Category Archives: Best of List

Best of List

THe Back 20 Best Games of All Time: 2020 Edition

The last time I updated my top 10 best games of all time list was way back in July 2018, since then quite a few games have graced my table and ordinarily I would want to update that list. As I reviewed the potential new additions to the list and potential replacements a clear reality set in for me. It still holds up.

First lets review the 2018 list.

10. Great Western Trail
9. New Angeles
8. Shogun (Queen Games Version)
7. Blood Rage
6. Twilight Imperium 4th edition
5. Star Wars Armada
4. War of The Ring
3. Game of Thrones: The Board Game
2. Through The Ages: A New Story of Civilization
1. Lord of the Rings: The Living Card Game

Frankly while I could certainly consider shifting the order around a bit and maybe bring some games to challenge some of the ones on this list, I just don’t see enough shifts taking place to revise the list.

Instead what I will give you today is the back 20 best games of all time, numbers 11 to 20. After all the point of any good best games list is to find something that might peek your interest and be worth getting to the table, so as long as we are writing and talking about games, promoting the hobby, what difference does it make if a game is in the top 10 or top 20.

Without further delay here are your top 11 through 20, best games of all time brought to you by Gamersdungeon.net. Enjoy the list.

20. Ikusa (Originally Shogun or Samurai Swords)

Ikusa is gorgeous on the table making this one of the best productions of the game to date.

It may surprise some that an old Milton Bradley title like Ikusa would still make the cut on a best of list, but to me of all those old classics that strived to dethrone RISK as the final word in dice chucking war games which includes prestigious titles like Axis & Allies and Fortress America, Ikusa is still one of the most balanced and straightforward war games that came out of that 80’s era of big box war games.

While I think both Axis and Allies and Fortress America are gems in their own right, they are both asymmetrical games which notably the king of dice chuckers (RISK) with which these games aimed to compete with was not. Back in those days this was the common commentary and line of thought. A game in which all players start on exactly equal footing left no discussion or argument about the balance of the game. Everyone started the same and while you could still blame luck for your loss, you could not blame an unbalanced game for it.

That however is not why I love Ikusa and will still happily play it today. This is a game that was way ahead of its time that went far beyond simply moving army men around a board and chucking dice. Its broken down into planning and execution phases, there are distinctly different units, hail mary plays and a feel of ever escalating warfare in which alliances are made and broken in the same breath.

I have a lot of fond memories from my childhood playing all of the milton bradley titles, in fact I have a lot of nostalgic memories of quite a few games from that era but Ikusa is the only one of those games I own today and there is a good reason for it. Even outside of nostalgia, this is still a solid game classic, nostalgia or not. It’s one I can easily recommend to anyone who loves men on a map war games, it certainly blows out of the water the vast majority of such games put out today.

19. 1830 Railroads & Robber Barons

This is a big, long and fairly complex game that really requires a bit of preparation and commitment from the players. Given its nature to be brutal and unforgiving, it can be difficult to get to the table even with the most experience group of gamers.

Another blast from the past, 1830 is the grandaddy of 18XX train games and without question THE best game about economics that has ever been made. Yes it’s slow and yes, if you don’t love trains, stock markets and capitalism this game will definitely not speak to you, but for me this is one of those rare gems that does something truly unique in gaming that has never been done before and never done since. Except of course in the massive library of 18XX games that exists today that tries to recapture and honor the original. While I have played a few others in what has become a genre/series of games, 1830 is still my favorite with 1854 being a close second.

I spent god only knows how many hours playing the PC version of this game back in the mid 90’s, second only to Sid Meier’s Civilization. It’s far too difficult to explain exactly what the driving force is behind 1830, but I always like to describe it as a knife fight in a phone booth. Claustrophobic, unforgiving and mean almost to the heights of games like Diplomacy where you know it’s not a question of IF your competitors will completely screw you, but a question of WHEN.

If you want to know everything that is wrong with capitalism & greed, there is no game that will make the point better then 1830 Railroads & Robber Barons. It’s not for the feint of heart, but without question in my mind an experience no connoisseur of board games should pass on, it’s a remarkably unique experience you will not have with any other board game out there.

18. Albion: The Resistance & Coup

If I had to choose between coup and the resistance, I think I would choose coup, but mainly because I prefer a more intimate experience of a smaller group.

Albion the resistance is in my mind the result of gaming evolution, the final product of a genre that was born in classics like Werewolf. The final word in hidden identity and betrayer games, forming itself into what I believe to be the ultimate party game.

Coup on the other hand is Albions little brother, for smaller more intimate groups, but effectively has all the same benefits and logic which is why I bring these two games together into a single position on this list.

With very few components and very simple rules, both games in combination with a bit of red wine and good company, can turn a boring dinner party into a memorable evening you’ll be talking about for years.

I have pulled both of these titles out at countless parties and events and they have always been so popular that I end up giving away my copies of the games to my guests. Both games break the barrier between gamer and non-gamer and they are easy to teach and always fun to play.

Wonderful party games without limited meanness and though it may be cheating to put them both in the same spot on this list, to me, even though they are definitely distinctly different games, they accomplish the exact same thing and serve the same purpose in my collection. It’s just a question of whether I have 5 guests or more than 5 guests which defines which of these two I pull out.

17. Condottiere

There are some differences between this original version and the newly reprinted version available today, but the classic rules are optional in the new version so there is no reason to seek out this vintage version, get the new one.

Though the game was released back in 1995 and should be considered a “classic” at this point, I actually only recently discovered it as it has flown under my radar for more than a decade.

I recall the first time I played this game and came to the conclusion right then and there that this game would undoubtedly be a contender for my top 10 best game of all time list. It may be in the 17 spot right now, but frankly I adore this game and it’s making the table at home with my family with more and more frequency.

Its a simple trick taking game, but it adds an area control element to the game play as a sort of strategic scoring mechanism but more importantly it gives the tricks in the game meaning, defining for players the importance of any particular trick which really represents a battle.

It’s a fantastically tactical game and while there is certainly a component of luck in the game, in my experience the skill of a player can mitigate luck almost entirely. In fact, I would say Condottiere has far more in common with games like Texas Hold’em where, what you have in your hand is as important as your ability to read the whites of a competitors eyes. This is a game in which you gamble, you bluff, you stall and you wait for that perfect moment to make your play and hope you have read the room correctly.

Super easy to teach and learn, fantastic sequencing of events that really builds memorable stories which is truly amazing for a game that has such an incredibly simple premise. Definitely a rising star on this list, the more I play it, the more I fall in love with it.

16. Star Wars: Destiny

Star Wars Destiny had a good, albeit short run. Get what you can, once this one goes out of print its not likely to ever come back.

While the story of Fantasy Flight Games collectable card and dice game Star Wars: Destiny was without question always going to end in tragedy (and it did), while FFG failed to make the game work as a business, the designers certainly made it an awesome game to play.

Star Wars: Destiny as a game is absolutely amazing, it is my favorite dueling deck building game out there by a pretty large margin and me and my friend (singalur) have always had a great time with it. It’s unfortunate that FFG just chose a very poor business model for the game making it far too expensive and inaccessible to most people. It certainly rivals games in my collection as the most expensive game on my shelf. It was just a tragically piss poor business model that drove its failure and it came to the surprise of no one that it was cancelled, yet I can’t help but feel incredibly sad to see it go out like this. Star Wars Destiny deserved a better fate.

Still I recommend getting it (on sale preferably) if you can because I don’t think we will ever see a game quite like this again. The combination of card and dice play, the perfectly executed theme and always extremely tight games resulted in a perfect formula for a dueling game.

Easily one of the best failed games that I have ever seen, despite its cancellation I fully intend to buy up what I can for this game before it disappears into the annals of history and I recommend you do the same.

15. Empire of the Sun

This epic experience is not easy to get into, but there is a smaller version of the game called “South Pacific” which is available that covers a smaller part of the conflict and is easier to get into. If you are going to take a dive, know that this smaller version is included in the full game.

Empire of the Sun is definitely not the type of game I would expect to show up on my list and admittedly, its unlikely anything like this will ever show up again. Frankly it was a metric ton of work just to learn how to play this game properly, countless hours pouring over a thick and incredibly complex rulebook to learn how to play an insanely in depth world war II simulation game.

Yet I did it and frankly, I’m better for it and I’m glad I did. Empire of the Sun for all its complexity is an ingenious game, a true masterpiece of game design and though certainly, it speaks to a very specific audience, as a gamer I’m always trying to broaden my horizons and I believe that if you are going to be a conesiour of board games you must be ready and willing to truly explore the hobby. This was undoubtedly my greatest departure out of my comfort zone, yet it has without question been one of the most unique experiences I have had this year.

