Pick Up and Deliver

In this Board Game Espresso episode, Brendan shares his first impressions of three games he’s tried recently, and one game he dusted off. Join us, won’t you?

• Dungeons and Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers – Heroes of Undermountain
• Cosmoctopus
• Star Wars: The Deck Building Game
• City of Horror (revisited)

Have you played these games? What do you think of them? Share your thoughts over on Boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan meditates on which games he’s best at … and what he thinks is a good way to measure that. Join us, won’t you?The Five Games I thought would be at the top of my list:

• Cartographers 58%
• Barenpark 73%
• Anachrony 62%
• Wingspan 54%
• Lost Ruins of Arnak 52%

A few more games that would be in the running:

• Century: Golem Edition 54%
• Terra Mystica 52%
• Between Two Cities 75%
• The Isle of Cats 72%

My best ISO ratings on Board Game Arena:

• Through the Ages 106
• Res Arcana 202
• Welcome To 244
• That Time You Killed Me 244
• Beyond the Sun 129
• Terra Mystica 133

What games are you best at? Join the conversation over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares a “flight” of tasty game samples. Even shorter than his usual first-exposure game reviews. Enjoy!

• Trophies
• Smug Owls
• Pretense
• Shut the Box
• That’s a Question!
• Tapple

What are some light, simple games you enjoy? Share them over in our boardgamegeek guild, #3269.

Brendan summarizes and discusses his recent reading from October, November, and December of 2023. Join us, won’t you?

• The Waste Lands by Steven King
• Wizard and Glass by Steven King
• The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson
• The Devil’s Candy by Julie Salamon
• The Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross
• The Fuller Memorandum by Charles Stross
• The Tenth Man by Graham Greene
• Monster City by John Cowlin

What did you read in the last part of last year? Head over to boardgame geek and share in guild #3269.

Brendan shares six games from 2022 that he feels earned a superlative award. Join us, won’t you?

• Most deluxe game that I’m jealous of but I’m glad I didn’t buy because it’s so expensive: Foundations of Rome
• Best Abstract Game of the Year: Akropolis
• Most Interesting Combo-Tastic Roll and Write of the Year: Three Sisters
  • Fleet, the Dice Game
  • Riverside
• Best Family Mystery Game of the year: The Animals of Baker Street
  • The Bureau of Investigations
  • Micro Macro Crime City
• Game I Wanted to Like That Wasn’t As Good As I Hoped: Crossing Oceans
  • Transatlantic
• Best Micro Game: Smitten

What are your superlative games of 2022? Share your thoughts over on Boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares his favorite games from 2022. Join us, won’t you?

1. Frosthaven
2. Revive
3. Mosaic: A Story of Civilization
4. My Father’s Work
5. Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest

Honorable mentions:

• Woodcraft
• Return to Dark Tower
• The Guild of Merchant Explorers
• Tenpenny Parks
• Bureau of Investigation: Arkham

Previous Best Games of the Year lists:

• Best Games of 2021 also, Superlatives
• Best Games of 2020
• Best Games of 2019 also, Superlatives
• Best Games of 2018: Top 8
• Look Back at 2017
• Look Back at 2016
• Look Back at 2015
• Look Back at 2014

What are your top picks for 2022 games? Share them over on Boardgamegeek in our guild, #3269.

Brendan shares his experience trying out three games for the first time, and one game he dusted off. Join us, won’t you?

• Wyatt Earp
• Thunder Road: Vendetta
• Downforce (revisited)
• Brian Boru: High King of Ireland

What new games have you tried recently? Share your plays over on Boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares his favorite gaming moments that come to mind from 2023. Join us, won’t you?

• Anomia with the CCC Board Game Society
• Playing Orléans and Brass: Birmingham at my friend’s home con
• Scooby Doo escape room at Escapology
• Ansynchronous wins at Res Arcana and Mottainai
• Frosthaven lucky draw

What were your top 5 gaming moments of 2023? Share over on Boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares his gaming update from January and his plans for February. Join us, won’t you?

• Top of the Stack, January 2024
  • NEW GAME – Vagrantsong✓
  • SHAMEFUL CHOICE – My Little ScytheX
  • CUTE CHOICE – Dream HomeX
  • ONE MORE CHOICE – Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game✓
• Shelf of Opportunity
• Top of the Stack, February 2024
  • NEW GAME – Evacuation
  • SHAMEFUL CHOICE – Alien: Fate of the Nostromo
  • SOLO – Hunted: Wode Ridge
  • ONE MORE CHOICE – Brian Boru

What did you play in January? Head over to Boardgame geek guild #3269 and share your news!

Brendan shares his thoughts on three games he tried for the first time recently. Join us, won’t you?

• Amun-Re: 20th Anniversary Edition
• Puerto Rico 1897
• The Isle of Cats (revisited)
• Pit

What games have you been playing recently? Share your stories over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.