A podcast about all manner of hobby games by Mike Walker and Mark Bigney. Bad games don't go easy on you, so we don't go easy on them. Thorough analysis via reviews, news, and discussion of topics in gaming. We take context seriously, we value your time, and we're not into hype. Just because games are fun doesn't mean we can't take them seriously, and just because we take them seriously doesn't mean we can't have fun.
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"We don’t ask that you stop loving your fantasy world. We ask
you stop paying money for the privilege to dream of it. If
you want to read the [Harry Potter] books or watch the movies, consider
buying second-hand or renting them from a library. Small
changes can make sure you never put your hard-earned
money into JKR’s hands."
-Blacklist CGE zine
Games Played Last Week:
01:01 -Through the Desert (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 1998)
05:49 -Tiletum: Prospect for Silver (Simone Luciani & Daniele Tascini, Board&Dice, 2025)
10:10 -Endeavor: Deep Sea (Carl de Visser and Jarratt Gray, Burnt Island Games, 2024)
18:03 -Through Ice and Snow (Fernando Eduardo Sánchez, 2Tomatoes Games, 2024)
22:41 -Hot Streak (Jon Perry, CMYK, 2025)
27:39 -The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship (Matt Leacock, Z-Man Games, 2025)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
41:05 New Doom board game(s) by Modiphius
41:46 High Tide by Marceline Leiman
42:20 SVWAG's statement on boycotting Czech Games Edition and in support of trans and non-binary gamers
Blacklist CGE zine: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10BUxxRO08jS9ZFnfnt0dnMPEZi5lrwke
44:15 Feature Game: Vantage (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2025)
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SVWAG Con Report
mardi 29 juillet 2025 • Durée 01:08:04
A chief misgiving Mark has about the con is that he is a terrible playtester. He was able to play two unpublished games, and while the designers were gracious he is seldom able to offer anything of much substance. "This game," he might say, "has cards. And other things." Past that, for some reason, when confronted with a prototype his faculties often fail him.
01:48 AYURIS: Arborea (Dani Garcia, Alley Cat Games, 2023)
Games Played Last Week:
05:00 -Phantom Division (Pete Ruth & Mark Thomas, Phantom Horizon, 2026)
14:38 -Westphalia (Amabel Holland, Hollandspiele, 2019)
23:33 -Project: ELITE (Konstantinos Kokkinis, Marco Portugal, & Sotirios Tsantilas, CMON, 2020)
27:19 -Ankh: Gods of Egypt (Eric M. Lang, CMON, 2021)
33:25 -Rise & Fall (Christophe Boelinger, Ludically, 2024)
38:15 -Space Cadets: Dice Duel (Geoff Engelstein and Sydney Engelstein, Stronghold, 2013)
43:06 -Outlive (Gregory Iliver, La Boite de Jeu, 2017)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
N/A
45:22 Topic: SVWAG Con Report
Chef Ashlee: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068315809451
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#361: What Makes Longer Games Worth It
mardi 27 mai 2025 • Durée 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 fundamental schism can no longer be ignored or papered over. They finally have it out.
02:27 AYURIS: Knarr (Thomas Dupont, Bombyx, 2023)
Games Played Last Week:
03:36 -Autobahn (Fabio Lopiano and Nestore Mangone, Alley Cat Games, 2022)
06:39 -Scythe (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2016)
09:47 -Fairy Tale (Satoshi Nakamura, What's Your Game?, 2008)
15:00 -Moon (Haakon Gaarder, Sinister Fish Games, 2023)
18:17 -Spots (Alex Hague, Jon Perry, and Justin Vickers, CMYK, 2022)
21:13 -ito (326, Arclight Games, 2019)
28:06 -Deep Rock Galactic (Ole Steiness, MOOD Publishing, 2022)
31:45 -Flip 7 (Eric Olsen, The Op Games, 2024)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
35:50 Recall from Alion by Dr. Ø; pseudo-sequel to Revive?
38:07 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July 27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd
38:40 Topic: What Makes Longer Games Worth It?