Empire of the Sun is a game about the war in the pacific that not only gives you the feel of truly commanding with incredible detail this freighting moment in history, but you get to try to re-write it, ultimately coming to the realization that how history actually transpired, did so for very good reason. It’s a wonderful experience to not only command the game, but learn and experience a piece of tragic human history with understanding and ultimately humility.

I don’t recommend you buy this game under normal circumstances. This is what I would call an exploration of passion, do it only if you have the patience and desire to explore the board gaming hobby to its deepest level because that is where this game will take you.

14. Lords of Waterdeep

The Scoundrels of Skullport is an absolute must have expansion for Lords of Waterdeep, I wouldn’t dream of playing the game without it.

One of the few games on this list I don’t actually own, though for the past 4 years running it has been a highlight of our big board gaming weekend we do every summer with my gaming group. I caution you here by saying that YOU MUST have the Scoundrels of Skullport expansion and its position on this list assumes this.

Lords of Waterdeep is really a very standard take on the worker placement genre and in fact, I think by comparison what has been done in the genre over the years since, you might even call it uninspired. It does however have two very distinct elements that elevate it for me above most games in this genre.

First, its Dungeons and Dragons in a setting that is near and dear to my heart, The Forgotten Realms. Secondly however and definitely more importantly, it’s a worker placement game with a lot of fuck you mechanics in it, which is unequivocally the main problem I have with almost all other worker placement games out there today. Aka, the lack of interaction.

Lords of Waterdeep is an actual competition unlike most worker placement games where you can attack and hinder your opponents directly, even team up with other players to do so in a confrontational way which is really the key to the whole game.

Beyond that the game has so many different ways to approach it in terms of victory conditions where replayability really is infinite. You also have the asymmetrical lords which define your play style a bit and of course the expansion with its corruption mechanic adds a gambling/push your luck element to the game which results in the game rising far beyond the experience of your typical worker placement game. I would say its my favorite worker placement game, but as you will see in the moment, there actually is one I like just a little bit better than this one.

13. Empires: Age of Discovery

The definitive deluxe version is well worth getting, it is the pride and joy of my gaming collection, I sometimes pull it off the shelf just to look at all the pretty pieces.

The king of worker placement games in my book, Empires: Age of Discovery really is a masterpiece. It scales up every element of what makes a great game design, by taking existing, tried and true mechanics (namely worker placement) and twisting them just enough to elevate them beyond the traditions to near perfection in terms of balance and clever option expanding player choices.

Empires combines area control, economics, worker placement with unique workers, resource management and more into a single unified system that runs smooth as silk and keeps every player engaged at all times. Going beyond that with the deluxe edition of the game, it brings beauty to the table with an almost astonishing visual appeal that far exceeds the overwhelming majority of board games out there.

For fans of the worker placement genre, this is the ultimate experience. This is a game that always threatens my top 10 list and for good reason, in terms of just sheer design and gameplay, this game is unmatched in the genre.

12. Star Trek Fleet Captains

The expansions add a lot to the game, but the experience is not lessened if you can’t get your hands on them. The game and two expansions are going to cost you a pretty penny, but just look at it, its sooo preeeeettty!

I always say that when it comes to a good board game, theme is absolutely critical, but when it comes to trying to replicate something as specific and beloved by its fans as Star Trek, theme is everything.

I think the best way to describe Star Trek Fleet Captains is that it’s all of Star Trek, from original series, to Voyager and everything in between in a box. It is the perfect Star Trek game and that is saying quite a bit given that there have been countless Star Trek games that came before and after Fleet Captains. It’s pinnacle of Star Trek games and to me, without a doubt, one of the best adventure games in any genre ever made.

It melds gameplay and theme with perfect harmony, capturing all of those little micro moments of Star Trek goodness you crave and only a true fan would fully appreciate. I have honestly stopped even trying other Star Trek games at this point because frankly, I just don’t believe it is possible to make a better Star Trek game and there is no point in trying to fix what ain’t broke.

If you love Star Trek, this is the only game you need on your shelf.

11. Game of Thrones: The Card Game 2nd Edition

As a living card game, the model is perfect for collectors as you only need to buy one of everything to complete your collection. Like Lord of the Rings, that is greatly appreciated by this fan!

Game of Thrones conjures up a lot of imagery as this is a setting with a vast, intricate story weaved in many different ways in the books and tv show. Yet at the heart of the story behind Game of Thrones are the politics and the unique and interesting characters that drive them.

While Game of Thrones the board game captures the sort of global conflict on a high level, to me Game of Thrones the card game is the embodiment of what Song of Ice and Fire is really about. The card game brings to life the characters and the politics in a unique game mechanic tailor made for multiplayer competitive deck building game.

Sure you can play Game of Thrones the Card game as a duel, but really this game shines in a 3 or 4 player game and I don’t really care to play it any other way. It would not make this list as a duel game.

Card games tend to capture themes in very indirect ways, typically more by the art then anything else, but Game of Thrones The Card game really nails the thematic feel of the story in its gameplay. You really come to care about the cards that represent your characters and the story the different events and actions brought to life by the cards tell.

Amazing game, always a contender for my top 10 list and definitely deserving of the number 11 spot on this list.

Best of List

Top 10 Board Games July 2018 Edition

Its time once again to update my top 10 list of best board games ever, its been quite a while since the last one and this year I’m determined to be bold.

One aspect of a top 10 list like this is that its the one thing I do on this blog that I don’t really put through any filters, another words, its just my gut that I rely on.  However looking at my list from last year I realized two things.

First, some of the games on that list while I love them I don’t play much anymore, which is not a reflection on what I think about it, but rather a reflection on my gaming groups preferences and the impact of that classic discussion ”what are we going to play”.  I think games on this list should not only be popular with me, but popular with the various gaming friends I have.  After all, if I love a game no one wants to play, does it belong on the list?  Its a tough question, which I have tackled when making this list.

Secondly, I think some games may be here more out of nostalgia then anything.  Nostalgia goggles are a thing, it can be hard to push games off a ”my favorites list” because of how much fun I had with them 5 years ago, but if I have no interest in playing them anymore do they really still belong on the list?  This is another tough question which I have tackled when making this years list.

First lets look at the list from last time I updated it.

1. Through The Ages: A New Story of Civilization
2. Star Wars: Armada
3. Lord of the Rings: The Living Card Game
4. War of The Rings
5. Blood Rage
6. Game of Thrones: The Living Card Game 2nd Edition
7. Game of Thrones: The Board Game
8. Star Wars: X-Wing
9. Empires: Age of Discovery
10. Shogun (Queens Games Version)

Last years list to me still represents some of the best board games around without question.  It’s clear to me that when I made the list last time, I was really doing it without any filters, for example X-Wing and War of The Rings are both on here, yet I have not played either of these games in about 2 years at this point and probobly several years since I played it with any regularity.  There are also some games on here I was really hot and heavy on at the time, for example Empires: Age of Discovery I was playing quite a bit at the time, amazing game but I really had to review whether or not it belonged on this years list.

This year I’m going to do this in reverse order starting with number 10… and here we go.

10) Great Western Trail

Dubbed a heavy Euro game, while there is a lot going on and the strategy goes deep, its surprisingly easy to get into.

Putting Great Western Trail on my top 10 list is a bit of a quandary for me.  Considering how much shit I have given to games like Russian Railroads, Terra Mystica, Voyage of Marco Polo and other heavy Euro victory point smorgasbord games, putting one on my top 10 list that is very much in line mechanically with those types of games is contradictory if nothing else.

In my defense however, I’m not a gaming snob, I will play anything and not be ashamed of liking anything when I do, so if I like a Euro victory point smorgasbord game, even if its not typical of me, so bloody be it!

Great Western Trail to me is among the best Euro Games I have played from a mechanical perspective.  Like most Euro games that shamelessly either just copy/paste existing mechanics and add another theme or re-use slightly altered versions of already existing mechanics, Great Western Trail does considerably less of that while  squeezing in a considerable amount of unique flavor of it’s own.  I think the theme, though light in application fits the game perfectly and the game is really very re-playable with a lot of cool dynamic elements that will have you re-thinking your strategies from game to game.  I also really love the fact that its an entirely different game at 2 players, 3 players and 4 players, yet each player count is as fantastic as the next.  Its really almost like Great Western Trail is 3 different gaming experiences depending on player count.

As far as I’m concerned this one earns its stripes for this list, its a pretty a-typical game compared to what I usually go for, but if a game is great, its great, I don’t care what genre or style it is.

9) New Angeles

Simply the best of the cooperative-betrayer genre of games.

