I've Been Diced!

Cosmic Encounter has been around for decades, with a dedicated fan base. What’s the secret behind this boardgame’s lasting appeal? Is Scott suffering from a Virus, a Fungus, or an enlarged Macron? Why are there so few games like Cosmic Encounter? During the Games Off The Beaten Track segment, we’ll mention a few of those […]

There are a lot of series games in the hobby, both in the market and in our personal collections. This episode, our panel talks about series wargames and other boardgames. What are the advantages and disadvantages, for both the game consumer and publisher? Plus, a game off the beaten track that has special resonance for […]

Our main topic is Successors, the 4-player card-driven wargame from GMT. We really like it, but that’s just the beginning of the lovefest this episode. We also love Magic Realm, which for most of us finally just clicked. Dave compares Magic Realm to Victor Hugo’s novels, and Tom compares it to Super Street Fighter. We […]

It’s a mansion! A maaaaan-shuuuuuun! This episode, we give an introduction to FFG’s new Cthulhu Mythos-based boardgame, Mansions Of Madness. Then, after playing it, we give our first impressions. No, R’lyeh, we do. Plus, I put in a quick word for a few other Lovecraftian boardgames off the beaten path. And finally, a recent review […]

Confession is good for the soul, they say. Well, you might have second thoughts after you hear us reveal our guilty pleasure board games. Plus, this week’s game off the beaten path is Caesar’s Gallic Wars. (c) 2011 Tom Grant

High Frontier is an ambitious game about the exploration and exploitation of the solar system. This episode, we outline the rules of the basic game for new players, and we give a few initial thoughts about the game. Plus, our game off the beaten track looks at space as a much less inviting place. (c) […]

Sure, there are games you love at first sight, or hate on arrival. But most games aren’t like that, and often, these strong first impressions are wrong. How many sessions of a game should you play before rendering judgment? Plus, a tactical wargame by the designer of Squad Leader that deserves another look. (c) 2011 […]

What does it take to be a good gateway game? This episode, Tom, Dave, and Scott talk about gateway games — the ones that got us into the hobby, the ones that we use to introduce the hobby to new players, and the ones that should work but don’t. Plus, a recommendation for an introductory […]

It’s the obligatory year in review episode! Tom, Scott, John, and Dave pick our best gaming experiences, and the worst. Plus, our biggest surprises and disappointments. Plus, for our games off the beaten track, a different kind of Civ game, and a groundbreaking wargame for the PC.

This episode, we discuss games in which the experience is the best reason for playing. Points are great, but they’re not the point in games like Arkham Horror, Chainsaw Warrior, and maybe a whole lot of wargames. Plus, I recommend an old Avalon Hill game, recently reprinted, that’s a great example of an “experience game.” […]

We look at our game collections and ask, how much are we willing to pay? When is it worth paying more than $50 for a game? Howzabout those $100 titles from FFG? How do you know when a game is overproduced? Plus, two wargames from off the beaten track, including one for the Hammer of […]

The I’ve Been Diced! crew give advice for new players of Sword of Rome, Race for the Galaxy, Runewars, and Neuroshima Hex. (Apologies for sound issues with this segment.) Plus, a three player wargame that deserves your consideration, and some thoughts on why a good solitaire option is important for more than just playing solitaire. […]

The I’ve Been Diced! podcast is back, with a discussion of what makes Martin Wallace one of the best game designers around. Plus, this episode’s Game Off The Beaten Track is a coopetition classic by Richard Borg. At the end, Tom gives his list of favorite boardgame podcasts (with an emphasis on wargames). (c) 2010 […]

Back from a hiatus, the I’ve Been Diced! crew take a look inside Fantasy Flight’s big box games (BBGs), from the official ones like Twilight Imperium, to the ones that pack the spirit of the BBGs in a smaller package (such as Warrior Knights). What makes a great BBG? Which are substantially good fun, and […]

This week, we discuss games that stood the test of time. Why, decades from now, will we still be playing Cosmic Encounter, but not Catan? Plus, our Game Off the Beaten Path takes inspiration from the D&D Monster Manual, and someone feeds Chaos in the Old World into the woodchipper. (c) 2010 Tom Grant.

Three members of our weekly gaming group–Paul, Scott, and Tom–discuss dungeon crawlers. Why is it hard to find one that meets expectations? Later, we provide a quick review of what the latest Race for the Galaxy expansion adds to the game. Plus, Tom reviews the Field Commander series of solitaire wargames. (c) 2010 Tom Grant

In this inaugural episode, four veteran gamers discuss the games of 2009. The good, the bad, the surprising, the disappointing–they’re all here. We play the full gamut of boardgames, from Dominion to Sword of Rome, from Race for the Galaxy to ASL. There’s something for every boardgamer in this podcast, or your money back! (c) […]