Yes, you could make the argument that every game is a negotiation game if you try hard enough, but for a lot of games it's more integral to the design. We look at games that we think integrate negotiation mechanics especially well, and ask how much is too much (or too little) when it comes to negotiation. Before we compromise, we talk about Septima , and Kremlin . 02:12 - Septima 18:09 - Kremlin 34:26 - Negotiation as a mechanic 35:51 - Catan 38:01 - Sidereal Confluence: Trading and Negotiation ...
Jun 23, 2022•55 min
While we tend to enjoy games across the whole spectrum, there's something particular about sinking your teeth into a really heavy game. But it's not always an easy prospect; conditions have to be just right. So what makes a heavy game worth it? Before things get heavy, we talk about Barony , Bausack , Whitehall Mystery , and Dead Reckoning . 02:14 - Barony 13:17 - Bausack 18:07 - Whitehall Mystery 22:59 - Dead Reckoning 32:23 - Diplomacy 34:43 - War of the Ring: Second Edition 35:15 - A Feast fo...
Jun 16, 2022•58 min
There's a lot of discourse lately about the pros and cons of negative board game coverage, and so of course we thought we ought to weigh in. Is there value in negative criticism versus positive, or should there be a balance between the two? Before we take the good with the bad, we talk about Homeworlds , Ave Caesar , and Founders of Teotihuacan . 01:42 - Homeworlds 12:39 - Ave Caesar 18:03 - Founders of Teotihuacan 30:31 - Negative criticism 56:06 - Quest Check out our wiki at: https://boardgame...
Jun 09, 2022•1 hr 4 min
It's easy to get lost in mechanical discussions of games, and forget to appreciate them as physical creations. There can be beauty in games, and we're here to get to the heart of it the only way we know, the one on one fight to the death that we call BGBBOB. Before we get skin deep, we talk about First Empires , Mille Fiori , and Foundations of Rome . 01:44 - First Empires 08:25 - Mille Fiori 16:41 - Foundations of Rome 32:51 - BGBBOB: Beautiful games 34:18 - Photosynthesis 35:23 - Root 39:12 - ...
Jun 02, 2022•1 hr 22 min
It doesn't happen as much as it does in other industries, but every so often the people at the top demand serialization. We're talking about sequels in board games, when they work, when they (super) don't, and what we'd like to see get the treatment. Before we get franchised, we talk about Next Station: London , Dawn of the Zeds (Third Edition) , and Azul: Queen's Garden . 01:23 - Next Station: London 09:29 - Dawn of the Zeds (Third Edition) 21:44 - Azul: Queen's Garden 39:51 - A Study in Emeral...
May 26, 2022•57 min
Metagaming is all about the game that exists within (and without) the game - it's everything that's not written in the rules. Whether that's something that emerges at your table, or in the community at large, it can be a big part of the social experience, and we're all for it. Before we get meta, we talk about Rum & Pirates , Box One , Shamans , and Crescent Moon . 05:00 - Rum & Pirates 11:24 - Box One 14:58 - Shamans 22:11 - Crescent Moon 38:55 - Metagaming 44:01 - Hanabi 44:40 - The Re...
May 19, 2022•1 hr 6 min
With the middle of the year rapidly approaching, we've acquired our fair share of games that we're really itching to play. We talk about what's recently made its way into our collections that we just can't wait to get to the table. Before we break out the back scratchers, we talk about Ivanhoe , Freshwater Fly , Vindication , and Cryptid: Urban Legends . 02:23 - Ivanhoe 09:13 - Freshwater Fly 17:11 - Vindication 24:22 - Cryptid: Urban Legends 37:36 - Games we're itching to play 38:40 - Dead Reck...
May 12, 2022•55 min
The Golden Geek results are in for 2021, and to avoid burying the lede ... we won! We're over the moon, naturally, but we couldn't have done it without you. We celebrate by giving our takes on the rest of the awards, how we voted, and what we think about the other categories. Before we bathe in our glory, we talk about Aristocracy , Senators , and Ark Nova . 06:08 - Aristocracy 15:51 - Senators 23:58 - Ark Nova 42:15 - Golden Geek Awards 43:29 - That Time You Killed Me 43:58 - Summoner Wars (Sec...
