Explore every episode of the podcast Player One | Player Two: The Board Gaming Duo
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 39: Don't Look Back in Anger | 17 Feb 2022 | 00:53:31 | |
In April 2016, Kathleen and I played a game that crushed me in disappointment. Checking nearly every box of my gamer wishlist, Sentinels of the Multiverse came into our one bedroom apartment and left a trail of ardent thumbs down in its wake. Alas, it was not a good fit on nearly any level. It departed our collection scant weeks later in a box bound for the local Goodwill. | |||
| Episode 38: Badlands | 27 Jan 2022 | 00:48:36 | |
If you've listened to our podcast before or know our gaming history, you probably know that Kathleen and I came to the hobby from Magic: The Gathering. That being said, once we left Magic behind, we didn't look back. Magic: The Gathering and other head-to-head dueling games just wasn't our bag any longer. | |||
| Episode 29: The Longest Year | 21 Sep 2020 | 00:39:55 | |
We’ve been hiding, taking stock of our place in this wild, wild year, and taking care of each other. Hopefully you and your loved ones are doing all right. We may be holed up, but we’re still playing games and pushin’ those cubes. Again, hopefully you are, too. Rather than focus on one game, this episode is a bit of a mixed bag/State of the Board. We’ll touch on a few games we’ve been playing, like Lorenzo il Magnifico (2016), Unmatched (2019), and Rune Stones (2019), and come clean about how tough a year it’s been for us. Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) Check out our blog! | |||
| Episode 28: In the Army Now! | 01 Jun 2020 | 00:58:40 | |
Deep in the abyss of the quarantine, Kathleen and I recorded a searching and subdued episode about what is certainly considered a classic: Combat Commander. Yes, it's a war game, but essentially this is an Ameritrash skirmish game with a heavier euro points-scoring skeleton beneath those dice chuckin' trappings. Don't let a theme scare you, some classics are classics for a reason. Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) Check out our blog! | |||
| Episode 27: Don't Know Much About History | 13 Apr 2020 | 01:08:03 | |
Pax games are a sort of micro-genre of their own. Medium to heavy-ish opaque games that smash up euro mechanics with some borderline aggressive player interactive. Oh, and they are [nearly] all historically based. I can tell you where I fall, but Kathleen has more complicated feelings. You may have heard about last year's Pax Pamir 2nd edition. Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) Check out our blog! | |||
| Episode 26: More Than a Feld[ing] | 05 Apr 2020 | 00:49:18 | |
There are two kinds of gamers around here: those who like Stefan Feld and those who do not. I would say "and those who are wrong," but I'm furloughed and I'm trying to be nicer to people–hey, we all should do it! Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) Check out our blog! | |||
| Episode 25: Should I Stay or Should I Go | 19 Feb 2020 | 00:55:44 | |
All right, so this may be the Player One | Player Two Podcast, but that doesn’t mean we’re happy being locked out of 3+ player games. With that in mind, we realize that some “Two Player Variants” are messier than others. Dummy players, AI decks, or even Bot Systems are all versions of variants that allow a 3+ player game to be played by two players. In addition to the main course game here, we’ll also spend a few minutes discussing two other games’ variants we’ve experienced recently that have gotten a 3+ player game onto our exclusively two player table–with varying results. Escape Plan (2019) on Board Game Geek: Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) Check out our blog! | |||
| Episode 24: 2019 in Review | 21 Jan 2020 | 00:54:21 | |
We wrap up our inaugural year of the Player One | Player Two podcast a little late (hey, at least it's still January!), and talk about the 2019 games we played. Some hot hot heat, some IPs, and at least one game about trains. We also manage to squeeze in a pair of tangents on area control and Stefan Feld. | |||
| Episode 23: PAX Unplugged 2019 | 17 Dec 2019 | 00:59:38 | |
