Matt is back on the pod for a very big rundown of some noteworthy game sessions: some amazing, others not so much. Matt, Jordan, and Ben are going around the horn with a chunky board game roundup. 00:00 Intro 03:12 Daggerheart 18:01 Fiasco 21:08 Transgalactica 30:03 Corps of Discovery / Manifest Destiny 36:55 Oranges & Lemons 45:27 Toy Battle 52:56 Nusfjord 01:01:10 Dune Imperium Uprising 01:10:31 Innovation 01:13:14 Courtisans 01:14:27 Isle of Skye Big Box...
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 239
Ben, Paul, and Trey discuss first impressions of two big games: Moon Colony Bloodbath and Endeavor Deep Sea. Somehow, we all got mad at each other in each game. Fun! We also chat about recent game plays of Dune Imperium and Wavelength, and extra bonus: the return of Games on the Brain! 00:00 Intro 00:57 Game Rooms 08:05 Dune Imperium 21:44 Wavelength 33:49 Ito 41:37 Landmarks of the Lost Atlas 51:40 Oranges & Lemons 53:00 Barcelona: The Rose of Fire 54:06 Cargo Empire 01:03:11 Moon Colony Bl...
Jun 16, 2025•2 hr 6 min•Ep. 238
Ben, Paul, and Jordan go deep on the color-coded agony machine that is Asian Tigers. Plus, chatter about Ito, We All Take From the River, and Elder Scrolls. 00:00 Intro 05:21 Elder Scrolls 12:59 Ito 33:13 Rail on the Hill 38:19 Founders of Gloomhaven 41:55 Mr. Pai Pai 44:17 Gibberers 53:06 We All Take From The River 01:05:53 Guards of Atlantis, Land and Freedom updates 01:07:33 Asian Tigers review
May 05, 2025•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 237
Ben, Trey, and Jordan review the 2025 space tourism game Galactic Cruise. Plus initial impressions of Molly House, Gibberers, and Land and Freedom. Jordan also gives an update on 5 v 5 Guards of Atlantis, and Trey has fresh thoughts on Dune Imperium, Keyflower, and Avalon.
Apr 09, 2025•2 hr 16 min•Ep. 236
Stefan Feld's epic kitchen sink game Civolution was one of the biggest releases of 2024. With an hour teach, a million mechanics, and a wild theme, does this beast crumble under its own weight or triumph in maximalist glory? Ben, Paul, and Jordan discuss. Plus, the three weigh in on the March Meepleness Bracket and share thoughts on recent plays of Guards of Atlantis II, Galactic Cruise, and Eternal Decks. 00:00 Introduction 02:01 March Meepleness analysis 30:50 Guards of Atlantis II 37:00 Galac...
Mar 23, 2025•1 hr 59 min•Ep. 235
It's two episodes for the price of one. Come join for a double header of Table Scraps. First, Ben and Paul talk about what pity cards you can and can't play at game night: the "bad day" card, the "I've been out of town" card, and so many more. Then we get down to the real pressing questions: if games were sushi, what sushi would they be? Be sure to subscribe to Table Scraps on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/@table-scraps 00:00 Intro 01:29 Playing the Pity Card: When Guilt Almost Wins—But ...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 234
Ben, Trey, and special guest Chris dive deep with the rotating space hotness SETI. Plus, talk about a marathon session of 1817. 00:00 Intro 12:10 1817 25:09 Railways of the Lost Atlas 30:50 Whistle Mountain 33:04 SETI
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 233
In this episode of Game Brain , Ben and Paul dive deep into the ancient world with a full review of Men-Nefer , exploring its mechanics, strategy, and whether it’s an classic Egyptian Euro (oxymoron?) in the making. But that’s not all—we also break down Mind MGMT , Serenissima , and DroPolter , dissecting the mind games, economic battles, and dexterity highjinks within these standout titles. Plus, we check in on The Traitors on Peacock—what does this season tell us about our gaming hobby? 02:00 ...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 232
Ben and Paul talk about punctuality and game night: what do you do when you're running late? When is it okay to run late? What do we owe those who are late? And what about showing up too early? It's all about timing and game night.
