Recently a fellow board gamer commented, "for someone with Dyslexia you've chosen an interesting hobby." By that he meant gaming can be pretty complex and challenging. This certainly made me think about what attracted me to table top gaming.
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As a family we love watching Star Wars. As soon as I noticed the game Risk: Star Wars Edition, I had to purchase it. It’s for 2-4 players although I believe it's best played with just 2 players. The game is based on The Return of the Jedi with 3 different and concurrent battles: the fight between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, the battle of star ships trying to destroy the Death Star and the fight on Endor with the rebels trying to bring down the shield generator.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to take some time off work and play a couple of games with friends. There is something delightful about spending a day playing instead of the normal gaming night where you only really get a couple of hours to get through a game. You don't feel rushed and you can take your time learning your latest addition. On this occasion I got to play Viticulture for the first time and Blood Rage for the second time. Whilst playing both these games I was able to observe my thoughts, emotions and behaviour, which sounds a little like a CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) activity.
Family favourite: Arcadia Quest
The kids and I have started a new gaming tradition in the school summer holidays: we set aside 2 weeks to play Arcadia Quest that normally takes us about 20 hours to complete. Arcadia Quest, for 2-4 players, is a campaign game with 11 scenarios in which you have to complete six. I was originally drawn to the game by its awesome miniatures which I've tried to paint, starting with the Goblin Archers. The city of Arcadia is currently controlled by the vampire Lord Fang and his evil minions and monsters. Players take over guilds of 3 heroes, each of whom have unique abilities. These heroes' powers become stronger over the game so that you can finally destroy Lord Fang. However don't become complacent as the other guilds want to have prestige and they don't mind killing you to achieve this!
I haven't played a great deal of cooperative games and I'm happy to admit I thoroughly enjoyed T.I.M.E Stories, Xenoshyft: Onslaught and Ghost Stories. However, in general I have mixed feelings about games that involve working collaboratively. Each person comes to the game with their own expectations and strategic approach. Where do I fit in this team pursuing victory? It takes a mature group to allow each person to use their unique strengths and also to allow individuals to make mistakes. As much as I've enjoyed co-ops, the hours spent around the table aren't always relaxing and can have their uncomfortable moments.