Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Current Plays

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas delve into Golem, a wonderfully intricate euro where ancient magic, precious marbles, and a whole lot of very important decisions come together.

At the heart of the game is a fascinating action selection system that constantly asks you to weigh three competing considerations: which colour of marble you take, which action you perform, and how powerful that action will be. Getting one thing you want often means giving up something else, making every turn an exercise in finding the most satisfying compromise.

And that's only the beginning. Golem weaves its interconnected systems together into a challenging strategic puzzle where choices in one area ripple through the rest of your game. It's demanding without being punishing, rewarding careful planning while still giving you plenty to chew on as your plans unfold.

For Jordan and Thomas, Golem is exactly the sort of crunchy euro they love: clever mechanisms, interconnected systems, and just enough brain-bending decision making to make every marble count.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas dive beneath the waves with Endeavor: Deep Sea, an uplifting game of exploration, marine research, and conservation. And while there may be plenty of ocean to explore, there certainly isn't an endless supply of actions, so making the most of every opportunity is key!

With limited action points, careful planning is essential, but Endeavor: Deep Sea rewards players who can also adapt when the underwater landscape changes. A new discovery, a shifting board state, or an unexpected opportunity can turn your carefully laid plans into something even better.

One of the highlights is building your tableau of specialists, assembling a talented team whose unique abilities help shape the direction of your expedition. As your specialists grow in number and capability, so does your ability to pursue the discoveries and conservation efforts that matter most.

Thoughtful planning, tactical adaptability, satisfying tableau building, and a wonderful sense of exploration make Endeavor: Deep Sea a game that gives Jordan and Thomas plenty to love. So grab your research gear, assemble your crew, and let's see what wonders are waiting beneath the waves!

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas check passengers in, prepare excursions, and try to build the most successful luxury vacation company in Galactic Cruise. Beneath its cheerful theme of interstellar tourism lies a richly deep euro game packed with interconnected systems, rewarding engine building, and meaningful decisions at every turn.

The hosts discuss how Galactic Cruise manages to earn its hefty BGG weight rating without ever feeling quite as overwhelming as the numbers suggest. That's largely thanks to the game's excellent thematic integration. Nearly every action feels intuitive because it aligns so naturally with what you're trying to accomplish. Need more tourists? Better destinations? A bigger ship? The mechanisms and theme work hand in hand, making even complex decisions feel logical and purposeful.

What really stood out was how quickly the game's many moving parts began to click. As the company grows and your plans become more ambitious, the game reveals a satisfying depth that rewards careful planning without constantly sending players back to the rulebook.

It's a big game with big decisions, but one whose theme does a remarkable amount of heavy lifting. By the end, our hosts found themselves less concerned with managing mechanisms and more concerned with running the galaxy's premier cruise line.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas launch into the stars with Last Light by Roy Cannaday and Grey Fox Games, a lightning-fast 4X adventure where the fate of the galaxy can change in the blink of an eye. Expand your empire, explore the unknown, exploit precious resources, and prepare for the inevitable clash as rival civilizations race toward the last light in the universe.

The hosts discuss how Last Light delivers the grand feel of a sprawling 4X game without demanding an entire day to play. Beneath its approachable rules lies a surprisingly meaty strategic experience, where tactical positioning, careful timing, and clever planning all play a vital role. Every decision feels meaningful, yet the game never loses its brisk pace.

For anyone looking to capture the excitement of conquering a galaxy in a single evening, Last Light shines brightly. It's fast, strategic, wonderfully accessible, and proof that epic space empires don't always need epic play times.

This week on Current Plays, Thomas is away, so Jordan is joined by special guest Ryan from How I Roll on YouTube to wage a civil war in The Anarchy by Garphill Games. Set against the backdrop of 12th-century England's struggle for the throne, every decision carries weight as castles are fortified, influence spreads, and the kingdom hangs in the balance.

Jordan and Ryan share their appreciation for Garphill's unmistakable design philosophy, diving into the game's rich strategic choices, contrasting approaches to victory, and the constant ebb and flow of resources that makes every turn feel rewarding. Whether you're investing in your long-term plans or seizing an unexpected opportunity, The Anarchy keeps players engaged with meaningful decisions from beginning to end.

