Chaos is the name of the game when it comes to upcoming Kickstarter project, “Polysemous”. In this adventure board game, players will be rolling dice and moving across a wide variety of boards, each with their own styles and attributes. Your ultimate goal as a being from another dimension is to gain a whopping two victory points. Sounds simple right? Each of these boards offers a way to gain points, but truth be told, each are brutal in their own unique way. In addition to that, players will have to manage sanity, follow (or break) laws, deal with curses, and acquire followers & items to get to the top. If you don’t fancy earning points, just be the last one standing…the game has enough take-that mechanics to allow you to eliminate your opponents once and for all. Polysemous will take you on an adventure that you soon won’t forget.
Board Games
Almost every avid gamer I know is familiar with the game “Wingspan”, as it is not only a fantastic engine builder but features some really great card art. What’s one to do however if you don’t have 45-90 minutes but still want to get your bird fix? “One Fowl Swoop”, a game currently retailing on Etsy, may just scratch that itch. The game supports 2-6 players, is appropriate for ages 7+, and has an average play time of 20-30 minutes. “One Fowl Swoop” actually tasks players with getting the least amount of points…yeah, don’t see that a whole lot in the Euro games I play. Before I go any further I’m required by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to cover this game, but as usual any and all opinions are my own. The only thing paid for here was my time.
“Star Tycoon”, hands down, has been my most played prototype game in 2023. It features a number of mechanics that I absolutely love: tableau building, resource management, and an economic market to name the main ones. The game is played over 6 rounds, but a lot can happen in said 6 rounds. Players will be acquiring planets, then slotting developments under those planets to help them build their resource engine. At the same time, they’ll be trying to match the iconography on their planets to their developments to score some bonus VP. If that wasn’t enough, resource values will go up and down based on supply and demand, so cornering a very rare resource in the market can help you buy other resources you’d otherwise need to buy more cards. Factor in partnerships and random events…well, play never gets dull.
I’ve played a lot of economically themed tabletop games. There’s a certain thrill to maneuvering and biding your time so that three turns later, you can cash in with a huge play (often at the disgust / surprise of your opponents). Star Tycoon, a tabletop game that’s seeking funding through Kickstarter, has a little bit of that along with some engine building and card / company management mechanics. It supports 1-6 players / ages 13+ with an average play time of 20 minutes per player.
Rock and Stone, fellow miners! We received our Kickstarter Edition of “Deep Rock Galactic” and have played it almost exclusively for the past week. While I don’t have time to leave a full review, I wanted to link our YouTube playlist so that you can see the potential of this game. It’s fantastic as co-ops go and stays true to the video game formula, for the most part. You can find it on TTS too, the mod having full backing by MOOD Publishing. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get some kind of online mission creator but one of the Designers have already confirmed that they’re leaving that up to community. Easily GOTY material for 2023! You’ll find the unboxing, playthroughs, and other misc. videos inside the article. If you haven’t played the video game yet, you totally should. Hit me on my Discord channel and ask me about it.
St. David’s Cemetery, at least in this game’s context, is a sort of Purgatory that is situated between Heaven and Hell. In “Escape From St. David’s”, players will be working together to reach Heaven by making it through “The Beyond”. EVIL can win a number of ways and can even trap players in “The Elsewhere”, the gateway to Hell. “Escape From St. David’s” supports up to 8 players and is appropriate for ages 12+, with an average play time of 20-60 minutes. My press copy was a prototype, so everything you see and read about here (including the rules) are subject to change. I’m also required by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to preview this game, but any and all opinions are my own.
2022 is winding down to a close, but the drive to play games remains strong. It’s refreshing to know that despite the hardships and despite our differences, we can band together and share common interests. That said, there will always be toxicity. I’ve learned to steer clear of it and do what makes me happy. Took 40+ years to figure it out, but pleasing the masses by trying to be nice to toxic people just isn’t good for my health. As a content creator I’ve removed myself from Twitter & turned off YouTube comments and have not looked back. I’d rather attract a small, tight-knit, semi-mature/mature community rather than encourage a toxic environment. If the former sounds like you, join us on my Discord channel.
I’m selling off some of my collection to make room. 99% of these games are in great shape, others never opened. Some of these games have already been sold, so the pics may be outdated however the list is current. If you’re interested in anything you see here, drop me a line at vmp0514@msn.com to see if I still have it available. USPS Priority Flat Rate Shipping…label and pickup usually done next day. PayPal only, and funds must be verified before I ship anything.
“Dungeons and Dragons” is great and all, but have you just ever wanted to level an Orc without dragging the experience out across several months? In “GO GREEN: AN ORC’S JOURNEY”, players will be encountering various events and leveling their Orc’s attributes across multiple stages of life (child, grown, old). You’ll encounter events like battling & food fights where you’ll typically go one on one with NPC enemies. Will you survive the onslaught and see your Orc to old age? The game is available in both component ready and print & play editions.
