Dragon's Demize

This week we sat down with Christopher Yoder, the designer of Tangl, a really cool and quick puzzle game live on Kickstarter now! We got to talk about how he got into board games, how the idea of Tangl came about, and the whirlwind process going from prototype to getting signed by a publisher. Check […] The post Interview with Christopher Yoder Designer of Tangl appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This week Jakub sits down with Eli Mamane of Meeple City Games and designer of Vector Wars. They talk about this 2 player game which includes a lot of deep strategic choices underneath a really cool Tron-like exterior with some simple choices each turn. The layers that this game shows are quite deep and interesting. […] The post Vector Wars – Interview with Eli Mamane appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This week, we give Treasure Mountain by August Games its long overdue review! Treasure Mountain is a worker placement game for 2-4 players (1-4 if you have the expansion), where players compete to earn the most points by mining gems our their personal mines and earning the King’s favor. The most unique element is that […] The post Treasure Mountain appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This week Jakub sits down with Don Riddle and Andrew Birkett to talk about their game Ruins of Mars coming to Kickstarter on September 24, 2019. The game is about uncovering the secrets of the lost civilizations which inhabited a metropolis found on Mars! You dothis through rondell style action selection with a cool twist […] The post Ruins of Mars – Interview with Don Riddle and Andrew Birkett appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This week Jakub sits down with Marshall Bradshaw to talk about his gamer story, how he got into LARPing, what exactly it means to LARP, and why he loves it. Marshall talks a lot about what LARP means to him and some of his best experiences with it so join us for the ride. We […] The post Interview with Marshall Bradshaw appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This year at WashingCon we had a chance to learn from a panel of LARP organizers and designers about all the different games you have within driving distance of Washingcon, what makes them unique, and how to get involved. The panel is guaranteed to get you excited for a game you hadn’t heard of before! […] The post LARP, larp, Everything in Between and You! Panel at WashingCon 2019 appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

We were really lucky this year to have a game design panel at WashingCon that was by kids for kids! Our panelists were two young game designers Alex and Scarlett and the moderator was Justin Johns of Labyrinth. Alex and Scarlett bring a great new perspective to the ideas of game design, showing that no […] The post Think Like a Kid: Game Design Panel appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This year at WashingCon we return the annual panel about game design! Our guests on this year’s panel are: Elizabeth Hargrave, designer of Wingspan and Tussie Mussie. Jon Gilmour, designer of Dead of Winter, Dinosaur Island, and head of game development at Pandasaurus Games Dr. Catherine Croft, designer of Neuro Hero, Crazy Cats, and Atomic […] The post So You Want to be a Game Designer Panel appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This past weekend we went to WashingCon! Join us for this recap of the con, talkign about the things we did, games we played, people we talked to and our overall experience beiing volunteers and helping to run the Con. We got to talk to Elizabeth Hargrave of Wingspan Fame, Dominic Crapuchets from NorthStar, and […] The post WashingCon 2019 Recap appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This week on Dragon’s Demize Greg, Lesley, Hunter and Jakub sit down to talk about their favorite game mechanics. If you want to see the first episode that inspired this one you can go check out our Least Favorite Game Mechanics Here. We talk about a lot of different games and why we like the […] The post Our Favorite Game Mechanics appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This week Lesley and Hunter Join Jakub to talk about the games they played at Gen Con! We talk about the games they liked, bought, played, or would rather have skipped so stay tuned for a quick look at the hotest new Gen Con games! Special thank you to Agata Poniatowski for the Artwork and […] The post Quickfire Reviews – Gen Con appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Lesley and Hunter were at Gen Con this year! They came on to talk about all the cool things they they got to do at the convention. Lots of laughs, games, and fun was had. Join us for a fun recap of their experiences at Gen Con, and next week we will have Part 2, […] The post Gen Con Recap Part 1 appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This week Jakub and Greg talk about two games about building things! They preview LOTS and review Teotihuacan. LOTS is a fun, quick, dexterity game about building up a tower and trying to score the most points without knocking the tower over. There are some great mechanics that keep it interesting even if it is […] The post LOTS and Teotihuacan appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

