When you exclusively play board games with two players, the hobby can feel a bit like a solitary experience. The purpose of this podcast is to open our door to you, and welcome you into our gaming world, as well as hopefully help introduce other people to the hobby.
Eric Bonkowski & Kathleen Shaw
In April 2016, Kathleen and I played a game that crushed me in disappointment. Checking nearly every box of my gamer wishlist, Sentinels of the Multiverse came into our one bedroom apartment and left a trail of ardent thumbs down in its wake. Alas, it was not a good fit on nearly any level. It departed our collection scant weeks later in a box bound for the local Goodwill.Fast forward six years, and Greater Than Games has released what they've designated the "Definitive Edition," promising better gameplay, better balance, better synergy, and better artwork.Can this "Definitive Edition" make good on promises broken years after the fact??Sentinels of the Multiverse: The Definitive Editionhttps://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/335212/sentinels-multiverse-definitive-editionTheme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)www.betterwithmusic.com/Check out our site!www.houseofcardboard.com
If you've listened to our podcast before or know our gaming history, you probably know that Kathleen and I came to the hobby from Magic: The Gathering. That being said, once we left Magic behind, we didn't look back. Magic: The Gathering and other head-to-head dueling games just wasn't our bag any longer.But what about Daniel Piechnick's Radlands?Piechnick is a seasoned Magic: The Gathering player, and one read-through of the rules will prove he knows Magic's weak spots, because Radlands goes to great lengths to fix them. But is it enough to bring us back to solve our issues with the head-to-head dueling format... or not?Radlandshttps://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/329082/radlandsTheme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)www.betterwithmusic.com/Check out our site!www.houseofcardboard.com
Thematically, it feels appropriate that we name this episode after a Powerwolf song, but that may just be because I've not played Bloodborne. Anyway, let's dive into this huge box of plastic Victorian-esque horrors as we look at the Eric Lang/Michael Shinall co-designed campaign dungeon crawler. I'm not huge on dungeon crawlers, and I'm even more not huge (huh?) on campaign games, so this sounds like a great fit!Let's find out!Bloodborne: The Board Gamehttps://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/273330/bloodborne-board-gameTheme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)www.betterwithmusic.com/Check out our site!www.houseofcardboard.com
Deck building as a mechanic is a staple of the hobby, but one that we've both made clear isn't always enough to provide a satisfying gameplay experience. Add in a pretty niche theme and it seems like a recipe for disaster.Or is it?Well butter me up and call me a biscuit, because there's really something great here. Shame on my snobbery, but now I know. And knowing is half the battle! Yes, that was truly inevitable.G.I. Joe Deck-Building Gamehttps://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/343526/gi-joe-deck-building-gameTheme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)www.betterwithmusic.com/Check out our site!www.houseofcardboard.com
We've gone dark since May 2021, and now we've entered 2022. I'm gettin' tired of reassessing where we are and our general mental and physical well-being, but here we are. Instead of getting mopey, let's talk about what games we're playing and what has made us happy over the past eight months.Christmas always brings games to gamers homes, but that's not all we're talking about. Player 1 and Player 2 give quick catchups on big boxes of plastic MARVEL: Crisis Protocol, BLOODBORNE, and CLOUDSPIRE, as well as itty bitty card game VILLAGE GREEN.Anyway, here's a new episode finally! Now with more GI Joe references? Hope you are well. Keep on hangin' in there.Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)www.betterwithmusic.com/Check out our site!www.houseofcardboard.com
On May 5, 2021, Marvel United: X-Men successfully funded on Kickstarter, raising nearly $6,000,000 of their $300,000 goal. I backed it, even though I've got some gripes with the 2020 release of Marvel United. Why did I back it? Because if I had even a passing interest in the game, I had to. Why, you ask? Because Kickstarter, baby.Let's take a look at 2020's Marvel United as an entity in and of itself, and then listen as we discuss how Kickstarter has left its mark on it, for better or for worse.Marvel Unitedhttps://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/298047/marvel-unitedTheme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)www.betterwithmusic.com/Check out our new site!www.houseofcardboard.com
The American Tabletop Awards have announced their winners for game of the year 2020, and we've just gotten the complex game of the year to the table... and we have thoughts! Now presenting, a deep and hungry pit of choice, waiting to swallow you and everything within kicking distance. Behold, Dominations: Road to Civilization! But hey, it has three-sided dominos!Dominations: Road to Civilizationhttps://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/250881/dominations-road-civilizationAmerican Tabletop Awardshttps://americantabletopawards.com/Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)www.betterwithmusic.com/Check out our new site!www.houseofcardboard.com