Hobby gaming is, at its heart, a social hobby. We have lamented before that playing as two players makes it seem like you are living in a bubble–which is why we started this podcast, after all. That being said, we were very excited to get out of our little bubble by finally partaking in our first convention experience when we visited the locally hosted PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia. | |||
| Episode 22: Let's Call the Whole Thing Off | 02 Dec 2019 | 00:44:06 | |
Scaling is so important in regard to the two-player subset of board gaming. Excellent three or four player games are sometimes incomplete or unsatisfying two-player experiences. | |||
| Episode 21: Don't Go Breaking My Heart | 19 Nov 2019 | 00:42:52 | |
Kathleen and I are both very happy to go to bat for escape room games. The idea of one-off games rubs some people the wrong way. Is it a good value? Is it a good way to spend an evening? Is it a good analogue for the actual social experience? Well, we’re actually not going to discuss the merits of an escape room game on this episode–we already know it’s good for us. Instead we talk about what the eventizing of a game ultimately means. And even though we are ride or die fans of escape room games, it doesn’t mean we can’t be let down by a design, even if it’s by some of our favorite designers out there. | |||
| Episode 20: Picture in a Frame | 06 Nov 2019 | 00:48:32 | |
In this episode, we’ll dig into a big, heavy, and very well-regarded euro. As we go, we’ll discuss a designer known exclusively for his heavy, thematic, and puzzly games, and how his theming is able to instruct the mechanics of this design specifically. | |||
| Episode 37: Blessed & Possessed | 19 Jan 2022 | 00:58:20 | |
Thematically, it feels appropriate that we name this episode after a Powerwolf song, but that may just be because I've not played Bloodborne. Anyway, let's dive into this huge box of plastic Victorian-esque horrors as we look at the Eric Lang/Michael Shinall co-designed campaign dungeon crawler. I'm not huge on dungeon crawlers, and I'm even more not huge (huh?) on campaign games, so this sounds like a great fit! | |||
| Episode 19: Build Me Up Buttercup | 23 Oct 2019 | 00:55:25 | |
Expectations can get you in some trouble, even if a game seems to give fair warning that it’s not necessarily related to its predecessor. People understandably--and that includes us--will come into a game wanting what they (or we) want. It’s normal. | |||
| Episode 18: Little Pink Houses | 16 Oct 2019 | 00:41:11 | |
So Player Two and I finally played our first Roll and Write game, curious to learn what all the hubbub's about. Just rolling some dice and writing stuff down, no? Well, inside of this small, affordable, and delightfully designed box, there lies an excellent game that has straightened out my misconception that only strategically heavy games can be truly satisfying. | |||
| Episode 17: Know Your Enemy | 09 Oct 2019 | 00:42:34 | |
We’ve evolved a lot as gamers over the past few years, moving decisively away from games with heavily random elements and towards games that are more straight-forwardly strategic or puzzly. But what happens when random elements meet a puzzly, strategic game head on? Can a reasonably light game manage to balance randomness and crunchy strategy in a small, satisfying package? Watergate (2019) on Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/274364/watergate Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar) | |||
| Episode 16: Still the One (A Top 10 List!) | 25 Sep 2019 | 01:02:01 | |
As you'll hear, this episode needs no introduction (literally). Listen as we dip our toes into the fickle and ever-changing pool of ranking games, as we each discuss our top 10 favorite games. No spoilers, but maybe you'll hear mention of some of your favorites... | |||
| Episode 15: I Fought the Law | 17 Sep 2019 | 00:48:32 | |
Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game is a new take on the idea of an escape room game. Puzzles + campaign? We're not always great about actually finishing campaigns, but what about Detective? Is Detective strong enough as a narrative to carry us through the campaign? We (and be we, I mean Player One only) aren't always keen on campaigns. So how does Detective fare? And what about its brother from another mother, Chronicles of Crime? | |||