This week Jakub sits down with Nicholas Yu, the designer of Adventure Tactics to talk about the game, how it works, how it was designed, as well as Nick’s time in the industry and of course favorite donut. It was a fun discussion that included everything from Game Theory to Co-op quaterbacking so be sure […] The post Adventure Tactics – with Nicholas Yu appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Do you have a board game mechanic that you just loathe? Does a game with that mechanic have to clear enormous hurdles for you to even consider playing it? If you answered “Yes” to these questions, have we got an episode for you! On this week’s Dragon’s Demize, Lesley, Jakub, Hunter, and Greg commiserate over […] The post Least Favorite Game Mechanics appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Dragon’s Demize’s coverage of Origins 2019 continues! While we of course had an amazing time trying out new games and seeing old friends, we also had a blast talking to some truly incredible people from within the gaming industry. This year was especially wonderful because it marked Hunter’s first ever interview, with the one and […] The post Origins 2019 Interview Recap appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

We just got back from Origins recently and have a lot to talk about. Firstly, we cover all of the games we were introduced to this Origins, new and old. Some of these games are still prototypes, others just released, and some were already a few years old but one of us tried them for […] The post Origins 2019 Quickfire Reviews appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hello listeners, and welcome to the fourth installment of our Board Game Glossary! Today we’re talking about other games, games which don’t fit into the neat buckets we’ve created in the other Board Game Glossary episodes. There are many of these games so we focus on what makes some defined categories different and why we […] The post Board Game Glossary – Other Games appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

It’s been a minute since we’ve reviewed a Red Raven game, but the drought is over! Ancient World is the latest worker-placement, resource-managey goodness, and it plays 2-4. Players compete to collect banners which will earn them points at the end of the game. Banners can be found on Empire Cards which can be built, […] The post Ancient World appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hello listeners, and welcome to the third installment of our Board Game Glossary! Today we’re talking about social games, games which are all about heavy player interaction and usually best with large numbers. This is also the first time we break things out into subcategories. In this case, we’ve got Hidden Identity, Restricted Communication, and […] The post Board Game Glossary – Social Games appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig is one of those games that does exactly what it sets out to do. Taking two independently successful board games and mashing them together doesn’t seem like the easiest task, but in both feel and gameplay Between Two Castles captures its predecessors. Players take turns picking and placing […] The post Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Quick, what has adorable forest creatures locked into an epic struggle for control of the woods? No, it’s not Watership Down, it’s Root! The latest from Leder Games, Root pits 2-4 players (or 1-6, with the expansion) against each other in a race for 30 victory points. The trick here is that each faction has […] The post Root appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

We’re continuing our board game glossary here on Dragon’s Demize. For this week’s installment, we’re looking at the term “Amerithrash.” It’s a less common term than “Euro,” which we discussed a few weeks ago, but it’s still used to convey some very particular concepts. Greg and Jakub try to break it down into its components […] The post Board Game Glossary – “Amerithrash” appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Howdy listeners! It seems like April is the month for us to review all the games we’ve been playing on stream! This time, we’re reviewing the CMON-published dungeon crawler Massive Darkness. Players choose a character but also a class and fight their way through hordes of enemies. There are some really solid mechanics here that […] The post Massive Darkness appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hello listeners! We’ve talked before on this podcast (and at past WashingCons) about how difficult it can be to truly define some of the terms we commonly use to describe board games. With that in mind, we have decided to tackle some of the most popular categories of games, and really try to break them […] The post Board Game Glossary – “Euros” appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hello listeners! After months of playing SeaFall on stream, it’s finally time for us to give it a proper review! SeaFall is a seafaring legacy game for 2-5 players. Players take on the role of province leaders who must earn Glory through trade, combat, or exploration. As with most legacy games, there are twists and […] The post SeaFall appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

