Rulebooks

Rulebooks

Author: Pickaxe October 21, 2025 Duration: 1:17:48
As ever, we do not acknowledge one of the most pernicious false dichotomies in the rulebook space; whether rules should be strictly permissive (you can only do what the rules say you can) or strictly restrictive (you can do anything unless the rules say otherwise). I have never seen a rulebook forbid me from choking an opponent, nor have I see a rulebook give me permission to breathe. I will thus reject both models as being rather too simplistic. 01:28 AYURIS: Galactic Renaissance (Christian Martinez, Matagot, 2024) Games Played Last Week: 05:09 -The Guest (Arkaitz Caride, Devir, 2025) 10:48 -Cosmic Encounter (Bill Eberle, Jack Kittredge, Bill Norton, Peter Olotka, and Kevin Wilson, Fantasy Flight, 2008) 16:04 -Firefighters on Duty (Konstantinos Kokkinis & Sotirios Tsantilas, Artipia Games, 2025) 22:10 -Deck of Spies (James Newman, Web published, 2021) 24:43 -Fishing (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2024) 29:27 -KINGs: TRICKTAKERs (Hiroken, Joyple Games, 2023) 36:11 -Gaslands: Refuelled (Mike Hutchinson, Osprey Publishing, 2019) 40:08 -Cockroach Poker (Jacques Zeimet, Drei Magier Spiele, 2004) News (and why it doesn't matter): 43:45 Burned available on Gamecrafter's Crowdsale 44:42 Claustrophobia 3rd edition, 1692, by Devir 46:33 Mystic Curling by Asmadi Games on Kickstarter 46:50 Amigo US is no more; No Thanks joining CMYK's Magenta line along with I'm Out 47:46 Voidfall expansion: Resurgence 48:27 Sidereal Confluence expansion: Proliferation 49:11 Winnie the Pooh: Serious Detective 49:39 Arkhipov Day: Oct. 27th. Celebrate Vasili Arkhipov and his having saved the human race! 50:29 Topic: Rulebooks 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
Luthier [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:55
"'Frederick Chopin was a Polish composer in the Romantic style who wrote primarily for the piano.' I guess this is sort of interesting, as most facts are. But history has shown us that *facts are not what most humans bel…
Samurai [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:37
"Wiarton Willie is the name given to a Canadian groundhog who lives in the community of Wiarton in Bruce County, Ontario. Every February 2, on Groundhog Day, Willie takes part in the local Wiarton Willie Festival. His ro…
Tile-Laying Games [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:55
Rest assured that every topic we address here at SVWAG will be utterly comprehensive and final, unless and until we decide to address it again. Thus, when we discuss tile-laying games, we perforce will cover all of them,…
Ayar: Children of the Sun [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:19
"A quipu usually consists of cotton or camelid fiber cords, and contains categorized information based on dimensions like color, order and number. The Inca, in particular, used knots tied in a decimal positional system t…
Why Is This Game So Long? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:29
We are staunchly body positive here at SVWAG, but we do prefer our bears fat. "Let me have about me bears that are fat," said Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, or he would have, had he known about the glory that is Fat Bear W…
Star Wars: Battle of Hoth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:44
We tempt fate and refer to a number of third rails in the hobby community. For one, we acknowledge a loss in Regicide Legacy, which reliably summons the chattering mobs. Further, we mention both Star Trek and Star Wars,…
Nostalgia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:17
"Well, that was your mother And that was your father Before you was born dude When life was great You are the burden of my generation I sure do love you But let’s get that straight" -Paul Simon, "That Was Your Mother" 01…
Light Speed: Arena [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:29
On this day of Labour, we offer our solidarity to you. We also offer our labour, because we don't take many days off. No union for us in the opinion mines! I'd complain to my manager, but since that's me, I guess I'd be…
Trick-Taking Games Redux [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:56
I've always chafed at the conventional wisdom that young goats are good at trick-taking games. Or, at least, ones where you are not incentivized to go null. Do they hold their cards in their cloven hooves? Do their dead…
The Lord of the Rings: The Fate of the Fellowship [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:25
Losing a component is rough. Knowing that one of your games is incomplete is like having a permanent absence in your soul. It's one thing to eschew that one added expansion--that's a triumph of restraint. But that missin…