Top 10 Games On Our Radar - February 2020

SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/podp_subscribe
This new series is a little different. It’s going to list new, old, and newsworthy tabletop, card, and board games that caught our attention this month, as of February, 2020. Several factors go into the calculation, with a game that collectively blows the minds of us and everyone else potentially earning a score of 100. These scores are, of course, completely subjective, and quite possibly, completely made up. I don’t know. Chaz won’t share with me how the scoring works. But he DID share his list of the Top 10 board, card, and tabletop games on the radar for the month of February 2020, which we'll share with you in this video.
Hosted by Paula Deming, who has her own incredibly awesome KZbin channel about board games, called Things Get Dicey, at: kzbin.info/door/bTN4UyXYhnddRJsu6emIhw
-------------------------------------------------
PAIR OF DICE PARADISE ON THE WEB
-------------------------------------------------
Homepage: bit.ly/podp_website
KZbin page: bit.ly/podp_youtube
Facebook page: bit.ly/podp_facebook
Twitter: bit.ly/podp_twitter
Instagram page: bit.ly/podp_instagram
Pinterest: bit.ly/podp_pinterest
BoardGameGeek Guild: bit.ly/podp_bgg
#TopBoardGames #FindBoardGames #TopGamesFebruary
-------------------------------------------------
GAMES DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO
-------------------------------------------------
ARENA: THE CONTEST
Arena: The Contest, published by Dragori Games. This game takes place in a world unified by a single Empire, in which it is forbidden to raise armies and make war. Instead, all major conflicts are resolved in the Arena, where the best fighters represent entire Nations. It’s like the U.N., but with more sword fights. In this turn-based tactical combat game, players recruit teams of three or four from a wide pool of Heroes, all of them experts in a Combat Role, like Tactician, Healer and Bruiser. The game is designed to offer countless combos and strategies to explore, in an attempt to build a powerful and synergistic team-based combat system.
CLASH OF CULTURES: MONUMENTAL EDITION
This Monumental Edition of Clash Of Cultures packages the Clash of Cultures base game and the Civilizations and Aztecs expansion together in one box. In the game, players grow their civilization, advance their culture and tech, and leave their mark by building wonders, with this edition introducing fully-sculpted miniatures of the Seven Wonders featured in it. This new edition is currently scheduled for a November release, and will feature a modular board for players to explore, 48 distinct advances, seven wonders, and more miniatures and cards than you can fit inside a decently-sized small paper sack!
KEMET: BLOOD AND SAND
Kemet: Blood And Sand features new art and upgraded gameplay with revised rules, designed to be more accessible for new players. These rules go beyond the version 1.5 mini-update for Kemet that was developed in conjunction with the player base several years ago. Starting from scratch, and therefore not being tied down to any existing components, designers Jacques Bariot and Guillaume Montiage feel that they have gone even further in fine-tuning the Kemet experience in this upcoming, new version, which seems to be planned to go to Kickstarter later this year.
RETURN TO DARK TOWER
Return To Dark Tower, which recently wrapped up a phenomenally successful Kickstarter campaign, which raised over four million dollars for the updated and enhanced modern version of this game, which will be shipping to backers a year from now. This is a "sequel", of sorts, to the 1981 classic game, Return to Dark Tower. In this version, one to four players travel the land as venturing heroes. Together, they gather resources, cleanse buildings, defeat monsters, and undertake quests to build up their strength and discern which foe ultimately awaits them. When the heroes face the tower, the game shifts into its dramatic second act, where the players have one chance to defeat the enemy once and for all. The game features traditional game mechanisms, such as engine building and resource management, paired with an app-driven storyline, and, of course, the menacing mechanical tower, which haunts and taunts players, while harboring more than a few secrets of its own.

[@jeffrainwater4084]

This is KZbin GOLD!!! Two of the funniest in the industry join forces. Unstoppable!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks so much for the feedback, Jeff. I appreciate it! I've been looking forward to an opportunity to work with Paula on a project for a while, and I'm very happy and grateful to have this opportunity. And she knocked it right out of the park! 😀

[@AussieSparhawk]

Great team-up! Paula's got fantastic presence and delivery. The visible rating numbers are a bit puzzling without explaining the underlying method of calculating them. A regular 10-1 countdown would have worked just as well on the presentation side of things.

[@erichammett2893]

So weird and great. It seems like a 12 minute Chaz impression and it works!

[@GameNightPicks]

Ha! Thanks, Eric. "Weird and great" is usually what I'm going for around here, so your comment is exactly what I was hoping for. 😉

[@bornofashes]

I never noticed before how much of his personality Chaz puts into the FX. It’s like a conversation!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks! We tried to add in some of those ideas that came up while editing the video. I'm glad they helped add a sense of "back and forth" in it! :)

[@pincao]

Love the format of this new series. It’s on my radar now. Well done.