There are 3 games that have dropped off the list this year opening the door to new arrivals, Great Western Trail was one, New Angeles is the other.  In the last year, board gaming hasn’t really been at the top of our gaming groups agenda.  I have spent a great deal of time playing living card games, namely Lord of the Rings, while simultaneously my gaming group has been very focused on RPG’s and to a smaller degree miniature games. Still there were some gems I discovered this year and New Angeles was without question the big surprise this year.

This game was a hit with my group like no game has in years, we were like moths to a flame to this take on the cooperative betrayer genre, the only real shock to me is how little attention it gets.  There are many competitors in this genre, Dead of Winter and Shadows Over Camelot just to name a couple, but to me this blows them all out of the water.  Hands down the best in its class, New Angeles is the rising star in my list and I fully expect that it may rise further in the future.

8) Shogun (Queens Games Version)

Most of Dirk Henns games are in the “not my thing” category, but Shogun is about as me as you can get.

This is a game that has consistently hung on in my top 10 list since I started it and while all the games on this list earn their stripes, this is without question my most consistantly loved and played game.  It gets pulled out a couple of times each and every year like clockwork, it always fires on all cylinders and I can’t imagine making this list without Shogun on it.

It’s also the one game on this list where people are often like ”Shogun?  Really?”, as if they are understanding why I might like it, but calling it best of all time is a bit much.  To me understanding why this game is on the list is all about your attitude towards gaming.  What is it that you are looking for.  Some might say strategy, clever mechanics, theme and I would agree, but to me above all else is the fun factor.  How much do I enjoy playing the game, how much fun do I have and Shogun to me represents everything I love about board gaming.  It has strategic, thinky, contemplative moments, burst out and cheer moments and laugh out loud moments all built into a single game using one of my absolute favorite themes, Medieval Japan.  I can’t think of a game that is more complete as a gaming experience than Shogun.  It’s a staple of my collection and a staple of this list, earning it’s ranking with pride.

7) Blood Rage

The only 5 out of 5 stars game I have reviewed for this blog, a review I stand by, its an amazing game.

Dropping from the number 5 spot, Blood Rage remains firmly the only game at Gamersdungeon.net to ever receive a perfect review score, its a design masterpiece in my humble opinion.    So why is it not number 1 on my top 10 best board games of all time.  Well, because this is my list, it’s not about what is best, its about what is my best, my favorite.  My relationship with Blood Rage is one of respect, appreciation for design, art, theme and it’s general near perfection, but that doesn’t make it the first game I want to play every time board games get pulled out.  It’s an amazing game, it has its place in this list because its earned it, but I can think of at least 6 games I rather play over this one.

Still it’s worth pointing out that in my humble opinion, if your a game designer and you want to learn how to do it right, you will never find a better example.  Eric Langs Blood Rage is nothing short of a masterpiece in board game design, it’s our Mona Lisa.

6) Twilight Imperium: 4th Edition

The ultimate 4x science-fiction epic, it is the king of the genre by a margin so wide, I wouldn’t insult it by naming any names.

Twilight Imperium returns to my top 10 list after it’s 3rd edition finally dropped off after not only being on my list since I started it, but for several years being in the top spot.  3rd editions departure stemmed from the fact that, after nearly a decade of playing the game, spending hundreds of hours on it, it finally sort of played itself out.  When it fell off the list it was not seeing any table time years at a time and its general weight, size and complexity no longer had me reaching for it in anticipation.

The resurgence here is largely do in part to evolution of Twilight Imperium in 4th edition, the streamlining that went into the new edition, the amazing art and perfections of the original mechanics all prompted me be to buy and play this one again.  Of all the games on this list, I think at this moment I want to play this one more often than I get the opportunity to, it even prompted me to attempt to create an entire separate gaming group around it.  Because it still suffers from the weight, size and complexity as did 3rd edition, it makes it difficult to get to the table.  Still I think its earned this spot on the list, Twilight Imperium is to me the ultimate 4x board gaming experience, nothing else comes even close and while its a very niche game, because of it’s depth of play and sheer epic gaming experience I have brought it back from obscurity into my top 10 list of best games.

I caution anyone considering buying it to really research it and make sure you have the player group for it, their is no worse feeling than having this amazing game collecting dust on your shelf, but given the opportunity, its an absolutely fantastic game, a vastly improved edition over the last one.  I can’t wait to play it again.

5) Star Wars: Armada

The fact that I don’t have to paint is just icing on the cake, Armada is without a doubt in my mind the best miniatures game on the market today.

Star Wars Armada has had a rather fluctuating history in my personal gaming preferences and on this top 10 list.  This is less a reflection of its quality and the simple fact that miniature gaming, while I love it, tends to be hot and cold over time.  One thing that separates Armada from all other miniature games that I have tried is that it comes back around, both for me personally and in my gaming group.  We go back to this one time and time again and while the time in-between cold time is always longer than the hot time when I’m actively playing it, it remains in my consciousness at all times.

Armada is a tough, complex and deep miniatures game, it has a way of exhausting me but I relish the periods of time when I’m heavily into it trying to build that perfect list or play that perfect match.  It’s also the game that has given me the greatest rewards for my commitment as I constantly improve at it and have managed to get several wins in what was once game I only ever lost.

For me personally, if you are going to spend the money on a miniature hobby, it should be a game that is deeply fulfilling and satisfying, Armada is that game for me.  It’s what I would call the perfect miniature game for a guy like me who isn’t exactly chomping at the bits to paint and assemble mini’s.  I want to play miniature games, but I’m not a hobbyist. I also want the game to have true depth and Armada does all that for me using the magical Star Wars franchise.

4. War of the Rings

The Asymmetrical 2 player epic is effectively Lord of the Rings in a box, if you love the books and movie, this is an amazing way the battle for Middle-Earth.

It’s a bit heartbreaking to watch this one collect dust on my shelf, especially since my opinion of this games quality is unchanged, it remains the single best two player gaming experience I have ever found.  A heavy, complex and involved 2 player game however is just not a filter that makes an appearance in my gaming schedule.  My gaming circles are growing not shrinking in size and as opportunities to game pop up its becoming rarer and rarer that there is just two players ready to spend 4 hours involved in a heavy game like War of the Rings.  The result is that I haven’t played this beast in well over three years at this point which makes it hard to justify keeping it this. high in this list.  Strictly speaking I questioned whether or not it should be removed from the list entirely but the truth is that, even though I haven’t played it in a long time, it changes absolutely nothing about the fact that I want to.

War of the Rings is not only an epic masterpiece for two players, it’s also without question one of the most unique gaming experience you can have.  Thematically rich, strategically deep, beautiful to look at and mechanic perfection.  Its nothing short of a tragedy that I don’t get to play this game more often.

3) Game of Thrones The Board Game

This rich fantasy setting comes to life, brutality, deceit, treachery and all.

Rising on the list, Game of Thrones is a game with raw, unfiltered, human emotion and infused energy.  This is a game that brings out the beast, it will have you feeling angry, frustrated, vengeful, wrathful and murderous and while some might associate that as negative energy, to me for a board game to draw that out of you is a beautiful thing.  You need to play this game in the safe space of friends who can quickly forgive you raising your voice and being spiteful but it’s a gaming experience unmatched by any other game I have ever played.

Like War of the Rings this is a deep, complex and heavy game, but because its a 6 player game the growing size of my gaming groups means it see’s more opportunities to hit the table.  Not as much as I would like of course, but still, it certainly earned the right to rise on the list.  Oh and one more thing, its crazy thematic to the point you actually feel like you are a character in the show and everyone at the table will eventually morph into the plight of this middle age world becoming the darker version of themselves.  Just awsome!

2) Through The Ages: A New Story of Civilization

Through The Ages is to Civilization building games what Twilight Imperium is to science-fiction games. Its a game fit for a king.

I’m a sucker for civilization building games and Through The Ages, while to me technically not the most approachable (see Nations for something more reasonable), has that hard, heavy purist spirit, a game really made for fans.  It’s a slow methodical thinker, but thanks to its strong online support this last year coming to Steam and Ipads, I have played this civilization epic hundreds of times at this point and it just keeps getting better.  I wish I had more oppertunities to play it at the real table, but still, its such an amazing game and the digital implementation is so good, I can’t be anything but grateful.

Its slip to the number 2 spot was a hard call, I was really struggling deciding between this and my number one pick, but to me, every game in this top 10 list is, strictly speaking in the “amazing” category, so I had to go with my gut here.

Lord of the Rings: The Living Card Game

If I was to be stranded on an island and could only bring one game to play for the rest of my life, Lord of the Rings LCG would be that game.