With clever mechanisms, satisfying resource management, and the signature Garphill depth that rewards thoughtful play, The Anarchy proves that even in the midst of a kingdom torn apart by civil war, great strategy can reign supreme. The crown may be contested, but this episode is one you'll want to claim.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas descend into the fractured world of Revenant, Mindclash Games’ highly anticipated follow-up to Voidfall. As you might expect from Mindclash, this is not a game that hands out easy decisions. Every action matters, every resource is precious, and every turn presents a new puzzle to solve. In other words, it’s right in the hosts’ wheelhouse.

At its heart, Revenant is a heavy euro worker placement game, but one with a deliciously cruel twist: the action spaces themselves are unstable. They shift, disappear, and evolve throughout the game, forcing players to constantly reassess their plans and adapt to an ever-changing landscape. Long-term strategy is essential, but so is the ability to pivot when the galaxy refuses to cooperate.

The hosts discuss how the game creates a fascinating balance between cooperation and competition. Players must work together to keep the fleet from collapsing, yet it's fine if your opponent's favoured ships get destroyed, right? That constant push and pull creates a rich strategic experience where every choice carries weight and every success feels earned.

Dark, demanding, and brilliantly interactive, Revenant delivers the kind of intricate decision space that Mindclash fans crave, while introducing fresh ideas that make it feel distinct from anything else in their catalogue. Some games ask you to optimize. Revenant asks you to survive.

This week on Current Plays, Thomas is away, so Jordan is joined by special guest host Logan for a trip into the Marvel Universe with Marvel Dice Throne Missions. Together, they take on a series of standalone challenges that deliver all the fast-paced combat, dramatic dice rolls, and satisfying hero powers that make Dice Throne such a fan favourite.

Unlike the campaign-driven structure of Dice Throne Adventures, Missions offers bite-sized co-operative and solo experiences that are easy to get to the table while still providing plenty of excitement. The hosts discuss how the Perk Sheet system cleverly ties games together, rewarding players with new unlocks and goals as they tackle different missions and earn Perk Points.

Most of all, Jordan shares how much fun it has been playing Missions with Logan. Whether you're battling villains, chasing new perks, or just enjoying another excuse to roll some dice together, Marvel Dice Throne Missions proves that even Earth's Mightiest Heroes are better when shared with friends and family. Excelsior!

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas leave the sprawling epics behind for a cozy journey through Middle-earth with The Hobbit: There & Back Again by Reiner Knizia. Sometimes a lighter adventure is exactly what the table needs, and this charming little trek proved that simple doesn’t mean shallow.

The hosts talk about how the clever dice drafting creates plenty of meaningful choices, with every roll offering opportunities, risks, and just enough strategy to keep things engaging from start to finish. But the real magic lies in the maps. With essentially eight different adventures packed into one box, each journey feels fresh, distinct, and full of its own personality.

From quiet paths through the wilds to tense races for treasure, There & Back Again captures that classic Tolkien sense of adventure in a breezy, approachable package that still gives players plenty to think about. A warm hearth, a well-packed backpack, and just a little luck with the dice. What more could a hobbit ask for?

Your hosts Jordan and Thomas run through the various games they played at BreakOut Con 2026; with a little dose of the old banter thrown into this nostalgic long-form bonus episode!

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas take the captain’s chair and set a course for one of the biggest surprises in recent memory: Star Trek: Captain’s Chair. Jordan may be the resident Trekkie, but even Thomas, with only a passing familiarity with the franchise, found himself completely pulled in by this stellar design. And Jordan? He simply can’t stop playing it. One game turned into several in rapid succession, which might be the clearest recommendation of all.

The hosts dive into how brilliantly the game captures the feel of Star Trek, from commanding iconic crews to solving the fascinating puzzle of how each captain’s deck wants to operate. Every faction and leader feels distinct, and the shared market creates a constant push and pull between long-term planning and adapting on the fly. The deck management systems are especially inspired, with mechanics like Logging and Beaming creating meaningful decisions about hand size, tempo, and efficiency that feel both mechanically elegant and wonderfully thematic.