Feb 03, 2025•55 min•Ep. 231
Matt, Paul, Trey, Tom, Jordan, and Ben convene to discuss their top games of the year. Plus, awards in categories such as "Best New To Me Game," "Biggest Disappointment," and "Best Expansion." We had a variety of audio issues in this episode; so apologies in advance for the not amazing sound quality. Drew Conley Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-drew-dcon-rebuild-after-eaton-fire-loss
Jan 20, 2025•2 hr 36 min•Ep. 230
Ben and Paul discuss their favorite gaming sessions of 2024. Then, in advance of a future Game Brain top 10 episode (or something in that mold), Ben shares his favorite non-top 10 games of last year, specifically #25-#11. This list will make some listeners angry, and Ben apologizes in advance. Please help our friend Drew recover from the devastating wild fires here in Los Angeles. Find his GoFundMe here: https://gofund.me/bce5bc67 Every little bit helps. 00:00:00 Intro 00:09:46 Best gaming exper...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 229
Welcome to Table Scraps, a new board game chat show here at Game Brain. We'll be posting these eps from time to time, and if the tech gods are kind to us, there will even be a video component. Today Ben and Paul chat about the sort of games Anna Scott (not a real person), Barack Obama, and Erin Brockovitch would enjoy, and then they explore how to get someone like Jennifer Lawrence to play Catan. Because it could happen!
Jan 07, 2025•51 min•Ep. 228
The new hotness has flooded the marketplace, and Ben and Jordan are here to make sense of it. Which new releases live up to the hype, exceed it, and fall short of it? We cover a lot of ground; so buckle up! 00:00 Introduction 11:22 Kraftwagen: Age of Engineering 13:00 Stress Botics 14:48 Unconscious Mind 16:47 Landmarks 18:08 Shackleton Base 21:00 Gaia Project: The Lost Fleet 25:44 Harmonies 31:19 Age of Rail: South Africa 40:51 The Yellow House 45:07 Pariahs 48:45 Asian Tigers 52:08 Fromage 58:...
Dec 30, 2024•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 227
Ben and Paul deep dive the new area control, tableau-building, moon-exploiting, corporation-pleasing game "Shackleton Base." They also discuss new hotness Civolution as well as Fromage and Men-Nefer. Ben also offers up some family game suggestions for the holidays - all while attempting labored "Wicked" puns.
Dec 16, 2024•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 226
Matt and Jordan return to the world of miniature wargaming to get you up to speed on all of their recent adventures.
Dec 04, 2024•53 min•Ep. 225
Ben, Trey, and Paul go deep on The Lost Fleet, a hot new expansion for Gaia Project. Plus, initial impressions from fresh Essen releases SETI, Asian Tigers, and Shackleton Base. 0:00:00 Introduction 0:09:45 SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence 0:30:15 Asian Tigers 0:44:50 La Famiglia: The Great Mafia War 0:46:15 Shackleton Base: A Journey to the Moon 1:03:05 Captain Flip 1:03:35 The Gang 1:18:15 Gadget Trick 1:21:10 Gaia Project: The Lost Fleet 2:13:20 Outro - Find Etamar at kirbooloni...
Nov 04, 2024•2 hr 14 min•Ep. 224
Join Matt and Jordan for the first episode of "Sprue'd Up!", an occasional Game Brain offshoot about two euro gamers taking their first steps into the world of miniature wargaming. Star Wars: Shatterpoint Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 223
Ben, Trey, and Paul explore the importance of enthusiasm at the game table. Plus, recent plays of KCaloria, Zoo Tycoon, and Trey's first ever game of Twilight Imperium 4th Ed.... 0:00:00 Introduction 0:04:27 kCaloria First Impressions We All Take From the River 0:16:20 Zoo Tycoon First Impressions 0:38:50 Further Twilight Imperium 4th Ed. discussion 3 of a Kind 1:22:35 Episode Topic: Enthusiasm - What we bring to the game table 1:56:25 Outro - Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com - Game Brain Facebook ...
Oct 07, 2024•1 hr 57 min•Ep. 222
Matt, Jordan, and Trey track the rise and fall of Jordan's relationship with Paul. We also review Rise and Fall! 0:00:00 Introduction 0:03:50 True Confessions: Mini Painting CoraQuest Heroscape Warhammer: Kill Team Star Wars: Shatterpoint 0:14:05 Matt's Essen Most Wanted Asian Tigers Civolution Black Forest Joyride Andromeda's Edge Shackleton Base: A Journey to the Moon Saltfjord Phoenix New Orizon Spectacular Rebirth 0:21:10 Jordan recounts the great 2024 betrayal of Twilight Imperium 4th Ed. 0...