The ancient castle has lost the favor of the dragons, and now it is our chance to earn that favor for ourselves. That’s the premise of Dragon Castle, this week’s review. Players take turns removing tiles from the center castle and placing them into their own castles. By placing tiles from similar factions or sets […] The post Dragon Castle appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

It’s a deep dive on today’s Dragon’s Demize, both literally and figuratively! Greg is joined by Dominic Crapuchettes, Founder & Co-President of North Star Games, to discuss their upcoming game Oceans. Oceans is a standalone installment in the Evolution franchise which takes the players on a journey beneath the waves. By combining traits, players seek […] The post Preview of Oceans appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Today’s episode of Dragon’s Demize is all about mad science, with a review of Get Me a Fresh Brain! In this game, designed by Sean Scott Garrity and published by Baksha Games, 2-6 players race to build a monster that will destroy the town! Players control Doctors, who earn money, and Assistants, who buy various […] The post Get Me a Fresh Brain! appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

We’ve got another fantastic interview on this week’s Dragon’s Demize. If you’ve been watching carefully, you may already know who it is! AnnaMaria Jackson-Phelps is a board game reviewer, player, and jack-of-all-trades. She joins us to talk about her experiences in the industry, from her unexpected start to creating a more diverse and inclusive community. […] The post Interview with AnnaMaria Jackson-Phelps appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

To the skies! Or at least that’s where our birds will go when we review Wingspan, the bird watching game that has taken the board gaming world by storm. Winsgpan is a Euro-style game for one to five players, designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier Games. Players compete to earn the most points […] The post Wingspan appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

