The State of Games, Episode 16 – The One About the Perfect Library

We’re not always hobnobbing with the celebrities of gaming, or jetsetting to hotspots like Columbus, Ohio and Lancaster, Pennsylvania – sometimes we just like to stay at home and talk about board games. This would be one of those times, and if you’re down for a full hour of our rambunctious ramblings, boy have we got the podcast for you! Read More  Read More

Things Man Was Not Meant To Roll – An Elder Sign Review

Like that poeticized beast whose time has come round again, so slouches another Arkham-based game toward your local retailer. Many gamers have asked just how often Fantasy Flight Games can dig into that cyclopean well of Mythos and mystery. Luckily for us Lovecraftian fiends, with Elder Sign the well has not yet been tapped. And yet, despite the gritty goodness that lurks within, from the moment I cracked the box I knew that the loss of sanity would be inevitable. For contained... Read More

Army of Dorkness: A Castle Dash Review

When Phil Kilcrease, founder of start-up game publishers 5th Street Games, first approached me about reviewing the relatively unassuming Castle Dash, I was a little hesitant. It’s not that I wasn’t interested, but I already had a long list of titles waiting patiently on my game table, all shiny and huge. However, it soon became apparent that the game was going to jump to the front of that list when Monkey238 saw the adorable cartoon soldiers adorning the cards and told me,... Read More

Expanding Space – An Alien Frontiers: Factions Preview

When I first interviewed David MacKenzie of Clever Mojo Games back in July of last year, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the Alien Frontiers and Kickstarter phenomenons. I knew that I was fascinated with how a small company could create such a big buzz in such a short time, and so down the rabbit hole I plummeted. After playing and loving Alien Frontiers, naming it the Dice Hate Me Game of the Year for 2010, and getting to know David, his brother Fred, and the amazing... Read More

The State of Games, Episode 14 – The One About The Kickstarter Experience

Have you ever prepared for a recital, or warmed up for a big game and had so many butterflies flitting about in your stomach that you thought you’d probably end up barfing on the ump or the entire first row? That’s kinda what it feels like right before you hit the GO button on your very first Kickstarter project. Thankfully for Monkey238 and me, those jitters disappeared real quick when all of you wonderful people made our dreams come true in just 17 short hours. Read... Read More

Social Experiments: Saboteur, The Resistance, and Lifeboat

To be perfectly transparent – and to save some of you a bit of time – I’m placing a disclaimer at the beginning of this article. If your idea of a perfect game is sitting in silence – with or without other gamers present – shuffling through cards, chits, wooden blocks and such, all in an effort to outwit not another opponent but the game itself, it’s probably best just to check out the Dice Hate Me reviews of Onirim or Red November. But if you’re... Read More

In Space, No One Can Hear You Whimper – A Launch Pad Review

From now until August 25, you have a chance to win a free copy of Launch Pad from Stratus Games – a game we reviewed last year and have found gets better -and punkier- with age. To enter, just click on this link and fill in a simple quiz. There are 10 questions, and for every correct answer, you’ll get one contest entry! In honor of the giveaway, here is the official Dice Hate Me review of Launch Pad from October 2010, including an updated rating reflecting our seasoned play... Read More

The State of Games, Episode 13 – The One About GenCon and the WBC

Phew. Gaming can sometimes be hard. Like when there are tons of cool conventions going on all summer long and you just can’t seem to get to all of them. Lucky for us, we have clones. That’s right, clones. Right now, there are hundreds of little Monkey238s running amok, possibly in your neighborhood. It’s true! Don’t be alarmed, though – they’re mostly harmless. Just have some Doritos and ice cream at the ready. You may need it. Read More  Read More

Spies Like Us: A Confusion Review

When I left for Origins In June, Monkey238 doled out a dossier filled with details of two missions: have fun and don’t spend a lot of money. I chose to accept the missions; one proved a resounding success, the other was failed miserably as I walked through the door with twice as many games as I had brought along. All was soon forgiven, however, when she spotted Confusion: Espionage and Deception in the Cold War. As it turns out, nothing can make this monkey’s attention turn... Read More

Kickstarter Quick-Look: White Elephant

Kickstarter perusers have definitely seen their fair share of offbeat projects lately – the Freaker, that floating pool in New York City’s East River, this thing – and I have been loving every bit of it. So when designer Brian Kelley mentioned that he had a game heading the Kickstarter way all about the White Elephant holiday party game (in card form, no less), you can bet my offbeat-o-meter redlined. Naturally, I wanted. Thankfully, I received. Yup, I actually own... Read More