Games from the Cellar – Details, episodes & analysis

This week, the panel defends the realm in a rousing game of Shadows Over Camelot! Designed by Bruno Cathala and Serge Laget, Shadows Over Camelot was published in 2005 by Days of Wonder. In 2006, it was nominated for several Golden Geek awards and won a Spiel des Jahres "Fantasy Game" Award.

Shadows Over Camelot is a cooperative board game in which players take on the roles of the Knights of the Round Table, working together to defend Camelot from various threats. Players face challenges such as quests, betrayal, and the looming threat of the Dark Knight; all while trying to maintain their honor and the kingdom’s strength. The game featured a novel (at the time) traitor mechanic, where one player may secretly work against the others, adding tension and intrigue to the cooperative experience.

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This week, Stephen and John go to war with the instant classic Conflict of Interest, Undaunted: Normandy! Designed by David Thompson and Trevor Benjamin, Undaunted: Normandy was published by Osprey Games in 2019. It was nominated in 2019 for the BoardGameGeek Golden Geek Award for the Best 2-Player Game and won the BoardGameGeek Golden Geek Award for Best War Game. Undaunted: Normandy is the first game in the Undaunted Series.

Undaunted: Normandy is a tactical deck-building board game set during World War II, where players command squads of soldiers in a series of challenging missions. Players strategically manage their cards to deploy units, gather resources, and engage in combat against their opponent, blending elements of hand management and battlefield tactics. With a focus on historical scenarios and a mix of strategy and luck, the game offers a dynamic and immersive experience for 2 players.

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This week, John and Stephen go toe-to-toe, slinging magic and summoning hordes of warriors in one of our enduring two-player favorites, Summoner Wars! Designed by Colby Dauch in 2009, Summoner Wars was published by Plaid Hat Games and expanded thoroughly upon through 2016. Summoner Wars (Second Edition) was released in 2021 and is currently supported.

Summoner Wars is a tactical card game that combines strategy, deck-building, and board control. Players take on the roles of summoners, powerful beings who lead armies of fantasy creatures into battle against each other. It is known for its fast-paced gameplay, strategic depth, and asymmetric factions, which provide different playstyles and challenges. It has garnered a dedicated fanbase and has seen several expansions and iterations since its initial release, offering even more content and replay value.

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This week, the panel digs into our latest cooperative campaign board game, the analog version of the hit PC game - Deep Rock Galactic: the Board Game! Designed by Ole Steinnis, Deep Rock: Galactic was published by MOOD Publishing after a successful Kickstarter in 2022.

In Deep Rock Galactic: the Board Game, you are a Dwarven Miner, just trying to do your damn job. Unfortunately, that job happens to be in mines that are absolutely swarmed with Glyphids and other nasty surprises. You'll be dropped into a messy situation and must work with your team to complete the scenario's objectives. Teamwork makes the dream work and is the only way you'll survive. No Guts, No Glory! Rock and Stone!, etc.

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This week, the panel tackles one of the BoardGameGeek behemoths! Join us as we adventure in the world of Goomhaven: Jaws of the Lion to investigate the mystery of its disappearing citizens. Designed by Isaac Childres, Jaws of the Lion was released in 2020 from Cephalofair Games as a pared-down version of Gloomhaven to appeal to a broader gaming audience. 

In Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion, you are an adventurer in a party who stumbles upon a mystery and is tasked with investigating. As you progress, you'll improve your character but face tougher and more challenging obstacles. To be successful, you will have to work together with your party, and tactically deal with whatever is thrown at you!

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Please consider Supporting the show by donating or becoming a member at Ko-fi or Patreon. With your support, you will:

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This week, the panel delves into the intricacies of the cooperative tactical combat scenario game - Adventure Tactics: Domianne's Tower! Nicolas Yu designed this 2021 offering from Leimian Games.

In Adventure Tactics: Domianne's Tower, you start as one of five basic classes battling through a series of campaign scenarios. As you progress, you can choose your own path as you unlock new elite classes, actions, abilities, and equipment. To win, you and your team must power up to take on and defeat Queen Domianne.

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Please consider Supporting the show by donating or becoming a member at Ko-fi or Patreon. With your support, you will:

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• Garner our undying gratitude, and we'll shout you out in a Special Episode

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Welcome to Season 2 of Games from the Cellar!