We’re back with another interview! This time we have our friend Camilla Greer on to talk about the upcoming horror RPG zine The Demon Collective, Vol. 1. She and three other authors have each created spine-tingling adventures for the zine, which is currently funding on Kickstarter. Available in PDF or printed format, The Demon Collective, […] The post The Demon Collective, Vol. 1 appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hail, listeners! We’re bound for Viking lands on this week’s Dragon’s Demize, to review the 2017 Kennerspiel des Jahres nominee Raiders of the North Sea. This worker placement game has you building up your supplies and crew before going out to raid the English countryside. Your raids will bring you plunder and victory points, but […] The post Raiders of the North Sea appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hello listeners! We’ve got a special treat for you today. Game designer and friend of the podcast Dave Chalker is back to talk about  the upcoming Sentinel Comics RPG! In particular, he walks us through the extremely robust character reation process. Using nothing but the system, we create three characters from the ground up. Backstories, […] The post Sentinel Comics RPG with Dave Chalker appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Welcome back to Dragon’s Demize, where we’re looking at another one of our favorites for an updated review. Last time we discussed the card-building wonder of Mystic Vale, we weren’t able to talk about the expansions because they didn’t exist! Today’s episode looks at each of the five expansions and examines how the themes and […] The post Mystic Vale Expansions appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hello listeners! On this week’s episode of Dragon’s Demize, we’re reviewing the tabletop RPG Awaken. We’ve played Awaken on stream before, and both Greg and Jakub are big fans. In this dark fantasy RPG, players are members of the Vasalli, humans who have “awoken” the latent powers within themselves. These “gifts” give you the incredible […] The post Review of Awaken appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Greeting listeners! On today’s episode of Dragon’s Demize, Greg and Jakub revisit one of our reviews from waaay back before Greg even joined the podcast. It’s Mysterium! In this cooperative deduction game, one player takes on the role of a ghost who can only communicate with the other players (mediums) via dreams. The other playeres […] The post Mysterium Re-Review appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hello listeners, and welcome to our newest segment! We’ve enlisted our local Strategy Guru, Will, to give you all a practical guide to How To Win. On the first installment, Will and Jakub discuss one of Will’s all-time favorites: Terraforming Mars. If you’ve ever wondered which corp to choose or how to assess cards during […] The post How To Win: Terraforming Mars appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Welcome back to Dragon’s Demize, everyone! For our first official review of 2019, we’re tackling Whistle Stop. This tile-laying, pickup-and-deliver train game is full of colorful charm. Players compete to earn the most points by exchanging resource cubes for stocks and points. Along the way, they’ll build their routes, purchase upgrades, and maybe even dig […] The post Whistle Stop appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Happy New Year listeners! Well not quite. But that isn’t going to dost us from celebrating by taking a look back at all of the amazing things that happened for Dragon’s Demize’s in 2018. Join Greg and Lesley as they talk about the past and look to the future. We’re so excited to share 2019 […] The post 2018 State of the Podcast appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hello listeners! It’s Christmas Eve, which means many of you may find yourselves in the company of family or friends who aren’t avid hobby gamers. If you’re like us and can’t wait to convert everyone you know, we have a list of games you might consider starting with! Each of these games has a lot […] The post Games for Non-Gamers appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hello listeners, and welcome to the final Dragon’s Demize gift guide of the 2018 holiday season! This week, as you might expect after our last two installments, we’re tackling the big boys. These are games that take a lot of strategy, brain power, and (last but not least) time! Perfect for the hardcore gamers on […] The post 2018 Heavy Game Gift Guide appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hey listeners! We’re back with another holiday gift guide. This time, we’re looking at games that are moderately complex. These aren’t necessarily long, but they tend to have a fair number of mechanics or strategy to consider. Think Illimat or Palace of Mad King Ludwig. As always, let us know if you think we missed […] The post 2018 Middleweight Gift Guide appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hello Listeners! The holiday season is upon us, and for many of us that means gifts! Dragon’s Demize is here to help you pick the perfect board games for your friends and family. First up, we’re taking a look at some short, relatively simple games. These are games that make an excellent choice for people […] The post 2018 Short Games Gift Guide appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hellooooo listeners! We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, or a great week if you’re outside the US. We sat down to review Einstein: His Amazing Life and Incomparable Science. A tile-laying game for 2-4 players, Einstein features unusually-shaped tiles that can be played in different configurations. Each player is attempting to create their own […] The post Einstein appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Hey everyone! On this week’s episode of Dragon’s Demize, we’re reviewing the complex strategy (and stunning miniatures) of CMON’s Rising Sun. Rising Sun is one part territory control, one part action selection, and one part trying not to get BACKSTABBED BY YOUR ALLIES. Each player attempts to lead their clan to victory by marshalling their […] The post Rising Sun appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Ah Kickstarter. That wonderful place where creativity knows no bounds. We love to talk about the amazing board games that have come out of Kickstarter, but those aren’t the only projects out there. On this week’s episode, we’re highlighting crowdfunded tabletop RPGs. From reboots of old systems like 7th Sea and Scion to incredible new […] The post RPGs on Kickstarter appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

YES IT’S TIME! Dragon’s Demize is finally reviewing the much-discussed Spirit Island. Spirit Island is a “cooperative settler-destruction” game for 1-4 players. You take on the role of spirits who are trying to drive the invaders off their island. There’s tons of replayability, as the spirits, adversaries, power cards, and even the island itself can […] The post Spirit Island! appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

IT’S BACK! Two games go head to head in this week’s Meeple vs. Meeple podcast! This time, it’s the titans of legacy: Pandemic Legacy Seasons One and Two. While each of these games has a lot to offer, our champions give no quarter. Greg and Lesley think that Season One’s superior storytelling and relationships between […] The post Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 vs. Season 2 appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

It’s another exciting RPG episode here on Dragon’s Demize. We’ve talked before about how much we love worldbuilding. Constructing massive cosmologies and dynastic politics can keep us entertained for hours. But what about the smaller stuff? What do the NPCs do when the players aren’t around? Who writes the music that the bard plays down […] The post Worldbuilding: It’s the Little Things appeared first on Dragon's Demize.

Welcome back to Dragon’s Demize, listeners! On today’s episode, we’re reviewing one of Jakub’s long-time favorites: In The Name Of Odin. In this card-based game of Viking conquest, players have to manage their ships, heroes, and vikings in order to conduct succesful raids. Each action card has multiple uses, so carefully balancing your available resources […] The post In The Name Of Odin appeared first on Dragon's Demize.