Games from the Cellar

This week, the panel defends the realm in a rousing game of Shadows Over Camelot! Designed by Bruno Cathala and Serge Laget, Shadows Over Camelot was published in 2005 by Days of Wonder. In 2006, it was nominated for several Golden Geek awards and won a Spiel des Jahres "Fantasy Game" Award. Shadows Over Camelot is a cooperative board game in which players take on the roles of the Knights of the R...

This week, Stephen and John go to war with the instant classic Conflict of Interest, Undaunted: Normandy! Designed by David Thompson and Trevor Benjamin, Undaunted: Normandy was published by Osprey Games in 2019. It was nominated in 2019 for the BoardGameGeek Golden Geek Award for the Best 2-Player Game and won the BoardGameGeek Golden Geek Award for Best War Game. Undaunted: Normandy is the first...

Ready! Set! Bet! Oh wait, not that game... In Camel Up, players wager and race camels (not horses) one lap around the pyramid. Clever betting and fortuitous dice roles are the key to victory out in the sands! Camel Up, designed by Steffen Bogen, was first published by Z-Man Games in 2014. In 2014, it won the Spiel des Jahres and was nominated for the BoardGameGeek Golden Geek Award for Best Family...

This week, the panel defends their homeland from colonial invasion in a game of Spirit Island. Designed by E. Eric Reuss, Spirit Island was published by Greater Than Games in 2017, and has since been expanded several times. In Spirit Island, players take the role of one of the native Spirits of the Land and use their powers to thwart and push back the European settlers that have arrived to coloniz...

Join the panel this week as Games from the Cellar runs screaming into a game of Terrorscape. Designed by Jeffery CCH, Terrorscape was published by ICE Makes in 2023 after a successful Kickstarter campaign. In Terrorscape, players take on the role of either the killer or a rag-tag group of survivors in this team-based asymmetric horror game. Hide to survive, manage your noise, and ultimately escape...

This week, the panel delves into the dungeon with the classic deck-builder, Thunderstone. Designed by Mike Elliott, Thunderstone was published in 2009 by Alderac Entertainment Group. It had five expansions before being re-implemented by Thunderstone Advance: Towers of Ruin in 2012. In Thunderstone, players take on the role of adventurers seeking to defeat monsters in an ever-evolving dungeon fille...

This week the panel discusses the games we're looking forward to playing at this year's Central Atlantic Games Extravaganza!  

Join the panel this week as they try to exorcise Wu-Feng's minions in Ghost Stories. Designed by Antoine Bauza, Ghost Stories was published by Repos Productions in 2008. Ghost Stories is a cooperative board game where players take on the roles of Taoist monks defending a village from relentless waves of ghosts and other supernatural beings. It is known for its challenging gameplay, strategic depth...

This week, the panel engages in vehicular carnage with Thunder Road: Vendetta. Originally designed by Jim Keifer in 1986, Thunder Road was given the Restoration Games treatment by Rob Daviau and crew in 2023. Thunder Road: Vendetta is set in a post-apocalyptic world where players control gangs of vehicles fighting for survival and dominance in a desolate wasteland. It builds upon the original game...

This week, John and Stephen go toe-to-toe, slinging magic and summoning hordes of warriors in one of our enduring two-player favorites, Summoner Wars! Designed by Colby Dauch in 2009, Summoner Wars was published by Plaid Hat Games and expanded thoroughly upon through 2016. Summoner Wars (Second Edition) was released in 2021 and is currently supported. Summoner Wars is a tactical card game that com...

This week, the panel digs into our latest cooperative campaign board game, the analog version of the hit PC game - Deep Rock Galactic: the Board Game! Designed by Ole Steinnis, Deep Rock: Galactic was published by MOOD Publishing after a successful Kickstarter in 2022. In Deep Rock Galactic: the Board Game, you are a Dwarven Miner, just trying to do your damn job. Unfortunately, that job happens t...

This week, the panel tackles one of the BoardGameGeek behemoths! Join us as we adventure in the world of Goomhaven: Jaws of the Lion to investigate the mystery of its disappearing citizens. Designed by Isaac Childres, Jaws of the Lion was released in 2020 from Cephalofair Games as a pared-down version of Gloomhaven to appeal to a broader gaming audience.  In Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion, you are a...

