
Codenames 17:07
Dice City 19:18
Chaosmos 21:12
Warhammer Quest 25:12
Big Book of Madness 27:05
Pingo Pingo 33:41
Elysium 36:39
Roll for the Galaxy 38:50
Code of Nine 43:15
Xenoshift Onslaught 47:45
Ghostbusters 52:04
Flick 'em Up! 54:11
XCOM : The Board Game 55:59
Isle of Sky 1:01:13
Star Trek 5 Year Mission 1:03:24
Ticket to Ride UK and Pennsylvania 1:07:17
Pandemic Legacy 1:13:09
504 1:17:44
The World of Smog : On Her Magesty's Service 1:21:34
Orleans 1:26:04
Food Chain Magnate 1:31:34
We end off with giving our picks of the year.
Don't forget to visit our webpage at http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com
You can also find great podcasts at http://dicetowernetwork.com
In the last regular episode of the year before our year end round up we have a look at an older game called Locomotive Werks. An economic train game, what could be the harm in that?
But first we look at some games we've played recently :
Dice City 01:12
Terra 02:48
Ghostbusters 06:30
Food Chain Magnate 08:28
We then look back at Nuns on the Run 11:45 - has our opinion changed on this game? Do we still want to play it?
We then get into Locomotive Werks (15:01). This is first 'pure' economic engine games we've reviewed and for some of us, it might be the last. We look at the usual components and theme and then delve into the game itself - including the mechanisms of the game : aging/rusting engines, random orders for trains, and how locomotives are sold. Also we discover that there is only one path for victory, but each of us has a different path to victory.
Is this a game worth playing? That depends on which corner of the board you identify with - listen to find out!
This episode we are looking at Principato.
First we take a look back at one year ago and have a quick look at 7 Wonders (00:24) - how does it hold up? Does Gray still dislike it?
We then delve into Principato (05:45)
Is this a game with sparkling theme or just a themeless Euro?
The four corners have a look at components (those cards!) and theme in the game. We also talk about the main mechanism of the game - and can a game solely rely on one mechanism?
Are there mutliple paths to victory? Or is the game broken and it is a one trick pony?
As usual there are different opinions around the table but do we think it is worth the time to play?
We start off this episode by doing very quick reviews/first impressions of some of the games we've played :
On her Magesty's Service 02:00
Star Wars Risk 03:00
Fits 05:00
Tikal 06:30
Wir Sind Das Volk 09:00
We then have a look back at the game we reviewed 1 year ago - Kingsburg (11:50)
Then we get into today's game : Bruges (16:25)
We look at components, theme (and lack there of), the large amount of randomness in the game and does that impact the two players who enjoy planning out long term strategies. We also have a look at the point salad aspect of the game - is it better to be points focused, or dabble a little bit in everything?
For our 1 year anniversary we decided to have a look back at one of the games that brought us together - Dominion.
It's a game we've all played many, many times over the last few years. Does it still hold up? Should it still be considered a foundation game - that is a game in everybody's collection?
We look at the components and (lack of) theme in the game. We then move on to game play and randomness versus skill in the game. Is there no more skill than a slot machine or video poker?
We also quickly touch on our favourite expansions.
Have we moved on from the game? Is the game still relevant?
We've also implemented a new rating system (0 - 10) - check it out on our website http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com
Also check out all the other great podcasts on the Dice Tower network at http://www.dicetowernetwork.com
We start off this episode with a quick look at Star Trek Five Year Mission before we get into a discussion on Spike.
Star Trek Five Year Mission 00:48
In this episode we can not agree on anything about Spike - from components, theme, strategy, player controlled game ending, or even how to rate the game.
Needless to say 2 of the corners disagree with how the Gray corner plays games, and take turns pointing out their problems with the game play and certain strategies. And the gray corner, the mechanism guy, says there is a good theme to the game!
The one thing we all agree on is the game is a train game, but is it a good step after Ticket to Ride? Is it a complicated game? Is there depth to the game? We end the discussion with rating the game (hint some of us really liked the game, while others have a different opinion).