More than just a licensed game, Captain’s Chair feels like a true labour of love. It understands what makes Star Trek exciting, thoughtful, and adventurous, while also delivering an incredibly satisfying strategy experience. Shields up. Engage.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas journey across imperial China with Tianxia, a grand strategy game of diplomacy, influence, and shifting power. Provinces rise and fall, alliances form and fracture, and every action sends ripples across the empire as players work to guide the fate of the realm.

The hosts spend much of the episode unpacking the game’s many interconnected systems, exploring how its political manoeuvring, military presence, and economic considerations weave together into a deeply layered experience. Tianxia presents a rich strategic landscape filled with meaningful choices and evolving priorities, all wrapped in a sweeping historical theme that gives the game an epic sense of scale.

It’s a thoughtful and ambitious design that left Jordan and Thomas eager to continue exploring everything the empire has to offer.

Order up, folks! This week on Current Plays Jordan and Thomas are cookin’ up burgers, slingin’ pizza, and movin’ cola like hotcakes in Food Chain Magnate, the big daddy of strategic restaurant games! From hiring errand boys and management trainees to building a marketing machine that’d make the Mad Men blush, this game is all about thinkin’ ahead while stayin’ ready to change gears at the drop of a hat.

The hosts gab about what makes Food Chain Magnate such a stone-cold classic. The long-term strategies are sharper than a chrome tailfin, but the game still keeps you on your toes with quick tactical pivots, surprise radio campaigns, and neighbourhood food wars that can turn a booming burger joint into a real floparoo. Every milestone matters, every hire counts, and every turn feels like a battle for suburban supremacy.

And baby, this Deluxe Edition is the bee’s knees. The upgraded components and slick presentation make the whole experience feel deluxe in the truest sense of the word. 

So grab a milkshake, tune in to the jukebox, and don’t forget to market that lemonade!

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas set sail with A Feast for Odin, Uwe Rosenberg’s sprawling Viking epic and a true modern classic. From raiding and trading to crafting and exploring, the game offers a remarkable range of paths to prosperity with each one weaving into the next like the threads of a well-worn saga.

The hosts talk about why the game has earned its legendary status, especially the endlessly satisfying polyomino puzzle that turns every haul of goods into a careful exercise in planning and efficiency. With so many ways to build your Viking legacy, no two journeys feel quite the same. It’s big, bold, and deeply rewarding; exactly the kind of feast that keeps players coming back to the table.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas finally venture into Feya’s Swamp, a long-anticipated journey into a shifting landscape of settlements, trade, and careful positioning. As the swamp slowly fills with villages and pathways, the board begins to tighten around the players, turning every placement into a meaningful decision. Tactical positioning, clever interaction, and the evolving map create a game full of thoughtful choices and satisfying moments of planning.

The hosts talk about how much they enjoy the core mechanisms—especially the negotiation and trading that lie at the heart of the design. At two players, however, the certain design decisions change the dynamic a bit, making trade less enticing and leaving certain actions feeling a little unusual. Even so, Feya’s Swamp remains a strong design with a lot to offer, and one that clearly shines brightest when more players gather around the table to explore the swamp together.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas chart a course through history with Sid Meier’s Civilization: A New Dawn, bringing the legendary computer franchise to the tabletop. From humble beginnings to world-shaping influence, the game captures the sweeping arc of building a civilization: expanding territory, advancing technology, and pursuing victory on your own terms.

They explore how the clever focus-row action system streamlines the grand strategy of the video game into something tabletop-playable, preserving the spirit of progress and adaptation while embracing the limits, and strengths, of the board game format. While no tabletop version can replicate every layer of its digital ancestor, A New Dawn delivers a thoughtful, engaging experience that keeps the march of history moving and makes the rise of your empire feel earned.

It’s a confident translation of a beloved series; ambitious, accessible, and well worth another turn through the ages.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas step through the gates of The White Castle by Isra C. and Shei S., a sharp and elegant euro set in feudal Japan. Beneath its serene exterior lies a game of razor-focused decision making, where every die placement matters and every action feels consequential.

