The State of Games, Episode 9 – The One About Getting Kickstarted

The State of Games, Episode 9 is fitted, fueled up and ready to fly. Time to kick the tires and light the fires! Can you all guess what this episode is all about? I’ll give you a hint – it’s not about motorcycles. It’s about making some money and playing some games. Awww, yeah. Read More  Read More

Kickstarter Profiles, Part 2: Startup Fever

Sometimes in the board game community, hobbyists throw around the term “gamer’s game” to describe a game which includes advanced mechanics or a play experience best suited for someone who has done a bit more than advance their token to Boardwalk a few times in the family parlor. For prime examples of “gamer’s games,” see: Troyes, Twilight Struggle, Puerto Rico; do not see: Clue, Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride. Designer Louis Perrochon, and a few others, have remarked that Startup Fever may have developed into just such a “gamer’s game.” After taking the prototype for a test drive, I can’t honestly say I know exactly as to... Read More

Unearthing Treasure: A Pergamon Review

“You call this archaeology?” – Dr. Henry Jones Mention the word archaeology to someone and they are as likely to think of a certain whip-cracking, fedora-wearing hero as they are of long, drudging digs and museums full of dusty tomes and broken trinkets. Pergamon – set in the late 1800s during the height of the Pergamon excavation in Turkey – is less about whip-cracking and much more about all that digging and dust. However, for a game that’s all about unearthing artifacts from long-dead civilizations, Pergamon’s play exudes a surprising amount of life. Read More  Read More

Space For More: An Interview With Empires of the Void Designer Ryan Laukat

Space… the well-trod frontier – at least in board games. There’s good reason for that, though: Space is awesome, as are many quality, space-based games. One space epic in particular has developed quite a buzz recently online – Empires of the Void, designed and illustrated by veteran board game artist Ryan Laukat. Ryan is responsible for quite a bit of art in Dominion, as well as Alf Seegert’s trollish masterpieces, Bridge Troll and Trollhalla. Ryan’s unique art style lends a fun flair to a genre that can sometimes feel a bit staid. In order for us to know more about Empires of the Void and the inspiration to... Read More

Strokes of Art: Fresco and Pastiche

Time to paint in some happy little trees... As Big Daddy Kane once said: “Reviewing ain’t easy.” Ok, so I’m taking some artistic license with his lyrics, but I figure that’s ok since today’s boardgaming topic is art – or, more specifically, games about art. Many of us reviewers could be content with just playing a few games and then sharing our thoughts, but that can get boring – both for us, and you, dear readers. And so, it was with great internal fanfare that I came up with the bright idea of pitting two art-themed boardgames against each other: Fresco and Pastiche. I soon found out after playing them both that choosing... Read More

Throwing Stars: An Interview with Ninjato Designers Adam West and Dan Schnake

In 2008, CrossCut Games – a company known previously for independently-producing computer games – introduced Galactic Emperor to the boardgaming world, and fans of epic tabletop star sagas fell in love. Not content with resting on success, the guys behind CrossCut Games – Adam West and Dan Schnake – are bringing the art of the silent death to tables everywhere with the summer release of Ninjato. After all, when you want to top epic star sagas in coolness, your best bet is to break out the ninjas. For those not familiar with the theme or concepts of Ninjato, can you provide a brief summary of gameplay and mechanics? Ninjato... Read More

Kickstarting The Road to Canterbury

Attention all fans of 15th century Chaucerian poetry – and really cool games – the Kickstarter campaign for Alf Seegert’s The Road to Canterbury has been launched! The folks at Gryphon Games have 60 days to raise $10,000 to fund printing for this wickedly-intriguing new release. Be sure to check out the official Kickstarter campaign page, and watch the video for more information. Who knows, if you stick around to the very end of the video, you may recognize some familiar names in the production credits… And be sure to check back on Monday for the next episode of The State of Games, as  Monkey238 and I talk in-depth with... Read More

Enter the Fire Dragons!

A few weeks have gone by since there have been any dragons on Dice Hate Me, so here is a quick update on Princes of the Dragon Throne from Clever Mojo Games! First off, artist Don Aguillo has been working furiously on new concept sketches for dragons of Clan Vu’ur (the Fire Dragons), as well as finished art of a very familar-looking Dwarf Lord (patterned after designer W. David MacKenzie), and some preliminary mock-ups of a very gruff troll and some kobold workers. According to W. David MacKenzie, the “The Trolls are a rough and aggressive race but civilized and with just as much diversity as the humans, elves, and dwarves. The Kobolds... Read More

Diamond in the Rough – A Jaipur Review

The winding streets of the bustling center of goods and commerce in India are filled with row upon row of merchants selling, bartering and trading untold riches, from fine cloth to glittering gold. You quickly make your way around the stalls, dodging advances from a smug rug merchant, but are soon cornered by a shifty, rather persistent man, dressed all in white. With a gleam in his eye, he produces a large, rather garish diamond from his sleeve. “Rumor has it that this stone once fell from the heavens and into the lap of a young prince; it is priceless, but it is yours for a mere 200 rupees.” You wave him off with a hasty harumph; you’ve... Read More

Under the Bridge: An Interview with Alf Seegert

In the world of trolls, Alf Seegert is the man. Wait, let me rephrase that: In the world of troll games, Alf Seegert is the man. Alf is the designer of the outstanding new release Trollhalla (check out my review, if you haven’t done so already), as well as its predecessor and pseudo-prequel, Bridge Troll. Always curious about the names behind the best games, I decided to learn more about this somewhat-unassuming literature professor from Utah – and let me tell you, there’s a lot to learn. You provide a very in-depth look at the creation process behind Trollhalla on Board Game Geek, but for our readers, what was the kernel of... Read More