Polyhedron Collider Episode 76: The Best Games of 2019

It’s the end of the year, so that can only mean one thing; our best of 2019 round up!

We look at the best games of the year that we’ve played, the most disappointing games of the year and announce the all-important Andy’s Insert of choice.

Polyhedron Collider Episode 75: Cooper Island, Tapestry and On the Underground

It’s a particularly mischievous episode, complete with awful Scottish accents, Steve and Jon recount their experiences from Gridcon, including Cooper Island, Ravage and playing Tapestry with David Turczi, while Rory and Andy tell us all about On the Underground.

There’s also the latest news from the ferrets as the One Ring contract dispute, a D&D movie and the wee Tagies.

We also announce a mew member of the PHC crew.

News Collider - Board Game News 17th December

I suppose it makes sense that as we approach the shortest day of the year that the world of board gaming news would slow down.  Let’s face it, we’re all winding down now anyway (or wish we were) and we’re getting ready to kick back and play board games over a nice long Christmas break.

With that being said, it’s not a complete stop, there are a couple of nuggets of news stories worthy of your time and attention before we send the ferrets off until the new year.

News Collider - Board Game News 10th December

In this very special birthday issue of the News Collider (my birthday, not the news Collider, but you already knew that since you clearly remember the party we had at the end of October).  I'd love to be very indulgent and tell you about the new Batman board game which has as much focus on being a detective as well as being a ninja, or the amazing worker placement war game based on Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight novels...but neither of those things are real.

Instead, I can tell you about the forthcoming Rivers of London RPG from Chaosium, that the UK Games Expo tickets went on sale for the end of May 2020 and then there's is the big news about the Gloomhaven sequel that I find hard to get excited about because I've still. only played one game of the original.

Magnate: The First City Kickstarter Review

It is said that a lady’s prerogative is to change her mind. Now, as I’m sure the rest of Polyhedron Collider will tell you, I aint no lady, but I am on the verge of changing my mind. Rory and I played the prototype of Magnate: The First City at UK Games Expo earlier this year and we both walked away thinking “that was bloody brilliant”. If you don’t believe us, it’s in actual audio format for all to hear.

News Collider - Board Game News 2nd December

This week’s News Collider brings you further proof that playing board and card games are good for your mental health, we have more details over the book and movie board game tie-ins to look forward to over the next two years and a very unfortunate story for fans of The Lord of the Rings: The One Ring.

News Collider- Board Game News 26th November

As we approach the end of the year we get ready for a time of new beginnings, a time of hope for a better year yet to come and a backwards glance at the year almost past.  Spaces on game shelves are being prepared and the belt none-too-subtle hints are being dropped into casual conversations, such as “I’ve heard lots of good things about Tiny Towns, it sounds like the type of game I would probably love…”

In other words, there isn’t a huge amount going on in the world of tabletop gaming news.  A video game studio launches a tabletop division, a foundation for youth education is set up by another well-established publisher and Games Workshop is still worth a lot of money.  It’s all here, the best board game news all cobbled together in this week’s News Collider.

The Polyhedron Collider Cast Episode 74: Infinity Defiance, Inuit the Snow Folk and Nanty Narking

In the latest episode of Polyhedron Collider we ask all the important questions;

• is Andy’s car waterproof, 
• is Inuit any good, 
• how do you stop quarterbacking in cooperative games, and 
• should Jon back Infinity Defiance?

Trismegistus: The Ultimate Formula Review

It’s come to my attention just how much of an abstract term ‘heavy’ is. It’s weird how we measure a game’s complexity in terms of mass. A simple game that we consider suitable for anyone is deemed as being light, whilst a complex game that involves many layers of rules and deep decision making is considered heavy. I’m reminded of when you drink a nice dark beer and we describe it as ‘chewy’, because if Trismegistus was a beer it would be dark, complex and very very chewy.

Interview & Overview of Magnate: The First City - A Kickstarter Highlight

Magnate: The First City is a Polyhedron Collider Kickstarter Highlight.  This means that from what we know of the game, we reckon it’s pretty bloody great, just how pretty, bloody or great is subject to change as games are want to do when they go through the Kickstarter process.

In this new look Polyhedron Collider Kickstarter Highlight, we take a close look at a current campaign, peeking behind the curtain to discuss the design and development of the game with the designer and publisher; James Naylor of Naylor Games, as well as giving you an overview of the game itself too.  