Perhaps the biggest turn around of any game I have ever owned has to be Fantasy Flights, Lord of the Rings the living card game.  First time I played it I thought to myself, meh, its ok.  Today as I write this not only is it the most played game in my collection, it’s also the game I have sunk more money into than any other.

I absolutely love this game from top to bottom, it’s a rare week I don’t pull out any one of the dozens of expansions or quests in my collection.  This single game takes no less than two shelves for all the stuff I own for it and I’m constantly trying to scratch nickles together to get more stuff.

Easily one of the best collectible card games I have ever been involved in despite its less traditional cooperative genre footprints.  Between the amazing deck building options, seemingly impossible challenges and its fantastic art work this is without question in my mind the most rewarding game you can play on the market today.

Drop Outs

Inevitably everytime I make this list some games drop off the list and I feel obligated to explain why.

Star Wars: X-Wing is probably the most notable, once a holder of the number one spot, it has been slowly slipping down the list and finally falls of this year.  To me, at this point X-Wing has become too bloated and full of holes thanks mostly to some terrible expansions that brought in components and mechanics that derailed it from its original vision and the reason I loved this game so much.  I still enjoy playing it with certain house rules in place to fix some of the issues, but thankfully FFG agrees with my assessment and has announced that this year we will see X-Wing 2.0.  2.0 promises to return the game to its dog fighting roots and hopefully the new version will bring this one back to the table and perhaps even back to this top 10 list.  I loved my X-Wing when it was younger, but in its current state, I can’t bring myself to dust of the miniatures anymore.

Game of Thrones 2nd Edition (LCG) is another that falls off the list, this is largely due to two facts.  One is that it really wasn’t fully embraced by our gaming group so table time is rare.  This coupled with the fact that I never really took the plunge fully just means I don’t spend much time thinking about it or anticipating to play it.  I still think its a fantastic game, but a person can only collect so many collectible games and this year I found that both Arkham Horror LCG and Star Wars Destiny made it into my collection not to mention Star Wars: Legion and my always expanding Lord of the Rings LCG.  So GoT LCG has taken a back seat, but this is not a reflection on the games quality, I consider it a really great, thematic card game well worth your money.

Finally Empires: Age of Discovery.  I think if this was a top 11 list, it would firmly hold the number 11 spot.  This is an amazing game and it was a really struggle to pick between this and Great Western Trail.  On any given day I might swap this one back in, I gave it to Great Western trail almost on a coin toss between the two to be honest.

Best of List

Top 10 Underated & Overlooked Games

I haven’t done a top 10 list in a while and while I’m overdue for an updated top 10 games of all time list, I thought what we really needed on the blog was something more varied and interesting, a place for gamers to look to find something to play.  There have been a lot of really fantastic releases in the last couple of years and, not to mention other overlooked games over the years worth mentioning and while they might not compete against the spectrum of all games ever made, they are so worth your time that I thought I would make a list dedicated to games that everyone should be checking out that are commonly overlooked.

Legend of the Five Rings LCG by Fantasy Flight Games

When FFG first announced The Legend of the Five Rings LCG, long time fans of the original CCG shared both concern and delight.  The old CCG was really starting to show its age compared to modern designed CCG’s and LCG’s, but it was beloved by a very dedicated,  niche and vocal audience. Thankfully FFG has proven time and time again that when it comes to card games, they are the modern gold standard.  Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Android Net Runner, Star Wars: Destiny and Akrham Horror are just among the short list of absolutely amazing card games that they have put together.  With talents like Lukas Litzsinger and Nate French just to name a couple superstars, your beloved franchises are always in good hands at FFG, but Legend of the Five Rings is without a question their crowning achievement when it comes to taking an IP and making it better in my humble opinion.

The core set is dirt cheap, the game is easy to learn and the art is amazing. For CCG players theír really is no reason to not try this amazing game.

I’m here to tell you that within the genre of Dueling games, despite amazing games like Star Wars: Destiny, Game of Thrones and Android Net Runner; Legend of the Five Rings is without question the best of the lot and by a large margin.  This is in my mind THE best complex, competitive card game on the market today and if you haven’t tried it you are truly missing out.

The smooth as silk mechanics, absolutely amazing deck building options and robust tactical play already makes Legend of the Rings a great game worthy to be on the list of best CCG/LCG’s, but Legend of the Five Rings in my humble opinion separates itself by being based on one of the most unique fantasy settings ever put to paper.  It feels like a proper medieval Japanese battle within the confines of a magical fantasy world where political intrigue and straight up warfare are constant.  Its a game of subtle moves and counter moves thematically linked to an era of Samurai, Legend of the Five Rings is a robust and very repayable experience.  Even with just a single core set you are going to find a deep tactical game and this very expandable game even in its infancy already gives all the others a serious run for their money.

New Angeles by Fantasy Flight Games

Of all the games to come out in 2016, this has got to be one of the most overlooked and underrated games on the market today.  I’m absolutely shocked that games like Gloomhaven, yet another re-hashed adventure game based on tired mechanics and premise can sit in the top spot on boardgamegeek.com while absolutely amazingly unique games like New Angeles are somewhere in the 900’s.  It’s like living in some sort of bizzare world where everything is opposite.  If there was ever a crime against boardgaming, New Angeles’s underrated status is without question one of this decades greatest atrocities.

Easily the top candidate for game of the year, this underrated gem belongs in every gamers collection.

New Angeles is  one of the best board games I have played this year and it’s definitely a contender for my best of all time list.  It embodies everything that makes board gaming a social experience while housing one of the most unique and intriguing mechanics that drives its engine I have seen in a long time.  To say its unique is kind of an understatement, its really the first time in a long time I have sat down to a board game and was surprised on all fronts.  How much fun I had, how social the game was, how mechanically well designed the game was and how almost instantly I wanted to play it again.  The word “tight” is over-utilized when describing games, but this is a game that is always close.  It has a betrayer element, a cooperative element, a competitive element and above all else its a bloody social experiment that must be experienced.

To me, if you are going to buy just one board game this year, New Angeles should be it.

Star Wars: Armada by Fantasy Flight Games

While it sits pretty on my top 10 list of best games of all time and has enjoyed considerable time in the lime light as one of FFG’s flag ship miniature games second only to X-Wing, I’m constantly shocked at how little attention this game gets.  I have talked quite a bit about this game over the last couple of years since its release, Star Wars Armada remains seriously underplayed and underrated in my opinion.  In my mind this is still very much the definitive “THE” miniatures game on the market today, if you have to pick just one, this should be it.  I’m very surprised to see how little attention it gets considering what it is, a game of capital ship combat in the Star Wars universe with what has to be one of the most tactical and strategic miniature games ever made.  I have played a lot of miniature games over the years and all I can say is that this remains among the best on all fronts.

Star Wars Armada is hardly an overlooked title, but it earns its place on this list because its quite literary a crime against gaming that this is not the single most played and most sold miniatures game on the market today. It’s not only the best there is, nothing comes even close to competing with it.

It’s the fine wine of miniature games and while I love my X-Wing and have in the past loved plenty of others that have come and gone, Armada is one of those games I can see myself playing indefinitely.  Its a gentlemens game that requires a commitment from a veteran gamer to learn to play it well.  Its a game of deep thought, one that will have you constantly re-evaluating every inch of its components, potential strategies and tactics.  FFG has taken amazing care of this one, despite a couple of dips here and there they always find a way to bring it back to its roots.

Above all else though I appreciate the fact that while its a miniature game it does not come with the weight of the miniature hobby.  Now I understand that many have a love for the assembly and painting of miniatures and construction of terrain, perhaps this is the reason for its rather underated status but to me the best aspect of the entire miniature hobby is the gaming and its here that Armada will focus your attention..  Its a game made for veteran gamers, so no apologies for length or complexity, but I also firmly believe that its very approachable even as a novice gamer to the hobby.  I would still recommend X-Wing to Armada for casual gamers, but if you are looking for a rich miniature gaming experience that will grab and hold your attention without all the painting and assembly, this is definitely your destination.

Runewars by Fantasy Flight Game

While my initial review of this game was good, one aspect of Runewars that had negative notations was that the fantasy world its based on was rather lackluster.  This still remains true and may actually be the reason why this game has been overlooked by miniature gaming fans, in particular warhammer fantasy fans used to a rich and elaborate game setting, but from a stand point of mechanics Warhammer Fantasy has absolutely nothing on this game.  Runewars makes Warhammer Fantasy look like a toy when stacked up against the intricately designed Runewars.

Runewars lackluster setting is no doubt responsible for its underrated status, but mechanically speaking this game blows the doors off of games rank and file competitors like the defunct Warhammer Fantasy.