The hosts talk about how the streamlined design delivers big strategic choices in a surprisingly quick play time, proving that depth doesn’t require a sprawling footprint. With its tightly interwoven systems, spot-on theme, and beautiful artwork that brings Himeji Castle to life, The White Castle is a compact masterclass in thoughtful euro design.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas head to the zoo with Ark Nova, the heavyweight strategy title currently ranked #2 on BoardGameGeek. Tasked with building the most successful modern zoo, the hosts dive into a design packed with clever decisions, long-term planning, and a steady stream of satisfying combos.

They chat about the game’s standout action-selection system, where timing and card strength shape every turn and the unique scoring track that keeps progress dynamic from start to finish. With deep strategy, meaningful choices, and plenty of room for clever plays, Ark Nova delivers a rich, engaging experience that shows exactly why it continues to sit near the very top of the hobby.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas travel to ancient Jerusalem with Ezra and Nehemiah, a game of rebuilding, restoration, and carefully chosen actions. From the first turn, the engaging action-selection system takes centre stage, with three shared action areas that interlock in satisfying ways and reward thoughtful timing. Watching those spaces fill, shift, and interact gives the whole game a sense of momentum, much like a city slowly rising back to life.

They talk about how much they enjoy the way the mechanisms support one another, creating a steady rhythm of planning, adapting, and finding just the right moment to act. As always with Garphill Games, the theme is deeply integrated and ultimately a strong foundation for a genuinely great game. It’s a measured, engaging experience where every decision helps shape the rebuilding effort and the journey is just as rewarding as the result.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas kneel before the throne of The Old King’s Crown—and emerge utterly enchanted. What begins as a simple, elegant contest for power quickly reveals itself as a masterclass in subtle manipulation, clever timing, and razor-fine positioning. Every move feels like courtly intrigue: a quiet nudge here, a delicate shift there, and suddenly the entire kingdom tilts in your favour.

The hosts gush over how effortlessly the game delivers depth without complexity, rewarding players who can read the board like a royal decree and twist it just enough to claim victory. The design is packed with smart choices and satisfying little moments that make it genuinely hard to believe this is Pablo Clark’s first published game.

And then there’s the artwork, which is absolutely mind-blowing. It’s the kind of visual splendour that makes the table feel like a storybook kingdom come to life, where every card and component looks worthy of the crown itself.

In short: The Old King’s Crown is a jewel-box of a game; deceptively simple, endlessly clever, and fit for royalty.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas set out on a gentle journey with Creature Caravan by Ryan Laukat and Red Raven Games. It’s a relaxed, mid-weight adventure where clever planning and quiet efficiency guide your caravan across a beautifully illustrated world brought to life by Laukat’s signature artwork.

They chat about why this one feels so comfortable at the table: a smooth multiplayer solitaire experience, thoughtful decisions without pressure, and gameplay that feels fresh while still easy to settle into. Creature Caravan is the kind of game that invites you to slow down, enjoy the journey, and appreciate the charm along the way—and that made it a delight to explore together.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas touch down on the red planet with On Mars by Vital Lacerda—a monumental design where every system, resource, and decision is shared, intertwined, and fiercely consequential. From the moment boots hit Martian soil, the game demands careful timing, long-term vision, and a deep awareness of what everyone else at the table is building toward.

The hosts dive into how On Mars weaves its many systems into a single, living ecosystem: incentives shift, priorities evolve, and no action exists in isolation. Progress on Mars is communal, but success is personal, creating a competitive landscape that feels both collaborative and relentlessly strategic. It’s a game of planning, adaptation, and precision, and one that rewards patience, foresight, and mastery.

For Jordan and Thomas, this wasn’t just a great play, it was a discovery of why On Mars stands among the very best in modern board game design.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas step into the opening mission of War Story: Occupied France, a story-driven experience set in a world of uncertainty, difficult choices, and scarce resources. From the very first decisions, the game asks players to act with incomplete information, weighing risk and consequence in ways that feel both tense and meaningful.