Before the Four Corners get into the discussion on Carcassonne we have a quick look at 2 games :
Chew : Case files of the FDA at 00:31
Codenames at 03:51
We then get into Carcassonne and talk about the components, strategies, and scoring. We also have a dicussion on why this 15 year old game is still going strong, and is it all down to the expansions?
We then discuss our favourite expansions to add to Carcassonne, and we end the discussion topics on the most contentious topic of the day : Theme! Who knew it had a them and members of the Board felt so strongly about it!
We end up giving our ratings (hint - one of us is no longer in love with the game) and finish up with suggestions for other games that give us a similar experience.
Don't forget you can find all our contact information on our new website at http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com.
Also if you'd like to hear more great podcasts on board gaming, why not check out the dice tower network at http://www.dicetowernetwork.com
This episode of Four Corners of the Board we are looking at two Vegas themed games, Lords of Vegas and Vegas Showdown.
We start off by looking at each game by itself, and looking at the components, themes, and game play. We also look at the core mechanisms of each game. As usual, only some of us agree some of the time.
We end the discussion by deciding which game we like better as a game, and which game do we feel does a better job of bringing the Vegas feel to the table.
We are also now a proud member of the dice tower network, where you can find many more great podcasts about board games. www.dicetowernetwork.com
Also check out our new website at http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com which will also tell you all the ways you can join the discussion!
The Four Corners look at Power Grid in this episode - Number 11 on the BoardGameGeek top games of all times. That means we all love this game right?
If you've listened to us before you would know things are never that easy.
We start off by having a look at the components - surely we can agree on that. Nope.
We also look the math in the game, starting positions, the balancing mechanisms, and the auction mechanism amongst other topics. At the end of the day, we realise that we don't agree on any of it. What's new?
We have had some technical issues with this podcast during recording, and we've tried to fix most of them during editing, so hopefully you can still enjoy the episode!
Also check out our website at fourcornersoftheboard.com for an index of all the games we've reviewed along with articles!
We have a look at a box full of minis called Zombicide!
As usual we look at aspects of the game, including the minis - and why is one of the survivor minis almost the same colour as a zombie?
We also have a look at other aspects of the game. Is it balanced? Does it need to be? With a game with potential player elimination, is the game too long? Does the theme work? Since this is a co-op game, does it help with the alpha gamers in our group? How strategic is this game - and do the strategy lovers of the group even like the game?
Surprise, surprise - we only agree on some parts of the game, but it might not be the parts nor people you think.
Join us for a discussion on Zombicide!
Ah, and we have a website! Check it out at www.fourcornersoftheboard.com
This week we have a look at Canterbury. Who knew such bland looking game could be so contentious! The four corners do not agree on anything about the game! We can't even agree on the weight of the game!
As usual, we look at the different aspects of the game, including components, game length, weight of game, strategies, likes and dislikes.
Since this is a perfect information game, do we like knowing everything? Or do games need a little bit of randomness in them?
Is this a game worth getting and playing? Well, that depends on which one of the corners you are side with.
By the way, we have a website as well now! Check out www.fourcornersoftheboard.com! We will be announcing it on the next podcast!
This episode we are looking at one of Gray's new favourite game - Dungeon Petz (well, it's new to us).
What do the other corners think of the game? Do they all agree it is a fantastic game? No? Are you surprised?
We have a look at the game length, and the main mechanisms of the game. Also we discuss the weight of the theme versus the weight of the game. What parts of the game do we like the most, are there parts that we do not like? Do we all agree that the game is thematic? Is there any piece of the game that breaks that theme?
What makes this game stand out against over worker placement games?
And have we finally found a really good rulebook?
After just arriving back from Dice Tower Con 2015 in Orlando, Florida, the 4 Corners get together to talk about the Con. What is a Con? Does size matter? What to do at a Con?