May 05, 2022•1 hr 15 min
It's easy to get caught up in the cult of the new, but there are so many amazing games that came out before we were even in the hobby. Mark Bigney of So Very Wrong About Games joins us to look at the games we love from yesteryear, and other older games we really ought to play. And stick around for even more special appearances after the show! Before we go back in time, we talk about Sobek: 2 Players , Phantom Leader Deluxe , and Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition . 04:30 - Sobek: 2 Players 11:59...
Apr 28, 2022•1 hr 19 min
There are many ways that we can accidentally contribute to gatekeeping in the hobby - pushing those who want to embrace it away. Whether it's to those outside, or even, bizarrely, to those already in, we break down the subtle (and unsubtle) ways we do it, whether or not we mean to. Before we find the keymaster, we talk about San Marco , Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion , and Ghosts of Christmas . 02:28 - San Marco 10:57 - Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion 20:34 - Ghosts of Christmas 32:03 - Exploding Kit...
Apr 21, 2022•49 min
It doesn't quite work the same, but what do you expect when Neilan's not present? Speaking of presents, it's Mark's birthday so the rest of the crew celebrate with a parade of (don't call them hot) questions, where they invent expansions, and save the planet. Before we get older, we talk about Time Barons , and The Key: Sabotage at Lucky Llama Land . 03:57 - Time Barons 13:37 - Hanabi Deluxe II 15:34 - The Key: Sabotage at Lucky Llama Land 28:06 - Beyond the Sun 30:57 - The Quest for El Dorado 3...
Apr 14, 2022•48 min
It's been a little while, but we're back with the next hundred games on BoadGameGeek, and we're drafting a five game collection from them. Who ended up with the best picks? Vote and you could win a $50 gift voucher! Before things get drafty, we talk about Imperium: The Contention , Wonderland's War, and Gentes . 02:19 - Imperium: The Contention 07:20 - Wonderland's War 19:23 - Gentes 33:32 - Quantum 35:31 - Kemet: Blood and Sand 37:51 - Through the Desert 39:28 - Pax Renaissance 40:45 - Blitzkri...
Apr 07, 2022•1 hr 1 min
Does the perfect game exist? Probably not, but is that even the point? This week we discuss the elusive 10/10 rating, whether it makes sense to apply it, and what that means for rating games in general. Before we realize pobody's nerfect, we talk about Mind MGMT: The Psychic Espionage "Game." , Manila, and Picture Perfect . 02:11 - Mind MGMT: The Psychic Espionage "Game." 12:14 - Manila 16:55 - Camel Up 18:50 - Picture Perfect 31:05 - Tigris & Euphrates 37:58 - Ark Nova 40:17 - Wingspan Chec...
Mar 31, 2022•46 min
Wow, hundreds of you sent in your favourite games, and it was absolute chaos. But we got all the data together, cleaned up the typos, and crunched the numbers via a super secret algorithm, and here we are, your favourite games of all-time! For this year, at least. Before you take the stage, we talk about Schotten Totten 2 , For Science! , and The Bridges of Shangri-La . 02:17 - Schotten Totten 2 13:13 - For Science! 23:17 - The Bridges of Shangri-La 33:59 - Pax Pamir: Second Edition 35:07 - Inis...
Mar 24, 2022•1 hr 1 min
There is a joy as equal in receiving a game, as moving it onto another person to enjoy. Especially, if you're Mark, when there's cash involved. We reflect on the many games that got left behind recently. Before we purge, we talk about Imperial Steam , Circus Flohcati , and Dogs of War . 02:33 - Circus Flohcati 09:37 - Imperial Steam 21:22 - Dogs of War 29:33 - Camel Up: Off Season 31:01 - Ciub 31:53 - Ten 33:18 - Visitor in Blackwood Grove 33:35 - Mr. Cabbagehead's Garden 33:52 - Bosk 34:08 - Ca...
