Four Corners Of The Board Podcast

No indepth review of a game this week - but a review of the Origins Game Fair! First we start off by giving a quick look at some of the games we've played recently : Quadrolopis (3 player game) 00:57 Planet Steam 06:30 Fire and Axe 16:23 Dalek Dice 24:24 Stockpile 33:34 Then we review Origins! Graeme and B were at Origins for 5 days. What was it like for first timers? Did Gray enjoy his time as at the Dice Tower booth? Would we recomment the con? What did we do there? What did we like and dislike about the con? Would Lella and Megan enjoy the Con? Gray also quickly comments on the few games he played while down there : Tyrants of the Underdark Merchant of Venus The Spoils Betabots  

We have a look at a game that is up for a dice tower award for "Game of the Year by a Small Publisher" First we look at a few games we've played recently : Quadropolis (00:30) City of Iron (08:00) Merchants and Merauders (17:30) Red Dragon Inn (25:10) Then we have a look back at Thunderstone Advance (29:00) - does it still hold up being one of the first deck builders? Finally we look at Champions of Midgard - theme and components. Are we tired of vikings? Does this add anything to a worker placement genre? Are there any interesting mechanisms? Is there anything we would change? Don't forget to check out dicetower.com and click on the Awards link to view all the great games up for an award! You can also check us out on the web to find all the ways to get in contact with us. http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com

We have a look at Airlines Europe - an Alan R Moon game, so based on Ticket to Ride, it's going to be great! First we look at some games we've played recently : New York 1901 00:30 Cacao 05:11 Gallerist 08:11 Worlds Fair 1893 11:15 We then have a quick look back at Thunder Alley (17:09). Then into Airlines Europe - it's got paper money, but how are the other components? How close is the game to Ticket to Ride? Is it an entry level game? Do we have any strategy for the game? How does Lella keep winning this game? Don't forget to check out the dice tower award nominees, which can be found at www.dicetower.com! Also we'll be at Origins and Dice Tower Con, so if you want to play a game with the corners, drop us an email!

We look at Steam this week (an intro to train games)? Firstly a quick look at some other games we've played (not too many this podcast) Orleans 00:40 Champions of Midgard 04:21 Then into Steam. Is it a good intro to train games? Is it even a train game? We have a look at this game coming from eurogames, with next to no experience with train games (18xx style games). How does this game work for us? Do we want do delve into the rabbit hole of heavier train games after this? The ratings we gave at the end might surprise you, as well as who rated it the highest!  

We start this podcast with looking at some games we've played recently : Shakespeare 00:40 Brass 04:45 Patchwork 8:28 A Touch of Evil 13:15 Fisticuffs! 21:55 Blood Rage 31:40 We then have a quick look back at the Discworld games, have we played them? Do we want to? Then it is the main part of the podcast, Trajan. We look at the components and theme - do we read more theme into a game if we enjoy the game? Do we think the game is balanced? What about the main mechanism of the game - good/bad/indifferent? For the first time in our history, we all agree on 2 games in this podcast - one terrible and one excellent!  

We are having a look at Letters from Whitechapel today. First we have a look at a few games we've played since the last podcast : Mysterium 00:50 Roads and Boats 05:34 Gold West 12:12 Grand Austrian Hotel 17:54 Age of Sigmar 22:26 Walled City 25:07 We then get into the main game. We start with theme and components - since this is based on a real event, how does that effect the theme of the game? We are a group of 2 alpha gamers, how does this game handle that (or does it)? Is the game balanced? Does the game go on too long for what it is? Which is the more fun side to play - Jack or the police? We actually mostly agree on many points, but the game is not for everybody in the group, find out why! You can visit us at http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com Find other great podcasts at http://dicetowernetwork.com  

We have a look at Smash Up today - including the newest expansion It's Your Fault. First we talk about some games we've played over the last 2 weeks : Leonardo Da Vinci 00:35 Formula D (and the live stream!) 05:50 Stronghold 2nd Edition 08:50 Sunrise City 16:13 Roads and Boats 23:55 We then get into our main game, Smash Up! (31:50). We look at the components (hey, it's just cards) and theme (?!?). We also discuss if this is a light weight filler game or something more substantial. How do we like the idea of smashing up 2 different decks, and does it work? What about play length? And is this just a munchkin game in disguise?  

