In Episode 285 we give our hot take review on The Old King's Crown covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We cover a poll on motivations to engage with the board game hobby and then discuss some games that have been on our tables including Sanctuary and Fearsome Floors and a first look at some games that have recently arrived including Chaosmos: The Temple and Speakeasy.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:21 BGG Hall of Fame: For Sale

05:40 The Old King's Crown Description

08:18 Gameplay and Mechanisms

33:50 Production and Theme

38:52 Final Thoughts

46:20 Echoes of Time

48:22 Reforest

53:06 Dead Cells

54:25 Biblios

58:53 Subjective

1:04:25 Listener Shoutout

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In Episode 284 we give our hot take review on Echoes of Time covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We cover a poll on motivations to engage with the board game hobby and then discuss some games that have been on our tables including Sanctuary and Fearsome Floors and a first look at some games that have recently arrived including Chaosmos: The Temple and Speakeasy.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:21 Poll: What is your primary motivation for being a part of the board gaming hobby?

09:18 Echoes of Time Description

10:57 Gameplay and Mechanisms

27:08 Production and Theme

37:26 Final Thoughts

47:00 Sanctuary

56:06 Recent Arrivals: Chaosmos: The Temple and Speakeasy

59:51 Fearsome Floors

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠

In Episode 284 we take a look back at 2025 and discuss some of the great (and no so great) games we played last year. Most of them were even published last year.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

2:27 Biggest Surprises in 2025 (Dead Cells, Hot Streak, Slay the Spire: The Board Game)

16:45 Biggest Disappointments in 2025 (Wroth, Scoville 2nd Edition, SETI: Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence)

25:04 Best New to Us in 2025 (Lords of Vegas, Thurn and Taxis, Crokinole, Nokosu Dice)

30:23 Best Production Published in 2025 (Hot Streak, March of the Ants Evolved Edition, Stupor Mundi)

36:51 Lookback at Best Games of 2024 (Unconscious Mind, Fromage, Civolution)

40:35 Best Games of 2025 (March of the Ants Evolved Edition, Luthier, Moon Colony Bloodbath)

48:40 Board Game Resolutions

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd