Episode 22: Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

12/02/19 • 44 min

Player One | Player Two: The Board Gaming Duo

Scaling is so important in regard to the two-player subset of board gaming. Excellent three or four player games are sometimes incomplete or unsatisfying two-player experiences.
But what happens when a game does take scaling into account, but the scaling alters the fundamental nature of the game? Maybe a game becomes more cutthroat, or demands players be more aggressive to match the same feel carried by a true multi-player game. A well-scaled game is good, but what if the game you find on the other side isn't quite the same game that went in?
Point Salad (2019) on Board Game Geek:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/274960/point-salad
Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)
http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Check out our blog!
http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com

Previous Episode

Episode 21: Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Kathleen and I are both very happy to go to bat for escape room games. The idea of one-off games rubs some people the wrong way. Is it a good value? Is it a good way to spend an evening? Is it a good analogue for the actual social experience? Well, we’re actually not going to discuss the merits of an escape room game on this episode–we already know it’s good for us. Instead we talk about what the eventizing of a game ultimately means.

And even though we are ride or die fans of escape room games, it doesn’t mean we can’t be let down by a design, even if it’s by some of our favorite designers out there.
*PLEASE NOTE: IN THIS EPISODE THERE BE SPOILERS!*
Exit: The Catacombs of Horror (2018) on Board Game Geek:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/255675/exit-game-catacombs-horror
Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)
http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Check out our blog!
http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com

Next Episode

Episode 23: PAX Unplugged 2019

Hobby gaming is, at its heart, a social hobby. We have lamented before that playing as two players makes it seem like you are living in a bubble–which is why we started this podcast, after all. That being said, we were very excited to get out of our little bubble by finally partaking in our first convention experience when we visited the locally hosted PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia.
We demoed games, we learned the importance of reading schedules, we ate delicious Indian food, and we left with a hot dice drafting game in our complimentary reusable Cool Stuff Inc tote.
So how was it? How was PAX as a convention? Perhaps more importantly for us: How was PAX as a first convention?
https://unplugged.paxsite.com/
Theme & End Credit Music by Javier Suárez (Jahzzar)
http://www.betterwithmusic.com/
Check out our blog!
http://playeroneplayertwo.tumblr.com