What makes this game tick is the very clever dual dial action mechanic, unique for the miniature world but one that solves many of the issues I have with pretty much everything I have played in the genre before.  It boasts a lot of really unique and interesting models for the painters out there, but maintains a relatively approachable level of assembly making this a more inviting game for the novice trying to break in.  I personally love this game its really unfortunate that while my gaming group was hot and heavy at the start, the novelty wore of rather quickly.  My hope is that it bounces back because this is a game that is made to be played with plenty of list building and tactics to explore.   Highly underrated and while its too bad it has not been terribly successful, the plus side is that its very cheap to get into these days with much of its product line in the bargain bin.  It’s life might turn out to be short, but what has already been released is more than enough reason to invest.

FFG seems to be painfully aware of the generic nature of their core fantasy setting and are clearly taking action to remedy that situation. Who knows, perhaps a few years from now this criticism will have been quelled.

My advice is that if you have a friend that is interested, pick up a core box and give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

Cluedo by Hasbro

A game from my childhood that has made a resurgence in my house thanks to my kids going through their childhoods.  No one is more surprised to find this game on this rather prestigious list of amazing must play games, but truth be told this is a classic family game for a very good reason.  It’s pretty fantastic.

Conceptually it’s a very simple game of deduction, but underneath it’s rather simple premise is a really fun and challenging social game.  Much of the game is played making deductions based on what you see, but there is also a “poker face” element to it where you try to decipher what people say to draw clues about potentially eliminating suspects, murder weapons and locations to determine the “who done it” of it all.

Most of us grew up with Milton Bradly classics like Clue, but some of these games are classics for good reason and Cluedo earns its stripes on this list today.

This has become a family favorite at home, currently wearing out our second copy of the game.  It’s hardly a week goes by that we don’t play it several times and as people get better and better at hiding their poker face if you will, the game becomes more challenging and equally more fun.

This in my book is a far superior family game option to many of the accepted standards like RISK, Monopoly or the always boring Game of Life.  More than that, I think this is actually a fairly legitimate gamers game that can actually work at a more traditional and exclusive gamers night.  I’m almost embarrassed to say but I actually love this game.  It hits all those social sweet spots and despite its multiple decade existence it holds up quite well.  For a great family game, look no further than this classic, it really works!

Star Trek: Fleet Captain

This is one of those games where loving Star Trek the TV shows and movies is an absolute must, but given that 99% of all Star Trek franchise games basically suck balls, perhaps it’s no surprise so many Trekies might have overlooked this one.

Star Trek: Fleet Captain is one of the most thematic games I have ever played, Star Trek or otherwise.   It is the Twilight Imperium or War of the Rings of Star Trek game, essentially, the entire franchise in a single box. I adore this game both because it’s an amazing game mechanically speaking but because it’s dripping with everything a Star Trek fan could hope for.  Explore the galaxy, experience Star Trek events pulled right from the series and films and fight fleet battles using the trickery and gadgetry of the Star Trek universe.

I have introduced this game to people who went from “I fucking hate everything Star Trek” to “but this game is awesome”. For a game to be so good that despite its overwhelming focus on theme it can turn your head even if you hate the theme is amazing, never seen that happen in any other game in my 30 years.

Thematic ships, characters and events all clearly linked mechanically to their role in the Star Trek universe give Fleet Captains a distinctly familiar feel.  While competitive, this is a storytelling game and you will find yourself in all too familiar situations only a true trekie would appreciate from Trouble with Tribbles to weird timelines, from the borg to liquid space, from cloaking devices to using your warp drive to do all kinds of crazy stuff it not designed to do, it’s all here.

Thanks to two great expansions, although not easy to find these days, Star Trek: Fleet Captains is a complete package, this is a game no Star Trek fan should miss.

Illuminati by Steve Jackson Games

This stone cold classic was once among the most played games I owned and remains as far as I’m concerned a permanent fixture of my collection.  Now it is a Steve Jackson game who I believe to be a very talented designer but with a rather odd approach to his games.  I find most people either love or hate his games, but while I would consider many of his games “classics”, this is the one I’m always surprised that people have never heard of.  At this point perhaps its just my age is showing given this game was released back 1987.

Games are often very personal things, memories in a box and while I love Illuminati it reminds me of a friend that died years ago and is probably the only reason I don’t play it anymore. It is however a fantastic social game not to be missed.

Illuminati is a card game driven by a giant fuck you mechanic that pits players against each other as they attempt to complete their Illuminati power structures to take over the world.  The trick is that each player has a unique win condition and because every play anyone can make can be interrupted by any number of players or supported by any number of players its really a game of chicken, deception, prediction, resource management, a bit of luck and more fuck you than is probably acceptable at a traditional family board game night.  This is clearly a game for gamers, in particular for groups that enjoy sticking it to each other.

The rules are relatively simple, but the gameplay is anything but, this is one of those games that if you win, you win because you have truly outsmarted and out played everyone else, you can’t get lucky here.  If you have never tried it and you are looking for a truly messed up social game, in particular among a group with a great sense of humor, this satire loaded game is not to be missed.

War of the Ring by Ares Games

While this one has been and remains still today on my top 10 best games of all time list and its hardly overlooked given its number 12 spot on boardgamegeek.com, I’m still amazed how in conversation when the topic of Lord of the Rings games comes up this one is seldom mentioned.  In my mind this is not only one of the best Lord of the Rings games ever made, its also one of the most thematic games ever made and quite possibly one of the best.  This isn’t just a game, its really an experience, one of the most intimate and elaborate board games for two players you could ever play.  For Lord of the Rings fans this is the ONLY board game I would ever dream of recommending as an absolute must have.  Its the entire Lord of the Rings story, structured with perfection into a single game.  Its clearly made by a fan for fans.

Its sheer epic scale and presumed complexity is probably why this game falls under your typical gamers radar, but this game while true to its scale is actually not that complicated to learn to play. Some games are just worth the investment and time they demand, this one is definitely among the most worthy you will ever find.

Now there are plenty of Lord of the Rings games, in fact, its a bloody brick ton and I have played many if not most of them and while there are plenty of gems, nothing compares to the experience of War of the Rings.  This is the ultimate Lord of the Rings experience, period.

Battletech by Altar Games

In 1985 long before every boardgame was turned in a miniature game the card board cut-up stand ups that came with this classic where good enough because we had imagination and gameplay ruled supreme over everything else.  More than that though the original 1985 Battletech game set remains THE best ever made and despite bloody decades of trying and failing hard to re-capture interest in this genre, the Battletech franchise still largely stands on this stone cold classic.

While miniatures are all the rage these days, this classic doesn’t need them. Mechanically this is a gem in the rough.

What made Battletech unique is that it took the concept of characters from RPG’s, the many stats and custom building, the attention to detail for each unit and the tit for tat balancing of weapons, armor, and utility gear and turned it into a pure thematic tactical war game.  It was back in those days referred to as Chainmail with robots.

The only game that I played more than Battletech back in the day was Dungeons and Dragons itself but unlike those early editions of dungeons and dragons that were terribly flawed mechanically, Battletech was design perfection and holds up as strong today as it did back than.  The fact that it was not reprinted unchanged is a shame, if any game deserves it its this one.

One of my favorite mems, I couldn’t resist, its true, its a long game, you have to make peace with it.

Thanks to the digital world of PDF’s and the fact that the original game actually had no miniatures, you can basically print and play this one today and its well worth the printer ink to do so.  This overlooked and forgotten classic deserves your attention, especially if you are a modern miniatures gamer.  You will find that not only do the rules hold up, they are far superior to a vast majority of miniature games today.  Clean, hardcore robot battles, what else could a person possibly ask for.

The 18XX series by lots of people

While this is not a single game, it does have an original “classic” that most people who do play it know well, 18:30 Railroad and Robber Barons.  This entire series is built on the core premise of operating railroad companies, manipulating stock markets and constructing railways.  In on its own its very much a niche game, often maintained to be for “hardcore” gamers or “those train people”, but as a gamer, both casual and series to me this is one series of games that is severely under played, overlooked and misunderstood.  Its almost as if the community that surrounds it enjoys its “cult” status, but the truth of the matter is that its far more approachable than its typically made out to be.

It isn’t going to win any beauty contests, but 18XX games have it where it counts.

Sure its a bit more complex, but I know plenty of people who play far more complicated games than this, in fact, several games on this list I would consider far more complex than 1830 and while certainly some of the sub-versions of this series get quite deep there are a wide range of levels in this series worth recommending.

To me this series represents the best of the economic line of games, you would think given that games like Monopoly are among the most played/owned games in the world, economic games would get far more attention than what is typical for a game series like 18XX.  None the less, if you like playing with play money, this game is really among the best out there with deep strategy, cut-throat tactics and replay-ability on a scale few games achieve.  Worth the investment.

