Paris Connection Board Game Review
December 1, 2023
Paris Connection Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2010 Players: 3-6 Playing Time: 30 Minutes Paris Connection sits in the “cube rails” genre
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Mottainai Board Game Review
November 15, 2023
Mottainai Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2015 Players: 2-5 Playing Time: 15-30 Minutes Carl Chudyk has a reputation as a designer. It’s
The Table is Lava Board Game Review
November 1, 2023
The Table is Lava Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2018 Players: 2-4 (2-5 w/expansion) Playing Time: 20 Minutes Once in a generation,
Medina Board Game Review
October 15, 2023
Medina Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2001 / 2014 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 60 Minutes Medina is a lightly-themed abstract strategy game
Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile Board Game Review
October 1, 2023
Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2021 Players: 1-6 Playing Time: 45-150 Minutes Hoo boy. I almost
Pax Porfiriana Board Game Review
September 15, 2023
Pax Porfiriana Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2012 Players: 1-6 Playing Time: 120 Minutes Let’s play a game. No, not Pax Porfiriana.
Letters From Whitechapel Board Game Review
September 1, 2023
Letters From Whitechapel Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2011 Players: 2-6 Playing Time: 90 Minutes Letters from Whitechapel (LFW) exists within a
It’s a Great Game…I Don’t Like It
August 15, 2023
It’s a Great Game…I Don’t Like It By MARK WILSON “Oh, Jimmy would love this game.” “You know, I think I should mention this to
Letter Jam Board Game Review
August 1, 2023
Letter Jam Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2019 Players: 2-6 Playing Time: 45 Minutes I saw noted designer Eric Lang mention that
Kingdom Builder Board Game Review
July 15, 2023
Kingdom Builder Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2011 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 45 Minutes Restriction breeds creativity. You’ve probably heard variations on
Hardback Board Game Review
July 1, 2023
Hardback Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2018 Players: 1-5 Playing Time: 45-90 Minutes Word games. Inherently problematic. Not in the sense that
In Defense of Subjectivity in Game Critique
June 15, 2023
In Defense of Subjectivity in Game Critique By MARK WILSON On a basic level, we all understand (or I hope we do) that gaming preferences
Hundreds of Horses Board Game Review
June 1, 2023
Hundreds of Horses Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2015 Players: 3-4 Playing Time: 20-30 Minutes It’s like a less-complicated Dixit. And all
Podcast Appearance – Sidekicks & Sidequests
May 13, 2023
Podcast Appearance – Sidekicks & Sidequests We create Leeroy Jenkins…the Vampire By MARK WILSON I was recently a guest for the second time on a
5 Ways to Become a Better D&D Player
May 6, 2023
Become a Better Tabletop RPG Player – Part I By MARK WILSON An online discussion forum I frequent recently lamented the lack of discussion on
The Burden of Narrative in TTRPGs: Part 2
May 1, 2023
The Burden of Narrative in Tabletop Roleplaying Games: Part 2 By MARK WILSON In Part 1 of this article series, we looked at the burden
Finding Your Sweet Spot in Tabletop Gaming
April 15, 2023
Finding Your Sweet Spot in Tabletop Gaming By MARK WILSON I’m increasingly convinced that much of our gaming preferences are just people finding and defending
The Burden of Narrative in TTRPGs
April 3, 2023
The Burden of Narrative in Tabletop Roleplaying Games By MARK WILSON Avatar: Legends and My Narrative Struggle I’ve been reading the core system book and
Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy Board Game Review
April 1, 2023
Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2020 Players: 2-6 Playing Time: 60-200 Minutes It would be clickbait
Twilight Imperium 4th Edition Board Game Review
March 15, 2023
Twilight Imperium: 4th Edition Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2017 Players: 3-6 (8 with expansions) Playing Time: 240-480 Minutes Well, this is
Fury of Dracula (3rd/4th Edition) Board Game Review
March 1, 2023
Fury of Dracula (3rd/4th edition) Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2015 Players: 2-5 Playing Time: 120-180 Minutes Fury of Dracula exists on
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #44
February 16, 2023
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #44 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 12 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
Dominant Species Board Game Review
February 15, 2023
Dominant Species Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2010 Players: 2-6 Playing Time: 120-240 Minutes Every bad thing you’ll read about Dominant Species
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #43
February 14, 2023
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #43 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 11 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #42
February 13, 2023
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #42 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 11 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #41
February 12, 2023
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #41 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 11 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #40
February 11, 2023
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #40 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 10-11 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #39
February 10, 2023
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #39 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 10 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #38
February 9, 2023
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #38 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 10 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #37
February 8, 2023
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #37 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 10 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
Diamonds Card Game Review
February 1, 2023
Diamonds (2nd edition) Card Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2014 Players: 2-6 Playing Time: 20-30 Minutes I have a mostly amiable relationship with
Gardens of Babylon Board Game Review
January 15, 2023
Gardens of Babylon Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2019 Players: 1-4 Playing Time: 60 Minutes Everyone has a weakness. In fact, most
There Are No Gamers Anymore, Only Game Critics
January 11, 2023
There Are No Gamers Anymore, Only Game Critics By MARK WILSON Art can be sectioned off into all sorts of sub-categories, but for our purposes
Decrypto Board Game Review
January 1, 2023
Decrypto Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2018 Players: 3-8 Playing Time: 15-45 Minutes A Divergence on Storytelling I talk about narrative arcs
Concept Board Game Review
December 15, 2022
Concept Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2027 Players: 4-12 Playing Time: 40 Minutes Concept feels like a victim of circumstance to me.
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #36