We then get into doing a very quick review of the games we played while at the Con. They include:
Firefly 10:16
Terra Mystica 11:16
Scoville 13:39
Fluxx 17:23
Lost Cities 19:05
Zombie Dice 21:45
Alchemists 23:00
Agents of Smersh 26:57
Chez Geek 28:53
Red 7 32:43
Flick em Up! 36:06
Colosseum 40:08
Dungeon Petz 42:12
Stock Car Race 44:13 (Richard Launius Prototype)
Pericles 49:25
Batman Loveletter 51:30
Erruption 52:51
Pitchcar 54:45
Werewolf 56:38
Concept 1:00:56
Diamonds 1:05:20
Dominion 1:06:41
We then end the show with our favourite experiences from the Con.
This week the Four Corners of the Board look at 2 games - Machi Koro with the Harbor Expansion and Betrayal at House on the hill.
For Machi Koro we look at the base game and the expansion. Do expansions always make the game better? Is this game worth its Spiel des Jahres nomination?Is there anything we'd change in the game? I guess the bigger question is, do we all like it?
For Betrayal at House on the Hill, most of us agree the game has some problems, but why do we keep coming back to the game? It is a game of two halves, does this work? Is the begining of the game really a co-op style or something more? Something more interesting? What about the unknown traitor mechanism, do we like that mechanism?
In this episode we talk about Pandemic - which is appropriate as one corner is just getting over a sickness, and another is in the throws of a sickness.
We have a look at this game, and see if it really lives up to the hype of being one of the best games out there. Is it really a great game to introduce new gamers to the hobby? Do you stack the deck to make sure you win? Does it even matter if you win in a co-op game?
The discussion turns, as expected, into a discussion on the alpha gamer syndrome - and the gray corner admits that in this game, he is one. Do the other corners have sympathy for him? Of course not...and unfortunately the other alpha gamer is not in the discussion so can not provide back up! Can he convince the others that the game needs an alpha gamer?
This episode we talk about Thunderstone Advance, one of the early deckbuilders.
How does this game compare to the grandaddy of deckbuilders, Dominion? What about the Epic variant? Are there now too many cards to Thunderstone Advance?
This game really has the corners switching changing strategies - the normal, card counting, strategic gray corner just plays this game for fun? The green and red corners developing strong complicated combos?
While the group is usually very friendly about playing games, there is one strategy that was deployed by one of the corners that really irked the other players.
Was he right or wrong? The corners themselves couldn't come up with an answer and are asking for you to help us settle the argument!
In this podcast we have a look at Thunder Alley - a racing game put out by GMT games.
How does this game compare to Formula D? How much of a racing game does this actually feel like? Does it get your heart pumping and blood racing? In our previous discussion on Formula D the group was pretty much split, does that hold the same this time?
Which corner emerges as the champion for this game? It might surprise you!
In this episode we discuss a game we feel flew under the radar called Firenze. What do we think of the game and why has it fallen under the radar? Should it stay under the radar?
We also have a quick look at two new games, XCOM and Roll for the Galaxy.
Do all four corners enjoy these games? Of course not, that would be too easy. Do any of us agree on any of the games?
XCOM - 00:54
Roll for the Galaxy - 08:05
Firenze - 18:34
The Four Corners of the Board take a look at the 3 current Discworld games : Ankh-Morpork, Guards! Guards! and The Witches.
Do any of them live up to their source material created by the late Terry Pratchett?
How do the four corners rank the 3 games?
Do you need to know the source material to enjoy the games?
Could there be a disagreement about one of the games?
Timestamps :
Ankh-Morpork - 01:55
Guards! Guards - 20:21
The Witches - 41:49
We finally have all four corners back to the table for a discussion...but since he have not seen each other in many weeks we have not had a chance to play a game to discuss.
Instead we look at Theme in games - what does it mean to us? What are our favourite themes and what games uses those themes best? Least favourite? Disappointing games due to the theme?
Graeme then recounts his adventures going to a Games Workshop store and brining the family along to learn minis - did it work?