Best of List

Top 10 Dungeons and Dragons Modules of All Time

Ok so with my last theory article about the art of GMing, I thought it was about time I created a top 10 list on the subject of RPG’s.  Top 10 Modules seemed like a good choice and while I understand that new generations of players might froth at the mouth with a list that insults them by putting old school modules on a pedestal, the fact remains that as an old school player for the most part the modern age of D&D has been largely disappointing.  But don’t fret too much, some new-ish stuff made the list as well!  Enjoy the list.

Oh and I’m doing this backwards from now on so we are starting at number 10 and working our way down 🙂

10) Queen of Spiders

The Queen of Spiders is actually a module series and it is the only module on this list I have never personally run, but rather participated as a player which kind of makes it both unique for this list and of a different perspective than the others.

The Drow are among the most memorable villains in D&D, a favorite among DM’s to use as antagonists.

I think my favorite aspect of this module was of course the introduction of Dark Elves or The Drow if you will.  I recall this being my first experience encountering them and unlike today where we are quite familiar with the species, back then they were truly unique and GM’s weren’t exactly sure how to envision them resulting in some pretty fun interpretations.  I had a really great DM who cave the Drow a less sinister and more “Moriarty” vibe, kind of that super intelligent type of villain.  It imprinted this module in my mind for all time and I just knew it had to be on this list.

This module featured a compelling story that escalated upwards from start to the most climatic and unexpectedly epic ending, it featured lots of tough fights, lots of dungeon crawling and exploring and plenty of unique role-playing opportunities and problems to solve.  These modules are definitely among my most memorable campaigns I experienced as a player and unlike many modules on this list, it has been converted to several modern D&D systems.  I had the pleasure of playing both the 1st edition and 3rd edition versions.  Both were excellent.

9) Keep on the Borderlands

Nothing says classic D&D to me like Keep on the Borderlands.  To this day their is a copy of this module among my collection of books and while I don’t think its a particularly extraordinary module even for its time, what it lacked as a module,  it made up in the purity of its D&D’ness.  It is the essence of classic D&D game-play and has served as an introduction to D&D for just about every group of players I have ever DM’ed for.

Classic modules like Keep on the Borderlands are nostalgia bottled up, its as much a piece of D&D as the funky dice themselves.

While it was a simple cliche it did feature a sort of open endness that I think Gygax was trying to convey, a sort of mini campaign module rather than a linear story.  The idea was that you would explore the keep, areas around the keep and ultimately find your way to the Caves of Chaos.  Each area with its classic D&D moves like Giant Spiders, Mad Hermits and those lovable Kolbolts.

More than anything though Keep on the Borderlands is a great introduction to being a DM as its easy to run, offers plenty of workable NPC characters all the while keeping things nice and simple.  Great module that has created many great memories, worthy of finding a place on this list.

8) The Tomb of Horrors

There are a lot of reasons to love a module as either a GM or a player but for me personally The Tomb of Horrors is the module I pull out when it’s time for a campaign to end.   When characters have become so powerful that there really seems like there is no way to challenge them anymore.  In comes Tomb of Horrors, sure to challenge any player no matter how god like they become.  The truth is that, there has never been a more sure fire way to ensure a painfully and horrific end for an adventure party then this largely mean spirited, but wonderfully designed module.

A more appropriately named module/dungeon has never existed, it really is one of the most impossible adventures to complete. Even in 4e it was stupidly hard, a recipe for a TPK if there ever was one.

Now of course to the players this is the ultimate challenge, if you can simply survive it and walk out with treasure you have done well, if you can reach any level of success beyond that as far as I’m concerned you have won D&D.  Pulling it out and setting it on the table lets the players know that, this is the big show, it’s time to put on your big boy pants and most importantly to hug your character sheet one last time.

My groups in the past that I have run this game for have always taken it in the spirit for which it is intended, it’s a challenge, it’s the end of a campaign and everyone simply looks forward to discovering the horrible way their characters meets their maker.

One other thing, as it is a great challenge to be a player in this module, it is also the ultimate challenge for a DM to run.  Its an absolute blast to see how this massive dungeon crawl is connected and intertwined, it requires a high level of understanding of the module and for the sadistic GM who loves a challenge, its just pure joy.

7) Dragonlance Series (Dragons of …)

In D&D there are several very famous and recognizable names, Weis and Hickman are among perhaps the most recognizable after Gygax.  The Dragons of Novels are among my favorite and of course to be able to re-create the story in an a D&D module series using unique characters creates an opportunity for an epic campaign, and epic is exactly what Dragonlance is all about.  There are tons of modules to this series that will take you through the entire storyline, it would be hard to pick a favorite, but as a whole it’s an absolute blast even if you have read the novels and know the story.  It’s a little like watching Star Wars, there is a comfort to the story that supersedes the need for something new.  It sort of taps into that inner child.

If as a DM you want a complete story driven campaign that is sure to be memorable, you really can’t go wrong with the Dragons of series.

For me personally however it was always an adventure series that introduced us in great detail to the Dragonlance setting which was a kind of cross between being more down to earth middle ages Europe with a extremely high fantasy twist, full of Tolkien epic level storytelling.  Of course the core of the story is a great war that involves Dragons giving players an opportunity to face the ultimate in D&D enemies.  There is something magical about knowing at a early humble beginning of an adventure that to finish it you will need to fight dragons.

Absolutely love this series and if you have a group of players that don’t know the story, its really a must run campaign!

6) Hollowfaust: The City of Necromancers

I remember when 3rd edition was first released very clearly because the era of D&D being first in line at game tables had come and gone.  White Wolfs World of Darkness was front and center, everyone was playing Vampires and the company itself was jam packed with amazing writers who where creating stories unlike anything we had ever seen before.  It was very dark, there was a sense of dread to everything put out by White Wolf, in a sense, they evolved the genre of RPG to include adult themes and the timing was perfect as all of us old school RPG’ers were quite a bit older then in the days of D&D.

The Scarred Lands is without question one of the most unique settings for D&D, for some it might almost be too bizzare. Places like Hollowfaust really break the mold of what a Fantasy City is.

When White Wolf announced that they were going to create a D&D setting, it was a very exciting moment and really brought us back to high fantasy D&D.  What would a White Wolf D&D setting look like!?  Well they gave us the wonderful Scarred Lands, without question one of my all time favorite D&D settings.  Among some of the themes and concepts of Scarred Lands we got what really is without question one of my favorite places in any setting, Hollowfaust, The City of Necromancers.

Now while its technically a source book and not a module, the Hollowfaust source-book for Scarred Lands was jam packed with adventure ideas, hooks, locations and characters that were more then sufficient to run a very long and exciting campaign.  It’s a page turner, one that will inspire you to run a type of D&D adventure no other module could ever really do.

Easily one of the most memorable D&D supplements of the 3rd edition era in what is without question one of the best and most creative D&D settings to be created.  No surprise to me at all that it was created by brilliance of White Wolf Publishing who at the time was quite literally the center for creativity in the RPG market.  This book is so good that even if you don’t like RPG’s but just like to read fantasy its worth getting and reading, its that good.

5) Ravenloft

If Hollowfaust is one of the most memorable places in D&D, certainly Count Strahd Von Zarovich has got to be one of the most memorable villains in D&D.  A rich, fleshed our character that brought a sense of renaissance to D&D, and really showed off how much more creative the game can be beyond the standard fantasy cliches.  This module was all about the infamous vampire with whom the players must play a cat and mouse game, one left up to the a wide range of circumstances for which it was impossible to prepare for.  I think really that’s what made the module so memorable for me, every time you faced Strahd it would be in unexpected circumstances that no matter how hard you tried to prepare for you never could be quite ready.

Strahd makes a return in 5th edition, I’m not surprised. 5e was really trying hard to capture the old classic feel of D&D and nothing says D&D like a return trip to Castle Ravenloft.

While certainly Strahd took center stage in this module, really this entire module is filled with vivid and imaginative writing that really inspire and give you a sense of place and time.  The lands of Barovia, Castle Ravenloft and the rich history written into the main NPC’s of the story gave the entire thing almost a sense of proper literature. It inspired an entire setting that was created around it.  In my humble opinion this was among the best ever written for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, a part of D&D history that no fantasy fan should miss.  Its as valid and exciting today as it was way back then.

4) The Red Hand of Doom

In my humble opinion while the amount of material, in particular modules that where written for 3rd and 3.5 editions for D&D was enormous, there actually where very few that truly stood out from the crowd.  The Red Hand of Doom was definitely among them and comes in at number 4 of my top favorites.  There is no doubt my love for Richard Baker’s writing and style played a big part in my appreciation for this module, but it was in fact one of the most unique and challenging modules to come out of 3rd edition era.