This week, the panel delves into the intricacies of the cooperative tactical combat scenario game - Adventure Tactics: Domianne's Tower! Nicolas Yu designed this 2021 offering from Leimian Games. In Adventure Tactics: Domianne's Tower, you start as one of five basic classes battling through a series of campaign scenarios. As you progress, you can choose your own path as you unlock new elite classe...

Welcome to Season 2 of Games from the Cellar! This week, the panel sets off for adventure! Join us as we delve into the ancient ruins of the Adventurers: the Temple of Chac, a 2009 offering from Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG), designed by Guillaume Blossier and   Frédéric Henry . In The Adventurers: the Temple of Chac, you take on the role of one (or two) of the titular Adventurers, looting tre...

Join the panel this week as they race to the city gates to talk about the Downfall of Pompeii! The Downfall of Pompeii, designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, was first published by Amigo and Mayfair in 2004. Episode Summary: Vesuvius seethes in the background of this light, relaxing tile placement game. Until it become a light, not-so-relaxing race to get your family members out of town before disaster...

This week, the panel digs into our recent game of Dominant Species! Dominant Species, designed by Chad Jensen, was first published by GMT Games in 2010. In 2011, it was nominated for the BoardGameGeek Golden Geek Award for Most Innovative and Best Thematic Game and won two Golden Geeks for Best Strategy Game and Game of the Year.  Episode Summary: The panel begins by highlighting typical challenge...

Join the panel this week as they branch out into a game of Photosynthesis!  Photosynthesis, designed by Hjalmar Hach, was first published by Blue Orange Games in 2017. It was nominated for several 2017  Board Game Geek Awards, including Most Innovative and Best Family Game. Photosynthesis won several awards, including the 2017 Board Game Geek Golden Geek Award for Best Artwork and Presentation, th...

Previously, on Games to the Cellar... We played a game of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: the Game! The good one from Milton Bradley! Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Game (2000), designed by Rob Daviau, Bill Sabram, and Craig van Ness, was published by Milton Bradley in 2000. Episode Summary: Join the panel as we take a look at the game mechanisms of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: the Game and the roles of eac...

Join us in our first ever Bonus Episode, where we play a few games and have a little fun. John, Chris, and Sam face off to battle for the Title of the King of the Mississippi and a really dumb trophy that I got off Amazon. Round 1: Wager of Wits! The panel stretches their understanding of the Mississippi River to answer a few tricky questions. Round 2: The Lightning Round! The panel reaches back t...

This week we dig into the hot new expansion for last year's most popular civilization game, Mosaic. Mosaic: Wars and Disasters was designed by Glen Drover and was published by Forbidden Games in 2023. Episode Summary The panel covers everything Mosaic: Wars and Disasters adds to Mosaic, including new civilization achievements, new wonders, disaster triggers, and two new types of towns. We break do...

Join us this week as we sail into a game of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico, a Spiel des Jahres nominee, was designed by Andreas Seyfarth and was first published by Alea, Ravensburger, and Rio Grande Games in 2002. Episode Summary The panel takes a deep dive into this once top-rated game that has seemingly lost its charm and acknowledges the problematic aspects of its theme while focusing on its gameplay...

Join us this week in our first episode of Season 2 of Games from the Cellar. We ride the tide of the Mighty Mississippi in the 1997 Classic, Mississippi Queen! Mississippi Queen, designed by Werner Hodel, was first published by Rio Grande Games in the US in 1997. Mississippi Queen won the Spiel des Jares in 1997. Episode Summary Embark on a journey with us as we navigate the thrilling world of Mis...

Take a Chance with us this week as we play Monopoly! (This could be our most popular or unpopular episode yet!) Depending on where in the story you start, Monopoly was either first designed by Elizabeth J. Magie and patented in 1904 as the Landlord's Game, or developed and patented by Charles Darrow in 1935. It was first published by Parker Brothers. Monopoly was awarded "Game of the Century" by t...

Join us this week, as the panel dives in and discusses the board gaming classic, Survive: Escape from Atlantis! Survive: Escape from Atlantis!, designed by Julian Courtland-Smith, was originally published in 1982 by Parker Brothers. It was later reprinted by Stronghold Games in 2012. It was nominated Game of the Year in Italy and Game of the Year in Spain. Episode Summary: Join the panel this week...