The State of Games, Ep. 76: The One About the Fireside

So, what to do – it’s the holiday season and we don’t want to be lost in the hubbub of every other podcast talking about games for the family gathered around the Christmas table. Then the bright idea struck – what about all those poor souls who lose power during a snowstorm for the holidays? Yeah, that’s the ticket! And, so, we put our stockinged heads together and came up with some of the best and brightest for when you don’t exactly have the brightest of circumstances. Enjoy! Read More  Read More

The State of Games, Episode 56 – The One About Surprises In My Pocket

Whether you’re about to head out on the open road or find yourself about to be crammed into a crowded airplane, many of us think not only about what to take to wear – we also want to know how many games we can fit in that backpack. And that’s what this podcast is all about, Charlie Brown. Read More  Read More

The 2013 Dice Hate Me Holiday Gift Guide

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – and it’s time again for my favorite annual tradition, the Dice Hate Me Holiday Gift Guide! This guide comes to you a bit late in the season this time around, what with all the traveling to cons and wrapping up Kickstarter campaigns and whatnot. But there’s nothing I love more – and nothing that gets me more into the holiday spirit – than sharing some of my favorite easiest-to-recommend games to all of you, Dear Readers! This guide will be great for those of you who are still looking for that special gift of cardboard for the hard-to-shop-for significant other, friend... Read More

The Crowded Table – Late Spring 2013 Edition

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to another installment of The Crowded Table. It’s been quite awhile since the last iteration of the Crowded Table, but still there have been plenty of interesting games to grace the gaming surfaces at Dice Hate Me HQ. Some of them have been mentioned a few times on The State of Games and The Geek All-Stars, but I felt the games below deserved a little more written attention. Some of them you may just see (or hear and see) more about in a future feature on Dice Hate Me! And away we go: Coup Dedicated readers and listeners will immediately know that I am a social gaming junkie. If there’s a system to... Read More

The State of Games, Episode 41 – The One About Being Super

It’s a packed house on this episode as Darrell and TC continue their stellar jobs as co-hosts on the new State of Games and we’re joined by a truly super guest who never sleeps, makes his own weapons from steel and sweat, and bears an ever-so-striking resemblance to Joseph Gordon Levitt. Read More  Read More

Couples Retreat 2012 Recap

It’s been a quiet few weeks here on Dice Hate Me, but that certainly hasn’t meant much quiet on the homefront. Quite the opposite, actually, as we’ve been gaming through the holidays and working like mad to get VivaJava wrapped and ready for its Kickstarter debut (Wednesday, Jan. 25 – mark your calendars!). If you listened to the last State of Games podcast – and if you haven’t, it’s right over here – you dear readers already know that we took a little gaming retreat with our friends Shawn and Jacki. I also promised a little closer look at some of the titles that hit the table, some for the very... Read More

The Alien Resistance – A Panic Station Review

The old station creaks under the strain of the vacuum surrounding it. A couple of hours have passed since you watched your android gunner be taken down in a hail of surprise suppressor fire by one of your original teammates. You turned and made a break for it, cold sweat covering your brow, and have since made it further into the complex despite those damnable bugs that have been popping up all over. Suddenly, a sound to your left makes you turn and jump. Out of the shadows steps Nina, your most trusted team confidante. “It’s ok,” she purrs, stepping closer, “we’re all in this together.” She slowly extends her... Read More

Give the Gift of Socks on Kickstarter

Although it’s mostly board and card games around these parts on a regular basis, I have been known to periodically delve into the role-playing arena. Just like many of you out there, I cut my teeth on Dungeons & Dragons, then delved deep into the fantasy cyberpunk realm of Shadowrun and weaved stories of vampires & werewolves in the heyday of White Wolf during the ’90s. When it comes to games, whether they be of the paper or cardboard variety, I’ll try just about anything once, especially if it’s unique. Now dear readers, I’m here to tell you that there is unique, and then there is unique. Ben Gerber’s... Read More

Sweet Dreams are Made of These: an Onirim Review

At least when you win. Which, despite its difficulty in accomplishing, has me repeatedly coming back for more. “So, the Labyrinth is a piece of cake, is it? Well, let’s see how you deal with this little slice…” – Jareth In Shadi Torbey’s Onirim you play the role of La Sonnambula, making your way through a labyrinth of rooms filled with beautiful dreams, disturbing nightmares, and coveted keys. Your responsibility is to discover all eight doors by collecting sets of cards or discarding the matching keys. Now here’s Cool Thing #1 about Onirim: you can do this by yourself or in a cooperative effort with one of your... Read More

The Crowded Table: April/May Edition

So many games, so little time… to review them all! Yes, the past couple of months have seen a flurry of new games enter the Dice Hate Me library and, subsequently, our gaming table. I’ll be ramping up the review schedule a bit this summer, but cranking out two or three reviews a week right now is just not a practical goal. And, so, I offer up the next best thing: some brief impressions on a notable few that we’ve encountered, many of which will be getting the full Dice Hate Me treatment in the weeks ahead. Castle Panic Not too good... In this hybrid co-op, you and up to five other brave souls must defend the castle against a relentless,... Read More