Sep 25, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 221
Ben, Tom, and Paul do a deep dive on the midweight, gear-turning Euro Windmill Valley. Plus, early impressions of Rise & Fall, some hot takes on Distilled, and flop sessions of Lost Atlas and Things in Rings. 00:00 - Intro 09:19 - Distilled 23:08 - Rise & Fall 44:03 - Railways of the Lost Atlas 56:16 - 18RoyalGorge 58:59 - Kutna Hora 01:01:42 - Things in Rings 01:05:55 - Windmill Valley
Sep 09, 2024•2 hr 17 min•Ep. 220
Ben and Paul talk about recent plays of Windmill Valley, Blades in the Dark, and Fields of Arle. Plus, a gaming weekend in Palm Springs leads to hot takes on Things in Rings, Wilmot's Warehouse, Hollywood 1947, Forrest Shuffle, and Plantagenet, among others. Oh, and Covid too, but that's a minor wrinkle. 00:07:31 - Windmill Valley 00:21:36 - Fields of Arle 00:29:56 - Blades in the Dark 00:43:45 - Plantagenet 00:49:09 - Pagan 00:55:54 - Gest of Robin Hood 00:56:26 - Oranenburger Kanal 00:59:10 - ...
Aug 19, 2024•2 hr 32 min•Ep. 219
Ben, Trey, and Paul deep dive the new 18xx innovator "Railways of the Lost Atlas." Also, the three discuss recent plays of "Terraforming Mars: Prelude 2,” "Pampero,” and “Twilight Imperium, 4th Edition.” 0:00:00 Introduction 0:04:08 Terraforming Mars: Prelude 2 0:16:12 Twilight Imperium 4th Ed 0:36:50 Pampero 0:53:05 Concordia: Balearica 1:01:00 Age of Innovation 1:11:45 Game Review: Railways of the Lost Atlas - Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com - Game Brain Facebook Group - Instagram...
Jul 29, 2024•2 hr 22 min•Ep. 218
Matt and Jordan are joined by friend-of-the-pod Drew Conley to review inarguably the biggest board game release thus far of 2024: ARCS by Cole Wehrle and Leder Games. 0:00:00 Introduction Cascadero Slay the Spire 0:28:30 Game Review: Arcs Wehrlegig Games Find Drew at https://www.drewconleycomposer.com/ and https://www.youtube.com/@theboardgamecomposer Find more Jordan at https://www.youtube.com/@OptimalPlay - Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com - Game Brain Facebook Group - Instagram...
Jul 15, 2024•2 hr•Ep. 217
Ben, Trey, and Paul talk about catching the game wave. What happens when you ride it, what happens when you miss it, and what happens when you try to start your own. Plus, plays of Arcs, 1930: The Golden Age of Airlines, and Nucleum: Australia.
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 56 min•Ep. 216
Tom, Trey, and Elder review El Burro. 0:00:00 Introduction Jenny Nicholson's video Star Wars Unlimited Expansion Shadows of the Galaxy Guards of Atlantis II Blood on the Clocktower Concordia 0:31:50 Game Review: El Burro: A La Granja Game Planta Nubo La Granja Agra Cooper Island Troyes - Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com - Game Brain Facebook Group - Instagram...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 215
Ben and Trey go deep into Salton Sea and also share initial impressions of Pax Penning and El Burro. Plus, the two revisit Heaven & Ale and chat about what they want out of a game store.
May 13, 2024•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 214
Ben and Paul chat about some recent plays, including Salton Sea, and then Ben shamelessly attempts to communicate to Queen Games about his missing Marrakesh expansion. Afterwards, the two explore the importance of enthusiasm at a game table and the dangers of becoming the dreaded FUN SPONGE.
May 07, 2024•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 213
The 2024 Golden Geek Award nominations have just been revealed, and we're choosing faves, making endorsements, and offering sweeping predictions on which games will win. Oh and by the way, thanks to everyone who voted and nabbed us a nom! Don't worry, we're focused on the games, not shameless self-promotion (well, maybe just a little self-promotion). Plus, Ben, Jordan, and Paul talk about recent plays of Ironwood, Galactic Cruise, Arcs, and Twilight Imperium.
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 212
Ben and Jordan talk about recent plays of Inventions, Galactic Cruise, Twilight Imperium, Arcs, and Resist. Plus, discussion about space games — what does the concept of space bring to a game, and what makes a game a SPACE GAME (as opposed to a game set in space). Notations to come.
Apr 15, 2024•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 211
Ben and Paul talk about recent plays of Inventions, Terraforming Mars, and City of the Big Shoulders. Then they do a deep dive about finger etiquette and games: why does it bother us, how do we address bad behavior, and what are the most common mistakes. Shots will be fired. Takes will be hot. 00:00 - Intro 02:33 - Inventions 14:47 - Western Empires / Mega Empires 23:25 - Terraforming Mars 29:37 - 1830 33:07 - City of the Big Shoulders 35:47 - Finger etiquette for board games...
Apr 01, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 210