[@GameNightPicks]

Thank you, Paul. I'm glad it's on your radar. I'm already looking forward to working on our next episode to share. :)

[@willie9764]

Ah, having someone ELSE read your poorly-timed jokes is BRILLIANT! Nicely done!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thank you! Waitaminute... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...thank... you...?

[@danacoleman4007]

This video makes me realize how much Paula and Chaz have in common as far as sensibilities and sense of humor! Good idea and well done!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks, Dana! And we're also both allergic to cranberry milkshakes. Who knew?

[@danacoleman4007]

@@GameNightPicks Wow! Me too!

[@larrye]

Great video and great delivery. I really enjoyed this one.

[@GameNightPicks]

Thank you Lawrence. And I totally agree. Paula totally nailed her presentation! 😀

[@tycondryus]

it's great! awesome writing and awesome delivery! it's a welcomed addition!!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thank you for the kind words - I appreciate it! I hope you continue to enjoy the videos coming up next, too. Cheers!

[@VinegarAndSaltedFries]

Ooooooh I like this. And Paula Rocks. I honestly think it’s a bit funny thinking about the line “ I can fight like BeeZ” knowing ( pretends to fight like a Bee)is probably next to the line

[@troynewhoff9542]

Isle of cats is fantastic and I love your kitty. Nice job with this feature.

[@saarbornstein1265]

that's great. i love this new series!! and Paula is a perfect fit.

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks for the feedback. And yes, Paula absolutely knocked it out of the park. I'm looking forward to what she comes up with next! 😀

[@Domyarus]

Loved it. Thanks for sharing and caring! (Sat in waiting room watching and listening and laughing out loud - lol!... whoops 🤪)

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks for the comment, Raymond. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I hope it helped pass the time while you were waiting. 🙂

[@deanmuramoto4796]

Chaz your choice of Paula hosting this video is awesome. She is really good and funny!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks for the feedback, Dean. I absolutely agree with you! It's a privilege to have the opportunity to work with Paula, and I'm already looking forward to the next episode she can appear in! 😎

[@Hermes4939]

Love the new series!!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks for the comment, Steven. It's appreciated, as always. I'm glad you enjoyed this first episode, and I'm hoping there will be many more to come. :D

[@khristienpennanen1810]

Heckin cool series! Love it.

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks, Khristien! I appreciate the kind note. 🙂

[@Wonderflonium]

Can't wait for more in this series!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks, Blayne! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I know we can't wait to bring more of them to you! 😀👍

[@eVanDiesel]

Oh good, you finally fired that guy who's always on this channel.

[@GameNightPicks]

I walked right into that one, I suppose. Nicely done. I will applaud this zinger, once I stop crying. 😉

[@lifeofandrewlynn9448]

Great job, Paula! This was a very fun video!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks for the positive feedback, Andrew! And, yes, Paula is an amazing talent, and I'm very excited and honored to have the opportunity to work with her. And she has the BEST sandwiches for lunch. I mean, seriously. Whoever's sandwiches I was stealing out of the office fridge before hers were GARBAGE compared to the ones she makes.

[@lifeofandrewlynn9448]

@@GameNightPicks oh man, now I'm hungry.... I wonder if anyone left a sandwich in the fridge...

[@mavweirdo]

Paula, be glad Chaz decided not to throw in any alteration like in his recent reviews of Root.

[@GameNightPicks]

Everyone gets a one-episode grace period. Afterwards, everyone's alliteration ante is all in and it's on.

[@2532robh1]

Nicely done. Love the cat! Looking forward to seeing you in more videos!

[@GameNightPicks]

Absolutely! Paula did an amazing job, and I'm looking forward to that, too. 😀👍

[@lowify1]

I cannot grasp how the rating works... Lol. It's intriguing enough for me to keep watching the video to the end.

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks for watching and sticking around to the end, Jake. I will be interested to see which games will be picked next month by the system I came up with. I'm hoping the same games don't bubble to the top of the list. We'll see!

[@Timhotep8724]

Great video much better with Paula x

[@GameNightPicks]

I would have to agree with you there, Tim. Paula's presentation is great, and I'm very fortunate to have this opportunity to work with her. I'm looking forward to her next episodes!

[@Timhotep8724]

@@GameNightPicks she did a great job

[@2532robh1]

Found her channel from this and LOVE it!!

[@PaulaDeming]

yay!