We have a look at Kemet this week. It's ranked in the 60s on boardgamegeek, we've got to like it right? Right?!? We start off by looking at a few games we've played in the last 2 weeks : Murano 00:35 Theophrastus 04:13 Hamburgum 10:15 Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective 15:00 Red Dragon Inn 18:30 We then get into Kemet (26:15). We look at the usual items, theme and components. We then get into the mechanisms and the strategy of the game - since we are not an aggressive group, and some of us like to hold back and turtle, how did we approach the game? Since it forces you to be on the attack, did we like that? Is it a good Weuro game (War+Euro)? What, if anything would we change about the game?  

We have a look at the newest expansion to a much beloved classic game - Ticket To Ride United Kingdom and Pennsylvania. First we have a quick look at some games we've played recently : Clacks Archaeology We then have a look back at Race for the Galaxy. Are we still split on the game. Next comes a discussion on original Ticket to Ride to get a base feeling around the board before talking about the expansions. We have a look at components (the colourful UK map and the not so colourful Pennsylvania) and theme - and we discuss when we tend to internalize the theme (or read more into the theme than is actually there). We also discuss if we have any problems with the game, or is this just the perfect intro game for new games. We finally give our ratings for the base ticket to ride. We then discuss the two expansions - United Kingdom and Pennsylvania. We discuss the differences between the base game and the expansion and does the expansion fit with Ticket to Ride. We are split on the two expansion, and have quite st

We decided to have a look at a much loved game, Smallworld! First we talk about some of the games we've played recently, including Codenames (and does it work in a large group of non-gamers?) and Red Dragon Inn. We then do a look back at Formula D - does it still hold up a year later? We then get into the meat of the episode, Smallworld. We discuss the theme and components (as usual) - it's Days of Wonder, so you know there will be no issues with the components! We then talk about the main mechanism of the game - and is it really just the novelty of the race/power combinations that make this game interesting? Is the game long enough? For those of us that like meaty, strategic games, is this one still enjoyable? You might not be surprised by now, but we have a split at the table in our final opinions! Make sure to check out other boardgaming podcasts at http://www.dicetowernetwork.com You can also find out about us at http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com

The holiday's are all over, so it is back to normal! We start of the podcast by have a quick look at Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective and Lanterns. Then we have a look back one year at Shadows Over Camelot. Finally we get into discussion Elysium. As usual we have a look at theme and components. Then the different flavours of the god decks (and is there a difference?). Are the decks balanced? Do we feel the game is missing anything? What about strategies, is there more than one? We finish off with our final thoughts, and the Red Corner has a quick look at the game from a casual gamer point of view.

This is it! Our end of year look back episode. We have a look at all the 2015 games we've played in 2015 (26 in total). Surely, amongst all those games, there is something we all agree upon right? Sit tight for a long episode to find out! Bottlecap Vikings 00:55Time Stories 02:507 Wonders Duel 08:53Terra 10:47Artifacts Inc. 15:47Codenames 17:07Dice City 19:18Chaosmos 21:12Warhammer Quest 25:12Big Book of Madness 27:05Pingo Pingo 33:41Elysium 36:39Roll for the Galaxy 38:50Code of Nine 43:15Xenoshift Onslaught 47:45Ghostbusters 52:04Flick 'em Up! 54:11XCOM : The Board Game 55:59Isle of Sky 1:01:13Star Trek 5 Year Mission 1:03:24Ticket to Ride UK and Pennsylvania 1:07:17Pandemic Legacy 1:13:09504 1:17:44The World of Smog : On Her Magesty's Service 1:21:34Orleans 1:26:04Food Chain Magnate 1:31:34 We end off with giving our picks of the year. Don't forget to visit our webpage at http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com You can also find great podcasts at http://dicetowernetwork.com  

In the last regular episode of the year before our year end round up we have a look at an older game called Locomotive Werks. An economic train game, what could be the harm in that? But first we look at some games we've played recently : Dice City 01:12 Terra 02:48 Ghostbusters 06:30 Food Chain Magnate 08:28 We then look back at Nuns on the Run 11:45 - has our opinion changed on this game? Do we still want to play it? We then get into Locomotive Werks (15:01). This is first 'pure' economic engine games we've reviewed and for some of us, it might be the last. We look at the usual components and theme and then delve into the game itself - including the mechanisms of the game : aging/rusting engines, random orders for trains, and how locomotives are sold. Also we discover that there is only one path for victory, but each of us has a different path to victory. Is this a game worth playing? That depends on which corner of the board you identify with - listen to find out!

This episode we are looking at Principato.  First we take a look back at one year ago and have a quick look at 7 Wonders (00:24) - how does it hold up? Does Gray still dislike it? We then delve into Principato (05:45) Is this a game with sparkling theme or just a themeless Euro? The four corners have a look at components (those cards!) and theme in the game. We also talk about the main mechanism of the game - and can a game solely rely on one mechanism? Are there mutliple paths to victory? Or is the game broken and it is a one trick pony? As usual there are different opinions around the table but do we think it is worth the time to play?

We start off this episode by doing very quick reviews/first impressions of some of the games we've played : On her Magesty's Service 02:00 Star Wars Risk 03:00 Fits 05:00 Tikal 06:30 Wir Sind Das Volk 09:00 We then have a look back at the game we reviewed 1 year ago - Kingsburg (11:50) Then we get into today's game : Bruges (16:25) We look at components, theme (and lack there of), the large amount of randomness in the game and does that impact the two players who enjoy planning out long term strategies. We also have a look at the point salad aspect of the game - is it better to be points focused, or dabble a little bit in everything?

For our 1 year anniversary we decided to have a look back at one of the games that brought us together - Dominion. It's a game we've all played many, many times over the last few years. Does it still hold up? Should it still be considered a foundation game - that is a game in everybody's collection? We look at the components and (lack of) theme in the game. We then move on to game play and randomness versus skill in the game. Is there no more skill than a slot machine or video poker? We also quickly touch on our favourite expansions. Have we moved on from the game? Is the game still relevant? We've also implemented a new rating system (0 - 10) - check it out on our website http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com Also check out all the other great podcasts on the Dice Tower network at http://www.dicetowernetwork.com  

We start off this episode with a quick look at Star Trek Five Year Mission before we get into a discussion on Spike. Star Trek Five Year Mission 00:48 In this episode we can not agree on anything about Spike - from components, theme, strategy, player controlled game ending, or even how to rate the game. Needless to say 2 of the corners disagree with how the Gray corner plays games, and take turns pointing out their problems with the game play and certain strategies. And the gray corner, the mechanism guy, says there is a good theme to the game! The one thing we all agree on is the game is a train game, but is it a good step after Ticket to Ride? Is it a complicated game? Is there depth to the game? We end the discussion with rating the game (hint some of us really liked the game, while others have a different opinion).

Before the Four Corners get into the discussion on Carcassonne we have a quick look at 2 games : Chew : Case files of the FDA at 00:31 Codenames at 03:51 We then get into Carcassonne and talk about the components, strategies, and scoring. We also have a dicussion on why this 15 year old game is still going strong, and is it all down to the expansions? We then discuss our favourite expansions to add to Carcassonne, and we end the discussion topics on the most contentious topic of the day : Theme! Who knew it had a them and members of the Board felt so strongly about it! We end up giving our ratings (hint - one of us is no longer in love with the game) and finish up with suggestions for other games that give us a similar experience. Don't forget you can find all our contact information on our new website at http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com. Also if you'd like to hear more great podcasts on board gaming, why not check out the dice tower network at http://www.dicetowernetwork.com

This episode of Four Corners of the Board we are looking at two Vegas themed games, Lords of Vegas and Vegas Showdown. We start off by looking at each game by itself, and looking at the components, themes, and game play. We also look at the core mechanisms of each game. As usual, only some of us agree some of the time. We end the discussion by deciding which game we like better as a game, and which game do we feel does a better job of bringing the Vegas feel to the table. We are also now a proud member of the dice tower network, where you can find many more great podcasts about board games. www.dicetowernetwork.com Also check out our new website at http://www.fourcornersoftheboard.com which will also tell you all the ways you can join the discussion!

The Four Corners look at Power Grid in this episode - Number 11 on the BoardGameGeek top games of all times. That means we all love this game right? If you've listened to us before you would know things are never that easy. We start off by having a look at the components - surely we can agree on that. Nope. We also look the math in the game, starting positions, the balancing mechanisms, and the auction mechanism amongst other topics. At the end of the day, we realise that we don't agree on any of it. What's new? We have had some technical issues with this podcast during recording, and we've tried to fix most of them during editing, so hopefully you can still enjoy the episode! Also check out our website at fourcornersoftheboard.com for an index of all the games we've reviewed along with articles!