The Board Game Faith Newsletter, Issue 6 - Top 20 (Part 2)!
Hello, Board Game Faithful!
Kevin: A happy holy day to all those who have a holiday observance this time of year! Many religions in the northern hemisphere do because, let’s face it, it’s dark and cold and we need a bit of re-focusing. Plus there’s a lot of sickness going around here, especially in the USA with the “triple-demic” as they are calling it. I for one am, to quote Homer Simpson, sick and tired of being sick and tired. Bring on spring, says this old man! Cough cough.
Next Episode
Daniel: I’m so excited about our upcoming episode! In episode 20 we welcome back Ali Karar from episode 5 (“Islam and Board Games”) for a conversation on Muslim representation in games, as well as the role of Jesus in Islam. We have already recorded the episode, and I thoroughly enjoyed Ali’s rich conversation and insights. We hope you enjoy it too! You can look for the episode to “drop” on December 25 or 26.
Games We're All About Right Now
Kevin: I have been playing Wayfarers of the South Tigris, solo mode, a lot recently. A lot. It’s so great and the solo opponent AI had me SO MAD. I finally beat him once, barely. But this is such a great game with its art and colors, theme, board advancement, card tableau, and many many choices (someone said somewhere that there are 20 some opening moves). So hard but so great.
Daniel: Have you ever backed a game, forgotten that you did, and then celebrated when a game that totally slipped your mind surprises you in the mail one day? This joyous experience happened to me last week with the arrival of Button Shy’s “Fishing Lessons.” I’m a big fan of Button Shy’s “Simply Solo” microgames (games which consist of just 18 cards), and “Fishing Lesson” is another great offering in that line. There’s a strong “programming” mechanism to it which is very challenging but also fun and satisfying. Picture below!
Kevin: A game I backed once was Daniel Hilty: The Board Game. It was really expensive, and when it arrived it was just 5 index cards that Daniel had doodled on, and NO INSTRUCTIONS*. It was terrible. I might play it again though.
* - (Daniel here: the instructions are only included with the deluxe edition.)
Top 20 Board Games - Part Deux!
Last issue we decided to celebrate year's end by sharing our top 20 games (as of this moment). We went through numbers 20 through 11 in the previous issue; now it's time for the top 10!
Kevin:
10. My Father's Work – This game is one of those “gonzo bonkers” types of games. You are Victorian mad scientist families, and you play 3 generations of those scientists who can swerve into time travel, dystopian futures, Mad Max Thunderdomes, and world wars. It’s got a bit of competition but is mostly a lot of fun and surprising stories. I’ve had a lot of fun and laughs playing this one.
9. Brass Birmingham – This is such a clever game of building out a network and empire, but your resources are all shared on the board itself. Timing is key to what to build when! It’s so innovative and fun. The main thing holding it back for me is the theme; I am just drawn to more exotic themes like space or medieval settings.
8. Pax Pamir 2nd Edition – This game is historical, thoughtful fun. You are an Afghan tribe during the 19th century “Great Game” struggle among British, Russian, and Afghani coalitions/empires in Afghanistan. You must align with one of these coalitions and build your tableau of court officials, BUT you can switch coalitions and play them off each other. So clever, so interesting, so surprising.
7. Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy – This is the ultimate space battle and tech upgrade game. You drive to the center of the galaxy for conquest and points, and can do some really great ship upgrades. You are not sure who has won until the final reveal. Always a great time with the right nerdy group.
6. Twilight Imperium – The OG of epic games! It has a lot of facets to it, and can be serious wargame-y or slightly goofy political moments (“let’s form an alliance and shut down the wormholes!”). It’s fantastic and deeply loved.
5. Viscounts of the West Kingdom – This game is another Garphill Games experiment, with a rondel and card action selection. I find it really satisfying to modify the rondel movements and make tricky choices on your plans for scoring victory points.
4. Circadians: Chaos Order – This is a new one for us, but wow is it fun. Wildly asymmetric races with varying powers and scoring, a “capture the flag” goal for each round, tech upgrades, swingy battles that can be decided by a dice roll or card – this is just a really fun game. Everyone who has played it really likes it.
3. Hadrian's Wall – The most soothing, challenging, and balanced game, it is simply a triumph. It’s like a daily crossword puzzle that you can keep attempting with its many options, victory paths, and clever mechanics. If you like sandbox games where you have lots of options to explore this is one you must try. It’s mostly oriented for solo play, but I think the multi-player is fun too.
2. Dune: Imperium – This is another crowd-pleaser that everyone who has played it enjoys. It’s got card drafting, battles, hand management, and worker placement, and it all works together really well. The art and theme are great fun. It can end abruptly but it’s still worth it.
