#355: Rise & Fall

#355: Rise & Fall

Author: Pickaxe April 8, 2025 Duration: 1:16:22
When is a thing like another thing? Is Albedo like Core Worlds? Is Cat Blues like Rummy? Is Through the Desert like Go? Is a nudge as good as a wink to blind bat? Are all Roll & Writes inferior to Roll a 6, Win a Cookie? Is Christophe Boelinger France's Vlaada Chvátil? Probably, because it's all just like Mage Knight in the end.  Games Played Last Week: 04:46 -Street Masters: Tide of the Dragon (Scott McFall, Adam Sadler, Brady Sadler, and Mitch Schroeder, Blacklist Games, 2022) 09:45 -Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Collector's Edition (Ted Alspach, Bézier Games, 2022) 13:55 -Cat Blues: The Big Gig (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2024) 22:14 -Moon Colony Bloodbath (Donald X. Vaccarino, Rio Grande Games, 2025) 28:03 -Albedo: Space Pirates! (Kai Herbertz, Herbertz Entertainment UG, 2018) 35:43 -Malediction (Leo Cunha, Nicole Lobo, and Daniel Pettersen de Lucena, Loot Studios, 2025) 39:46 -Hey, That's My Fish! (Günter Cornett & Alvydas Jakeliunas, Bambus Spieleverlag, 2003) 40:55 -Parks: Roll & Hike (Henry Audubon & Mattox Shuler, Keymaster Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 44:04 Tariffs impacting the hobby 45:12 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag 46:23 Zombie Princess, a riff on Spades, by Bézier and Ted Alspach 47:05 Feature Game: Rise & Fall (Christophe Boelinger, Ludically, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Mike Walker and Mark Bigney, So Very Wrong About Games digs into the world of hobby gaming with a blend of sharp critique and genuine enthusiasm. Each episode feels like pulling up a chair at a table where two knowledgeable friends are deep in conversation, dissecting everything from the latest releases to timeless classics. They believe that a bad game deserves a thorough examination just as much as a great one, applying that same level of detailed analysis to reviews, industry news, and broader gaming topics. This isn't about following trends or generating hype; it's about thoughtful discussion that respects both the listener's time and the context in which games are made and played. The dynamic between Walker and Bigney captures a fundamental truth about the hobby-that taking games seriously and having fun with them are not mutually exclusive. You'll find their approach both refreshing and deeply engaging, whether they're championing an overlooked gem or meticulously explaining why a popular title didn't work for them. Tune in to this Pickaxe-produced podcast for honest, substantive talk that treats the medium with the depth it often deserves, but rarely receives in casual conversation.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

So Very Wrong About Games
Podcast Episodes
#367: Set Up and Tear Down [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:54
It is remarkable to reflect on how much hobbies can demand of us, and certainly board gaming is no different. Setting aside the administrative, economic, and social burdens; we then have to spend so much time teaching, s…
#366: 7 Empires [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:23
Apparently the American custom of the "push present" can trace its roots to the Anglo-Indian tradition of the "baby bauble", although in the latter case jewellery is the more standard gift (instead of, say, boardgames).…
#365: Small Box, Big Game [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:55
Walker's approach to parenting eschews what he sees as the coddling endemic in other families. He believes in competition above all else, where newbs must be pwned and even babies must git gud. "L2P" is his family motto.…
#364: Pulling Levers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:27
"Because of the long-standing mutual enmity between Meany and Brown, Meany was named among the suspects in The Case Of Encyclopedia Brown’s Mangled Corpse. Meany denied the allegations. 'It’s true that Detective Brown an…
#363: The Social Contract [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:35
We generally frown on ad hominem here at SVWAG, ensconced as we are in our glass houses. In the case of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (known affectionately as "Ja-Jay" by no one), though, who wrote extensively about proper metho…
#362: Rumble Nation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:59
I've read several different accounts of the battle of Sekigahara, and I swear there's no mention of Kevin Bacon or anyone bleaching their hair. How am I to know if Pony Boy stayed golden? Games Played Last Week: 01:42 -M…
#361: What Makes Longer Games Worth It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:32
Walker and Mark almost come to blows over Flip 7 this week. Their disagreements over the merits of the product (Game? Experience? Way of Life? Sub "Roll a 6, Win a Cookie" distraction?) have long simmered, but the fundam…
#360: Hot Streak [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:06
"Observers brought attention to [Gritty's] appearance, which could be construed as frightening, while The Guardian described him as an "acid trip of a mascot." Response to Gritty's introduction was immediate and sharply…
#359: Gibberers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:11
"gibber--intransitive verb :to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and often foolishly" -Merriam-Webster "gibberer--noun :the hosts of SVWAG" Games Played Last Week: 01:17 -Sausage Sizzle (Inka and Marcus Brand, 25th Century…
#358: Tricky Edge Cases [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:15
Chaka Khan, let me rock you Let me rock you, Chaka Khan Let me rock you, that's all I wanna do Chaka Khan, let me rock you Let me rock you, Chaka Khan Let me rock you, 'cause I feel for you -Chaka Khan, "I Feel for You"…