The Four Corners has been reduce to 2 for this week's podcast, so we've recruited the Orange Meeple! We are doing something a little different again while the other Corners recover.
We'll be looking at games we like to play as a family (3 of us). We'll cover a fair number of games (14!) fairly quickly to hopefully help you pick the next game to try with your kid(s). These are not full reviews, just a quick overview of the game, and any comments we have - also try and identify what types of games work best for us. It is a surprise what we come up with!
We look at :
Stuff the Trunk
Volcano Island Countdown
Lego Creationary
Lego Heroica
Lego Magikus
Bouncing Eggs
Survive! Escape from Atlantis
Labrynith
Munchkin
Smash Up!
Tales of the Arabian Nights
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Rattus
King of Toyko
In this episode of Four Corners of the Board we try something a little different as we are down to just 2 corners for this recording.
We first start the podcast talking about Print and Play games and then review 3 PnP games.
Jasper and Zot (04:35)
Infection Express (7:05)
Maquis (10:57)
We then have a discussion on Minis games (16:32).
We discuss how we got into Minis, a brief overview of what we think minis games are, and offer up some suggestions as to how to get into minis gaming.
In this episode we discuss Formula D. This game turned out to be very divisive between the corners - as it seems to divide gamers on the internet.
Both side try to convince the other that it is either a simple roll and move game akin to Sorry, or a much deeper game with strategy and resource management.
Who wins? Does anybody win?
In our first podcast of 2015, we are trying something a little different.
We start our podcast with quicklooks - short reviews of games we have played recently. In this episode we have a quicklook at the following games :
Kingsport Festival
Ca$h 'n Guns
Pandemic and On the Brink
Dead of Winter
The Duke
Ticket to Ride Marklin
Betrayal at the House on the Hill
We then have our indepth discussion on Race for the Galaxy.
One of the corners doesn't like this game, and another of them vehemently dislikes it. We discuss why we are so split on the game, and try to get all the corners on the same board.
In something a little different, we review all the games that we played that were published in 2014. These include the following :
Five Tribes
Istanbul
Legendary Encounters : Alien
One Night Ultimate Werewolf
Thunder Alley
Progress : Evolution of Technology
Subdivision
Among the Stars
Tortuga
Sultaniya
Medina
Cash'n Guns 2nd edition
Lords of Xidit
Battle Sheep
Machi Koro
Splendor
Each corner selects their favourite game and our biggest disappointments of 2014!
We have a look at Shadows over Camelot - but there is a traitor in our midst who does not like the game?
Will the forces for good detect him and stop him before he poisons the minds of the group against Shadows over Camelot?
The four corners have a look at the following :
-
Components
-
The traitor mechanism (and does it just evolve into a Werewolf situation)
-
Different ways to play the traitor
-
Does pre-picking your characters constitute cheating? Or just playing the way you want to play
And other topics as well, we then round off the discussion with our ratings and our suggestions of other games like Shadows over Camelot.
In this episode the four corners have a look at Nuns on the Run - a hidden movement game with a unique theme.
As usual there is one corner of the board that is not particularly fond of the game and by examining different aspects (theme, components, and game play) the other corners try to find out why.
Can we change the last corners mind and convince her the game is a good game? Or will the other corners crumble and join her in the dislike of the game?
We end the show with our ratings and offer alternative games in the same style or theme.
In this episode the 4 corners have a look at 7 Wonders.
3 of the 4 corners gang up on Graeme and try to find out why he does not like the game. Can they win him over and get him to change his mind? Or will his flawless counter arguments convert them to his side?
In the inaugural podcast of the Four Corners of the Board we have a discussion on Kingsburg and it's expansion, To Forge a Realm.
We try to cover all aspects of the game, good and bad.
We go in depth on the game play, what we like and don't like about the game. We talk about the expansion and if it is a must buy.
We also offer up some discussion on how we will play it (variants) next time to overcome some of the short comings we have found with the game.