[@GameNightPicks]

Hot dog! I'm very happy to hear that this video was able to help someone discover Paula's channel. Yep, Things Get Dicey is DEFINITELY worth subscribing to. Cheers!

[@boardgamecloset]

Loved this! Paula is great.

[@GameNightPicks]

Agreed! And thanks for the encouraging comment - I appreciate it. :)

[@wingmansion]

Good format with Paula. Guess you both don't live close to each other to have both of you in front of the camera?

[@GameNightPicks]

Yeah. But, oddly enough, we're both in close proximity to I-5, which runs from California through Oregon. So, technically, we live down the street from each other... thirteen hours down the street, but down the street nonetheless.

[@andrewzimdahl6401]

Yes! More Paula!

[@wsiegel9539]

Great Job Paula, Was it wrong for me to keep waiting for you to cut up? Yes write your own script...lol

[@PaulaDeming]

luckily Chaz edited out most of my screw ups.... MOST of them.

[@GameNightPicks]

I discovered the secrets to getting Paula to break character: cats, helicopters, and Mariachi music being played across the street. 🙂👍

[@wsiegel9539]

@@GameNightPicks Yeah.. Nice job with adding the cat...lol

[@almsthvn]

I am excited to try Mariposas. Hooray for Elizabeth Hargrave!

[@GameNightPicks]

I'm looking forward to it, too! The theme is neat, and it sounds like it will give players some interesting decisions to consider. Here's hoping that we both get to try it soon - and both enjoy it! :)

[@chenchen_9999]

Arena: The Contest! I am very excited for that game!

[@GameNightPicks]

I hope you enjoy it once it arrives! :D

[@walouyo3799]

Hey ... hum stumbling over this video whilst looking out for Clash of Culture Monumental, (got caught by Paula) I must say ... really cool video ! Somehow reminds me of 🤨🧐... 😱 ... omg Willow ! 🤫😇 really skilfully done ✅

[@realwl]

Thanks for the video

[@GameNightPicks]

Our pleasure! Thanks for watching and commenting. 🙂

[@Shugenjya]

So, now that Veebug is a teen she is not interested in boardgames anymore? Btw. Paula is a nice addition to your channel! :)

[@GameNightPicks]

Hi! VeeBug still has an interest in games and occasionally filming, but I try to let her go at her own speed and get involved when she wants to. I'm certain she'll appear in more videos in the future, but at the moment, she's been spending her time making crafts, sewing, and doing other kid activities that she enjoys. 🙂

[@bertyking71]

great vid again, thank you.

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks for the note! My pleasure. :)

[@ViperaRaddei]

Geebus Paula you're adorable. And a cat lover?! I'll BEE sure to keep an eye out for more videos of yours! (Yeah I went there...)

[@richardsaunders9214]

Chaz, you look different. Did you change your hair?

[@matthewgraham2619]

No glasses.

[@TheDavidPhillips]

Paula Freakin Deming??? She's a national treasure! Chaz is pretty cool too, I guess - he's more of a local treasure. But not like a small town diner and their completely unbiased claims to have "THE world's best waffles", but more like that neighborhood cat that everyone feeds but nobody claims - we all still like that cat and would notice if it went missing, we just don't want it sleeping on our couch.

[@GameNightPicks]

I hope that exact same speech is used as the eulogy at my funeral. 😶

[@KurtF11984]

Thank you Paula for bringing some fresh air into the series... Chad is soooo annoying! Just kidding 😝 but I still need to complain with him about a couple of things: where the hell is it's a wonderful world? Great game that just got an expansion on Kickstarter! Also: where the hell was war of whisperers at the Essen spiel? So don't brag about it cause you did a mistake there 😝

[@GameNightPicks]

Excellent questions! And I think I have answers! I believe Wonderful World started hitting the top of the Hotness list the day after the stats for last month's episode were compiled. I don't know if it will retain enough momentum to break into next month's Top 10. (Spoiler: I just checked, and it's currently #166 on the overall list.) And, you're right about War Of Whispers. It encountered a delay, and wasn't available at Essen. It was available by PAX Unplugged, the first week of December. Does that still count as a mistake, then? Even if it does, I'm sure I've made bigger mistakes. Eating that handful of quarters in the airport that time, for starters. Worst trip through a TSA Checkpoint ever.

