Game Brain: A Board Game Podcast About Our Gaming Group

Matt and Jordan review Greenwood, Capstone's big box Essen release of 2026, as well as dive into some other recent Essen plays.

Ben, Trey, & Paul review the 2023 worker placement game Bier Pioniere.

• 00:00:00 Introduction

• 00:02:07 Ostia
• 00:24:00 Railways of the Lost Atlas
• 00:31:40 Twilight Imperium IV
• 00:39:55 Green Gold
• 00:41:31 An Infamous Traffic

• 00:45:50 Game Review: Bier Pioniere

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Matthew, Ben and Jordan discuss the games they're most excited about releasing at Spiel Essen in the year of our lord 2026.

Ben, Trey, & Jordan review the 2026 game Greylune by William Attia.

• 00:00:00 Introduction

• 00:04:43 Daggerheart
• 00:06:38 Stonetop
• 00:12:38 Kingdom Crossing
• 00:17:22 Kraftwagen
• 00:22:20 Come Together
• 00:30:42 Twilight Imperium IV
• 00:36:33 Pagan: the Fate of Roanoke

• 00:37:58 Game Review: Greylune

Discord link: https://discord.gg/W3KNryUWT (good for 30 days)

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Jordan traveled to the distant lands of Indiana to play games, make friends, and speedwalk towards some very cool purchases. He shares his experiences at Gen Con 2026 with Matt, Trey, and Ben. Plus, the guys share recent plays of Sweet Lands, Greylune, and Stonetop, among others.

Gather 'round and listen to tales of gaming!

• 00:00:00 Intro
• 00:03:25 Jordan GenCon report

• Sorcery
• Daggerheart
• Drillers
• Lairs
• Entropy

• 00:25:00 Recent plays

• Sweet Lands - Ben
• Greylune - Trey
• Riftbound - Matt
• Twilight Imperium IV - Ben/Paul
• Stonetop - Jordan

Trey, Paul, and Ben go deep on World Order, the new geopolitical simulation from the people who brought you Hegemony. We also discuss recent plays of The Staufer Dynasty, Dogs of War, and Come Together, and after that, major game news from the world of Forbidden Stars! Or should we say Old Ones Origins?

00:00 Intro

4:05 Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - The Trick Taking Game

7:51 - The Staufer Dynasty

13:33 - Dogs of War

22:52 - Come Together

27:33 - Forbidden Stars / Old Ones Origins

32:03 - Tigris & Euphrates, Nippon: Genro, Rosalie

34:32 - Politik

40:37 - World Order

Jordan and Paul review the latest expansions for the classic game of woodland warfare.

Ben, Trey, and Paul break down recent plays of Railway Boom and Dogs of War.

Then the trio launches into the discussion for this week: what does generosity look like at game night, and how do we aspire to be generous?

Matt and Jordan are joined by David and Corluka to discuss the indie TCG, Sorcery: Contested Realm. Is it the greatest thing to happen to TCG's since early MTG? Or is it just another (VERY) pretty face?

How To Play Sorcery: Contested Realm (with Matt and Jordan): https://youtu.be/0voIN8W3CrU?si=o24xvuSmpCdY69W1

Ben, Jordan, and Paul convene in their coziest garb to talk about the coziest game of a very cozy 2026: Nippon Zaibatsu! Well, cozy except for all the vicious area control and internal sobbing. We're talking about all the changes to the OG Nippon from 2015, and Jordan has a very specific and deserved beef to share. Plus, Tenby, The Treasure Ship of Zheng He, QE, and [insert spooky music] SorrRRrrcery.

00:00 Intro

03:08 - Sorcery

08:42 - Tenby

17:32 - The Treasure Ship of Zheng He

30:41 - QE + its expansion Commodities

40:03 - Inis, Keyside, Fellowship of the Ring - Trick Taking Game

44:56 - Nippon Zaibatsu review

Matt, Paul and Jordan put on their wetsuits and dive into Feya's Swamp. Do you see what I did there? Dive into. Wetsuits. That's right, it's a swamp joke, ya'll.

Ben, Trey, & Paul review the 2025 game Stupor Mundi

• 0:00:00 Introduction

• Shackleton Base: Below. Within. Above.
• Keyside
• The Vibe
• Detective Club
• Auf Teufel komm raus(Cabbages & Curses)
• Terraforming Mars

• 00:51:50 Game Review: Stupor Mundi

Discord link: https://discord.gg/9e7QvC9S (good for only 7 days)

- Find Etamar at https://www.kirbooloni.com/
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Matt and Paul review the asymmetric heavy deck building game Star Trek: Captain's Chair as well as discuss the differences between CC and the Imperium series.

Ben, Trey, and Paul review the 2025 reimplementation of March of the Ants: Evolved Edition

• 0:00:00 Introduction

• 0:03:35 Stupor Mundi
• 0:14:31 Kingdom Crossing
• 0:27:47 Agricola
• Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die

• 00:35:51 Game Review: March of the Ants: Evolved Edition

- Find Etamar at https://www.kirbooloni.com/
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Trey, Tom, and Jordan review the 2025 expansion Clans of Caledonia: Industria.

• 0:00:00 Introduction

• Year of the Serpent
• Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die
• Youtube - Play it Again channel

• 00:08:22 Game Review: Clans of Caledonia: Industria

• Terra Mystica
• Age of Innovation
• Gaia Project: The Lost Fleet

- Find Etamar at https://www.kirbooloni.com/
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On a very special episode of Game Brain, Matthew, Ben, Trey, Paul and Jordan come together to take you through their Top Ten board games of 2025.

Ben, Trey, and Paul review the 2024 narrative-driven game "Tales of the Arthurian Knights." Paul says it's not even a game. Could it possibly be good? (yes) Also recent plays of "March of the Ants," "Indonesia 3rd Edition," and "Secret Hitler."

00:00 - Intro

11:08 - March of the Ants, Evolved Edition

27:37 - Indonesia, 3rd Edition

41:39 - 18Chesapeake

43:32 - Secret Hitler

1:04:44 - Tales of the Arthurian Knights review

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 Extravaganza!!

28:36 - Games for Monopoly lovers

34:17 - Games for Scrabble lovers (or Codenames or Scattergories)

42:18 - Games if you don't know someone's tastes

46:53 - Games you can play with someone right away

48:52 - Games to inch someone towards the hobby

52:22 - Party games!

53:21 - Stocking stuffers

55:16 - How to teach games to your family