Interview & Overview of Venice - A Kickstarter Highlight

Venice is a Polyhedron Collider Kickstarter Highlight.  This means that from what we know of the game, we reckon it’s pretty bloody great, just how pretty, bloody or great is subject to change as games are want to do when they go through the Kickstarter process.

In this new look Polyhedron Collider Kickstarter Highlight we take a close look at a current campaign, peeking behind the curtain to discuss the design and development of the game with one of the designers (Dávid Turczi) and the publisher (Lewis Shaw from Braincrack Games) as well as giving you an overview of the game itself too.

News Collider - Board Game News 19th November

Controversy, sadness, SkyNet Alexa taking over and more bling than even Andy can handle, the world of board game news this week is a mixed bag. 

Galactic Era: Interview with Channing Jones

I won't lie, I do love me a bit of 4X, so when I heard that a new one was careering its way to Kickstarter like a drunk to a kebab house, I was more than a little interested. Noting that Galactic Era would be on show at the UK Games Expo, I made a beeline for it with my partner and sat down with Channing Jones, designer of Galactic Era, to have a run through of his upcoming game to see how it shapes up.

Inuit: The Snow Folk Review

Inuit is a lavishly illustrated tableau builder that has players growing their small Inuit village in one of the most inhospitable landscapes on the planet.  You’ll have to scout the tundra, trap seals, hunt polar bears and conduct rites in order to not only survive but to flourish.

News Collider - Board Game News 12th November

This week’s News Collider is a little heavy on the RPG front as the Critical Role team sign with Amazon for seasons one and two of the animated telling of the adventures of Vox Machina, Dungeons & Dragons Cluedo second edition is announced and the very sad news about RPG publisher Burning Games closing down.

There’s also some board game business news and a new UK convention in the planning, so grab a cuppa and catch up the latest in tabletop gaming news.

The Polyhedron Collider Cast Episode 73 - Tangura, Chakra & Trismegistus

Steve has been sent a mystery package by Board & Dice, so sit back with your favourite tipple as we describe all. We’ll also have our usual round up of the latest tabletop gaming news and in depth chat about the board games we’ve been playing.

This week all four members of the PHC crew have been sunning it in Tungaru, the latest kickstarter from Alley Cat Games and Steve and Andy get alchemy confused with worshipping in Trismegistus: The Ultimate Formula.

Is Rory's mic still working?

Triplock Review

I've mentioned in passing my feelings for Triplock from Chip Theory games a handful of times on the podcast already, so some of you reading this will be doing so with that dangerous glimmer in you eyes that suggests you know what is about to happen.  For others, allow me to summarise my thoughts as: It’s shit.

As much as I am tempted to leave nothing more than that two-word review, it simply isn't enough to tell you that Triplock is shit and that it is by far and away the worst game I have ever had the misfortune to play.  After all, you’ve either come here to read an informed and detailed critique of the game or to watch a good kicking.

With no further ado, may I present my review of Triplock: An Exercise in Futility and Frustration.

Tangura Kickstarter Review

One of my biggest problems in life is my inability to relax. I have one of those minds that needs to be constantly doing something, constantly active. Which is why sitting on a tropical beach is not something that generally appeals to me, it also might be why I’m having a little trouble relating to Tungaru, the latest big board game from Alley Cat Games and designers Louis and Stefan Malz. Because although Tangaru has all the euro game stalwarts of resources, trading and action selection, it's all very gentle.

News Collider - Board Game News 5th November

This week’s News Collider is a bit of a video game special, which may sound odd since Polyhedron Collider is all about tabletop games but there is a very strong link between the two here.  

We’re talking Dungeons & Dragons, Warcraft, Monopoly, Catan and the most recent winner of the Golden Cube.

The Polyhedron Collider Cast Episode 72 - Tapestry & Teslas

What’s this? A full house? Back to the normal format? Something must be amiss.  Yes, the full complement of Polyhedron Collider are back with some more board game chat.

We start as ever with a breakdown of the latest news, have a bloody good chat about Stonemaier Games’ latest Tapestry and Jon tells us about his Tesla…again.

