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Ben, Trey, and Paul review the 2024 narrative-driven game "Tales of the Arthurian Knights."  Paul says it's not even a game. Could it possibly be good? (yes)  Also recent plays of "March of the Ants," "Indonesia 3rd Edition," and "Secret Hitler." 00:00 - Intro 11:08 - March of the Ants, Evolved Edition 27:37 - Indonesia, 3rd Edition 41:39 - 18Chesapeake 43:32 - Secret Hitler 1:04:44 - Tales of the Arthurian Knights review

Ben, Trey, and Jordan discuss the new action selection minigame speculation bonanza Ayar: Children of the Sun.  Plus discussion of Agent Avenue, Twilight Imperium Thunder's Edge, Silos, and A Place for All My Books. 00:00 - Intro / Traitors 9:20 - Silos 18:46 - Agent Avenue 31:36 - Pacts 35:36 - A Place for All My Books 44:11 - Twilight Imperium Thunder's Edge 57:49 - Ayar: Children of the Sun review

Matt and Jordan review Old King's Crown, the impressive lane battling asymmetric card flipping game from first time designer Pablo Clark. 

Ben and Paul are here to save your holiday season! Need a game to buy for that special someone?  Or even that UNspecial someone? We have some ideas for you. Plus, some strategies for how to teach games to the most stubborn, unfocused, and downright difficult people of all time: your family. 00:00 - Intro 04:00 - Recent Plays 04:12 - Food Chain Magnate 17:17 - Ito 22:36 - Ayar, Shinjuku, and Tag Team 26:36 - The Game Brain Holiday Gifting Extravaganza!! 28:36 - Games for Monopoly lovers 34:17 - Games for Scrabble lovers (or Codenames or Scattergories) 42:18 - Games if you don't know someone's tastes 46:53 - Games you can play with someone right away 48:52 - Games to inch someone towards the hobby 52:22 - Party games! 53:21 - Stocking stuffers 55:16 - How to teach games to your family

Matty introduces you to the neat world of Kingdom Death on your compooter. Watch the pod on YouTube: https://youtu.be/q3Bf7JYMhJQ Check the game out here: https://shop.kingdomdeath.com/

Matt, Ben, Trey, Tom and Jordan travel to Dallas, Texas for BGG.CON 2025 and don't see the sun for four entire days. Many games were played, all were enjoyed. Well, almost all. 

Ben, Trey, and Paul review the new Vital Lacerda board game Speakeasy. Plus, recent plays of The Old King's Crown and Night Soil. 00:00 - Intro 03:55 - The Old King's Crown 11:16 - Night Soil 18:40 - 18Cuba 19:20 - Speakeasy

It's been two years since the last Solo Mode! How did that happen? Who cares! Stop harping on it. Let's move past it with love and kindness.  Anyhoo here are the 10 Best solo modes I've played since the last Solo Mode Episode. Which was two years ago. We know, Jesus, get over it.

Matt, Trey and Jordan take a look at Matt Leacock's Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship, discuss multiplayer co-ops and dive into this year's Essen crop.  You can also watch this whole episode live on our Youtube channel! https://youtu.be/IbkiM4ZLdNg

Ben and Paul do a deep dive review on the cozy, classic-feeling worker placement game Oranges & Lemons.  Plus, recent plays of Cargo Empire, Spicy, Fromage, Kites, Ito, and Guards of Atlantis II. 00:00 Intro 04:08 Kites 09:35 Cargo Empire 15:49 Guards of Atlantis II 28:02 Spicy 34:56 Fromage 39:50 Ito 48:19 Review game - Oranges & Lemons

Ben and Jordan check in on some recent game sessions - some short, some long, and some VERY long.  Ben has some things to say about hot new games Lightning Train and Shinjuku.  Jordan then shares some impressions about 1817 and Defense of Procyon III.  Plus, an epic breakdown of another epic Twilight Imperium session, and we wrap things up with the game that maybe made us happiest: Hot Streak. Be sure to follow us on IG: https://instagram.com/gamebrainpod 00:00 Intro 02:50 Lightning Train 25:51 1817 38:07 Shinjuku 49:10 Defense of Procyon III 59:11 Twilight Imperium IV w/Prophecy of Kings 01:31:08 Hot Streak

Ben and Paul talk about recent plays of Eclipse, Scape Goat, and 23 Knives. Plus, the two explore the question: what happens if game night becomes stale?  00:00 Intro 04:50 Eclipse 13:56 Land & Freedom 17:28 Scape Goat 32:39 Man-Eating House 38:31 Gadget Trick 42:15 Age of Innovation 44:10 Ito 47:08 23 Knives 59:42 Dune / Discussion topic: how to revitalize game night

Matt is back on the pod for a very big rundown of some noteworthy game sessions: some amazing, others not so much.  Matt, Jordan, and Ben are going around the horn with a chunky board game roundup. 00:00 Intro 03:12 Daggerheart 18:01 Fiasco 21:08 Transgalactica 30:03 Corps of Discovery / Manifest Destiny 36:55 Oranges & Lemons 45:27 Toy Battle 52:56 Nusfjord 01:01:10 Dune Imperium Uprising 01:10:31 Innovation 01:13:14 Courtisans 01:14:27 Isle of Skye Big Box

Ben, Paul, and Trey discuss first impressions of two big games: Moon Colony Bloodbath and Endeavor Deep Sea. Somehow, we all got mad at each other in each game. Fun! We also chat about recent game plays of Dune Imperium and Wavelength, and extra bonus: the return of Games on the Brain! 00:00 Intro 00:57 Game Rooms 08:05 Dune Imperium 21:44 Wavelength 33:49 Ito 41:37 Landmarks of the Lost Atlas 51:40 Oranges & Lemons 53:00 Barcelona: The Rose of Fire 54:06 Cargo Empire 01:03:11 Moon Colony Bloodbath 01:34:51 Endeavor Deep Sea

Ben, Paul, and Jordan go deep on the color-coded agony machine that is Asian Tigers.  Plus, chatter about Ito, We All Take From the River, and Elder Scrolls. 00:00 Intro 05:21 Elder Scrolls 12:59 Ito 33:13 Rail on the Hill 38:19 Founders of Gloomhaven 41:55 Mr. Pai Pai 44:17 Gibberers 53:06 We All Take From The River 01:05:53 Guards of Atlantis, Land and Freedom updates 01:07:33 Asian Tigers review