Red Hand of Doom really put the players in the position of leadership, its about the equivalent to a D&D version of Star Wars: A New Hope. A rag tag group of rebels fighting against impossible odds.

The Red Hand of Doom was really much more then a module, it was really the basis for an entire campaign, one driven by concepts like mass combat, politics and open ended conflict.  It certainly had a structure going from A to Z, but really it gave the players an enormous amount of freedom.  It was one of those open play modules that really could and most likely did go just about anywhere for every group that ran it.  It was generic enough to fit into any fantasy setting world, yet specific and unique enough to really inspire the imagination and set a strong sense of time and place.

Of course this in itself would not have been enough to catapult it this high on the list, it also boasted some wonderfully written characters and places, memorable not only for their personalities, but for how they where designed mechanically.   Among my favorites was the Half-Dragon commander of the force that stood against you Azarr Kul, oh what a bastard he was.  This is one of those modules that really had a bit of everything in just the right proportions to keep it fresh, thinky and fun to both run and play.  More than any other module on this list, this is one that still very much begs to be played regardless of which D&D system you prefer.

3) Test of the Warlords

Ok into the top 3 now, this is definitely among the best of the best.  For me, Test of the Warlords was an absolute must add to this list, I knew the moment I decided to make it.  Test of the Warlords is a high level campaign adventure built around the concept of exploration and settling of a wild frontier.   Players take on the roles of kingdom builders, working their way from humble explorers to kings of country.  This is another end game module, one that will not only test the skills of the players but their ability to conceive and create a D&D empire of their own, one among a politically heated environment designed around some truly fantastic characters.

Its truly a rare D&D campaign I run that is not influenced by this module in some way even if I’m not directly running it. For such a slim product, its amazing how much you get out of it.

This was Game of Thrones before there was a Game of Thrones full of life and plenty of room for a GM to get creative.  I have run this module as a campaign more times then I can count, its an absolute masterpiece in my eyes.

2) Temple of Elemental Evil

This shows up on a lot of top 10 lists and its no surprise to me.  This classic master piece is without question the best module created during the TSR era.  It really is the foundation for everything that D&D stands for and aspires to be.  From the humble beginnings of would be adventure wet behind the ears to heroes of the realm facing gods themselves.

I have run this adventure/mini campaign at least a dozen times at this point, no group has ever succeeded to date. It’s a true role-playing challenge.

This is a module that covers the entire spectrum of fantasy adventure from mystery, horror, to dungeon crawls and politics.  Players can approach this campaign from a uncanny amount of angles with its open ended experience, with new tests of courage around every corner.

Sure at this point perhaps its a walking, talking cliche, but D&D cliches were invented somewhere and there is no doubt in my that this module defined many of them.  Absolutely love it, as valid today as the day it was written.

1) Morricks Mansion

Ok here we go, my top, favorite module of all time for D&D absolutely has to go to Morricks Mansion brought to you by the masters of darkness, White Wolf Publishing.  Without a doubt one of the most creative story’s ever put to paper into a D&D module, its creepy mystery, fantastic back story and awesome NPC characters make this adventure absolutely pure joy to run.  White Wolf really put their best foot forward with this one, yet oddly I rarely find it on anyone’s top 10 list.

Morricks Mansion is in that sweet-spot level wise (3-5) in which 3rd edition was at its best.

If you really want to surprise the hell out of your players with a true master piece, this is one of those movie moment adventures that will more then deliver.  Its certainly very different from your typical fantasy trope adventure and this definitely one of the core reasons why it sticks out in my mind, but more then that its about the fantastic back story that delivers on all pistons.

Pitch perfect must play module!

Best of List

Top 10 Table Top Games of All Time 2017 Edition

Its time once again to refresh my top 10 best table top games of all time list.  Its been an exciting year, the last time I did this was back in August of 2016 and a lot has happened since then.  In fact, I think this will probably be one of the most significant updates to the list I have ever had with a ton of changes and several new games arriving to the list.

I do want to say one thing about this latest list, much like everything in life, my gaming preferences are driven by new experiences and while I don’t consider myself a cult of the new type of gamer, I do believe that in the last few years the gaming industry has improved in so many ways and there are so many new game designers and design concepts being introduced that it was inevitable that I was at some point going to experience a changing pallete.  I think this list is a reflection of a culmination of experiences over the last 2 or 3 years, but it has only now sort of arrived.

Ok no sense in stalling any further, lets get to the list.

1. Through The Ages: A New Story of Civilization

Making its second official appearance on my top 10 list and driving up to number one, this is perhaps the most jarring and biggest surprise even for me.  The truth is that I have always loved the Sid Meier PC game series Civilization, as long as I can remember being a gamer I have been playing it.  I have also been on a never ending search to find the perfect board game version of the game, a road ripe with disappointments.  Finally I find Through The Ages, a game that brings that PC game feel to the table.

There is no question in my mind that the original Through The Ages was a great game, but when people refuse to play it because it looks like a prototype excel sheet, its hard to justify for a top 10 list.

Now why was 1st edition never on my list?  The truth is that while the changes in the 2nd edition are subtle, they were vital and they brought the game out of that weird space it existed in for a long time. I always liked the game, but I just felt that the 1st edition was so ugly and so unforgiving and stringent that it was impossible to bring it to the table with anyone but the most die hard fan, to the point where people didn’t want to try it based on appearances alone.  This new version changed all that.

With new visuals, streamlined rules and important design fixes it brought this classic game out of the closet and while I won’t say it made it mainstream, it did make it a lot more approachable.  I was able to get it to the table, I got plenty of excitement and requests to play it again.  Its now part of the line up of games I can pull out to my gaming group without getting a lot of groaning and moaning.

For me personally it grew on my slowly, very slowly in fact, but when I consider this list I always think to myself, if I had a chance to play any game right now, tomorrow or next week, what would it be.  Through The Ages is now that game.  I would rather play this one on any given day then anything else and as such it simply belongs in the number one spot.

Its a brilliant game that demands a lot, while maintaing that spark of thematic presence culminated with years of PC gaming and a sense of nostalgia.  I absolutely love it the feel of this game and I’m happy to put it at the top of my list.

2. Star Wars: Armada

When it comes to FFG games, there are always going to be a few on this list, but if you had asked me a year ago that Star Wars: Armada would dethrone X:Wing on this list I would have laughed.  What can I  say, While Star Wars: Armada was having an epic year with awesome new ship releases, not to mention the fantastic campaign box, X-Wing was floundering with weird and out of character releases like a Rebel Tie Fighter which left the game wanting.  X-Wing was just not that exiting anymore, the power creep and ambush tactic releases just made it less fun to collect and play.

Wave II game Armada a much needed boost, but it wasn’t really until Wave III I felt the game had achieved FFG’s vision of a proper capital ship battle game.

In the meantime Star Wars: Armada has finally grown into the epic capital ship combat miniatures game we have been waiting for, it took a while, and there was a lot of waiting but its here, its amazing and with recent announcements, its definitely going to get even better.  I love this game and while I consider it a bit exhausting, requiring regular breaks, I can’t think of a whole lot I rather being doing on any given game night.

3. Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

My review of Lord of The Rings: The Card Game might have offered some clue that it would make an appearance on my top 10 list but to be frank and honest the first time I tried this game I was sure I wasn’t going to like it, let alone have it make my personal gaming shelf.  To make it into my top 10 list in the top 3 spot is nothing short of amazing.

This game’s art work is amazing, it really helps to bring out the theme.

Its a cooperative card game set in the Lord of the Rings universe, for me personally this is a mixed recipe as I tend to not like cooperative games,  I’m usually luke warm on most card games and while I like the Lord of the Rings universe, I’m not what you would call a super fan.  In the end however there were three key factors that really allowed this game to break out and become not only among my favorite games, but hands down the most played game on my shelf this year.

First is the fact that the game can be played solo, not something I ever thought I would do for any other reason than the occasion boring night or to test a deck, but it turned out I love it.  In fact I have played this game solo an almost obsessive amount of times and I never seem to tire of it.  Secondly is the fact that the story elements of the game are vibrant, engaging and addictive.  Not a month goes by where at least some of my fun money doesn’t go to a new adventure pack or expansion set.  I just love how everything is strung together and each new adventure pack offers new mechanics, new angles and in many cases an entirely different approach to the game as a whole.  Finally and perhaps most importantly this is without a doubt one of the most challenging games I have ever played.  Each quest adventure is unique, offering new puzzles to solve, puzzles that you solve via intricate deck building, tactical play and often a little bit of luck.