They discuss how the branching decision system drives the narrative forward, why every resource feels precious, and how even the combat leans into that same choice-driven design. Encounters unfold through smart decision trees that keep the action engaging and surprisingly exciting. It’s a thoughtful, immersive take on storytelling games—one that left a strong first impression after just a single mission.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas revisit Architects of the West Kingdom, returning to one of Garphill Games’ most approachable takes on worker placement. With a mitt-full of workers in hand right from the start, the game flips the usual scarcity on its head, encouraging bold plays, clever timing, and plenty of interaction at the table.

Revisiting it several years later, the hosts reflect on how the game now feels lighter than they remember—still strategic and satisfying, but firmly in the realm of classic worker placement. That said, the familiar Garphill charm shines through, delivering a design that’s clean, engaging, and consistently fun. Sometimes it’s nice to return to the foundations and appreciate just how well they were built.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas set the games aside and look back at the year that was in Past Plays: 2025 In-Review. From plays and player counts to favourites, surprises, and patterns they didn’t expect, the hosts dig into the stats behind a year at the table.

It’s a reflective, numbers-forward episode with the same honest takes and good-natured banter—celebrating what they played, what stuck, and what shaped their year in board gaming.

Pray, compose yourselves and adjust your waistcoats; this week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas ascend the grand staircase of society with Obsession, a most refined contest of reputation, refinement, and relentless social manoeuvring in Victorian England. Estates are improved, guests are entertained, and every polite invitation carries quiet ambition beneath its lace-trimmed sleeve.

The hosts delight in the careful orchestration of servants, the art of curating just the right social circles, and the satisfying puzzle of planning the perfect evening at precisely the proper hour. Behind the formal bows and courteous smiles lies a deeply rewarding strategic experience where efficiency and elegance go hand in hand.

It is all civility, calculation, and controlled chaos where fortunes rise over tea, and one poorly timed soirée may cause quite the awkward gossip. One must, of course, keep one’s composure.

Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, to the Grand Stage of Strategic Sorcery!
This week, Jordan and Thomas don their sparkling capes and perfectly waxed moustaches as we dive into Trickerion: Legends of Illusion, Mindclash’s masterwork of misdirection, meticulous planning, and marvellously crunchy decision-making.

Prepare for an evening of elaborate illusions, last-minute pivots, and more brain-twisting calculations than a magician has pigeons up his sleeves. Trickerion asks you not only to plan five steps ahead, but also to gracefully recover when your rival illusionist steals your spotlight (and possibly your assistants).

Join us behind the velvet curtain as we scheme, rehearse, conjure, and catastrophically overthink our way through one of the most delightfully thinky games in the hobby. The Prestige awaits… if we can remember where we put our Trickerion shards.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas take the throne in It’s a Wonderful Kingdom, a clever blend of kingdom-building, resource planning, and fantastic use of the “I cut, you pick” card selection. The duo digs into the game’s standout systems—from its escalating resource production to the tricky mind games of offering cards your opponent might want… or might regret.

While not every mechanism reaches legendary heights, there’s still plenty here to enjoy: smooth turns, satisfying engine-building, and just enough bluffing to keep both players second-guessing every choice. It’s a kingdom that may not be perfect, but it’s certainly a wonderful place to spend an evening plotting, planning, and politely sabotaging your fellow ruler.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas each venture to ancient Skara Brae - separately, but in spirit together! With Thomas away, the hosts both took this Garphill Games 2025 Ancient Anthology release for a solo spin, exploring how this powerhouse cranks the resource management dial all the way up to eleven. Sixteen resources? Check. Tight decisions? Absolutely. That unmistakable Garphill settlers card magic? You bet.

Both hosts found that Skara Brae truly shines as a solo experience, feeling less like a variant and more like the way the game was always meant to be played. They discuss the razor-sharp resource and action economy, the deep strategic tension, and why it’s one of Garphill’s most satisfying and finely tuned designs yet.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas venture into the Black Forest. Uwe Rosenberg’s 2024 update to Glass Road is a blend of brain-burning euro strategy and pastoral charm. True to form, it’s a game of careful timing, clever planning, and that signature Rosenberg tension that keeps every move deliciously tight.