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#270a: Bonus Patreon Sampler
samedi 22 juillet 2023 • Durée 01:17:45
We offer to you a sampler, a little smorgasbord, a variety platter of content from our Patreon. We hope this will placate you in light of our absence last week. If you'd like more, you can of course support us on Patreon. Only if you want to, though. We'll still be wrong either way.
www.patreon.com/SVWAG
03:46 Pledge of Indifference 2023-07-06 Audio (we also publish a video version)
03:56 Shipwrights of the North Sea
07:17 Tanares Adventures Ultimate Edition
11:41 Cyclades Legendary Edition
18:14 Buttons & Bugs
20:23 Other pledges: Planet Unknown Supermoon, Stroganov expansion
(Note: Mark did not end up backing Projekt Riese, but Walker did back Cyclades Legendary Edition)
21:23 BLOAT #18
21:44 World Beyond SVWAG--Returnal's storytelling, emergent vs. narrative storytelling, have difficulty with emergent storytelling in video games, but prefer it in board games, Nikki Valens
34:45 Meta Media--ethical standards of US Supreme Court, Thurgood and Cecilia Marshall, "dicta," rules textualism, For Sale, Tower of Babel: Reiner Knizia vs. Hans im Glück
52:34 SIZZLER #1
Credit to elevenlabs.io for the introduction voice.
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#270: Ra
mardi 18 juillet 2023 • Durée 01:31:34
While we pride ourselves on editorial standards here at SVWAG, we have no shame when it comes to pandering. We thus present to you the episode of SVWAG with the most cat discussion yet. The good news is that Chandler (aka Chan-Chan aka Potato aka SVWAG Cat) is doing extremely well. Could a co-host stint be far behind? Perhaps a guest appearance by Bruno (aka SVWAG Dog)? Whatever we think the market wants.
Games Played Last Week:
02:20 -The Siege of Runedar (Reiner Knizia, Ludonova, 2021)
03:27 -Radiant: Offline Battle Arena (Jack Murray, Heel Turn Games, 2019)
04:26 -Sakura Arms (BakaFire, Level 99 Games, 2022)
05:35 -Blitzkrieg!: World War Two in 20 Minutes (Paolo Mori, PSC Games, 2019)
06:36 -Green Team Wins (Nathan Thornton, 25th Century Games, 2022)
08:24 -Imperium: The Contention (Gary Dworetsky, Contention Games, 2021)
10:08 -Ankh: Gods of Egypt (Eric M. Lang, CMON, 2021)
14:14 -SEAL Team Flix (Pete Ruth & Mark Thomas, WizKids, 2018)
16:49 -Cosmic Frog: Find Muck (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2023)
21:45 -Mindbug Beyond (Skaff Elias, Richard Garfield, Marvin Hegen, and Christian Kudahl, Nerdlab Games, 2023)
23:07 -Neuroshima Hex!: The Year of Moloch (Michał Oracz, Portal Games, 2021)
24:30 -Robotech: Reconstruction (Dr. Wictz, Strange Machine Games, 2023)
30:44 -Challengers! (Johannes Krenner and Markus Slawitscheck, 1 More Time Games, 2022)
36:48 -Heaven & Ale (Michael Kiesling & Andreas Schmidt, eggertspiele, 2017)
39:36 -Night of the Ninja (Justin Gary, Brotherwise Games, 2021)
44:14 -The Resistance (Don Eskridge, Indie Boards & Cards, 2009)
48:25 -Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor (Cornelius Cremin, Pawel Mazur, & Dirk Sommer, Nemesis.Games, 2021)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
52:27 Please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag
54:15 Wolves by Coyote and Crow Games
55:46 Keep the Heroes Out Boss Battles in October
56:29 Shards of Infinity: Saga on Kickstarter
57:53 Upcoming reprints: Gloomhaven Buttons & Bugs, El Grande, Calimala, Tigris & Euphrates
59:37 American FTC underscores importance of disclosure in media
1:02:48 Stupor Mundi on Board Game Arena prior to crowdfunding
1:04:12 Dogfight!: Rule the Skies in 20 Minutes! Not by Paolo Mori
1:05:05 Feature Game: Ra (Reiner Knizia, alea, 1999)
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#269: Credibility in Crowdfunding
Épisode 269
mardi 4 juillet 2023 • Durée 01:04:54
Two crowdfunding campaigns stand before you. One only tells lies, the other only tells the truth. Both claim to be innovative and to be able to deliver on time. How do you decide which one to back? Or wait, a crowdfunding campaign launches but during the funding period every individual component is replaced by a new one; is it the same campaign? Or wait, there are five crowdfunding campaigns on one side of a track and one campaign on the other, and this trolley...
