Hot Topic - When are Epic Games Worth It?

In Episode 326 we give our hot take review on Arctica covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a poll on exclusive pre-order bonuses and then discuss some games on our table including Project L, Tower Up, and Chai Tea Jazz.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:39 Poll Time: How do you feel about exclusive pre-order bonuses?09:42 Arctica Description12:01 Gameplay and Mechanisms28:23 Production and Theme41:11 Final Thoughts48:33 Project L56:40 Tower Up1:13 Chai Tea Jazz 1:13:55 Listener Shoutout and Listener ShamingIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 325 we discuss a handful of recent games that we've been playing. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:06 Gaming Weekend Preferences08:19 Mille Fiori20:18 Druids of Edora33:14 Deep Regrets43:35 Cthulhu: Death May Die - R'lyeh RisingIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 324 we give our hot take review on Drillers covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a poll on Board Game Packaging and then discuss some games on our table including Sky 5, Forbidden Stars, and The Hobbit: There and Back Again.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:19 Poll Time: How important is the board game box?12:14 Drillers Description13:57 Gameplay and Mechanisms27:41 Production and Theme38:10 Final Thoughts44:02 Sky 551:15 Forbidden Stars1:06:55 The Hobbit: There and Back Again1:13:05 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 323 we're joined by board game designer Connie Vogelmann to discuss our top 3 board games we wish we'd designed.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:56 Connie tells us about Tideward and Weaverbirds12:16 Top 3 board games we wish we'd designed15:26 Baseball Highlights 204519:04 The Gang23:05 Dominion26:27 Glass Road / Black Forest33:03 Smartphone, Inc.36:34 It's a Wonderful World40:14 Blue Lagoon44:47 Nemesis49:56 Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy52:58 Fromage58:54 Super Motherload1:04:08 Nexus Ops1:12:29 Will the BGHT Hosts ever design a board game?If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠

In Episode 322 we discuss epic (big, long) board games. How do you define an epic game? Are they worth the time investment? What games do you consider epic games? How often do you want to be playing them?If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠

In Episode 321 we give our hot take review on Bus covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a poll on Duel Games and then discuss some games on our table including Ostia, Gunsen, and Jisogi: Anime Studio Tycoon.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:17 Poll Time: How do you feel about Duel games?12:12 Bus Description14:15 Gameplay and Mechanisms29:01 Production and Theme33:39 Final Thoughts38:20 Ostia51:26 Gunsen: The Battle for Toshi Ranbo55:57 Jisogi: Anime Studio TycoonIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 320 we discuss the board game collecting as a part of the hobby. Do we consider ourselves collectors? What makes an interesting collection? Why do board games make good (or bad) collections?If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

In Episode 319 we give our hot take review on Gunsen COLON The Battle for Toshi Ranbo covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a poll on whether its okay to concede in a 2-player game and then discuss some games on our table including Ants, World Order, and Origin Story: Heroes and Villains.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:24 Poll Time: Is it acceptable to concede in a 2-player game?12:38 Gunsen: The Battle for Toshi Ranbo Description14:29 Gameplay and Mechanisms40:10 Production and Theme44:56 Final Thoughts52:25 Ants1:03:37 World Order1:11:52 Origin Story: Heroes and VillainsIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 318 we answer a bunch of mailbag questions asked by our Patreon supporters.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:39 What's your Spirit Game?04:39 Have you ever sold or traded a game away but later decided you wanted it back in your collection?10:07 What games are just dumb fun?15:03 Are there any games you'd like to see get a digital implementation?19:39 What are your most gifted games?24:57 What game was reimplemented wrong and the original was much better?30:39 What is the first favorite happy moment in board gaming that comes to mind?36:10 Will we ever attend another public board game convention?39:53 How have you grown as a person through playing board games?44:48 If you could only play 2 games the rest of your life which ones would you select and why?49:00 What are your Grail Games to play and/or own?57:21 What mics and DAWs do we own and other questions about creating the podcast?1:02:48 Which games are worse to play on Board Game Arena than in person?1:07:21 How did the hosts of the show meet?If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠

In Episode 317 we give our hot take review on Wondrous Creatures covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a poll on discovery vs. mastery and also discuss some games that have ALMOST been on our table including World Order and Distilled: Cocktails.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:31 Poll Time: Which do you enjoy most about enjoying board games - Discovery or Mastery?10:20 Wondrous Creatures Description12:28 Gameplay and Mechanisms30:07 Production and Theme37:12 Final Thoughts44:39 World Order51:32 Distilled: CocktailsIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