The hosts dig into what makes Black Forest stand out: those brilliant resource wheels that spin the entire game into motion, the razor-sharp action economy, and the satisfying balance between personal engine-building and interactive play. Once again, the match came down to a perfect tie; proof that in the Black Forest, efficiency is everything and every move counts.

It’s classic Uwe: serene on the surface, savage underneath, and oh so satisfying to play.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas descend into the shadowy depths of Warhammer Underworlds: Nethermaze, where blades flash, ghosts wail, and victory is as fleeting as a skaven’s courage. Thomas commands Skittershank’s Clawpack—swift, sneaky, and just a bit stabby—while Jordan leads Lady Harrow’s Mournflight, drifting through walls and dreams alike with eerie elegance.

The hosts trade blows and banter in equal measure, marvelling at how Nethermaze blends razor-sharp tactics with deck-driven chaos. They chat about how every activation feels like a duel of wits, how the setting drips with dark atmosphere and compare this streamlined version of the Warhammer universe with its larger cousin. 

It’s a haunting, hilarious, and heart-pounding clash beneath the Mortal Realms—where the dead don’t rest, and the skaven don’t stop scheming.

Hear ye, hear ye! Gather ‘round the podcast hearth, noble listeners, for this week on Current Plays, Sir Jordan and Sir Thomas taketh up their quests in Tales of the Arthurian Knights. In this most wondrous game of adventure and fortune, our gallant hosts dost wander through the lands of Camelot, meeting maidens fair, dragons foul, and many a fate most strange.

Verily, their latest play did bring such mirth and merriment that they could scarcely read the storybook for laughing most heartily! ‘Tis not a game of conquest nor crowns, but of tales well told and memories forged in jest and joy. For in Tales of the Arthurian Knights, victory mattereth little—’tis the journey, the fellowship, and the folly that maketh legends endure.

So don thy cloak, sharpen thy wit, roll thy dice, and join us at the Round Table once more. Huzzah!

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas warp through space-time with Anachrony from Mindclash Games - a sprawling, cerebral sci-fi masterpiece that proved time travel can actually work on the tabletop. Designed by Dávid Turczi and the Mindclash team, this one’s part worker placement, part paradox management, and all brain burn.

The hosts dive into how Anachrony nails its impossible theme of time travel by borrowing resources from the future, but needing to pay them back on future turns or risk tearing reality apart. It's a game that set our hosts on a long-term love affair with both the designer and publisher. With sleek exosuits, branching timelines, and enough temporal tension to make a Vulcan raise an eyebrow, Anachrony is a heavy euro that perfectly marries mechanics with an impossible theme.

Boldly go where no worker has gone before!

The mechs are marching once again! Bringing the weird for October, this week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas venture into Expeditions by Stonemaier Games and strap in for the Gears of Corruption expansion. This twist on the Scythe universe adds even more depth, danger, and delightful decision-making.

They talk about how the corrupted gears move the tempo of play in a great direction. The changes that this expansion brings are all winners and take Expeditions from great to greater! sharpening what was already a strong design. It’s everything they love about a Stonemaier title, wound tight and running smooth.

Class is in session on Current Plays! This week, Jordan and Thomas don their academic robes for Alma Mater from Eggertspiel, a brainy euro where you’re not just running a university, you’re shaping the very curriculum of the Renaissance. Recruiting professors, publishing books, attracting the best students… it’s all here, wrapped in colourful production and crunchy mechanisms.

The hosts chat about how tight the economy feels, the struggle of keeping on top of everything, and which parts of the design really earn top marks. It’s equal parts lecture hall and brainy brawl, and by the end of the episode, only one dean will graduate with honours. Veni, Vidi, Valedictorian.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas step through a portal into the elemental realms with Dwellings of Eldervale. Designed by Luke Laurie, this game smashes together two genres you wouldn’t expect to share a table: euro-style worker placement and “dudes-on-a-map” fantasy brawling. The result? A magical mess that somehow makes perfect sense.