02:25 AYURIS: Imperium: The Contention (Gary Dworetsky, Contention Games, 2021)
Games Played Last Week:
03:56 -Tapple (Uncredited, The Op Games, 2021)
06:43 -Undaunted: Battle of Britain (Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, Osprey Games, 2023)
08:14 -Oh No, Volcano! (Phil Walker-Harding, Buffalo Games, 2023)
10:58 -The Siege of Runedar (Reiner Knizia, Ludonova, 2021)
16:04 -Sakura Arms (BakaFire, Level 99 Games, 2022)
18:17 -Autobahn (Fabio Lopiano and Nestore Mangone, Alley Cat Games, 2022)
22:35 -Sidereal Confluence: Bifurcation (TauCeti Deichmann, WizKids, 2022)
25:55 -For What Remains (Paul Low, David Thompson, & Ricardo Manuel Luis Tomas, DVG, 2020)
30:38 -Cosmic Frog: Find Muck (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2023)
34:43 -Root (Cole Wehrle, Leder Games, 2018)
36:48 -Tigris & Euphrates (Reiner Knizia, Hans im Gluck, 1997)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
38:30 Avatar: The Last Airbender Crossroads of Destiny by Prospero Hall
39:10 Spy x Family Love Letter, because of course
39:53 Kaiju Table Battles by Amabel Holland
Designer diary: https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/149425/designer-diary-kaiju-table-battles-or-queer-love-l
41:18 Topic: Credibility in Crowdfunding
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#268: Undaunted: Battle of Britain
Épisode 268
mardi 27 juin 2023 • Durée 01:13:45
It is a well-known fact, observed by Infinity: the Game, Across the Spider-Verse, and Undaunted: Battle of Britain, that a Sikh man in uniform is always a good look. So here's to pilot Singh in his Hurricane! Not to mention Sergeant Singh in his power armour, and Captain Singh in his Spider-Man movie (in my heart, it is his film).
Games Played Last Week:
01:01 -The Defence of Procyon III (Dávid Turczi, PSC Games, 2021)
11:02 -That's Not a Hat (Kasper Lapp, Ravensburger, 2023)
14:49 -Beyond the Sun: Leaders of a New Dawn (Dennis K. Chan and Joseph Summa, Rio Grande Games, 2023)
19:50 -Thunder Road: Vendetta (Dave Chalkers, Brett Myers, Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, Jim Keifer, and Brian Neff, Restoration Games, 2023)
25:07 -Sherlock Holmes: Baker Street Irregulars (Cédric Asna, Makaka Editions, 2019)
27:26 -It's a Wonderful World (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2019)
31:48 -IKI (Koota Yamada, Sorry We Are French, 2015)
34:41 -Knarr (Thomas Dupont, Bombyx, 2023)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
36:30 Doggerland; 15,000 BCE
36:58 Further confirmation of Paolo Mori's Dogs of War 2nd edition
37:29 Adventure Time RPG from Cryptozoic
37:43 Monty Python Zombicide? Wha...?
