The Discussion Phase

Many say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but does that hold true to board games that are a little different from the rest. On this week's episode of The Discussion Phase we highlight some of our favorite board games that stand out from the others for their uniqueness. We catch up on some recent plays, thoughts on the state of Assassin's Creed, and round up with our series of "Battle of...

No one likes missing out on the new or best games, but sometimes you have more games than you have to play them. On this week of the Discussion Phase, we rank the hottest games that we've missed out on and want to play next. We review recent plays and share more thoughts on Ankh: Gods of Egypt. We continue our series "Battle of the Big Box Stores."

We have all fallen victim to the hype train, or seen a lot of negative reviews for a game and have not had very high hopes; yet when we actually play the game we are either  surprisingly impressed or disappointed. On this week's episode, we breakdown the games that have given us  experiences that were vastly different from our expectations. We review some recent games and start our new s...

Most of us look at our board game collections, some stretching from the floor to the ceiling, with pride; but what if you lost it all? This week on the Discussion Phase we figure out what we would do and where we would start if we lost our entire board game collection and had to start back at the beginning. We give some first impressions of our plays of Ankh and catch up on recent plays. We also f...

When at first you don't succeed, try, try, again! On this week's episode of The Discussion Phase, we're talking all about 2nd editions for board games, which ones need them, which ones don't, and which ones do it right. We catch up on some recent plays and adventures; and we continue our series of Year vs Year.

Some of the closest friendships you can make are with those you play board games with, but what do you do when those you game with aren't your friends or your friends don't play board games. On this week's episode we discuss which is easier, making a friend out of a gamer or making a gamer out of friend. We also discuss some recent plays and continue our "Year vs Year" showdown.

There is a clear debate on whether or not people should use house rules in their games. Some who say that a game should be played as intended and others who say that a game should be changed to be fun if needed. On this week's episode the Discussion Phase breaks down the ins and outs of house rules, are they needed, do they make games better. We go through games that have been and/or need a house...

To paint or not to paint, that is the question. In a hobby that most would consider niche, tabletop miniature painting is even more so. On this week's episode we explore the world of painting miniatures for board games, our loves and frustrations, how to get started, and deciding if it's worth the investment. We discuss some recent plays of Gloomhaven and Ortus Regni, and battle it out in this mon...

Love them or hate them, campaign/legacy games are one of the most popular genre of board games today. On today's episode we talk all about our love/hate relationship with the genre; which ones we've enjoyed and which ones disappoint. One member of the Discussion Phase has an awakening with his new found love for the genre. We review recent plays of Thunderstone Quest, Terraforming Mars: Ares Exped...

On this week's episode the Discussion Phase takes our personality tests. Not the kind that tells us how outgoing we are, but tells us what type of board gamer we are and the games we should gravitate towards. We also review recent plays of Kemet, Terra Mystica, and Bullet❤️. We also kick off our monthly segment, Dream Vacations: Board Game Edition. For those that would like to take your own board...

We all have games we make excuses for and ignore it's faults because we enjoy it so much. Maybe it's a sunk cost fallacy and you have to love the game because you spent too much on it, or maybe you just really love the theme and are willing to forgive the frustrating parts. Today we're calling out those games we love, BUT have some faults that would make others not as excited to play. We breakdown...

We're constantly lauding games for their mechanics and the amount of fun they deliver, but what about those games that might have something more to teach us. This week we explore the games we think can help develop skills that can be applicable in every day life. We dive into some recent plays as well as breakdown the crisis that is "international shipping." We round up with our final board game m...

The long anticipated title from Cole Wehrle, Oath: Chronicle of Empire and Exile, has finally arrived. On today's episode we dive deep into the world of Oath as we share our thoughts and impressions, as well as how the game plays and what makes it stand out from the crowded genre of "area-control." We discuss some recent plays as well as some other new games we've recently added to the collection....

We love board games for all the different experiences they can provide, and sometimes when the stars align and the gears start turning in your head, you can feel like a genius! This week we talk about our top games that make us feel smart and have an equally rewarding feeling. We discuss recent plays and kickstarter news. We continue our board game mechanic breakdown with discussing bidding games....

We truly live in the "Golden Age" of board games with more great games than we can even begin to play, but how did we get here and what were some of the biggest influences to get us here. On today's episode we discuss our thoughts on some of the most influential games, designers, publishers, and more. We review some recent plays, and we continue highlighting board game mechanics by talking all abo...

Here at the Discussion Phase, we love our head-down, brain-burning, multiplayer-solitaire Euro games. However, what we love most about board games is player interaction, because why else would we play physical board games! On today's episode we discuss what we think is the right amount of player interaction; what games have too little, and what games have too much. We also breakdown the epic weeke...

This week we breakdown and react to WatchMojo's "10 Best Board Games of the Century" video, as well as create what would be our top games to make the list. We breakdown some recent plays, as well as discuss some exciting new KS arrivals; then wrap things up with another round of the Chopping Block, where we talk about the games headed out of our collection.

As board gamers, there's nothing we love more than getting together for that weekly or monthly game night, but sometimes things can happen to derail the fun train. On today's episode we talk all about those things can be a pet peeve at a game night and how to avoid them. We break down some recent plays and reviews of Babylonia and Blue Lagoon. We continue our series The Chopping Block, where we de...

For board gamers who are itching to take their gaming experience to the next level, there is a plethora of options to upgrade and customize your board games with, but the question is, "What are the best to have?" On today's episode we look to answer that very question, and determine which board game upgrades and accessories are the best. We review some recent plays of Hansa Teutonica, Dice Throne,...

We've all fallen victim to the "Hype Train" before, where we've been so excited to play a game we've been waiting months or years for, but after those first few plays have cooled down on. Today we're listing our top games that we've cooled down on or just been disappointed with compared to our hype for. We breakdown some recent plays and reviews. We'll also be starting a new series, The Chopping B...

We all have those couple games in our collections that find a way of sticking around, despite maybe not being the greatest, because they have a unique theme that you haven't found anywhere else. In today's episode we list some of our favorite unique themes and debate which ones stand out the most. We dive deep into our recent play of Pax Pamir: 2nd Ed. and discuss our thoughts on the critical darl...

It's a question as old as time, should a game be judged solely by it's mechanics, or is theme just as important. In this week's episode we find out what are the top themeless games that are still great to play. We discuss some of our recent plays and reviews, as well as getting one step closer to finding out which board game rises to the top in March Madness: Board Game Edition.

One of the reasons we love board games is the interaction and discussion with friends that they create. However, some games do it better than others. On today's episode we put our favorite games with a discussion phase head to head to find out which one stands above the rest. We also review one of our favorite Euros to come out of 2020, Praga Caput Regini. We continue to find out which board game...

We've all asked the question when looking to get a new game, "Is is worth it?" In today's episode we talk all about value in boardgames, what makes a game worth it or not, what are the materials, components, and extras that justify a higher price or make it a steal of a deal. We discuss more recent plays and reviews. We also continue to find out which board game reigns supreme in March Madness: Bo...

Buckle up and hold on tight for the battle of the ages! We love "dudes on a map" games, the real question is, "Which one is the best?". This week we throw down and fight it out in Player vs Player, on which is better, TI4 or GOT. We review some recent plays, as well as continue to find out which board game reigns supreme in March Madness: Board Game Edition.