[@KurtF11984]

@@GameNightPicks all right all right, I forgive you this time... 😁

[@stefve]

Paula is pure beez Gold 🤩

[@GameNightPicks]

That's the buzz! 🐝🌞😀

[@paulwastney5134]

Paula, what have you done to me! I cannot sleep, cannot concentrate, my mind is full of desire and indecision. What an effect you have had. After watching this I had to make a decision. Time is short and I need to act on my impulse. I am ..... I backed Arena. I had never heard of this until watching this clip with just a few days to go until the kickstarter finished I immersed myself in reading reviews, comments, BGG pages, all that I could to see if it was for me. And it was. I am holding you personally responsible for all the hours of fun and enjoyment I am going to have in playing this game when it eventually turns up. Thank you for showing this to me. Keep up the good work. I hope Chaz knows how lucky he is to have you working with him.

[@GameNightPicks]

Hi Paul! Thanks for your comment - it's great. I hope that you end up enjoying Arena. It's always very fulfilling to help introduce people to games they may not have known about yet. And - yep - it's an absolute privilege to be working on these projects with Paula and Matthew. I'm already looking forward to the upcoming episodes we're working on together. Cheers!

[@giustinacasale4914]

I looove The Isle of Cats!

[@VuRkka]

Isn't that a sonar sound, not radar?

[@GameNightPicks]

Yes. Yes it is. 😉

[@ManuelLopez8a]

I agree with most of the viewers, it's great watching Paula "act" a Chaz's script (hilarious, really), but I think this list is a little redundant, because almost every game depicted here has had its spotlight in other recent videos (not only from this channel, obviously). So my suggestion is: keep doing this epic KZbinr's crossovers, but don't repeat yourselves :D

[@GameNightPicks]

Excellent feedback and suggestion, Manuel. As always, I'll see what we can do to help keep a good mix going. Take care! 🙂

[@jonathanhowe42]

Fun video! And a cuter animal cameo as well :) . Look forward to more radar buzz in the future!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thank you, Jonathan! And I will be sure to let Ollie The Goofy Looking Dog know that she's been upstaged - and by a cat. I'm sure she'll just ignore me though, and continue working on her line of young-adult novels.

[@jonathanhowe42]

@@GameNightPicks True enough. Her once per quarter appearances aren't enough face time to pay for the good treats.

[@truce11]

More Deming please 🙏🏻

[@GameNightPicks]

Will do! :D

[@pwnership1337]

Lovee it!!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thanks so much!

[@simplysethpdx4831]

Chaz captured by Demming

[@johnwhitesnake6353]

Fantastic!

[@GameNightPicks]

Thank you, John! I hope we can keep the content like this coming. Cheers!

[@jobberslayer]

Not to embarrass you, but you got some Designed By on your face in one scene.

[@GameNightPicks]

Huh. Now, how did THAT get there? 😇

[@jobberslayer]

@@GameNightPicks Just a guess, but sometimes my sandwich artist at subway will sprinkle some in with the oregano.

[@PaulaDeming]

CHAZ! Guess I have to start editing these myself in addition to writing my own scripts. 😉

[@christalbot210]

I've heard of putting words into somebody's mouth, but putting words on their face is just rude! :-)

[@blackasp001]

Give me a ping Vasili, one ping only please

[@RzorFox]

Please more crossovers with Becca Scott!....oops, I mean Paula Demming!

[@GameNightPicks]

Sounds like a good plan. We'll see what we can do! 😀👍

[@TheWildernessEnthusiast]

Arena: The Contest sits at #10?! And being outranked by Butterflies, Beez, and Cats? This list is ridiculous...

[@Vadjong]

11:16 No scratch marks?

[@GameNightPicks]

The CG effects to conceal the myriad of scratch marks is why this episode cost 1.4 million dollars to produce. But, don't be alarmed. That's only 150 bucks more than a typical episode. ...I may need to rethink my budgets.

[@Vadjong]

@@GameNightPicks Hollywood folk and their riders, eh?

[@makiinen75]

Its more on sonar than on radar.

[@GameNightPicks]

You are correct. 😉

[@stratagon]

Things get Paradicey?

[@GameNightPicks]

You can't see it, but I'm standing up at my computer and saluting you for that one. 👏

[@PaulaDeming]

Why didn’t we think of this??

[@lithros1]

Wow, a female version of Chaz. Watch out internet. Love it!

[@johnrochester1419]

That cat may actually be dead. Just saying. j/k

[@PaulaDeming]

hahaha

[@2532robh1]

Are you sure anything will come out of China this year?

[@GameNightPicks]

That's a good question, actually. I'm curious to see what kind of impact the current health crisis has on imports. We'll see in time, I suppose!

[@2532robh1]

@@GameNightPicks Thanks Chaz, I'm seeing all kinds of delays and factory closings in the Kickstarter updates and they are still not back to work. Made me realize how our entire hobby is almost 100% dependent on China and they and we are in quite a predicament right now for not just games. Hoping for the best!

[@damoocowhotmail]

That cat is 100 percent more patient than any of my cats!