News Collider - Board Game News 29th October

Essen has come and gone once again and with it there is the repeat of thefts from stands.  There's more sad news with the passing of a pioneer of boardgame design, Francis Tresham.  Chicago is getting a new and very fancy board game cafe January 2020 from the folks who gave us Cards Against Humanity and the Cluedo board gets n update after seventy years of murders at Tudor Manor (not Steve's house).

Barrage Review

Apparently, you can’t polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter; the experience where one is given a poor product and attempts to improve it with bling or add-ons. Whilst this slightly latrine-based phrase is all-too-common, I am yet to hear its antonym; the also common situation where you have a fantastic thing and by fair means or foul, gradually reduce its quality from mirror shine to greasy smear. A situation we find ourselves in here.

Slyville Review

Before considering to buy or play this game you need to ask yourself a question:

Are you ready to be a complete dick for the next 30 to 45 minutes?

If yes, then Slyville provides a platform for you to be a dick of the highest order.  Otherwise you might want to consider a different game.

News Collider - Board Game News 22nd October

The News Collider turns one this week.  A whole year since we dusted and cleaned the Polyhedron News Room and I sat down with the simple goal of bringing you the most interesting scraps of board game related news from every corner of the board.  So whether or not you've been a long for the ride the whole time or you are just joining us, welcome.

In this week's News Collider we have two stories about how to gain some income from board games, one is perfectly legit but will require hard work and the other is utterly bogus.  Then there's the world's one and only board game based attraction in Hong Kong and the announcement that Modiphius are releasing a tabletop role playing game based on the popular video game, Homeworld. 

Dobble and Matchify Review

It’s not very often that we review two games at the same time, in fact we’ve only really done it once before but when we were sent a copy of Macthify to review it seemed to make a lot of sense to cover it and Dobble in the same review, because they are strikingly similar games.

Kickstarter Highlights 16th October

Hold onto your wallets, because it's yet another week Kicksatratre craziness ready for you to splurge your hard-earned (or ill-gained, we don’t judge) cash on.  This week we have a heavy euro roll & write and the latest game in the Tiny Epic series. We also have the internet staples of Loftcraftian horrors and cats.

News Collider - Board Game News 15th October 2019

Much like a game of Monopoly, the world of board gaming news never stops (or should that be never ends?), so we’re here with yet another roundup of this week's hottest tabletop gaming news.

This week we’ve got news of Asmodee’s move into book publishing, walking round the annual potato on a stick festival for charity and Exploding Kittens getting a huge investment.

The Polyhedron Collider Cast Episode 71 - Essen 2019 Top Picks

It’s almost time for Europe’s largest tabletop gaming convention, and arguably the world’s largest gaming convention. We are of course talking about Spiel in Essen where hundreds of games will be launched demo’d and sold.

With such a huge array of games available, join Steve and Rory as they take you through their top picks of the show.

Kickstarter Highlights 9th October

Soooooo many games!  

There's just loads and loads of great campaigns running at the moment and here to help you navigate this bountiful and luxurious cardboard landscape is the Polyhedron Collider Kickstarter Highlights!

Some of the campaigns mentioned below have been running for a little while now already (we've only just spotted them in time ourselves) so pay close attention to the end date and get involved if it sounds like your type of game.

Don't forget that not only do we look at new campaigns you'll also find links to previously mentioned games at the bottom of this article.

Sumo Gnomes Kickstarter Review

A game called Sumo Gnome should immediately conjure certain images to mind, primarily, that of a sumo wrestlers who also happen to be gnomes.  Obviously.  It should also bring some gaming assumptions along too.  This game is super small, super light and delivers a quick slap of dice based gaming combat.

Two sumo gnomes square off on a tree stump, one gnome in the blue mawashi and the other in red (each stylised on a six sided die), the goal is simple; push your opponent off the stump.

News Collider - Board Game News 8th October 2019

We have a bumper News Collider for you this week to hopefully make up for the recent lack of News Colliders.  

Within you’ll discover news of awards, team-up, and firings, there’s updates and guesses of great things to come too.  So make yourself a cuppa and put your feet up with the very best of board game related news.

1066 Tears to Many Mothers Review

1066, Tears to Many Mothers is an all-out offensive two player game covering one of the most important events in English history, the Battle of Hastings, you know, the one where King Harold took an arrow in the eye.  This game, from Tristain Hall is carefully balanced, nuanced and heavily detailed pulling from pretty much every page of the Doomsday Book.