From carefully managing resources to summoning dragons and waging epic battles, every turn feels like a tug-of-war between brains and bravado. The hosts chat about how the design balances its euro roots with ameritrash flair, why the fantasy theme sings, and how the plethora of player factions makes every game unique. It’s a game where your meeples can build cozy little dwellings one moment and get eaten by a Dread Crocodile the next—and honestly, that’s the kind of chaos we’re here for.

Gather ye ‘round the base of Mount Olympus and get ready to wage war in Ancient Greece! In this episode of Current Plays, we dive into Cyclades: Legendary Edition, where gaining the favour of the Gods is the only way to win. The auction-style bidding system steals the spotlight, forcing players to outwit and outspend each other for divine favour. Jordan and Thomas learned the hard way that a 2-player game feels more like a skirmish than a saga—but with four at the table, the Gods truly smiled upon us. Epic clashes, dramatic bids, and some surprise attacks made it one for the legends. Truly, the Muses themselves came down from Mount Helicon to deliver inspiration for this heroic epic!

Pack your specimen jars and polish your spectacles because it’s time for an expedition in the Galápagos! In this episode of Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas set sail with Darwin’s Journey and quickly discover it’s survival of the sharpest mind. They gush over the game’s top-notch design, delight in its intricate mechanisms, and admit that every choice feels like a real evolutionary challenge. It’s brains over brawn, strategy over luck, and definitely one of those plays that proves natural selection favours the best board gamer.

This week on Current Plays, we journey into Middle-earth with The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship. The hosts dive into what was done right with this iteration of two large properties, from its thematic immersion to clever systems. But trouble stirs in Mordor as our adventurous hosts also unpack their ongoing frustration with the Pandemic system, dissecting why it drags down the otherwise great experience for them. Is this Fellowship worth joining, or does the Pandemic system drag this game down like a falling Balrog?

This week your hosts tackled Æterna, by Martin Wallace and published by Ares Games. Vie for power in ancient Rome by conquering distant lands to bring back spoils and build buildings for the people, but too much wealth and power will incur the wrath of those people! Check out our thoughts on this weighty euro.

This week, Jordan and Thomas discuss the 2023 sensation Dune: Imperium - Uprising, by Paul Dennen, and published by Dire Wolf. Dune: Imperium - Uprising is a worker placement and deck-building game based on the Dune IP. Its thematic elements and excellent design make it one of the best games in our collections.

Your intrepid hosts Thomas and Jordan discuss their current play of Tiletum. The European Renaissance game of trading and cathedral building. This time, at 3 players! Wow!

The Current Plays Podcast is back! In this episode, Jordan and Thomas discuss their recent play of Lost Ruins of Arnak with the Lost Expedition expansion - Co-op Campaign style!

The Hosts discuss getting value out of games with repeated plays, solo games vs. games as a social activity, hobby time, and board game expansions. In our Other Plays, Jordan and Thomas focus on Dorfromantik, 7 Wonders Duel, and Rhino Hero.

For our Current Plays, we discuss It's a Wonderful Kingdom, The White Castle, Trickerion: Legends of Illusion, and we revisit Near and Far.

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Timestamps:

Other Plays:

0:59:05 - Dorfromantik

1:06:45 - 7 Wonders Duel

1:10:14 - Rhino Hero

Current Plays:

1:21:15 - It's a Wonderful Kingdom

2:10:28 - The White Castle

2:46:00 - Trickerion: Legends of Illusion

3:30:11 - Near and Far

For May, 2024. Jordan kicks it off with an exclamation of just how good X-Men '97 is (it really is), Dune, and how they relate to crowdfunding of board games. In our Other Plays, Thomas discusses Gloomhaven: Buttons and Bugs, and Jordan discusses Mother of Frankenstein.

Our Current Plays includes Grand Austria Hotel (1:03:24), Unmatched (2:05:00), Tiletum (2:50:52), and last, but not least, Iki (3:39:32).

