Highlights from UK Games expo
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 lot. But I'm not going to bang on about my experience, partly because it's not that interesting to people who weren't there (although over 30000 people were) but also because Tim Clare has written a much better and more vivid account than I could manage.
This is an opportunity though for a quick highlights post. Here are some things I thought were interesting and fun, that you might want to check out.
In no particular order:
Roll camera: an utterly charming and hugely fun cooperative game depicting the chaos of film-making. And the designer is a very delightful chap. Full review coming soon!
Sumo. Tiniest and quickest game I played, and as moreish as a barbecue Pringle. Manages to feel like wrestling with a handful of cards and hardly any rules.
Rising sun: not something we bought, something we brought and enjoyed in the enormous open gaming area. Erik Lang’s epic game of warring Japanese clans can be brittle, but when it sings… it's amazing. Bonus: I met the inimitable Mr Lang and he told me he's not very good at this game. Maybe I could win a game one day then…
Redwood: after two board games about oriental combat, a charming but often confounding game about competitive photography in the Redwood forests of California. Absolutely unique.
Stealing stories from the devil: One problem with role-playing games is that the players are essentially discovering a world created by the games master, which they have little influence over. This game from veteran designer Monte Cook solves this by giving the player characters reality-distorting powers. And making them really, really cool.
Ionheart: I've never played a solo role-playing game, but the idea of writing a story guided by prompts and dice rolls appeals. And this is one where I get to bimble around a galaxy aboard my own mech. So I'm down for it.
For the queen: Having said that these are in no particular order, I've cheated a bit because I've bookended the list with my two favourites. A storytelling card game about the players’ relations to and history with their queen, this works better than it has any right to, and is just gorgeous to look at. Like a session zero for the best RPG you will never play.
I realise I owe you lovelies a book review, if I'm going to stick to alternating between books and games. I'm half way through something quite heavy, so this is a placeholder for when I get my thoughts on that in line.
Next time!,
I realise that I've only really recommended music by female artists this year, but it's that kind of year, and Billie Eilish has just looked at the very high bar and vaulted right over it. Hit me Hard and Soft might be my favourite album of the year. Might be.