By Paco Garcia Jaen Not very often one has the opportunity to host a panel with one of the most successful game designers of the moment and, judging by the stellar success of X-Win, Jay Little is, without a doubt, extremely...
Read MoreWell, I had a buddy over yesterday for an X-Wing game day, and after playing my third game, I was hooked. If you want me to just cut to the chase, here goes: X-Wing is the smartest, most entertaining fighter skirmish game I’ve ever played. This says a lot, because I’ve played probably twenty of these games, from Full Thrust to Renegade Legion to Battle Fleet Mars to A Call To Arms; I’ve got a lot of experience with these games and X-Wing is easily the most approachable and tightest. The draw, for me, is that the game hits that magical sweet spot where complexity and practicality intersect. Very few games ever hit that spot, generally erring either on the side of simulation or oversimplification. X-Wing, however, gets it absolutely perfect, with enough complexity to make it a game worth playing while having very simple, understandable, and intuitive rules that don’t get in the way of the players. It literally blows every other fighter combat game into itty bitty rippy bits.
Read MoreOnce again we put word to microphone and, with our tongue so stuck in our cheeks that we’re amazed it doesn’t pierce through our faces, we bring you another episode of the podcast with much hilarity and a very healthy dose of...
Read MoreFor almost 25 years I’ve been playing Star Fleet Battles and its derivatives, and while I’m still no expert, I know as much about them as anyone who has played them for any length of time. Ironically, it’s not that I’m that enamored with Star Trek or the Star Trek universe, but more that I’m fascinated by the level of detail that Amarillo Design Bureau (ADB) has put into the game, as well as the idea of big, cool-looking spaceships chewing through one another with energy weapons.
Read MoreI don’t hate to be wrong, but I really hate to be wrong like this. I broke my own rules, which was stupid in and of itself, and I deserve the outrage that I will be receiving from people who I told were wrong. So, here goes: Reiner Knizia can make an Ameritrashy adventure game. There. I said it. I’m even prepared to say that as highly improbable as it is, the game he made is not only not atrophy your testicles from boredom, it in fact is brilliant fun. I still can’t believe it myself, but it’s true. Star Trek: Expeditions (ST:E) is a really, truly fun, thematic co-op adventure game that not only adheres to its theme, but does so well.
Read MoreThis pdf from Open Design is 15 pages long, 1 page front cover/editorial, 1 page SRD, leaving 13 pages of content, so let’s check this out!
Read MoreThis is a special episode. It’s special because, for the first time ever, we have a guest for the second time. This has happened in the RPG podcast, but not in the boardgame one.
But first things first. Mark, Lorien and myself give you some quick reviews of some games, Start Trek, Cave Evil and others get a mention after we’ve been playing them, and if you needed to know if you want these games or not, you might be interested in what we have to say.
Read MoreSo why write anything about RPG’s? Maybe this question isn’t very easy to answer. After all everyone has an opinion, everyone had a system they champion and everyone has fun playing at what they are playing. So then why does it matter?
Read MoreEpic Duels may very well be the best light miniatures games ever made. It is the definition of a duel that is epic in nature, especially if you go to Star Wars conventions with wookiee hats on. But even if you’re not a fan of yellow lasers, if you like smartly designed, accessible skirmish games, then this should be at the top of your list to buy.
Read MoreYou see, I’d never played the original game Fluxx from the good folks from Looney Labs and I assume that I am one of the few gamers out there for whom Fluxx never came to my attention. There is certainly mixed opinion about the Fluxx games system which has spawned a number of variations on the core theme. It seems that a lot of “serious” gamers who don’t like randomness in their games don’t like it. But there is clearly a following of fans as well.
Read MoreI love Star Trek. Always have, always will, I guess. I’m not too fanatical as to have a Star Trek crew shirt or know every character’s name and go to Comicon to meet the actors and such but I do love Star Trek.
Read MoreI’m back from GenCon, and because I love my readers so very much, I took the time to go the extra mile. Not only did I do my usual write-up, I did it in e-magazine format! You seriously need to check out all the crazy...
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