Gamers for Cures 24-hour Marathon Pictorial Recap

It’s been a busy November for gaming here at Dice Hate Me HQ, even though most of that gaming has occurred outside of the primary HQ. This past weekend while Monkey238 was hip-deep in ballet duties (it’s Nutcracker season, after all), I attended the 24-hour gaming marathon at The Gamer’s Armory in Cary, N.C. The 24-hour marathon is held each year to benefit Gamers for Cures, a charity organization dedicated to helping gamers give back to the community and to increase awareness for Turner Syndrome. My gaming buddy Dan Patriss spearheads this effort every year, and the guest of honor is his daughter, Lauren, who has Turner Syndrome.... Read More

SAGCon 2012 Wrap-Up

Every year around this time, it’s been a tradition to head to MACE, a North Carolina gaming convention that used to be held in High Point. This year they decided to expand, but also switched venues, moving the festivities to Charlotte. Instead of making the trek west, five local gaming friends and I gathered together at a Springhill Suites in a grand experiment we called SAGCon – SAG standing for Stay And Game. Although we didn’t have all the grand spectacle and amenities offered at MACE, it was still a great time, and we played 17 games over two days. Here’s a look at some of the more memorable experiences and my thoughts... Read More

Games That Go Bump in the Night

It’s no secret – we love spooky games at Dice Hate Me. There’s just something rich and engaging about a dark setting done well. We don’t play scary games as often as those with other themes, but when we do, we like to do it right – and we like to share our experiences. And, so, in the spirit of this most bewitched month, here’s a look back at some of those spooky games we’ve played and shared – and a fresh look at a new addition to the library! If I’m Going Down In the boardgaming world of late, and much like the shambling undead upon which they are based, zombie games just keep coming, wave... Read More

The State of Games, Episode 37 – The One About the Ghost Fleet and the Haunted Dungeon

We love this time of year – leaves falling, crazy-faced pumpkins appearing on every doorstep, and lots and lots of new games popping up in our local store, and on Kickstarter! For this episode, we wanted to capture a bit of that October game ghoulishness, as well as talk about the spooky spirit of Halloween. And what better way to do that than to run a little bit long on the podcast talking to four different people? So sit back, admire your finely-crafted Jack-O-Lantern and enjoy this holiday hodgepodge of game designers and publishers, talking up their craft. Read More  Read More

Make this Deal – A Little Devils Guest Review

Today on Dice Hate Me, we are lucky to have another guest review from the multi-tasking master, Marc Specter. On the last State of Games podcast, we talked to Stephen Buonocore from Stronghold Games about his plethora of fall releases, and Little Devils was mentioned. Since we love trick-taking card games, we were definitely interested in knowing more. Thankfully, Marc read our minds and now provides a sneak peek for all you little devils out there who love card games as much as we do. Enjoy! I am not really a card gamer.  There is nothing that sounds less interesting to me than a night with friends + a deck of cards.  And I live in Michigan,... Read More

The State of Games, Episode 36 – The One About the Stronghold

From time to time on the podcast we like to just sit down and talk to some of our favorite people in the gaming industry. We’re lucky to have not only met one of our favorites, Stephen Buonocore, but we’ve also gamed, imbibed and worked side-by-side with him. As it turns, out we had a lot to talk about with him this time around, so we decided to break the episode down into a listed timeline of important talking points for your listening convenience. Enjoy! Read More  Read More

The State of Games, Episode 35 – The One About Cards With Words

Sometimes profound things come out of Monkey238’s mouth. One podcast she identified why certain types of luck are good and bad in a game depending on when they happen. In another, she pontificated on the popularity of zombies. And last podcast she practically invented a new game category, just on the fly. This is probably why I can’t seem to win at most of the games we play… Read More  Read More

Escapist Expo 2012: A Brief Pictorial Wrap-Up

Traditionally, the bulk of gaming con season has ended around the first of September, typically with the party and parade of passioned freaks at Dragon*Con down in Atlanta. Over the past few years, however, a few local cons have started springing up just before or after the string of big shows, extending the seasons for a lucky few. Thankfully, Durhamites are now one of those lucky few as we now have The Escapist Expo in mid-September – a smallish, PAX-like affair with video games, board games and more than a few costumed geeks. This was the Expo’s inaugural year, and it was a rousing success; we gathered together with over 2,000 of... Read More

Everybody Shuffling – A Smash Up Review

From time to time in this great hobby, I come across a company that seems to be firing on all cylinders, cranking out hit after hit and yet I find it difficult to join the loving throng. AEG is, unfortunately, one of those companies. Don’t get me wrong, I love AEG and the people behind the scenes, but time after time I’ve given the big games a shot and time after time I just don’t seem to be part of their key demographic. For instance, Thunderstone was promised by many to be the game that brought me back around to appreciate deckbuilders; in the end – when every game lasted more than two hours or more – it couldn’t... Read More

The State of Games, Episode 34 – The One About GenCon, DC and The WBC

Wow. It’s been awhile since we talked to all of you, dear listeners! But there’s good reason – we’ve been on the road. A lot. A LOT. It seems as though we’ve barely been at home for the past month, and yet it also seems like we’ve taken our home with us since so many of you have made our convention season wonderful with games and camaraderie. So sit back, have a lemonade, and let’s reminisce. We promise not to be gone so long for a good, long bit. Read More  Read More