I absolutely adore this game, I travel no place without it and on any given weekend I often find myself pouring a glass of wine, lighting a candle and spending my evening shuffling cards.  A well deserved appearance on this list.

4. War of The Rings

There is nothing like the feeling of a epic scale game that captures a story, War of the Ring is the best of its kind.

I claim to not be a huge Lord of the Rings fan, yet there are two LotR games on my list and both are here largely because of their amazing connection to the Middle Earth story’s theme. I have said this countless times, but this is Lord of the Rings in a box and there is no other game on this list that has as rich and has as engaging gameplay linked to the theme as War of The Rings.   Without question of one of the best adventure/war games in existence, no serious LotR fan or board gamer can live without this on their shelf.  A Classic!

5. Blood Rage

This is a game that has been on my “must review” list for quite a while but every time I play it, while I absolutely love it, I don’t feel quite ready to define it in a review.  Suffice to say however its appearance on my top 10 list should give some indication of how this review is going to go.

Blood Rage miniatures are absolutely beautiful, I’m not at all surprised people take the time to paint the mini’s.

One of the most intriguing strategic games of the decade, Blood Rage blends the fine tuned and thinky mechanics of Euro Games with a thematic, Ameritrash appearance and while I would not call this an overwhelmingly thematic game, it has it were it counts and it looks beautiful on the table.  For me personally though this game is all about gameplay, with endless strategies,  mind games and an astonishing amount of replay-ability, Blood Rage is without question E. Langs masterpiece.

6.  Game of Thrones: The Card Game (2nd ed.)

For a guy who is “not that into card games” this last year has definitely changed my mind about a lot of games. While we see it drop on my list, its definitely not an issue with the game.  This is one of the most intense, challenging and thinky games I have ever played.  It draws out not only the advanced gamer in me, but it pulls out the emotional inner child as well, one that wants to kill you in all manner of horrible ways.

My relationship with this game is…. complicated. I love it, I love hating it, I’m pretty sure it hates me back, but I can’t stop playing it.

Much like the books and show, Game of Thrones the card game is a game of deceit, a game of maneuvering and above all else a contentious, confrontational game of war, one fought not just with the cards but with all of the mind games you can muster.  I both  love and love to hate this game, its as infuriating as it is rewarding.  A must own for any serious card player, but really for any gaming group that loves to get in each others face.

7. Game of Thrones: The  Board Game

Another GoT game on my list, this one effectively accomplishing the same thing as the card game but in a more direct and perhaps classic way.  Its a game of control, both of your emotions and the battlefield, one in which players jockey for position of power through alliances, betrayals and outright war.

This is a game that is played in the minds of the players, the board and pieces are mostly distraction.

GoT is the Diplomacy of my generation, one that taps into the same basic concept mechanically but draws on a modern theme that is both relevant and super fun.  Now I will say this about GoT the board game, you really need to play this with friends, this is not what one might call a family game or a game to play with work colleagues or at a local game store.  Its a bit too personal, you are going to be doing things that are out of character for a typically morale person.  Telling someone that you will help them and then screwing them the next moment is a normal part of the game, in fact its a very good strategy in many cases.  That’s not something you want to do to someone who signs your paychecks or baptises your kids if you get my drift.

To me however this is the perfect game and while it is truly a rare occasion that we actually get around to playing it, its always a memorable one and looking back at the years of gaming I have personally done, I can very vividly remember the many great moments this game has produced.

8. Star Wars: X-Wing

X-Wing takes a pretty dramatic fall and truth be told it has not only fallen out of favor for me personally but in the last year has all but disappeared for the majority of my local gaming group.  There was a time when my only question when it came to gaming events was, when is the next X-Wing game night, but today I have cooled my jets and haven’t touched my figures since K-Wings were released.

Still an amazing game, light, fast, easy to learn. What’s not to love.

I often wonder why that is and while I haven’t come up with anything concrete, I do believe a part of it is simply the fact that I have played it so much that its simply played out.  That happens to games, even games I love.  I don’t think my opinion about the positive qualities of X-Wing have changed any, I can certainly say that I don’t love all of the releases that have been put out this last year but that has always been the case since the very beginning.  I think in the end I just played it too often and too much, certainly not a bad quality for a game and I do know that games that held my attention for as long as X-Wing did tend to come back around.  Its certainly in no danger of being culled from my collection, I love it, but some of the fire has been vented through the plasma manifolds.  I do believe some of the issue is that i’m often put to the test when it comes to purchases and right now I’m far more excited about getting Armada miniatures then I am about X-Wing.

In either case, it had a good run, I still love it and if you have not played it yet, all I can say is, what are you waiting for.  It was a fantastic experience for me, so it still comes highly recommended to newcomers.

9. Empires: Age of Discovery

A new comer, or perhaps more accurate to say, a late comer given that it has been out for the better part of a decade as Age of Empires III is Empires Age of Discovery.  This little Euro style worker placement game is without question one of the best of its kind.

I predict we will be seeing a lot of this one in the coming years.

My review of the game says everything I really have to say about it, other than to mention that the fire is still hot, I’m always aching to play it and every game I have had at this beauty it has been absolutely fantastic.  Its just one of those  A+ titles no one should miss.

10. Shogun (Queens Games Version)

I love it when an old game that I have loved for years is introduced to new players and suddenly it just comes back around again like its fresh and new.  Shogun is without question one of my absolute favorite games and I love watching new players discover it.  The nuances, that split style environment of quiet contemplation followed up by explosive action is just something you don’t want to miss.

I predict this game will always have a place on my shelf and for now it still has a place in my top 10 list.

In my humble opinion this is one of the best designed games of all time, its simultaneously clever, strategic and “roll the dice and see what happens” fun, while being built into one of my favorite themes, medieval Japan.

 

The Fallen & Honorable Mention

Certainly the biggest drop out this time around is Twilight Imperium, a game that has been on this list for over a decade,  it was a tough decision for me to finally remove it.  The truth of the matter is that I haven’t played this game in well over 2 years at this point (maybe more) and while I certainly have a desire to, I’m not losing any sleep over it.  Its a classic, its an epic and its amazing but with a 6 hour time frame, high level of complexity and a big table space requirement its an event game to say the least.  For me part of the issue as well is that I don’t have a good core TI3 group anymore and this game is just not that much fun when your a veteran and your always facing novices.  It takes several plays to fully understand this game and turn yourself into a challenging opponent and right now I don’t have the group willing to invest that kind of effort into TI3, so it sits on my shelf and collects dust.  I would never get rid of it, I always have and always will love it, but it no longer belongs on this list.

On the top 10 list for over a decade, it had a pretty damn good run, but its retirement was inevitable.

We say good-bye on the list to Dead of Winter and Fury of Dracula.  Now Dead of Winter I’m not all that surprised, it was an infatuation, a hot love affair if you will.  I still enjoy it and think its a great game but its definitely not long term top 10 material.  Fury of Dracula on the other hand was a tough choice.  This is a game that has been along with TI3 on the list for a decade, but while I would never say an ill word about it, it just doesn’t have the chops to stand up among the rest of these giants.  When games move up, something has to go!

There are a number of games however that were definitely up for consideration for the list.  The first that comes to mind is Fleet Captains, a game that fell off when I made my last list, but man its still so strong.  Among the most thematic games I own, I love this game not just for its amazing gameplay and tightly connected theme but for all its nostalgic glory reminding why I’m such a huge Star Trek  fan.   That said however there are a few faults with the game that can’t be denied.  Component quality is a bit disappointing for one and there are several mechanics that are a bit wacky and unclear.  Still to this day I’m not 100% certain I’m playing it right.  Definitely a great game though, in particular if your Trekie!

Roll For The Galaxy was also considered and actually may still make the list in the future.  I discovered this game quite late, its been out for quite a while but man it had an instant impression on me.  I have always been a fan of Race For The Galaxy but there was always something about its logic that just didn’t sit right.  More than that though its just a real bitch to teach. Roll for The Galaxy clears up both the logistics and the difficulty to teach while simultaneously holding on to everything that makes Race For The Galaxy a great game.  In the end though I couldn’t bring myself to put a dice chucker into my top 10 list, not that there is that much luck in the game but it just feels wrong somehow, in particular among a list of games like Through The Ages, Star Wars: Armada and Blood Rage.

It already stole the number 1 spot in my top 5 dice games list and while it didn’t make this list, I would not be surprised if it made an appearance at some point in the future.

Well that’s it for this years updated list, at least for now.  I always have and will continue to update this list anytime I feel its run its course, but for now…. Gamersdungeon out!