| Episode 14: Time is on My Side | 10 Sep 2019 | 00:41:34 | |
Some mechanics really work for you, but some... don't. A good mechanic is a reason to get a game, but is it fair to stay away from a game just because it has a mechanic you don't like? Does a game's weight matter when taking mechanics into account? What do you do when your gaming partner likes a mechanic that you don't? Do you have any mechanics that are just a bucket of cold water? | |||
| Episode 13: Two Step | 04 Sep 2019 | 00:42:48 | |
It's about time we actually talk about a two player only game. We've spent the first dozen episodes talking about lots of excellent games (and one we didn't quite enjoy), but they're all for some variation of 2-5 players. Well, not this time. Take a journey into a small box that packs a big punch as we finally discuss a game designed exclusively for two players. Oh, and it's marvelous. | |||
| Episode 12: Take a Chance on Me | 26 Aug 2019 | 00:42:29 | |
Player One & Player Two take a perhaps unpopular position on a straight-up wacky, wildly random entry-level game. While we're not much for "wacky" or "wildly random" games, there's something about this one that just works for us. Once you get into heavy games, where does that leave your light games? On the trading block? Or is there still a place for an ultra-light game predicated on ease rather than hearty strategy? | |||
| Episode 11: You Can Get It If You Really Want | 19 Aug 2019 | 00:41:57 | |
Euros are, by and large, points games with a set of parameters driving you to do your best and get as many points as possible. What happens when the game doesn't really give you an "or else" when it's driving you to do your best? Does it lose all steam? Does it become a light "filler" game? Maybe. But maybe it does something remarkable: it manages to be as demanding, heavy, tense, and brain-burny as the meatiest and meanest euros out there... without actually being mean at all. | |||
| Episode 10: Am I Evil? | 13 Aug 2019 | 00:48:00 | |
Bad reviews are an inevitability. A judicious use of Google will provide you with plenty of bad reviews for War & Peace, Van Gogh's artwork, and Casablanca. That being said, sometimes a bad experience is a failure of design, and sometimes it's a failure of compatibility. On this episode, Player One and Player Two try very hard not to be too snarky as they try to dissect one very unsatisfying gaming experience. | |||
| Episode 36: Be Prepared | 12 Jan 2022 | 00:49:31 | |
Deck building as a mechanic is a staple of the hobby, but one that we've both made clear isn't always enough to provide a satisfying gameplay experience. Add in a pretty niche theme and it seems like a recipe for disaster. | |||
| Episode 9: The Dead Sea, Part 1 | 05 Aug 2019 | 00:42:34 | |
Living Card Games, expandable card games, collectable card games, and trading card games are huge, expansive games that command large communities of players and massive amounts of customizable content. But what happens when those games die off? What happens when a publisher pulls the plug on a game that has years' worth of content available? They don't just disappear. Dead card games are almost a sub-genre of their own. In the Dead Sea, we'll talk about our favorite games that are no longer with us (RIP). But don't let their OP status scare you off. Many of these dead games still have active communities and huge swaths of content widely available. This week: Star Wars! Pew pew pew! | |||
| Episode 8: World's Greatest Criminal Minds | 29 Jul 2019 | 00:53:12 | |
It may not always be about world domination, but every evil mastermind has a plan. If you're into making your evil plan come to fruition–or Disney IPs, in general–well we've got a game for you. Oh, and we talk about weight ratings and the impact of personal gaming experience on them. | |||
| Episode 7: High Lonesome (Solo Variant) | 22 Jul 2019 | 00:41:34 | |
Don't let preconceptions stand between you and an outstanding gaming experience. Solo gaming? Solo war gaming? "Hah, you jest!" I can hear you saying it now. But hold on. If you give it a chance, maybe you'll find something far richer and more rewarding than you expected. Join Player One on a solo variant, appropriately exploring solo gaming in its many forms, and one gem, in particular. | |||
