A new year has begun. Apparently it happens every 12 months. A lot as changed since the last January post. I got married. I started my second year of Uni. Deadpool and Wolverine came and went.
One thing that hasn’t changed in the transfer from 2024 to 2025 is our love of board games and the update posts are here again to report back on a monthly basis. What’s arrived, what’s new to the table? It’s all here. So, without further ado . . .
TINY EPIC GAME OF THRONES – It’s fitting that we ended 2024 with the arrival of TINY EPIC CTHULHU and then began 2025 with the next released Tiny Epic game. It’s the first time the series has attached itself to an IP, though some would say that GoT isn’t a thing that’s current anymore. It feels like a weird choice. And as has become common for the Tiny Epic games, getting everything and the kitchen sink back into such a small box proves to be quite the challenge. Also, the game once again comes with it’s obligatory expansion, but this time it also comes with a third box conataining alternate minis!
PLANET UNKNOWN: SUPERMOON – We enjoyed PLANET UNKNOWN from our very first play. Although I was keen to purchase it, I wanted the Deluxe KS version that wasn’t really available. I almost gave in and purchased the retail version until along came PLANET UNKNOWN: SUPERMOON on Gamefound. Following an 18 month wait, we now have our own copy and it’s already been to the table four times in three weeks. It’s such a fun Polyomino game, and while the 2-player gameplay is a little different and more about planning ahead, we’re still really liking it.
DAGGER IN THE HEART – For the last year and a bit we’ve been playing in a D&D campaign with one set of friends IRL while learning a Numenera campaign online with a different group. And during it all I continue to have the itch to return to the DM chair, a place my butt hasn’t sat in for a couple of years now. Well, following a SU&SD review a few years ago, I started looking into (and purchasing) things in the SPIRE and HEART series of TTRPG. While I still haven’t run anything from the books yet, I couldn’t resist adding their latest source book, DAGGER IN THE HEART to the collection. The world of the setting is full of such strange places and interesting characters, all on display with some dark, brooding art; it looks so interesting and I’m really eager to dive in and run something soon.
THE CASTLES OF BURGUNDY: SPECIAL EDITION – We absolutely love THE CASTLES OF BURGUNDY and enjoy playing our 2019 version. But like many fans of the game, when we first saw the Awaken Realms deluxe version, it called to us. I couldn’t back it the first time round, but when the campaign returned to crowdfunding , I jumped straight on it. And my god it’s as amazing as I remember. Deluxe versions aren’t needed for every game you own, but when it’s one that sits firmly in your top 5, and it looks this good, it’s such an easy decision.
THE LAST LIGHTHOUSE EXPANSIONS – I was eager to grab more expansions for THE LAST LIGHTHOUSE when I spotted them as add-ons to the A NICE CUPPA campaign. There was a little mix up close to arrival where I somehow happened to order them twice, but the great people at ButtonShy where very helpful in sorting out my confusion and now I can’t wait to try these two new ones.
LAND OF EEM – If you turn and face the opposite direction to D&D, you’ll come face-to-face with the LAND OF EEM (TTRPG). It’s a mix of fantasy and muppets, set in a hex crawl world of strange places and quirky characters. The campaign was about two and a half years ago and I’ve been waiting impatiently for the final product to arrive ever since. The final product is a thing of beauty. I backed three hard cover books and a map, but the set turned turned up with wooden meeples, dice, and all in a deluxe slipcase. And in a month or so I’ll be running my first (of many?) campaigns set in the world.
THE ELDER SCROLLS: BETRAYAL OF THE SECOND ERA – This is without a doubt the most expensive and lavish board game I’ve purchased. I’d been super close to dipping into TOO MANY BONES when Chip Theory Games announced this one as an alternative. I’m a big fan of Oblivion and Skyrim and so it made more sense to go for this version of their system. Yet when it came to the campaign I hesitiated, backed, cancelled, backed again, cancelled again, before my wife finally convinced me to go for it. Now, nearly two years later, here it is. And what a beauty it is. CTG are renowned for their deluxe components, but it’s something else altogether when it’s sat right infront of you. I’ve been gorging on all the YouTube content I could find on the game in the last few weeks and now I’m super eager to dive in.
PANDEMIC LEGACY S2 – We went a bit soft on the first season, but as I’d already purchased Season 2, we figured we’d give it ago. Instead of being disappointed with more of the same, it feels like it’s a decent step away from base PANDEMIC, which is nice. Our plan is to play each month in the matching month throughout 2025.
TINY EPIC VIKINGS – With a backlog of the Tiny Epic games, I had a look and found this to be the simplist one we had for me to teach at short notice. It’s some area control, which definitely feels a little weak at just two. I did, however, enjoy the card play with symbols and actions. I didn’t hate the game by the time our first play was over, but I think I need to try it at 3 and/or 4 to really get stuck into it.
DOOM MACHINE – This is a solo mint tin game I’ve had for ages and for some reason, never played. So after a quick YouTube how to play, I had my first game and found a fun and interesting solo game. It’s all about rolling dice and choosing to use them to either attack the machine parts or protect youself from being attacked. There’s a nice ticking clock as the mainframe works to the top of the draw deck and becomes your final opponent. The artstyle is great and the gameplay is simple yet puzzly. Gutted I’d not tried it sooner.
DON’T TALK TO STRANGERS – This was a game I grabbed on impulse from an HMV based on the artwork alone. I then forgot I owned it. Looking for a quick game to tick off of our 52×1, I glanced at the rulebook to find a simple teach, but there isn’t much there to hold us for many plays as you slowly guide the kids from school to their homes while avoiding aliens and abduction. I considered getting rid of it, but it’s small size and simplicity mean it can sit at the back of the shelves and also might be something we can play with my son.
THE ELDER SCROLLS: BETRAYAL OF THE SECOND ERA – We planned to play this a few days into Feburary as we both had a day off together, but on the last day of January, only 24 hours after it arrived, I had everything set up for a two handed solo playthrough. It’s something of an intimidating game with a very thick rulebook, but Chip Theory Games have added two things to make it so much easier. First is a sort of training booklet that guides you through a sort of mini mission. The other is having this scenario run through Dized. It holds your hand through the teach but also still lets you make choices. I found it invaluable as I completed the Jailbreak scenario and carried on for a few more in game days. Then, after getting my butt kicked on a Delve, I reset everything ready for when my wife got home so that we could go through it all again together. It’s a really good game and gave us the same sort of adventurous co-op gaming we used to enjoy with GLOOMHAVEN. And the components are absolutely amazing. This is the most premium game we now own and it’s absolutely worth every penny.
- Playing all 11 Valeria games in one day!
- Starting PANDEMIC LEGACY S2.
- Surprising my wife when the Special Edition of THE CASTLES OF BURGUNDY arrived.
- Enjoying an anniversary break away.
- Finally getting my hands on THE ELDER SCROLLS: BETRAYAL OF THE SECOND ERA.
Always Play Blue 