It’s taken me a little while to write this review, primarily because of how detailed this game is, my first impression left me wondering if I had missed some key strategy to the game but it also left me with a feeling that I needed to explore the game further and upon doing so I found a deep and rich strategy game.

The Polyhedron Collider Cast Episode 70 - Dungeons & Dragons and tabletop RPGs

Grab your pen and pencils, your favourite dice and your silly voices, because it’s time for the Polyhedron Collider boys to talk about tabletop RPGs.

We’ll be covering Andy’s recent Tyranny of Dragons campaign for Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition, looking at some tasty Kickstarter roleplaying games and answering your questions about pen and paper RPGs.

Kickstarter Highlights 24th September

This is just the beginning.  We are on the road to Essen Spiel 2019 now so expect a slew of amazing games to be making their appearance not just on Kickstarter, but everywhere, but this being the Kickstarter Highlights, we’ll keep our scope limited to crowdfunded games.

This week we have a number of debut designers, as well as a smattering of RPG veterans, bring us new and exciting games with twists on familiar concepts and mechanics.  So whether you’re looking for a light, medium or heavyweight game, or a new RPG system or campaign, we’ve got you covered.

MourneQuest Review

MourneQuest is based on the books of the same name by Garry McElherron in which a lad called Jack meets a clurichaun (not a leprechaun) called Cobs and together they accidentally begin to set loose the Nightmares who's only goal is to unleash the Shimnavore; a creature of ancient Irish legend of terrible power. Your role is to play as Jack, Cobs or one of their buddies to try to keep these awesome gribblies locked up forever. Fail and it’s bad news for everyone concerned. So with stakes suitably high, we are set up for some epic beastie-kicking action.

The Polyhedron Collider Cast Episode 69 - Ragusa, Barrage, Mournequest, and Pipeline

Welcome along to another analysis paralysis inducing chat with the boys from Polyhedron Collider, who are cruder than normal in celebration of episode 69 (dude). We analyse the latest tabletop gaming news, talking about the latest events in board games and pen and paper RPGS and then get into some deep and meaningful game chat.

In this week’s episode we talk about Matchify, get in a very quick game of Ragusa and have a rather deep analysis of heavy euros Pipeline and Barrage. We then pop over to Ireland to save the world in Mournequest.

Kickstarter Highlights 10th September

This week’s Kickstarter Highlights sports the strap line “The Remake, the relaunch and the expansion” because it features, well...a remake/second edition, some Kickstarter relaunches and a PHC much anticipated expansion. 

News Collider - Board Game News 5th September 2019

In a world full of unpredictable tariffs, trade wars and the seemingly never ending Brexit saga we can at least rely on board games for some stability…

I beg your pardon?  They’re changing Cluedo? Cludeo!?  And the Origins awards?  And what are those cute figurine things...D&D Funko Pops!  Has the world gone mad? 

Kickstarter Highlights 3rd September

Did you miss me?  It’s okay, I understand, look we all need a little break from Kickstarter now and then, and sometimes there just isn’t enough new stuff to warrant bringing to your eyeballs.  Here at Polyhedron Collider we don’t simply pay lip service to any old campaign, no, we’re only going to talk about games we (well, at least one of us) is actually interested in, or in Andy’s case, are backing backing.  

So, this week we have a heavy wargame, a book, some asymmetrical shenanigans and a very challenging co-op. 

Solar Storm Kickstarter Review

Your spaceship is heading for disaster. It’s been caught in the gravity well of a star and the engines have decided to conk out at the worst possible time.  The only solution is to divert power from all the other systems in the ship and jump start the engines. The problem is that the ship is very close to the sun and systems are starting to get damaged from the rapidly increasing heat levels.  

In Solar Storm your job, is to race around the ship, rapidly fixing the ship’s failing systems, while at the same time attempting to kickstart the engines and get out of there before it all gets hotter than the inside of a McDonald’s apple pie.

The Polyhedron Collider Cast Episode 68 - Sagrada, Quacks of Quedlinburg and Solar Storm

Prepare yourselves for another generous helping of tabletop gaming chat, as the boys from Polyhedron Collider talk all things board games, card games and RPGS (as well as some rambling diversions regarding Jon’s taste in TV programs and Andy going to a festival).