| Episode 6: You Don't Own Me | 15 Jul 2019 | 00:40:34 | |
Intellectual properties (IPs) are great, right? Who doesn't like seeing their favorite characters on the newest game? But what happens when a great game is overlooked because of a niche IP? | |||
| Episode 5: Burnin' For You | 08 Jul 2019 | 00:46:46 | |
Hype is everywhere, from the biggest Marvel blockbuster to the shiniest, newest linen-finished Stonemaier Games tabletop release: Wingspan. Oh, speaking of Wingspan, let's talk about Wingspan. And hype. And hype and Wingspan! | |||
| Episode 4: So Quiet in Here | 01 Jul 2019 | 00:41:06 | |
Some games are pretty much a guarantee--on paper. They've got solid mechanics, good artwork, and are generally well-liked by all. In this episode, Player One and Player Two discuss why some games are perfectly fine, but perhaps just not a great fit. On the docket for dissection? CLANK! | |||
| Episode 3: Hurts So Good | 24 Jun 2019 | 00:41:16 | |
After playing a fair share of gateway games or lighter fare, it's nice to take a bite of something a little heavier. Heaven & Ale is a medium weight Euro game about monks making beer. It may be medium weight, but Heaven & Ale comes complete with a full contact method of scoring. Is it brutal? or unforgiving? If so, is that such a bad thing? | |||
| Episode 2: Get Behind the Mule | 24 Jun 2019 | 00:38:26 | |
Gateway games are almost an institution all to themselves, so Player One and Player Two discuss a fine gateway game you're not likely to find on other lists: Oh My Goods! by Alexander Pfister, as well as the first expansion, Oh My Goods: Longsdale in Revolt. | |||
| Episode 1: This Must Be The Place | 24 Jun 2019 | 00:46:05 | |
Player One and Player Two break the ice, introducing you to not only themselves, but the podcast. What made us do this podcast? Who are we as gamers? What games do we like? These questions and more will be answered in the inaugural episode. | |||
| Episode 35: Time in a Bottle | 06 Jan 2022 | 00:37:59 | |
We've gone dark since May 2021, and now we've entered 2022. I'm gettin' tired of reassessing where we are and our general mental and physical well-being, but here we are. Instead of getting mopey, let's talk about what games we're playing and what has made us happy over the past eight months. | |||
| Episode 34: Heroes | 29 May 2021 | 00:57:19 | |
On May 5, 2021, Marvel United: X-Men successfully funded on Kickstarter, raising nearly $6,000,000 of their $300,000 goal. I backed it, even though I've got some gripes with the 2020 release of Marvel United. Why did I back it? Because if I had even a passing interest in the game, I had to. | |||
| Episode 33: Everybody Wants to Rule the World | 06 May 2021 | 01:03:59 | |
The American Tabletop Awards have announced their winners for game of the year 2020, and we've just gotten the complex game of the year to the table... and we have thoughts! Now presenting, a deep and hungry pit of choice, waiting to swallow you and everything within kicking distance. Behold, Dominations: Road to Civilization! | |||
| Episode 32: Still Havin' Fun (A Top 10 List!) | 27 Apr 2021 | 01:04:47 | |
A little over 18 months after our last Top 10 Favorite Games countdown finds us in much more subdued spirits, turning to comfort gaming--not too surprising! Some shake ups and some old standbys make their obligatory appearances. | |||
| Episode 31: The Beautiful Briny | 01 Apr 2021 | 00:55:25 | |
Uwe Rosenberg needs no introduction in regard to worker placement games. Agricola, Le Havre, Caverna, A Feast for Odin, Fields of Arle, At the Gates of Loyang, and a host of others have made him a legend in the community. Rather than make some more noise about one of his established "classics," we dive into Nusfjord, a slightly overlooked gem of his. | |||
| Episode 30: Fox on the Run | 18 Mar 2021 | 01:01:57 | |
...and we're back. Six months is a long time, and it feels even longer in the dwindling days of a pandemic. Players One and Two have still been playing, still been talking, still been pushin' those cubes, but now they've turned the tape back on. | |||