Mar 17, 2022•55 min
Waiting your turn is so 2021. Simultaneous play is where it's at now. Fortunately, we got a chance to try A BUNCH of games featuring the mechanism at Dice Tower West! So, before we all hold hands and dive in all at once, we'll chat about Bear Raid , Loco! , Imperium: The Contention , and Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest . 04:30 - Bear Raid 12:18 - Loco! 18:09 - Imperium: The Contention 30:37 - Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest 47:20 - Guards of Atlantis 48:49 - Sidereal Confluence: Trading and Negoti...
Mar 10, 2022•54 min
We're on the way to Dice Tower West, so we're keeping this one easy breezy with just a hot question. How many games on your shelf do you think you could teach without looking at the rulebook? Before we turn up the heat, we talk about Yokohama, Final Girl, and Mystic Paths . 03:04 - Yokohama 11:35 - Final Girl 20:27 - Mystic Paths Check out our wiki at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/wiki Join the discussion at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord Join our Facebook group at: https://boardgamebarra...
Mar 03, 2022•39 min
Return of the Bob! If you don't know what a BGBBOB, boy you've missed out. Twelve games enter, and, well, they all exit, but only once they've been arranged in the appropriate order via a series of one on one fights. And fights are doubly appropriate this week, because we're battling it out in search of the best combat systems. Before we wish for peace, we talk about 7 Wonders: Architects , Kokopelli , and Canopy . 03:18 - 7 Wonders: Architects 10:46 - Kokopelli 19:22 - Canopy 31:42 - Diplomacy ...
Feb 24, 2022•1 hr 26 min
Approachability and accessibility are incredibly important to a wide swathe of gamers, but for those experienced in the hobby, it can often get overlooked. We investigate how games can aid those both in and especially outside the hobby to be more immediately appealing. Before we have a beer with him, we talk about Shinkansen: Zero Kei , Project L , and Boonlake . 01:32 - Shinkansen: Zero Kei 11:30 - Project L 21:13 - Boonlake 37:34 - Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion 38:13 - Wavelength 39:14 - Splend...
Feb 17, 2022•56 min
It's the triumphant return of the terrific trio - you know exactly who we mean - to talk about games where one of us would have to be left out. That's right, it's two players only at this table, and we're talking about our favourite games that fit the bill, and why we love them. Before we one-three-nine-take-two, we talk about Undaunted: Normand y, Fields of Arle , and That Time You Killed Me . 02:12 - Undaunted: Normandy 11:07 - Fields of Arle 17:27 - That Time You Killed Me 28:19 - Two player ...
Feb 10, 2022•47 min
New year, new games, and we're really in it now. We look ahead to the year ahead, and all the games that we're most excited to get our hands on ... but we couldn't do it without just a little bit of help from our friends. Before we consult our many crystal balls, we talk about American Bookshop , War of the Ring: Second Edition , and Coffee Traders . 01:56 - American Bookshop 06:42 - War of the Ring: Second Edition 22:21 - Coffee Traders 34:16 - Aegean Sea 34:35 - Hamburg 36:01 - The Guild of Me...
Feb 03, 2022•1 hr 8 min
Few things feel better than those moments in board games that make you feel powerful. Whether it's playing the perfect card, pulling off a perfectly executed turn, or splashing down that giant mini, we look at some of our favourite power plays in board games. Before we corrupt absolutely, we talk about Biblios: Quill and Parchment , Cryo , and Origins: First Builders . 03:00 - Biblios: Quill and Parchment 12:43 - Cryo 22:24 - Origins: First Builders 28:57 - Games that make you feel powerful 29:2...
Jan 27, 2022•51 min
And we're back! The holiday extravaganza is over, and it's back to business as usual around here. And what better way to get back into the swing of things than with some h-h-hot questions! Before that, we catch up on our holidays apart, with tales about the games that we played with our loved ones, including The Siege of Runedar , Snakesss , and Time Bomb Evolution . 02:18 - The Siege of Runedar 08:02 - Snakesss 14:49 - Time Bomb Evolution 19:04 - Sacred Rites 24:09 - Hearts of AttrAction 30:03 ...