December 12, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #36 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 10 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #35
December 6, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #35 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
Doctor Who Season 13 – “Flux” Review
December 1, 2022
Doctor Who Season 13 (“Flux”) Review By MARK WILSON Spoilers ahead. Can a full story arc be redeemed by a good ending if the early
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #34
November 29, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #34 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #33
November 22, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #33 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
Chess in the Modern Digital Era
November 15, 2022
Chess in the Modern Digital Era By MARK WILSON Can one really review Chess? Not in the traditional sense, I suspect. I won’t be attempting
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #32
November 8, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #32 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
Castles of Tuscany Board Game Review
November 1, 2022
Castles of Tuscany Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2020 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 45-60 Minutes Castles of Tuscany is a problematic game.
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #31
October 29, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #31 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #30
October 22, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #30 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 9 Players:Dahlia, the Mother
Balance in Board Games: Cosmic Encounter Review
October 15, 2022
Balance in Board Games: A Cosmic Encounter Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 1977/2008 Players: 3-5 Playing Time: 60-120 Minutes What can I say about
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #29
October 8, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #29 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Commands & Colors: Ancients Campaign Report
October 1, 2022
Commands & Colors: Ancients Campaign Report By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2006 Players: 2 Playing Time: 60 Minutes BGG Link: Commands & Colors: Ancients My C&C:A
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #28
September 22, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #28 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Commands & Colors: Ancients Board Game Review
September 15, 2022
Systems, Simulation, and Stampedes: Commands & Colors: Ancients Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2006 Players: 2 Playing Time: 60 Minutes Commands & Colors: Ancients
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #27
September 8, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #27 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Dragon Castle Review
September 1, 2022
Dragon Castle Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2017 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 30-45 Minutes I play a lot of games once or twice. My
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #26
August 22, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #26 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Babylonia Board Game Review
August 15, 2022
Babylonia Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2019 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 60 Minutes I discovered Babylonia in a somewhat odd manner: a
Celestia Board Game Review
August 1, 2022
Celestia Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2015 Players: 2-6 Playing Time: 30 Minutes I’m often wary of games that seem to bolt
Incan Gold / Diamant Review
July 15, 2022
Incan Gold/Diamant Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2005 Players: 3-8 Playing Time: 30 Minutes Let’s pull the band-aid off early: Incan Gold/Diamant is my
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #25
July 12, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #25 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #24
July 5, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #24 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7-8 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Five Tribes Review
July 1, 2022
Five Tribes Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2014 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 60-80 Minutes The Premise In a very colorful “Arabian Nights” environment, players
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #23
June 25, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #23 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #22
June 18, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #22 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Tournament at Avalon Review
June 15, 2022
Tournament at Avalon Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2020 Players: 3-6 Playing Time: 45 Minutes Trick-taking feels like it belongs in a
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #21
June 11, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #21 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #20
June 4, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #20 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Can’t Stop Review
June 1, 2022
Can’t Stop Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 1980 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 30 Minutes If you like press your luck games, Can’t Stop will
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #19
May 24, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #19 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Love Letter Review
May 22, 2022
Love Letter Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2012 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 20 Minutes Love Letter – The Premise In Love Letter, you have
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #18
May 17, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #18 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #17
May 11, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #17 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Lost Cities Review
May 8, 2022
Lost Cities Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 1999 Players: 2 Playing Time: 30 Minutes Lost Cities – The Premise OH HOLY HECK it’s Lost
Tzolk’in Review
May 1, 2022
Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2012 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 90 Minutes This review assumes basic knowledge of the game’s
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #16
April 27, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #16 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 6-7 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Lords of Waterdeep Review
April 22, 2022
Lords of Waterdeep Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2012 Players: 2-5 (2-6 w/expansion) Playing Time: 60-120 Minutes The PremiseLords of Waterdeep is a worker
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #15
April 19, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #15 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 6 Players:Dalia, the Mother
Get Out of the Way, Game!