In this episode Jon tells us about his first Dungeon Mastering experience in An Ogre and his Cake, Andy cooks up explosive potions in the Quacks of Quedlinburg, Jon talks us through the stained glass dice builder Sagrada and Steve gets dangerously close to the sun in coop kickstarter game Solar Storm.

Sagrada Review

I have something bordering on a fetish for pattern matching dice drafting games, and Sagrada from Floodgate Games is a really excellent example of a game that scratches that itch.

You and up to three fellow players (expandable to a total of 6 players) will compete to make the most beautiful stained glass window from the very finest colours and shades of glass. When we say glass, we’re not talking about a scene involving a winnebago in the middle of the desert, we mean dice with the shades represented by the various numbers on the die faces.

News Collider - Board Game News 28th August

Welcome to the Hasbro edition of the News Collider where we can share with you all the exciting and stupid things HASBRO are doing like gaining the rights to Ghostbusters, Pepper Pig and The Walking Dead.  Releasing what could potentially could become the most despised edition of Monopoly and becoming the custodians of the Dr Dre/ Death Row Records back library.

In non-HASBRO news there's a really interesting and super geeky board game based avenue of archaeology for future generations to want to be when they grow up and Board Game Geek launches a new advertorial video series.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell a Board Game of English Magic Review

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell a Board Game of English Magic is somewhat of an enigma, a puzzle, not simply in terms of what you, as players, do in the game itself to thwart the Gentleman with the Thistle Down Hair, but rather, given its ...pedigree...how it ballsed it all up so magnificently.

News Collider - Board Game News 21st August

This week we are peering back over our collective geek shoulder to pull back into focus some of our old friends.  An old D&D Class option returns to 5th Edition after taking a short break and is joined by some classic 8-bit arcade games that will soon be hitting tabletops There's a comic book implementation of a very popular and successful game and then a little story that we have me hunting through boxes in my parent's loft this weekend.

Kickstarter Highlights - 20th August

It's a real mixed bag in this week's Polyhedron Collider Kickstarter Highlights with only 4 campaigns to bring to your attention, but projects that, collectively, cover all the bases.

There's a fantastic and award winning RPG, an exciting and cinematic campaign style co-op game, a heavy war game with strong economic flavours and a very silly party game.  

So, what ever your tastes, the Collider Crew has you covered.

You're welcome 

The Quacks of Quedlinburg Review

It is said here at Polyhedron Collider that I’m a bit adverse to random chance. It’s mostly true, probably because I say it. However, it’s not an entirely blanket statement as there are a few exceptions to this rule. Whilst it’s true that I’m hugely repulsed by games that place your victory or outcome in the lap of those infernal cubes of chance, being able to react to said result or proactively tip the balance in your favour is something I do enjoy. It all comes down to that ever-popular meaningful decision that we love so much.

News Collider - Board Game News 14th August

After the glut of news from Gen Con the news ferrets, and the board gaming community are putting their feet up for a little while it seems as we relax into the mid August quite zone.  That's not to say there is no board game related news at all, in fact  we have the big release from Stonemaier Games, Asmodee's continued growth and a new (yet very old) player joins the board game market. 

Kickstarter Highlights - 13th July

Is August the time that tabletop gaming takes a bit of a nap? After a busy few days at Gen Con does it feel that it needs a bit of a sit down and a refreshing cup of tea? Because it feels (to us at least) that the number of games on Kickstarter this week is rather less than usual (we didn’t even publish a Kickstarter Highlights last week!).

Regardless, the intrepid Kickstarter explorers of the Polyhedron Collider crew have traveled far, dug deep, and spend every last resource they could finding this weeks’ hot board game and role playing game Kickstarters.

The Polyhedron Collider Cast Episode 67 - Gen Con News, Undo and Bunny Kingdom

The full gang are back and have a bucket load of Gen Con news to go through. We cast our expert* eyes over the latest tabletop gaming and board game news, such as the new Marvel games from Fantasy Flight Games and the announcement of Ankh from CMON.

We then take an in-depth look at single play mystery game Undo from Pegasus Spiele and Bunny Kingdom from Iello and Richard Garfield.

*The Polyhedron Collider team are not classified as experts in any field.