1. Root – This is another swingy, abruptly ending game, but I adore it. Imagine a crazed forest where woodland creatures battle for imperial supremacy! They are so cute, and so vicious … variable player powers with a race to 30 points element, and alliances can be made to slow down the leader. Some of the characters are very 4x in style (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate), while others are more hidden, explosive, or predatory. It’s just so great. I would avoid the solo expansions and just play it online, and the hirelings and landmarks expansions aren’t needed unless you play this all the time, but all of the faction expansions are terrific and wildly interesting.
Daniel:
10. Port Royal - A perennial favorite both in our household and in our game groups. Like Oh My Goods!, Port Royal is a delightful little push-your-luck card game by Alexander Pfister, though perhaps more accessible than OMG. It’s one of those games at which Kristen beats me every time, but I would still gladly play it anytime.
9. Glen More II: Chronicles - When I first got into this hobby, I watched a YouTube video which featured a review praising the long out-of-print Glen More. So when its sequel came to Kickstarter a few years back, I backed it right away. It’s a beautiful blending of all sorts of mechanisms - rondel, tile placement, engine-building - in a manner that is elegant and unique. Like Port Royal, I love it but never win at it.
8. Ark Nova - Though I still can’t find my copy since Kevin’s visit, my memories of this game remain fond enough to make it one of my favorites nonetheless. Like Glen More II, it’s a clever blending of preexisting mechanisms - action selection, tile placement, hand management - but in a way that feels fresh and new.
7. Telestrations - The number one, all-time, favorite game for our family. There is no game that has caused us more laughter and given us more happy memories as a family than this one. We never keep score, and enjoy it best when we make up our own clue categories (household favorites include “abstract concepts” and “childhood cartoon characters in unusual professions”).
6. Clans of Caledonia - The title that first made me realize I like economic games. In Clans of Caledonia, you play as the head of Scottish family trying to build the most successful business. It’s a somewhat streamlined version of Terra Mystica with a variable-set up board and a theme that some may find more accessible.
5. Caverna: the Cave Farmers - My favorite Uwe Rosenberg game. It requires a lot of set up, and occupies a big footprint on the table, but there’s something so satisfying about mining mountains and developing farms in a mythical land.
4. Keyflower - My highest ranking game that I have played the least. Even though it has only hit the table a few times, I find myself thinking about it alot. Combining an extremely clever auction mechanism with tile-placement and engine-building, it feels unlike any other game I’ve played.
3. Fleet: the Dice Game - Kristen’s and my favorite roll-and-write. Like the other best games in the genre, Fleet the Dice Game shines when you get to set up a long line of chaining bonuses. The theme is unique, the play is quick, and the dice drafting allows for some player interaction.
2. Bunny Kingdom - Both a nostalgic favorite and a genuinely great game. Kristen and I have been playing this one for years and never get tired of it. Designed by Richard Garfield (Magic the Gathering), the game is a cute and clever take on area control. Plus, the secret end-of-game goal cards can allow for a surprise winner–which I love.
1. Brass Birmingham - The only crossover with the magnificent Kevinator! Like Keyflower, this game also does not hit the table as often as I’d like, but when it does–it’s always a joy. The art is gorgeous, the mechanisms are brilliantly knit together, and I have an increasing sense throughout the game that I am becoming more powerful and able to do more things. It may prove a little long and fiddly for some (which I get), but for me it’s a delight.
Spiritual Stuff
Kevin: I’m reading Jürgen Moltmann’s Theology of Play (1972). It’s a tough read from 50 years ago – theology was written so different back then! – but it is really interesting to see Moltmann rethink creation and the resurrection from the idea of God’s play.
Daniel: For a few months now, I’ve been trying to figure out a way first of all to define “spirituality,” and then secondarily to define “spiritual wholeness or health.” Apparently the terms are notoriously difficult to nail down, but some common themes are that spirituality involves matters of meaning, interconnection, peace, compassion, and love. In an effort to appeal to people much smarter than I on such matters, I’ve started reading The Awakened Brain, by Dr. Lisa Miller. The book seeks to explore scientific research on spirituality and matters of health. How about you? How would you define spirituality, or spiritual wholeness? I would love to hear! Please share your thoughts at info@boardgamefaith.com.
Media We're Digging Right Now
Kevin: I started to watch We Are All Going to the World’s Fair, a 2021 indie horror film, but I got scared. I will try to finish it soon. It’s like Blair Witch Project, low budget confusion creepiness! I continue to love Echo 3 and Slow Horses on Apple TV+, and caught a bit of Elf the other day and died laughing.
Thank You!
Thanks so much for being a part of the BGF community. We are grateful for each of you and the ways you make the world more awesome. And if you haven’t had a chance to tell us a little about yourself yet, we would love it if you could fill out this form please! Happy holidays to all.