April 15, 2022
Get Out of the Way, Game! Trying to navigate the murky waters of genre to define my tastes By MARK WILSON I’ve got a problem,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #14
April 12, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #14 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 6 currently Players:Dalia, the
Problematic Games
April 8, 2022
Problematic Games And how to have better conversations about them By MARK WILSON We’re going to discuss problematic games today. That is, games with morally
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #13
April 5, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #13 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 6 currently Players:Dalia, the
Treasure Island Board Game Review
April 1, 2022
Treasure Island Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2018 Players: 2-5 Playing Time: 45 Minutes In Treasure Island, you will either play as
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #12
March 25, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #12 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevel: 6 currently Players:Dalia, the
The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine Review
March 22, 2022
The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2019 Players: 2-5 Playing Time: 20 Minutes I recently reviewed The Mind,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #11
March 18, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #11 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
Best Doctor Who Stories – Review & Retrospective
March 15, 2022
The Best Doctor Who Episodes Reviews and commentary on fan favorites from Doctor Who By MARK WILSON Doctor Who Magazine periodically polls its readers on
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #10
March 11, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #10 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Mind Board Game Review
March 7, 2022
The Mind Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2018 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 15 Minutes I scoffed at The Mind. Raised my eyebrow
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #9
March 4, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #9 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
Abomination: Heir of Frankenstein Review
March 1, 2022
Abomination: Heir of Frankenstein Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2019 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 90-180 Minutes You know how board games sometimes inspire phrases
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #8
February 25, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #8 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
Multiplayer Solitaire vs. Bash the Leader
February 22, 2022
Multiplayer Solitaire vs. Bash the Leader By MARK WILSON I dislike tribal mentality leaking into my hobbies. Hopefully it’s clear what I mean by that,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #7
February 18, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #7 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
Survive: Escape From Atlantis Review
February 15, 2022
Survive: Escape From Atlantis Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 1982 Players: 2-4 (2-6 w/expansion) Playing Time: 45-60 Minutes Thousands of titles have been buried
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #6
February 11, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #6 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
Emotional Spectrum in Gaming
February 7, 2022
The Emotional Spectrum in Gaming By MARK WILSON A Comparison Between Gaming and Pizza I occasionally get annoyed at the limitations of our language when
Takenoko Review
February 1, 2022
Takenoko Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2011 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 45 Minutes Look kids, it’s cute pandas! Look mom, you only need to
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #5
January 31, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #5 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #4
January 24, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #4 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
Buttons Board Game Review
January 22, 2022
Buttons Board Game Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2015 Players: 2-4 Playing Time: 20-30 Minutes Buttons is an entry into the “press your luck”
The Djinn of Al-Qadim: Session #3
January 17, 2022
The Djinn of Al-Qadim Campaign Session Report #3 By MARK WILSON GM: MeSetting: Al-Qadim (aka the continent of Zakhara)System: D&D 5eLevels: 3-?? (probably 12) Players:Dalia,
Food Chain Magnate Review
January 15, 2022
Food Chain Magnate Review By MARK WILSON Year Published: 2015 Players: 2-5 Playing Time: 120-240 Minutes This is the perspective of someone who’s played several