It’s a solo episode as Mat recaps a truly chaotic few weeks—featuring a massive snowstorm, a car wreck that took him off the road, and somehow… two board game conventions.

Through it all, there were still games to be played and (more importantly) games to be bought. Mat runs down the highlights from both cons, including what hit the table, what stood out, and what made its way into the collection.

Mat is joined by Jeff Madigan (The Mad Board Gamer) for an episode all about the magic of two-player games—tight decisions, head-to-head tension, and just the right amount of friendly rivalry. We break down some of our favorite 2-player experiences and what makes them shine.

Then things get completely unhinged as we dive into Face/Off, the gloriously over-the-top action classic where identities are swapped, doves are in slow motion and subtlety is nowhere to be found.

It’s a tale of two players, two faces, and way too much face touching—because sometimes the best matchups are strictly 1v1… even if you come out the other side as someone else.

https://linktr.ee/dicecameraactionpod

On this episode, Mat is joined by acclaimed board game designer Daryl Andrews for a deep dive into space capitalism gone wrong.

We’re pairing the chaotic survival strategy of Moon Colony Bloodbath with the existential, clone-filled corporate nightmare of Mickey 17. We talk expendable employees, hostile environments, and the implications of swapping worker placement for worker replacement.

Daryl brings designer insight to the table, breaking down the mechanics behind surviving (or not surviving) on the moon, while Mat tries to determine whether it’s worse to mismanage your colony… or to be printed as Employee #17.

https://linktr.ee/dicecameraactionpod

It’s our big 2025 wrap-up episode! Mat and Joel team up as cohosts for a special year-end rundown of our Top 5 Movies and Top 5 Games of 2025. From cinematic standouts to tabletop obsessions, we break down what stuck with us, what surprised us, and what completely took over our free time.

Of course, we couldn’t stop at five—so we’re also handing out honorable mentions and shining a spotlight on our favorite non-movie, non-game media of the year. And to make it even better, friends of the show drop in via short video messages to share their own favorites of 2025.

Mat is joined by game designer Danielle Reynolds for an episode that’s all about Vikings, dragons, and really funny names. Together they revisit How to Train Your Dragon—both the animated classic and its live-action counterpart—before turning their attention to Looot, a clever board game about collecting axes, gold and sheep while politely pillaging everything in sight. It’s a friendly clash of film and cardboard as the crew talks adaptation, design, and why training a dragon might actually be easier than collecting the perfect tiles.

https://linktr.ee/dicecameraactionpod

Mat is back in the host’s chair and Jason finally returns from a long, mysterious hiatus—just in time for an episode all about lies, logic, and confidently accusing the wrong person. This week we break down Awkward Guests, the deduction board game that turns polite conversation into weaponized information, and pair it with Netflix’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
Clues are exchanged, theories are formed, and confidence is misplaced—often. Whether at the table or on the screen, we explore why solving a mystery is never as easy as it looks… especially when Jason’s been gone this long.

Rian Johnson's "Q" interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyUsVMBT4cU

https://linktr.ee/dicecameraactionpod

Mat, Isaac and Joel get together for a Pax-U Recap and somehow discover a hidden talent for re-naming random things.

https://linktr.ee/dicecameraactionpod

Join Mat and Chris as they dive into Planet Unknown, breaking down what makes this polyomino game stand out. Then they head into deep space for a rewatch of Ridley Scott’s Alien — exploring why it still stands as one of the greatest sci-fi horror films ever made.
A mix of strategy, suspense, and maybe even a little screaming…

https://linktr.ee/dicecameraactionpod

This week, Mat is joined by guest host Ryan Campbell from the Trick Talkers podcast — a true trick-taking expert — as we dive into Stonemaier’s brand new trick-taking release, Origin Story. We break down how it plays, how it fits in the trick-taking landscape, and why this one might actually feel like a “superpower draft” in card form.
To pair with it, we revisit Chronicle — the found-footage superhero film where ordinary teens discover extraordinary powers… and then, predictably, use them in all the wrong ways.

Card powers, psychic chaos, and a surprising amount of thematic overlap — "Do I look like a guy with a plan?"

This week, Mat and Joel (aka The Diced Onion) dive deep into Citizens of the Spark, where players build cities powered by invention, teamwork, and probably some questionable safety standards. To pair with all that mad science energy, we’re watching The Island of Dr. Moreau — a movie so bonkers it makes you wonder who let the monkey have final cut?
We talk about the fine line between creativity and chaos, what makes a “good” citizen, and why Marlon Brando’s ice bucket hat might just be cinema’s greatest invention.

https://linktr.ee/dicecameraactionpod