This week, the panel sets off for adventure! Join us as we delve into the ancient ruins of the Adventurers: the Temple of Chac, a 2009 offering from Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG), designed by Guillaume Blossier and Frédéric Henry.

In The Adventurers: the Temple of Chac, you take on the role of one (or two) of the titular Adventurers, looting treasures from an ancient Mayan temple. But like any decent Mayan temple, danger awaits. To win, you must navigate the dangers that the temple throws at you, and grab as much loot as you can carry as you go. A healthy dose of luck and a solid strategy for staying ahead of the looming bolder will be your keys to success.

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Please consider Supporting the show by donating or becoming a member at Ko-fi or Patreon. With your support, you will:

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Join the panel this week as they race to the city gates to talk about the Downfall of Pompeii!

The Downfall of Pompeii, designed by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, was first published by Amigo and Mayfair in 2004.

Episode Summary:
Vesuvius seethes in the background of this light, relaxing tile placement game. Until it become a light, not-so-relaxing race to get your family members out of town before disaster strikes. This week, the panel talks about the Downfall of Pompeii, a two part city-building then city-destroying-run-for-the-gates game from Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, of Carcassonne fame. We bring up old grudges, build new ones, and even discuss the game for a few minutes. 

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Please consider Supporting the show by donating or becoming a member at Ko-fi or Patreon. With your support, you will:

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This week, the panel digs into our recent game of Dominant Species!

Dominant Species, designed by Chad Jensen, was first published by GMT Games in 2010. In 2011, it was nominated for the BoardGameGeek Golden Geek Award for Most Innovative and Best Thematic Game and won two Golden Geeks for Best Strategy Game and Game of the Year. 

Episode Summary:
The panel begins by highlighting typical challenges with worker placement games, and how Dominant Species couples it with area majority. We discuss the different approaches to scoring points, discuss potential issues with scoring rules, and draw comparisons with other worker placement games. We touch briefly on the Dominance cards, which can drastically change the landscape of the board. We conclude as usual by giving out final thoughts on Dominant Species, including an idea or two how the game could be sped up. So get ready to evolve with us as we fight tooth and nail in our game of Dominant Species. 

Show notes created with assistance from https://podium.page

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You can Listen to Us: Spotify || Apple Podcasts || Google Podcasts || YouTube

You can Support Us: Patreon || Ko-fi || Merch: Redbubble || Leave a Rating & a Review wherever you listen. Ratings & Reviews are the easy and free way to show us your support.

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Please consider Supporting the show by donating or becoming a member at Ko-fi or Patreon. With your support, you will:

• Gain access to Bonus shows before they go into the main feed
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• Garner our undying gratitude, and we'll shout you out in a Special Episode

Your financial support will allow us to continually make improvements to the show.

Thank you!

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Join the panel this week as they branch out into a game of Photosynthesis! 

Photosynthesis, designed by Hjalmar Hach, was first published by Blue Orange Games in 2017. It was nominated for several 2017  Board Game Geek Awards, including Most Innovative and Best Family Game. Photosynthesis won several awards, including the 2017 Board Game Geek Golden Geek Award for Best Artwork and Presentation, the 2018 Mensa Selects Award, and the 2018 UK Games Expo People’s Choice Award.

Episode Summary:
This week, the panel explores the green canopy of the Photosynthesis board game by Blue Orange Games; a gaming world where seedlings, saplings, and mighty trees vie for the sun. We discuss our personal strategies to master the lifecycle of the trees. We then focus on the friction between harvesting big trees or using them to collect sun points. We also explore the benefits of controlling the board's center and maximizing the outside edge.  How can turn order, tree placement, and the growth stages influence your score? So let's get ready to grow some trees, harvest them for points, and throw each other shade along the way.

Show notes created with assistance from https://podium.page

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You can Listen to Us: Spotify || Apple Podcasts || Google Podcasts || YouTube

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Please consider Supporting the show by donating or becoming a member at Ko-fi or Patreon. With your support, you will:

• Gain access to Bonus shows before they go into the main feed
• Be sent a silly postcard game (designed by us)
• Garner our undying gratitude, and we'll shout you out in a Special Episode

Your financial support will allow us to continually make improvements to the show.

Thank you!

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