Jan 20, 2022•56 min
It's the grand finale of the event of events that is the BGB Top 50 Games of All-time! These are our ten absolute favourite games, and, fittingly, it's a bumper episode with more than one surprise. Joining us in the peanut gallery this week, it's none other than the manic imp of Shut Up & Sit Down himself, the absolute mad genius that is Tom Brewster. Buckle in, it's going to get weird. 02:36 - Kellen #10 - El Grande 04:08 - Mark #10 - 1830: Railways & Robber Barons 07:44 - Neilan #10 - ...
Jan 13, 2022•2 hr 10 min
The penultimate episode of the grand series is here, it's the BGB Top 50! As the journey approaches its end, we're venturing into our 20th to 11th favourite games, with some support from the peanut gallery. And with thirty more board games to blitz through, who better to help us than Ambie Valdés of Board Game Blitz ! 01:27 - Mark #20 - Imperial 2030 03:02 - Neilan #20 - Decrypto 04:11 - Kellen #20 - The Resistance 06:19 - Mark #19 - Ra 07:35 - Neilan #19 - Patchwork 09:15 - Kellen #19 - Ingenio...
Jan 06, 2022•1 hr 3 min
What better way to send off the year than part three of the party to end all parties, the BGB Top 50! We're adding thirty more incredible games to the list, with our 30th to 21st favourite picks. This week, we have the Black Tank, Mike Walker of So Very Wrong About Games tearing apart our choices from the peanut gallery! 01:57 - Kellen #30 - Taj Mahal 03:32 - Mark #30 - Modern Art 05:48 - Neilan #30 - Deception: Murder in Hong Kong 09:11 - Kellen #29 - Race for the Galaxy 11:27 - Mark #29 - Fran...
Dec 30, 2021•1 hr 15 min
We're back for the second part of the year's greatest celebration, it's the top fifty! We've got thirty more incredible games to talk about this week, as we get into our games ranked 40th to 31st. This week in the peanut gallery, critiquing our picks, we're thrilled to have Monique (the Lavender tank herself) and Naveen of Before You Play ! 01:29 - Neilan #40 - Coloretto 03:15 - Kellen #40 - Zendo 05:28 - Mark #40 - Ginkgopolis 07:46 - Neilan #39 - Aeon's End 10:06 - Kellen #39 - Stephenson's Ro...
Dec 23, 2021•1 hr 22 min
It's time. The event of the year is upon us, as we begin counting down our FIFTY. FAVOURITE. GAMES. OF. ALL. TIME. We're kicking it off where you kick off all good top 50s, with our games ranked 50th to 41st favourite games. And we've also invited Mr Delicious himself, Mike DiLisio of The Dice Tower, to pick apart our choices from his lofty perch in the peanut gallery. Let's go! 03:15 - Kellen #50 - So Clover! 07:10 - Neilan #50 - Taluva 10:18 - Mark #50 - Glory to Rome 14:30 - Kellen #49 - Thro...
Dec 16, 2021•1 hr 25 min
It'd be great if we could only ever play our favourites. But sometimes, perhaps more often than not, we have to put up with playing games not because we want to, but because it's the polite or kind thing to do depending on the company. This week, we're talking about games that we don't necessarily love , but for whatever reason we end up playing a lot of. Before we're held against our will, we talk about Mr. Cabbagehead's Garden , Sacred Rites , and Great Plains . 02:09 - Mr. Cabbagehead's Garde...
Dec 09, 2021•48 min
Looking back on the past made us all reflective. For instance, remember 166 episodes ago when we promised to play all those games on our shelves of shame? I thought you might. We're revisiting our crimes of yesteryear, and checking in on how guilty we are. Before we audit our past selves, we talk about Warp's Edge , Carolus Magnus , and Unfathomable . 02:32 - Warp's Edge 08:09 - Carolus Magnus 16:20 - Unfathomable 27:00 - A Look Back at Our Unfulfilled Potential 27:18 - Fog of Love 28:56 - Spiri...
Dec 02, 2021•1 hr 1 min
