Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 83 we provide our hot take review of The Isle of Cats covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about favorite number and length of games for an ideal game night, Chris provides a themed cocktail for The Isle of Cats, and then we discuss some games on our table including A Feast for Odin and Rolling Realms and give our future take o...

In Episode 82 we provide our hot take review of Brian Boru: High King of Ireland covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about things that motivate you to look closer at a game and consider buying it, Chris gives us his famous themed cocktail segment, and then we discuss some games on our table including Tapestry: Arts and Architecture and N...

In Episode 81 we provide our hot take review of Libertalia covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game and then we discuss what we think of the changes in the updated and newly released version of the game, Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest.   We're joined by Riley Stock, the host of the Board Game Community Show podcast. We discuss a poll related to favorite ty...

In Episode 80 we discuss our top 3 favorite combat mechanisms as well as our top 2 least favorite combat mechanisms. We also discuss poll results on player counts and discuss favorite player counts. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:36 Poll: Player Counts 05:51 Favorite Combat Mechanisms - Lords of Hellas 8:05 #3 Tim - Dwellings of Eldervale 13:20 #3 Adam - Inis 16:35 #3 Chris - Fractal: Beyond th...

In Episode 79 we provide our hot take review of the expansion for Dune: Imperium, The Rise of Ix, covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we discuss a poll related to favorite interactions types. Then we discuss some games on our table including Cryo and some future takes on Steam Up: A Feast of Dim Sum and Libertalia: Winds of Gal...

In Episode 78 we provide our hot take review of La Granja covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we discuss a poll related to thematic sci-fi IP based board games. Chris presents a La Granja themed cocktail and then we discuss some games on our table including Blood Rage, Gaia Project, Pan Am, Ra, and Nidavellir. Timestamps: 00:00...

In Episode 77 we provide our hot take review of Brass: Birmingham covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we discuss a poll related to board game bonuses. Chris presents a Brass themed cocktail and then we discuss some games on our table including Ark Nova, Abandon All Artichokes, Art Decko, and Radlands and we give our future take...

In Episode 76 we look back at the games we played in 2021 and talk about our biggest hits, and biggest missed in 2021.  This includes games that were published in 2021 but also games that were new to us in 2021.  We also talk about our Board Game Revelations - the things that changed gaming for us over the last year. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 3:23 Biggest Surprises in 2021 3:37 Chri...

In Episode 75 we provide our hot take review of Merchants of the Dark Road covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we discuss a poll related to what makes legacy games feel special. Then we discuss some games on our table including Azul, Tzolk'in, The Great Wall, Abyss, Seasons. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:27 Poll: What makes...

In Episode 74 we provide our hot take reviews of Welcome To... and Azul covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the games and we discuss a poll related to ideal board game playtimes. Chris provides a Welcome To... themed cocktail and then we discuss some games on our table including Viticulture, Charterstone, and Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun. Ti...

In Episode 73 we provide our hot take review of Ark Nova covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we discuss a poll related to board game strategy guides. Then we discuss some games on our table including Targi, Viticulture, Welcome To..., Happy Little Dinosaurs, and Just Desserts. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:22 News and Poll:...

In Episode 72 we discuss the top 5 games we want to play but haven't gotten around to... yet.  We also look at our lists from last year and review whether we played them and how they landed for us. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction Last Year 4:27 #5 Chris Last Year - Godspeed 6:00 #5 Jen Last Year - Rajas of the Ganges 7:00 #5 Tim Last Year - Res Arcana 8:25 #5 Adam Last Year - Fossilis 9:54 #4...

In Episode 71 we provide our hot take review of Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we discuss a poll related to storing game expansions. Chris discusses the Tzolk'in themed cocktail that wasn't and then we discuss some games on our table including Praga Caput Regni and the games we've been playing...

In Episode 70 we provide our hot take review of Keyflower covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we discuss a poll related to buying games that we first played online. Chris provides a Keyflower themed cocktail and then we discuss some games on our table including Cascadia, Welcome To..., and Obsession. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduct...

In Episode 69 we provide our hot take review of Root covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we discuss a poll related to asymmetric board games. Chris provides a Root themed cocktail and then we discuss some games on our table including Risk: Legacy, Azul, and Unsettled. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:29 Poll: Asymmetric Game P...

In Episode 68 we discuss some of the reasons we cull board games from our collections and list 5 games that are leaving and why they aren't going to be sticking around. We also discuss poll results on how frequently board games are culled. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:39 Poll discussion around culling games 9:17 #5 Adam - Space Corp - 2025-2300AD 12:35 #5 Chris - Calico 15:15 #5 Tim - Wingspa...

In Episode 67 we provide our hot take review of Ankh: Gods of Egypt covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we discuss our big 'renaming' and related poll results. Chris provides an Ankh themed cocktail and then we discuss some games on our table including Keyflower, Bonfire, and Brian Boru: High King of Ireland. Timestamps: 00:00...

In Episode 66 we provide our hot take review of Russian Railroads covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we discuss some poll results around abstract games.   We then discuss some games on our table including Royal Visit, Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition, and Patchwork: Halloween Edition and then give our future takes on Ag...

In Episode 65 we provide our hot take review of Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss a big change coming for Board Game Hot Takes and ask for your input. We then discuss some games on our table including Paladins of the West Kingdom and the expansion for My Little Scythe...

In Episode 64, we discuss the next 8 games that were played at TimCon where Tim, Adam, Chris, and Steve got together for 5 days of non-stop gaming!  We also discuss our biggest disappointments and biggest surprises out of the 22 games played from the entire weekend. Games covered include Smartphone, Inc., Samurai, Tapestry, Cerebria, Shamans, Outlive, Anachrony, and The Mind. Follow along as...

In Episode 63, we discuss the first 14 games that were played at TimCon where Tim, Adam, Chris, and Steve got together for 5 days of non-stop gaming! Games covered include Glen More II: Chronicles, Shards of Infinity, Gaia Project, High Society, Cubitos, Dominant Species, The Bridges of Shangri-La, Kabuto Sumo, The Expanse Board Game, Cascadia, Terraforming Mars, Aquatica, Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for th...

In Episode 62 we provide our hot take review of Robotech: Reconstruction covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss where we buy board games and some related poll results. Chris provides a Robotech themed cocktail and then we discuss some games on our table including Azul and Glen More II and future takes on Azul: Q...

Bonus episode!  In Episode 61 we provide our hot take review of Fractal: Beyond the Void covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.   Then we compare Fractal: Beyond the Void to Voidfall (another epic 4x space game on Kickstarter right now) and discuss which one we preferred and which one each of us plans to back on Kickstarter...

In Episode 60 we provide our hot take review of Voidfall covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game (as well as whether we plan to back it on Kickstarter).  We also discuss upgraded board game components and some related poll results. Then we discuss some games on our table including The Dragon Prince: Battlecharged and Crimes in His...

In Episode 59 we provide our hot take review of Furnace covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss traveling with board games and some related poll results. Chris provides a Furnace themed cocktail and then Tim goes deep on his experience with Cerebria: The Inside World. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:34 Poll: Tr...