A little over 18 months after our last Top 10 Favorite Games countdown finds us in much more subdued spirits, turning to comfort gaming--not too surprising! Some shake ups and some old standbys make their obligatory appearances. Ya know what took a beating in the last 18 months? Gloomhaven. Woof, how the mighty have fallen! The Previous List! www.buzzsprout.com/199741/1768600-episode-16-still-the-one-a-top-10-list Pubmeeple Ranking Enginerankingengine.pubmeeple.com/ Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our new site! www.houseofcardboard.com
Uwe Rosenberg needs no introduction in regard to worker placement games. Agricola, Le Havre, Caverna, A Feast for Odin, Fields of Arle, At the Gates of Loyang, and a host of others have made him a legend in the community. Rather than make some more noise about one of his established "classics," we dive into Nusfjord, a slightly overlooked gem of his.So why play Nusfjord instead of one of his others? Well, it brings its own unique elements and challenges to your table, proving this is one fish fry you may not want to miss.Nusfjord by Uwe Rosenberghttps://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/234277/nusfjordTheme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)http://www.betterwithmusic.com/Check out our blog!http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
...and we're back. Six months is a long time, and it feels even longer in the dwindling days of a pandemic. Players One and Two have still been playing, still been talking, still been pushin' those cubes, but now they've turned the tape back on. It's easy to be dismissive of a gorgeous game about anthropomorphic animals building a delightfully adorable town, but is it a good game? Everdell didn't do much for us on the first few plays, finding itself relegated to the attic stock. Is a second look going to change things? Now with more Spirecrest! Everdell by James A. Wilsonhttps://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/199792/everdellTheme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our blog! http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
We’ve been hiding, taking stock of our place in this wild, wild year, and taking care of each other. Hopefully you and your loved ones are doing all right. We may be holed up, but we’re still playing games and pushin’ those cubes. Again, hopefully you are, too.Rather than focus on one game, this episode is a bit of a mixed bag/State of the Board. We’ll touch on a few games we’ve been playing, like Lorenzo il Magnifico (2016), Unmatched (2019), and Rune Stones (2019), and come clean about how tough a year it’s been for us.Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our blog! http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
Deep in the abyss of the quarantine, Kathleen and I recorded a searching and subdued episode about what is certainly considered a classic: Combat Commander. Yes, it's a war game, but essentially this is an Ameritrash skirmish game with a heavier euro points-scoring skeleton beneath those dice chuckin' trappings. Don't let a theme scare you, some classics are classics for a reason. That being said, we'll dovetail off of our last episode (Pax Porfiriana) and talk about why people may not want to play a war game. Is it the theme? Wait, it's just the theme? If so, why? Does a war game trivialize war? Does it glorify it? Finally, is it actually a classic? And is it worth checking it out? Combat Commander: Europe (2006) on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/21050/combat-commander-europe Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our blog! http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
Pax games are a sort of micro-genre of their own. Medium to heavy-ish opaque games that smash up euro mechanics with some borderline aggressive player interactive. Oh, and they are [nearly] all historically based. I can tell you where I fall, but Kathleen has more complicated feelings. You may have heard about last year's Pax Pamir 2nd edition. We'll discuss–probably not for the last time–the question that keeps coming up here on ye ol' podcast: Does playing a board game recreationally about difficult, tumultuous, or violent periods in history inherently trivialize them? I bet you have an opinion, because we sure do. Oh, and by the way, this game is fan-friggin-tastic. *** NOTE: As of the publication of this episode, Pax Renaissance is currently on Kickstarter. Like, right now! ***Finally, apologies for any slight anachronisms (for example: the Oscars). We recorded this episode about three months ago. Pax Porfiriana (2012) on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/128780/pax-porfiriana Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our blog! http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
