Game Brain: A Board Game Podcast About Our Gaming Group
A podcast about Board Games and friendship, and a real life board game group! Join us every week for an in-depth look at the board gaming hobby, including board game news, reviews and much, much more.
Episodes
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...
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://ins...
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 I...
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...
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
Ben, Trey, and Jordan review the 2025 space tourism game Galactic Cruise. Plus initial impressions of Molly House, Gibberers, and Land and Freedom. Jordan also gives an update on 5 v 5 Guards of Atlantis, and Trey has fresh thoughts on Dune Imperium, Keyflower, and Avalon.
Stefan Feld's epic kitchen sink game Civolution was one of the biggest releases of 2024. With an hour teach, a million mechanics, and a wild theme, does this beast crumble under its own weight or triumph in maximalist glory? Ben, Paul, and Jordan discuss.
Plus, the three weigh in on the March Meepleness Bracket and share thoughts on recent plays of Guards of Atlantis II, Galactic Cruise, and Eternal Decks.
00:00 Introduction
02:...
It's two episodes for the price of one. Come join for a double header of Table Scraps. First, Ben and Paul talk about what pity cards you can and can't play at game night: the "bad day" card, the "I've been out of town" card, and so many more.
Then we get down to the real pressing questions: if games were sushi, what sushi would they be? Be sure to subscribe to Table Scraps on Youtube here: htt...
Ben, Trey, and special guest Chris dive deep with the rotating space hotness SETI. Plus, talk about a marathon session of 1817.
00:00 Intro
12:10 1817
25:09 Railways of the Lost Atlas
30:50 Whistle Mountain
33:04 SETI
In this episode of Game Brain, Ben and Paul dive deep into the ancient world with a full review of Men-Nefer, exploring its mechanics, strategy, and whether it’s an classic Egyptian Euro (oxymoron?) in the making. But that’s not all—we also break down Mind MGMT, Serenissima, and DroPolter, dissecting the mind games, economic battles, and dexterity highjinks within these standout titles. Plus, we check in on The Traitors on Peacock...
Ben and Paul talk about punctuality and game night: what do you do when you're running late? When is it okay to run late? What do we owe those who are late? And what about showing up too early? It's all about timing and game night.
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