38:30 FISH FISH FISH! Nusfjord Big Box
39:37 Aristeia! will see more in the future; Corvus Belli's history of being consumer-friendly
42:23 Planet Unknown: Supermoon expansion and reprint on Gamefound July 7th
43:14 Feature Game: Undaunted: Battle of Britain (Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, Osprey Games, 2023)
1:04:54 SVWAG Presents Masterpiece Theatre: Fast X
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#267: Top 10 Revisited & "Golden Age"
Épisode 267
mardi 20 juin 2023 • Durée 01:22:48
Times are bad. Children no longer obey their parents and everyone is running a Kickstarter. It is trivially easy to string together quotations going back to the dawn of human civilization lamenting how the youth are ruining everything, how the good old days were so great, and wishing we could go back to the golden age. See, I blame it on the baby boomers aging and succumbing more and more to nostalgia. See, in the good old days, before the boomers, we had things in perspective.
01:51 AYURIS: Anno 1800 (Martin Wallace, KOSMOS, 2020)
Games Played Last Week:
03:37 -Yucatan (Guillaume Montiage, Matagot, 2023)
14:06 -Skytear Horde (Giacomo Neri and Riccardo Neri, Skytear Games, 2023)
15:44 -Sorcerer City (Scott Caputo, Druid City Games, 2020)
20:50 -Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers--Heroes of Waterdeep (Vangelis Bagiartakis and Konstantinos Karagiannis, WizKids, 2023)
25:36 -Dorfromantik: The Board Game (Michael Palm and Lukas Zach, Pegasus Spiele, 2022)
26:15 -The Red Cathedral: Contractors (Isra C. and Shei S., Devir, 2022)
30:06 -Judgement: Eternal Champions (Gunmeister Games, Creature Caster, 2022)
36:27 -My City: Roll & Build (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2022)
40:51 -That's Not a Hat (Kasper Lapp, Ravensburger, 2023)
43:25 -Tinderblox (Rob Sparks, Alley Cat Games, 2020)
45:03 -Radiant: Offline Battle Arena (Jack Murray, Heel Turn Games, 2019)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
48:41 Monopoly Scrabble. What?
49:42 Follow-up: Soldiers in Postman's Uniforms still available!
50:24 Perseverance: Castaway Chronicles episodes 3 & 4
51:27 "Dinosaurs, everybody!" VelociRapture by Xoe Allred
52:51 Knarr by Thomas Dupont, already available on BGA
54:30 Topic: Top 10 Revisited & "Golden Age"
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#266: Pent-Up Extravaganza
Épisode 266
mardi 13 juin 2023 • Durée 01:21:22
Mark's enthusiasm for Dungeon Scrawlers is telling. Whereas most children enjoy mazes, drawing, or even colouring, Mark instead as a child enjoyed the programmatic, deterministic mundanity of connect-the-dots. Straight(ish) lines and ascending natural numbers only, please. No doubt at a similar age Walker was already pursuing his jock/theatre kid synthesis, doing a number from Gilbert & Sullivan as his endzone dance after scoring a touchdown.