There are two kinds of gamers around here: those who like Stefan Feld and those who do not. I would say "and those who are wrong," but I'm furloughed and I'm trying to be nicer to people–hey, we all should do it! Anyway, if you're listening to this in realtime, we're in the middle of a global pandemic, and most of us are experiencing social distancing. Our lives as we know them are very shaken up. In times like this, it's important to take care of ourselves, and with that in mind, on Episode 26, Kathleen and I spend a little time talking about comfort gaming. There's comfort food, so why not comfort gaming? In this house, comfort gaming equates to Stefan Feld, master of the puzzly euro design. We'll discuss what we like, what you may like, and common complaints leveed against his designs. Take care of yourselves out there. We are living through tough times. Stefan Feld on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/4958/stefan-feld Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our blog! http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
All right, so this may be the Player One | Player Two Podcast, but that doesn’t mean we’re happy being locked out of 3+ player games. With that in mind, we realize that some “Two Player Variants” are messier than others.Dummy players, AI decks, or even Bot Systems are all versions of variants that allow a 3+ player game to be played by two players. In addition to the main course game here, we’ll also spend a few minutes discussing two other games’ variants we’ve experienced recently that have gotten a 3+ player game onto our exclusively two player table–with varying results.Escape Plan (2019) on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/142379/escape-plan Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our blog! http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
We wrap up our inaugural year of the Player One | Player Two podcast a little late (hey, at least it's still January!), and talk about the 2019 games we played. Some hot hot heat, some IPs, and at least one game about trains. We also manage to squeeze in a pair of tangents on area control and Stefan Feld.What were our favorite games of 2019? Odds are we may have already spent some time talking about them. And what were yours? Maybe we've got some overlap. Well, perhaps...Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our blog! http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
Hobby gaming is, at its heart, a social hobby. We have lamented before that playing as two players makes it seem like you are living in a bubble–which is why we started this podcast, after all. That being said, we were very excited to get out of our little bubble by finally partaking in our first convention experience when we visited the locally hosted PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia. We demoed games, we learned the importance of reading schedules, we ate delicious Indian food, and we left with a hot dice drafting game in our complimentary reusable Cool Stuff Inc tote. So how was it? How was PAX as a convention? Perhaps more importantly for us: How was PAX as a first convention? https://unplugged.paxsite.com/ Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our blog! http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
Scaling is so important in regard to the two-player subset of board gaming. Excellent three or four player games are sometimes incomplete or unsatisfying two-player experiences. But what happens when a game does take scaling into account, but the scaling alters the fundamental nature of the game? Maybe a game becomes more cutthroat, or demands players be more aggressive to match the same feel carried by a true multi-player game. A well-scaled game is good, but what if the game you find on the other side isn't quite the same game that went in?Point Salad (2019) on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/274960/point-salad Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our blog! http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
Kathleen and I are both very happy to go to bat for escape room games. The idea of one-off games rubs some people the wrong way. Is it a good value? Is it a good way to spend an evening? Is it a good analogue for the actual social experience? Well, we’re actually not going to discuss the merits of an escape room game on this episode–we already know it’s good for us. Instead we talk about what the eventizing of a game ultimately means. And even though we are ride or die fans of escape room games, it doesn’t mean we can’t be let down by a design, even if it’s by some of our favorite designers out there. *PLEASE NOTE: IN THIS EPISODE THERE BE SPOILERS!* Exit: The Catacombs of Horror (2018) on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/255675/exit-game-catacombs-horror Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/ Check out our blog! http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com
