Mad Matt's Game Review

Critter Commandos

2006-08-31T13:54:00.000-04:00

Critter Commandos is a humorous game of cartoon style miniature combat by Crunchy Frog Enterprises. This is just one of those games I had to buy after seeing the miniatures. What's not to like about miniature cartoon animals with guns? There is good and bad about the game. Starting with the bad: poorly written rules, confusing rules, no index, missing sections in the book, not as fast play as it claims, gameplay is not as interesting as it should be. The good: the miniatures (that's it). Since the only good thing about the game is the miniatures let me spend the rest of my review on them. While they are not great sculps they are adequate for cartoon style figures. Having frogs with jump packs or stormtroopers with bunny ears is just cool. There are a number of animal types to choose from so everyone can find something they like. In conclusion buy the figures not the game.

Man Bites Dog

2006-08-22T11:59:00.000-04:00

Man Bites Dog is a hilarious card game from University Games. In this game players must create newspaper headlines from the cards they have been dealt. Each card has a word or short phrase on it such as: "Judge", or "rips off". Each card also has a point value so some cards are worth more than others. Because of the random nature of the dealt cards the headlines end up sounding like: "Blind mayor weds thousands" or "Naked urologist revealed jewels". This is a very cool party style game that is worth looking for.

SPANC

2006-08-17T13:21:00.000-04:00

SPANC stands for space pirate Amazon ninja catgirls. This card game is produced by Steve Jackson Games and is lovingly illustrated by Phil Foglio. Ok, so in this game you play space pirate Amazon ninja catgirls who are out having adventures and committing crimes for loot and poolboys. Along the way you may come across toys and get involved in catfights. This humorous game is easy to pick up and has beautiful drawn cards. Its a lot of fun and most gamers should enjoy this one.

Tech Support

2006-08-16T18:58:00.000-04:00

Tech Support is an enjoyable card game from Kenzer & Company. In this game you attempt to get your tech question answered from a tech support guru. Of course your call will be transferred, you will be put on hold, and will be hung-up on. In an interesting twist to the game, you can't play cards from your hand. You play cards from the hands of other players. Playing time is about 15 minutes or less. The only bad thing I can say about this game is that it doesn't have a lot of variety in the types of cards in the deck. Its still worth a look though.

The awful green things from outer space

2006-08-03T10:26:00.000-04:00

The awful green things from outer space is a game by Tom Wham and published by Steve Jackson Games. This is one of my favorite old school boardgames. In this two-player game, one person plays the awful green things and the other player plays the crew of the invaded spacecraft. As the Things are growing and multiplying throughout the ship the crew must destroy them or abandon ship. The crew desperately runs around gathering weapons trying to fight off the alien invasion, but the thing is that you don't know what weapons will work on the Things. Each time you try a weapon on one of the Things the effect is randomized. Sometimes its good sometimes its bad. Its always a humorous good time.

Igor: The Mad Scientist's Lament

2006-07-31T12:02:00.000-04:00

Igor is a mad scientist theme card game from Interactivities. I picked up a copy at gencon last year and I liked it so much I bought copies for everyone I game with. In the game you are a mad scientist racing to complete various crazy inventions such as transmats, time warp devices and matter duplicators before your opponents do. Many of the cards represent parts which can only be put together with other parts in certain ways. There is a certain amount of humor as you try to put together your tornado blaster using: a black hole generator, broken wristwatch, power crystals, and a ten pound ball of aluminum foil. While you are trying to get your creations completed to score points, other players are stealing parts from you or otherwise frustrating your plans. Also your lab assistant, Igor, helps you along in his own incompetent manner. If you are able to find a copy of this game pick it up, its a blast.

Kill Doctor Lucky

2006-07-18T12:51:00.000-04:00

Kill Doctor Lucky is one of my favorite games from Cheapass Games. This game reminds me of CLUE except instead of trying to solve a murder you are trying to commit one. Each player races around the board collecting weapons and trying to secret oneself out of sight of the other players in order to kill Dr. Lucky. This is not as easy as it seems because the doctor is so lucky and escapes most assassination attempts. This game is a blast to play with a group of friends. Definitely pick this one up.

Clans

2006-07-17T12:21:00.000-04:00

Clans by Leo Colovini is published by Rio Grande Games. Clans is a game about prehistoric nomadic groups gathering together to form villages for mutual protection and support. Each player represents a particular clan or group of people with the goal of having the most influence in the newly formed villages. The rules of the game are very easy to learn but lead to very interesting strategies. The game has no dice or other random variables thus putting great emphasis on tactical choices. There is also a fair amount of bluff in the game as you don't know which group your opponents are playing until it is revealed at the end of the game. The game components are high quality which is to be expected of a German boardgame of this type. I think most people overlook this game because of its simplicity of game play which is a shame because that is its greatest strength. Easy to learn, hard to master. This is a enjoyable game that should be checked out by lovers of strategy games.

Killer: the game of assassination

2006-07-14T11:27:00.000-04:00

Killer is a game by Steve Jackson games. In this "live action" game you play the part of spy or assassin with the goal of eliminating other opponents. Players use squirt guns, ping-pong guns, rubber band guns, water balloon bombs, bananas, and other exotic devices to "kill" each other. I have played variations of his game since the 1980's under a myriad of different titles. Its nice to see that someone has actually put a game book out on this cult classic. This game is a lot of fun with the right group. Just make sure you play with people you trust and that have common sense otherwise someone could get hurt.

