Archive • Play and Words • Buttondown

June 14, 2024

Julian Baggini’s (now quite old) book bites off a little more than it can strictly chew, but still does a great service. a very lovely cover Send I have...

Highlights from UK Games expo

June 5, 2024

So after years of dipping my toe into the vast sea of nerdery that is the UK Games Expo,I finally experienced the full-fat, three day experience. It was… a...

My big lovely box of horror

May 29, 2024

Eldritch horror is a terrible, messy joy. In my last post about games, I talked with relish about something new, tiny and smart. Today I want to talk about...

A Peculiarly British Amnesia

May 14, 2024

Sathnam Sanghera's Empireland is an ambitious book, which mainly delivers on its aims.

12 chip trick and the magic of microgames

April 23, 2024

The way that a minimal ruleset can cascade into a deep decision space is one of the genuinely miraculous features of the hobby. Here's the latest example (that I have played)

Sense about screens

March 19, 2024

I expected Pete Etchells' book about screen time to be authoritative and sensible, and it is. I didn't expect it to be so warm and personal.

Cat cafe: the joy of pencils

March 13, 2024

A largely forgotten game has brought our family unexpected joy- I think it's the pencils, mainly.

Maybe The Fraud is all of us, after all?

March 1, 2024

Zadie Smith's historical novel confused me, in ways that annoy but also ways that entice.

Nanty Narking- a (really good) game out of time

February 23, 2024

Martin Wallace's chirpy re-skin of Ankh Morpork deserves more love- the reasons why it doesn't get it shed interesting light on the state of the hobby.

We need to listen to Aubrey Gordon- and watch, and read

February 14, 2024

The fat activist makes a compelling case for empathy and societal change. We doctors should be first in the queue to listen.

A review of How to be Perfect, by Micheal Schur.

January 16, 2024

And, in passing, a defence of audiobooks

Emergent theme and the sheer magnificence of the Unmatched system.

January 2, 2024

A simple ruleset allows for infinite variety in this duelling game system.

Talonsister review- thoroughly modern classic fantasy

December 15, 2023

The most charming fantasy novel I've read for a very long time… curl up with it.

Disco Elysium and pessimism in games

December 8, 2023

The renowned video game RPG really got me down. I hated it for that, but now I'm not sure…

Where's Wallis?

November 10, 2023

Our finest writer about tabletop games deserves more attention, and respect from publishers.

Three way Skrull fudge

October 29, 2023

What George Eliot could teach Marvel about effective storytelling

What is play? Why do I care? Why should you?

October 11, 2023

The way we see play matters for how we see ourselves, and others.

Review: The Anarchy, by William Dalrymple

September 28, 2023

This review is by a non-historian, for other non-historians. Given that’s most of us, I felt like it might be of interest.

Tribes of the wind review

September 16, 2023

The apocalypse has never looked prettier, or felt less... apocalyptic. A straightforward game review this week- if you're not much of a gamer, at least have a look at the pictures...

Ian Dunt and the limitations of being right

September 2, 2023

The journalist and podcaster has produced a brilliant analysis of the shortcomings in the Westminster machine- but will it make a difference?

"Yes, a bit like Risk… only fun?"

August 12, 2023

How ‘troops on a map’ games snuck into my gaming heart

Strong female character by Fern Brady: a review with a clinical perspective

August 4, 2023

The comedian's memoir of undiagnosed autism is a brilliant, angry gem. But I have quibbles.

Molkky- the very best skittles game.

July 9, 2023

The weather is... mainly nice. So here's something I wrote for the Zatu website (board-game.co.uk) about the fun and fiendish outdoor game, Molkky

Thoughts on Babel, by R.F.Kuang

July 5, 2023

My first substack post. Thought I would do something positive and appreciative.