In this episode, we’ll dig into a big, heavy, and very well-regarded euro. As we go, we’ll discuss a designer known exclusively for his heavy, thematic, and puzzly games, and how his theming is able to instruct the mechanics of this design specifically. After that, we’ll be forced to come to terms with how we may have been doing ourselves, and by proxy the game, a bit of a disservice by catering to our own existing predilections of keeping to ourselves and not wandering into another player’s proverbial backyard. The Gallerist (2015) on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/125153/gallerist Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Expectations can get you in some trouble, even if a game seems to give fair warning that it’s not necessarily related to its predecessor. People understandably--and that includes us--will come into a game wanting what they (or we) want. It’s normal. But what do you get when you expect a dungeon crawler and you find a heavy euro? And there’s sure a lot of brown on that game board! But, once you get past your expectations, are you left with a good game? Founders of Gloomhaven (2018) on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/214032/founders-gloomhaven Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
So Player Two and I finally played our first Roll and Write game, curious to learn what all the hubbub's about. Just rolling some dice and writing stuff down, no? Well, inside of this small, affordable, and delightfully designed box, there lies an excellent game that has straightened out my misconception that only strategically heavy games can be truly satisfying. Welcome To... (2018) on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233867/welcome Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
We’ve evolved a lot as gamers over the past few years, moving decisively away from games with heavily random elements and towards games that are more straight-forwardly strategic or puzzly. But what happens when random elements meet a puzzly, strategic game head on? Can a reasonably light game manage to balance randomness and crunchy strategy in a small, satisfying package? Watergate (2019) on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/274364/watergate Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
As you'll hear, this episode needs no introduction (literally). Listen as we dip our toes into the fickle and ever-changing pool of ranking games, as we each discuss our top 10 favorite games. No spoilers, but maybe you'll hear mention of some of your favorites... The Pub Meeple Ranking Machine: https://rankingengine.pubmeeple.com/
Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game is a new take on the idea of an escape room game. Puzzles + campaign? We're not always great about actually finishing campaigns, but what about Detective? Is Detective strong enough as a narrative to carry us through the campaign? We (and be we, I mean Player One only) aren't always keen on campaigns. So how does Detective fare? And what about its brother from another mother, Chronicles of Crime?Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/223321/detective-modern-crime-board-game Chronicles of Crime on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/239188/chronicles-crime Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Some mechanics really work for you, but some... don't. A good mechanic is a reason to get a game, but is it fair to stay away from a game just because it has a mechanic you don't like? Does a game's weight matter when taking mechanics into account? What do you do when your gaming partner likes a mechanic that you don't? Do you have any mechanics that are just a bucket of cold water? 5 Minute Dungeon on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/207830/5-minute-dungeon Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
It's about time we actually talk about a two player only game. We've spent the first dozen episodes talking about lots of excellent games (and one we didn't quite enjoy), but they're all for some variation of 2-5 players. Well, not this time. Take a journey into a small box that packs a big punch as we finally discuss a game designed exclusively for two players. Oh, and it's marvelous. Targi on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/118048/targi Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Player One & Player Two take a perhaps unpopular position on a straight-up wacky, wildly random entry-level game. While we're not much for "wacky" or "wildly random" games, there's something about this one that just works for us. Once you get into heavy games, where does that leave your light games? On the trading block? Or is there still a place for an ultra-light game predicated on ease rather than hearty strategy? Fluxx on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/258/fluxx or Doctor Who Fluxx on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/235365/doctor-who-fluxx or Star Trek: TNG Fluxx on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/246530/star-trek-next-generation-fluxx Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Euros are, by and large, points games with a set of parameters driving you to do your best and get as many points as possible. What happens when the game doesn't really give you an "or else" when it's driving you to do your best? Does it lose all steam? Does it become a light "filler" game? Maybe. But maybe it does something remarkable: it manages to be as demanding, heavy, tense, and brain-burny as