2025 Gathering of Friends
- Played two games of Stationfall with some variant characters.
- Inhuman Conditions — a game I failed to learn by reading the rules — got demo’d for me. This is the Voight-Kampff test from Bladerunner as a two player game. The interrogator tries to determine if the suspect is human or a robot (who will have some quirks he has to play out). I played one game and watched a few more (for about an hour total). Arguably the high point of the convention. Is it a social deduction game if there are only two players? Is that just a deduction game? Hard to say. Will probably discuss it in more detail.
- Played another game of Magic Realm that was somewhat of a dud. I’ll probably post about this later.
- I still don’t really grok Power Grid Outpost, although I’m pretty good at the two games mentioned in the name.
- 18xx games included PNW, ’46, Railways of the Lost Atlas and 1833NE. Lost Atlas is a very good introduction to xx, but I wouldn’t call it a gentle introduction. It is still quite cut-throat. But with a new map each time there is less room for experienced players to “memorize openings” etc.
- I said that the Slay the Spire Boardgame was by it’s very nature a red flag and probably not going to be good — I stand corrected. It is a very close translation (changing numbers and a few things because of the medium) but what it does add is co-operative play, which may be what some groups are looking for.
- Coops — Bomb Busters, Fellowship of the Ring Cardgame, So Clover, and The Gang are all good. I’m OK with not owning them for game night, but I might get a copy of one (or more) to take to a family reunion.
- Subjective is a nice party game, great idea with some rough edges.
- Played 5+ Games of Chu Han, still really liking this.
- Other Classic Games Played — Titan, Acquire, Dune (the old EON/AH), Liar’s Dice,
- Other Newer Games Played — Faraway (x2), Panda Spin, Oath (a continuing campaign), Feierabend. Subjective
I may make a geeklist, but BGG is being a bit touchy right now.