You are in a race against time. The others, like you, have a secret objective to fulfill on an uncharted island. The captivating host at the large mansion gave you all a heavy box with the assurance that there would be only one winner. Enter: “Suwango”, a 1-4 player game that supports ages 10+ with an average play time of 15-20 minutes per player. It’s primarily a tile placement game that will task players with earning the most points. I’m told that “Suwango” will be entering the crowdfunding process at some point, so it’s important to stress that my copy is merely a prototype and everything that you read and see in this article is subject to change. I’m also required by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to cover this game, but any and all opinions are, as always, my own. The only thing being paid for here is my time.
I absolutely loathed gym class back in grade school. I get it, “move to stay healthy” and all that. I didn’t mind the running so as much as the part where I got hit in the face by a dodgeball or was asked to guard someone in sportsball that was twice my size. I guess I was more of a chess player back then…I was unmatched. Luckily, tabletop and video games over the years have introduced ways to play sports without the physical contact. Today we’ll be looking at “TUG-of-WARRIORS!”, a card game for 2 players appropriate for ages 10+ with an average play time of 15-25 minutes. “TUG-of-WARRIORS!” will be seeking your support on Kickstarter come April, 2022. Before we begin I must stress that my version is a prototype and everything you see and read about here is subject to change, including the rules. I’m also bound by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to cover this game, however any and all opinions are my own.
I’ve already admitted to the fact that I can’t draw a stick figure to save my life. I do, on occasion however, like to tell a good story. My stories tend to be overly exaggerated, so much so that even a Klingon warrior wouldn’t believe me. “Sketch & Story”, a “clever game of storytelling and sketching”, allows me to exercise the latter while wholeheartedly enjoying the former. Before we begin I’m required by FTC regulations to note that I was paid to cover this game, however any and all opinions are my own. As always, the only thing paid for here was my time.
My girlfriend and her family are avid “Dominos” players. I’ve picked up a thing or two but they’ve got the game down to a science. In other words, I rarely win. I may just introduce them to “SUM8”, a game currently seeking your support on Kickstarter, just so that I have a fair shot of winning…well, something. “SUM8” supports 1-2 players and ages 8+ with an average play time of 30 minutes. This game reminds me a little of “Dominos” what with the playing of numbered tiles on a flat surface, but it goes beyond in a number of ways.
Wait, we’re doing this again? ALREADY!? Time sure flies when you’re having fun. I hope 2021 has been a good year to whomever is reading this. With personal and health issues abound, we’ve been doing the best we can to make ends meet AND do the things we love to do…play games!
I’ve taken the plunge into Dungeons and Dragons 5e for the first time this year. All I can say is that it’s addicting! We’ve completed the Lost Mine of Phandelver and are currently running Storm King’s Thunder. I’ve got over 75 hours of recorded sessions on my YouTube channel, so go have a look once you’re done here if you’re a fan.
The Podcasts are still going strong too. We’ve decided to do them monthly due to time constraints, but with enough support I’d love to do them weekly like we used to. While we mostly talk about games, we do delve into other nerdy interests from time to time. You should give us a listen on my YouTube Channel!
With regards to the awards we’re keeping it simple. The following is a list of board games and videos games we’ve played this year and absolutely love. It doesn’t matter when they were released. Some are still considered “Early Access”. Some of our entries have indeed been released in 2021, but you’ll no doubt recognize some old chestnuts in there that are getting the recognition they deserve.
If you haven’t already, be sure to follow and subscribe to me on Twitch & YouTube. Support me on Patreon and/or PayPal. Buy games via my affiliate Humble Bundle & Green Man Gaming links. Most importantly, be kind to others and keep on gaming!
Think you can make it big? Have what it takes to reach the ten million dollar mark? You’ll have a chance to find out in “PURE PROFIT”, a card game that tasks players with carefully managing their hand and growing their bank in the process. It supports 2-6 players & ages 12+ with an average play time of about 15-20 minutes. Before we get started I’m required by FTC regulations to disclose that I was paid to cover this game. As always, any and all opinions are my own. Continue Reading
Civilization has been wiped out by multi-colored meteors of all things. Of the survivors, some had discovered that they had gained incredible superpowers. As you would expect, some used their powers for good while others used it for evil. In “Heroes & Villains”, a collectible/customizable deck-battle game that’s coming to Kickstarter October 12, 2021, you’ll be tasked with building a deck of superpowers and battling others for supremacy. It supports 2-6 players and ages 10+ with an average play time of 15 minutes per game.
Special thanks to Kate Arrington, General Manager at Neddy Games, for sending a prototype copy for promotional purposes. It’s important to stress that prototypes are typically not reflective of the finished product, making everything you see and read about here subject to change. Before we begin I’m required by FTC Regulations to disclose that I was paid to cover this game, but any and all opinions are my own.