the meatiest and meanest euros out there... without actually being mean at all. Zhanguo on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/160495/zhanguo Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Bad reviews are an inevitability. A judicious use of Google will provide you with plenty of bad reviews for War & Peace, Van Gogh's artwork, and Casablanca. That being said, sometimes a bad experience is a failure of design, and sometimes it's a failure of compatibility. On this episode, Player One and Player Two try very hard not to be too snarky as they try to dissect one very unsatisfying gaming experience. Evil High Priest on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/240014/evil-high-priest Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Living Card Games, expandable card games, collectable card games, and trading card games are huge, expansive games that command large communities of players and massive amounts of customizable content. But what happens when those games die off? What happens when a publisher pulls the plug on a game that has years' worth of content available? They don't just disappear. Dead card games are almost a sub-genre of their own. In the Dead Sea, we'll talk about our favorite games that are no longer with us (RIP). But don't let their OP status scare you off. Many of these dead games still have active communities and huge swaths of content widely available. This week: Star Wars! Pew pew pew!Star Wars The Card Game on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/103886/star-wars-card-game Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
It may not always be about world domination, but every evil mastermind has a plan. If you're into making your evil plan come to fruition–or Disney IPs, in general–well we've got a game for you. Oh, and we talk about weight ratings and the impact of personal gaming experience on them. Villainous on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256382/disney-villainous Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Don't let preconceptions stand between you and an outstanding gaming experience. Solo gaming? Solo war gaming? "Hah, you jest!" I can hear you saying it now. But hold on. If you give it a chance, maybe you'll find something far richer and more rewarding than you expected. Join Player One on a solo variant, appropriately exploring solo gaming in its many forms, and one gem, in particular. Comanchería on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/159692/comancheria-rise-and-fall-comanche-empire Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Intellectual properties (IPs) are great, right? Who doesn't like seeing their favorite characters on the newest game? But what happens when a great game is overlooked because of a niche IP?Dresden Files Cooperative Card Game on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/187273/dresden-files-cooperative-card-game Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Hype is everywhere, from the biggest Marvel blockbuster to the shiniest, newest linen-finished Stonemaier Games tabletop release: Wingspan. Oh, speaking of Wingspan, let's talk about Wingspan. And hype. And hype and Wingspan! Wingspan on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266192/wingspan Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Some games are pretty much a guarantee--on paper. They've got solid mechanics, good artwork, and are generally well-liked by all. In this episode, Player One and Player Two discuss why some games are perfectly fine, but perhaps just not a great fit. On the docket for dissection? CLANK! (apologies for the slight, periodic modulation; we had to remove some weird background noise. we'll try and do better) Clank! on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/201808/clank-deck-building-adventure Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
After playing a fair share of gateway games or lighter fare, it's nice to take a bite of something a little heavier. Heaven & Ale is a medium weight Euro game about monks making beer. It may be medium weight, but Heaven & Ale comes complete with a full contact method of scoring. Is it brutal? or unforgiving? If so, is that such a bad thing? Heaven & Ale at Board Game Geek:https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/227789/heaven-ale Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Gateway games are almost an institution all to themselves, so Player One and Player Two discuss a fine gateway game you're not likely to find on other lists: Oh My Goods! by Alexander Pfister, as well as the first expansion, Oh My Goods: Longsdale in Revolt.Oh My Goods at Board Game Geek:https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/183840/oh-my-goodsLongsdale in Revolt at Board Game Geek:https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/209323/oh-my-goods-longsdale-revoltTheme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Player One and Player Two break the ice, introducing you to not only themselves, but the podcast. What made us do this podcast? Who are we as gamers? What games do we like? These questions and more will be answered in the inaugural episode.Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