01:13 AYURIS: Soldiers in Postmen's Uniforms (David Thompson, Dan Verssen Games, 2021)
Games Played Last Week:
03:32 -Tindaya (Lolo González, Red Mojo, 2022)
06:41 -Radiant: Offline Battle Arena (Jack Murray, Heel Turn Games, 2019)
09:07 -Formula D (Laurent Lavaur & Eric Randall, Asmodee, 2008)
12:15 -Undaunted: Battle of Britain (Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, Osprey Games, 2023)
16:39 -Orléans (Reiner Stockhausen, dlp Games, 2014)
18:48 -Witchcraft! (Trevor Benjamin, Roger Tankersly, and David Thompson, Salt & Pepper Games, 2023)
23:49 -The Red Cathedral (Israel Cendrero & Sheila Santos, Devir Games, 2020)
26:13 -Castles by the Sea (Jon Benjamin and Michael Xuereb, Brotherwise Games, 2023)
31:12 -Sherlock Holmes: Baker Street Irregulars (Cédric Asna, Makaka Editions, 2019)
33:32 -Dorfromantik: The Board Game (Michael Palm and Lukas Zach, Pegasus Spiele, 2022)
38:51 -Ragnarocks (Gord!, Grey Fox Games, 2022)
41:44 -Princes of the Renaissance (Martin Wallace, Mercury Games, 2016)
50:00 -The Taverns of Tiefenthal (Wolfgang Warsch, Schmidt Spiel, 2019)
52:19 -The Crew: Mission Deep Sea (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2021)
53:40 -Marshmallow Test (Reiner Knizia, Gamewright, 2020)
57:47 -Dice Miner (Joshua DeBonis & Nikola Risteski, Atlas Games, 2021)
58:50 -Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers--Heroes of Waterdeep (Vangelis Bagiartakis and Konstantinos Karagiannis, WizKids, 2023)
1:00:55 -Viking See-Saw (Reiner Knizia, itten, 2021)
1:03:20 -Thunder Road: Vendetta (Dave Chalkers, Brett Myers, Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, Jim Keifer, and Brian Neff, Restoration Games, 2023)
1:07:25 -Splendor Duel (Marc André and Bruno Cathala, Space Cowboys, 2022)
1:08:51 -Crazy Tower (Alexis Harvey, Félix Leblanc, Manuel-Lucas Bergeron Duhamel, & Mathieu Auger, Synapses Games, 2020)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
1:10:35 Terraria board game by Paper Fort Games
1:11:09 Witchcraft! on Gamefound
1:11:14 Heroscape to be re-resurrected by Renegade Games
1:12:32 Regicide Legacy Badgers from Mars
1:13:46 The Smurfs: Hidden Village board game
1:14:26 Conquest Princess: Fashion is Power
1:15:08 Worms board game by Mantic
1:15:34 Gloomhaven 2nd Edition will have an upgrade pack
1:16:47 Board gamers: Be good allies during Pride Month and oppose book bans
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#265: Lacrimosa
Épisode 265
mardi 30 mai 2023 • Durée 01:11:37
We are very proud of our strict editorial standards here at SVWAG. Among them is our firm stance on Monty Python references, which are very firmly circumscribed. Philosophers are mentioned all the time, but never the song; and similarly we discuss Mozart here (in two different media!) without any kind of passing gesture to his decomposition. People have tried to smuggle in other references to the show, but those responsible have been sacked.
Games Played Last Week:
01:34 -Dice Hospital: ER--Emergency Roll (Matthew Dunstan and Brett J. Gilbert, Alley Cat Games, 2022)
02:35 -Joan of Arc: Orléans Draw & Write (Ryan Hendrickson and Reiner Stockhausen, dlp Games, 2022)
04:46 -Tinderblox (Rob Sparks, Alley Cat Games, 2020)
06:36 -Similo (Martino Chiacchiera, Hjalmar Hach, & Pierluca Zizzi, Horrible Guild, 2019)
08:21 -Crazy Tower (Alexis Harvey, Félix Leblanc, Manuel-Lucas Bergeron Duhamel, & Mathieu Auger, Synapses Games, 2020)
09:30 -Glenn Drover's Empires: Galactic Rebellion (Don Beyer and Glenn Drover, Eagle-Gryphon Games, 2016)
17:40 -The North: Provenance (John Clowdus, Small Box Games, 2020)
20:45 -Tsukuyumi: Full Moon Down (Second Edition) (Felix Mertikat, Grey Fox Games, 2021)
27:21 -Radiant: Offline Battle Arena (Jack Murray, Heel Turn Games, 2019)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
31:00 Marceline Leiman points out hidden barriers to minoritized people and the importance of accessibility
32:59 Freaky Frogs from Outaspace by Friedemann Friese
33:45 Metal Gear Solid from Emerson Matsuuchi finally being piblished by CMON
35:58 Tankersly, Benjamin, and Thompson reunite with Albert Monteys for Witchcraft!
36:34 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag
37:46 Feature Game: Lacrimosa (Gerard Ascendi and Ferran Renalias, Devir, 2022)
1:00:13 SVWAG Presents Masterpiece Theatre: Amadeus
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