Barbarian Prince

2006-07-03T12:06:00.000-04:00

Barbarian Prince is a solo adventure boardgame from 1981 that is now available online. The game is described as follows:

Evil events have overtaken the Northlands. You -- Cal Arath, Barbarian Prince -- are in hiding and the usurper who killed your father, the Old King, now sits on his throne. Now you must flee south and raise enough gold by adventuring to equip an army with which to regain your rightful heritage. The way will not be easy, for the men of the south are strange, and some are schooled in the black mysteries. The passes are guarded by monsters, it is said, and in the ruined cities lurk foul things never born of this earth. But you have your stubborn Northland will and your great sword -- and woe to anyone or anything which stands between you and your quest
The player moves his miniature around the hex map and having random encounters in the hopes of raising enough money to achieve his goal. The player only has a set number of turns to meet the game objectives. This particular game is a bit of a classic from the early days of adventure gaming. It has a reputation of being very difficult. I was able to beat it my first time out but I must admit I was very lucky. Overall his game has a very old school feel and can be very difficult to understand for newcomers. This one is of interest only to those seeking gaming nostalgia.

Gloom

2006-06-27T14:21:00.000-04:00

Gloom is morbidly fun card game where you force your family to lead horrible lives before they die. I recently played this game with some friends and had a great time. The game uses transparent cards which either reveal or obscure various symbols on the cards beneath the one being played. The transparent cards are an interesting game mechanic as is the fact you can play cards on your family or your opponents. This is one I definitely will pick up.

Shambattle

2006-06-20T12:02:00.000-04:00

Shambattle is the first miniature game published in the United States way back in 1929. Normally I would not review a game of this age but a new version has been published by Milihistriot Quarterly. I have an interest in the history of wargaming so its always exciting to see these old games back in print. Shambattle is a wargame that uses toy soldiers and is played on a map. The rules are very simple as they were written for children. As this game was written during the earliest period of miniature wargaming, most modern players will find the rules archaic, simplistic, and lacking the usual rules (such as rules for morale) found in most wargames. This makes the game feel more like a boardgame than the typical miniature wargame. Personally I like the game and feel that it would be an excellent way to introduce new players to the hobby.

Quick Ass Game System

2006-06-16T11:05:00.000-04:00

Qags (Quick Ass Game System) is a rules light RPG game from Hex Games. I picked up my copy at gencon last year. It looked interesting and I'm always looking for new and different games. The game portion of the book is very good. The rules are refreshingly simple and fast paced. Character creation takes 5 minutes or so. This is a universal system so any background is possible. The game also uses candy as a game mechanic, you gotta love that. Now for the bad stuff. Most of the book is devoted to gaming humor and fluff rather than useful game information. That is a big one to me because I expect to get good value for the money I spend. Also the humor in the book is of an adult nature, so if you don't like bisexuality jokes stay away. I would still check out this game if the previous statements didn't scare you off. There is a good game here, its just buried in lots of filler.

To be continued... By Gaslight

2006-06-15T13:51:00.000-04:00

To be continued by gaslight is yet another wonderfully addition to the gaslight miniature rules set. This time the time period is shifted to the 1930's and 1940's. Included are rules for running a "pulp era" skirmish game with mad scientists, comic book heroes, two-fisted action heroes, alien princesses, and bumbling sidekicks. This is a great game for anyone who likes the idea of wargaming in a old time movie serial. Adventure awaits! Now where is my rocket pack?

Battles by Gaslight

2006-06-15T13:43:00.000-04:00

Battles by gaslight is a supplement for the gaslight miniature game. It contains rules for conducting large scale battles, rules additions and clarifications, rules for large land ships, and various odds and ends. While it contains an odd assortment of rules and stuff, it is an indispensable addition to the gaslight system. Anyone who plays gaslight should own this book.

GURPS Fantasy

2006-06-15T13:29:00.000-04:00

Gurps fantasy is an excellent reference book for gamemasters who are creating fantasy worlds. Much of the information in the book could apply to any fantasy RPG not only gurps. While it is of most use to gamemasters, players may also enjoy reading it. In addition to world building, it contains the campaign background: Roma Arcana (the roman empire with magic).

Giant Monster Rampage

2006-06-14T13:17:00.000-04:00

Giant monster rampage is a miniature game where you play giant monsters. Your objective is to beat up the other monsters and destroy the city. It is difficult to classify this one as a miniature game as you play with 6" action figures. This game is a lot of fun, its easy to learn the rules, and doesn't require a lot of stuff to play. I must also admit that I am a bit biased towards this game since I helped out with playtesting and wrote some the rules that appear in the expansion book. That aside this one is a must have for all kaiju fans.

G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T.

2006-06-14T13:09:00.000-04:00

Gaslight (glorious adventures in science loosely involving generally historical times) is by far my favorite Victorian science fiction (VSF) miniature game. It covers 19th century warfare as envisioned by H.G. Wells or Edgar Rice Burroughs. It is rules light but big on fun. So pull out your steam powered contraptions and electro-ray guns.

GURPS Space

2006-06-13T14:08:00.000-04:00

Gurps Space is a great addition to the Gurps line of RPG game books. I personally own 60+ Gurps books so I can say with some authority that this book is a must have for any gamemaster that is looking to run a sci-fi game. This is a new edition of the gurps space book for the 4th edition of the game and is an improvement over the excellent 3rd edition of the book.

Betrayal at House on the Hill

2006-06-13T13:57:00.000-04:00

Betrayal at House on the Hill is a great game by Avalon Hill. With 50 different missions, its a different game every time you play. You start out exploring an old house until one of the players is reviled as the betrayer. Then everyone must try to stop the bad guy from achieving his evil plans or if you are the bad guy, kill everyone else. This game is always a good time. Highly recommended!

Monsters Menace America

2006-06-13T13:35:00.000-04:00

Monsters Menace America from Avalon Hill is a blast. You play a giant monster and a branch of the military trying to stop the other player's monsters from stomping cities and military bases. The more players you have the more fun to be had. I have played this one a lot and I never get tired of it. I highly recommend it!