For April 2024, this episode is jam packed with our plays from March and April including Zavandor, The Hobbit, Forest Shuffle, Dice Thorne Adventures, 20 Strong, and Legacy of Yu! Thomas also mentions several games he claims are not worth mentioning.

We end off the episode with our plays of Concordia Venus and Res Arcana.

Your intrepid hosts Jordan and Thomas discuss their time at this year's BreakOut Con in Toronto, including lots of games like Ex Libris, Sobek: 2 Players, Wizards of the Grimoire, Trekking through History, Brass: Birmingham, The Fox Experiment, Battle Tech, and Tiletum.

Jordan and Thomas banter about their thoughts on player elimination and players bending their interpretation of rules.

Other plays includes discussions of Dorf Romantik, Monopoly Deal, Horrified: Greek Monsters, and It's a Wonderful Kingdom.

Current Plays:

1:16:20 - Age of Innovation

1:53:40 - Wyrmspan

For January 2024

The guys don't have many Other Plays this episode, but manage to fill 40 minutes of banter anyway. Then it's app assisted game Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle Earth, followed by an oldie-but-a-goodie, Viticulture, Essential Edition. Then the guys take a break from games to discuss the merits of hexagonal shaped tables. Exciting, right!? The episodes caps off with the first of the Eric Lang/Adrian Smith/CMON trilogy: Blood Rage and the new re-implementation of a modern classic: Dune Imperium: Uprising.

Time Stamps:

Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle Earth: 0:40:05

Viticulture, Essential Edition: 1:16:43

Blood Rage: 2:14:30

Dune Imperium: Uprising: 3:03:40

For December 2023 we have a special episode with our first guest. We have the distinct honour of a sit-down and chat with Mr. Jamey Stegmaier of Stonemaier Games! What a way to wrap up 2023!

We open the episode with a talk about Jordan's new additions to his collection for the Christmas season. Thomas's additions closely follow this. We switch gears into discussing the fear of missing out (FOMO) in our hobby. Jamey joins us at this point for a visit. After the visit, Thomas gives us an update on the 365 Challenge.

We then begin to chat about Thomas's other plays including Battleline, MicroMacro: Crime City, Dragon Realm, and Werewolves. This other plays is capped off with a small talk on Lost Ruins of Arnak: The Missing Expedition. After 40 minutes of chatter, Jorden is able to talk about his other plays including Ticket to Ride, Mandala, Sagrada, and a highlight of Lacuna.

Near the end of the banter, we discuss our Board Game Stats Year in review before switching into a talk about the games we reviewed this year. Finally, it's time for our Current Plays Libertalia and Voidfall!

Timestamps:

4:15 - Jordan's Christmas Haul

11:40 - Thomas's Addition to His Collection

12:58 - FOMO in Our Hobby

29:06 - Jamey Stegmaier Visit

1:06:50 - An Update to the 365 Challenge

1:07:40 - Thomas's Other Plays

1:24:40 - Lost Ruins of Arnak: The Missing Expedition

1:31:21 - Jordan's Other Plays

1:53:00 - Board Game Stats Year in Review

2:15:20 - End of the Year Favourite Reviewed Games

2:26:30 - Current Plays

Season 2 Episode 6 starts with Thomas starting a discussion on different solo mode styles that he noticed while playing Near and Far & Now or Never. This leads to the topic of how adding a good solo option to games can increase the value proposition of those games.

We took a slightly different approach to this episode by separating some of our Current Plays with banter portions. So after a couple of Current Plays, Thomas jumps into his Other Play of the Near and Far story mode. He follows this description with an update to his 365 Challenge. Jordan talks Dominion Digital Beta. Of course, no episode is complete without a rant, so Thomas brings up the new Kickstarter for Food Chain Magnate!

Timestamps:

1:15 - Solo Mode Styles

31:45 - Adding Value with Solo Options

39:10 - Wingspan

1:08:15 - Other Plays Now or Never Story Mode

1:15:45 - An Update to the 365 Challenge

1:24:05 - Dominion Digital

1:26:00 - Food Chain Magnate Rant

1:44:00 - Power Struggle

2:18:26 - Teotihuacan: City of Gods

3:12:45 - Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar