We’ve all played a game like this. One that sounds brilliant on paper. That has won numerous awards. That has people raving about how unique and innovative it is…
Only to fall flat in execution because the people actually playing the game unintentionally cheat, take over decision making, or skip key mechanics that make the game work. That’s what we’re talking about this episode – the mechanics that sound brilliant but just plain don’t work in execution unless everything else is perfect.
Also this episode we’ll be talking about several upcoming games we’re looking out for, some big new games we got a chance to play, and a bunch of news from the world of gaming (and BGA).
Around the Table
First and foremost, our apologies for not covering more Pokemon Go. Stay tuned for our newest podcast coming soon – “Yup, Another Thing on Pokemon Go”.
In the meantime, BGA will be back on August 7th with a new post-Gen Con episode and a big new contest that could win you serious cash from Cool Stuff Inc.
Also Gen Con related, make sure to swing by the Dice Tower booth (2821) at 3pm on Thursday the 4th where we’ll be hanging out for an hour. And finally, we’re now live on YouTube. You can find every episode of BGA on YouTube (including new ones moving forward) so if you prefer to stream there, be sure to Subscribe.
Acquisition Disorder Corner
For this episode’s acquisition disorders, there are a lot of games coming up that we want to keep an eye on. Rather than rehash everything coming out at Gen Con which we’ll be talking about soon, here are some of the others we’ve been eyeballing and talk about:
- Martians: A Story of Civilization
- Cry Havoc
- Burano
- Smash Up: Cease and Desist
- Mysterium: Hidden Signs
At the Table
We’ve also been playing a good number of games, including a handful of BIG ones that have been on the horizon for a while. Anthony kicks things off by talking about a game sent to us by Cool Mini or Not recently – Zombicide Black Plague. Find out if this version solves the litany of problems Anthony had with the original.
Second up, Chris dives into Lancaster from Queen Games and Porta Nigra from Stronghold Games. Both of which were pleasant surprises and well worth playing.
Finally Anthony digs into Scythe from Stonemaier Games, the newest and hotly anticipated from Jamey Stegmaier. Find out how the game holds up in his review and be sure to check back in the next couple weeks for a more detailed written review and coverage of the Automa.
Feature: Game Mechanics that Only Work in a Perfect World
Finally, we sit down and look at eight game mechanics that really only work in a perfect world. Find out which types of game mechanics sound great but ultimately fail in execution.
Listen to Episode 104
Make sure to check out BGA on Twitter (@BGApodcast), Facebook, and BoardGameGeek. We’re also on Patreon so let us know if you think this episode is worth at least $1!
