30
June
2007

Episode 41 of Upon Further Review!

We’re back into audio mode this week as we look at the serious business of games in Episode 41 of Upon Further Review! In this episode we thank everyone for their kind words and comments while we were in Norway and then move on to the heart of the show: first, we twist ourselves around a bit with our review of the board game Dungeon Twister; second, we get down and dirty with some dungeon crawling as we look at the board game Descent: Journeys in the Dark; and finally, we flip out over the latest Nintendo masterpiece, Super Paper Mario. We’re glad to be back on the recording routine, and hope you will all continue to send your suggestions for things to review, feedback on our shows, and general good vibes (and, of course, tell others to do the same). (As usual, podsafe intro music is provided by Sharif (“You’re My Girl”); outro and in-episode music this week is provided by The Kode Secret with their appropriate “Mario Medley” tune (thanks, guys)!)

Reviewed in this show:

Dungeon Twister

Descent: Journeys in the Dark

Super Paper Mario

7 Comments

  1. Crevette:

    Good speak about dungeon twister. Be careful about the Troll when you’ll go out of the studio…

  2. admin:

    Thanks, Crevette…generally speaking we have an understanding with the Troll, which involves a complex series of logic puzzles and raw meat. So far, so good. :) Welcome to the UFR family, and we hope you’ll stick around!

    T.R.

  3. Phoenixio:

    Nice review for Dungeon Twister ;)

    A few things to add, like answers to some of your questions and thaughts:

    Yes, adjusting the number of required points makes the game a little longer, and it doesn’t end as surprisingly. The more the game is advanced, the more it is difficult to score points when some of your characters are dead or out of the dungeon.

    In France, 7 expansions are out now, and the 8th one is under way. However, each expansion is like the base game: 8 characters, 8 rooms, 6 objects, and a full booklet of new rules. I don’t know about the translation, but Asmodee is having some problem for the distribution of the game in US (being much more developped in Europe than in US). That makes the whole process much longer. But if you can’t wait for the translated versions, just make a short trip to Quebec, where they have all of them, in French obviously.

    I’ll stick around for a while, some reviews caught my attention ;)

  4. admin:

    Hi Phoenixio, and thanks for the feedback–we’re definitely going to give the extra points idea a try. As for the expansions, that’s good information on the distribution issue–I guess we’ll just have to wait as long as we can stand it. Greg’s mother is fluent in French, but Greg’s French is, er, suspect, so not sure if the Quebec option will be a viable one…but we’ll definitely think about it. Welcome to the show, and please do stick around and keep contributing…we have some nice and interesting people around here!

    T.R.

  5. Calinqwe:

    Very good review and good speak about dungeon twister :)

  6. admin:

    Thanks, Calinqwe, we appreciate it–and welcome! Apparently a lot of Dungeon Twister fans have found their way here, and we hope you’ll stick around for future shows.

    T.R.

  7. Chris:

    Woo hoo!!! Back in audio form!!! So happy :-)

    And thanks so much for the mention on the cast! It’s nice to hear that you hear me and know that I hear you, I hear.

    Thanks for taking this show to review all the different games, G & C! I’m going to give some of these, or at least some of the ones in this format a try. Been kind of tied to one-player video games, but I’ve got a closet full of board games myself and it’s high time I took them out and forced my wife to play them with me (kidding… she likes games too, but we also need to find some friends for the more party game types).

    Well, I have to admit, i’ve strayed. Well, maybe not so much strayed, but expanded my podcast listening universe, in no small part due to your show and your reviews of other podcasts. I’d be interested in hearing your opinions on some of them, and think they’re worth the airtime because they are pretty good and have the potential to be much more given the feedback, I think. I have more detailed opinions about them, but won’t taint yours by spilling my cheers and jeers before you get a crack at them.

    One is called “Three Things You Should Know” (www .threethingsyoushouldknow. com). I’m really not sure how I found it, but one day it was in my iTunes list, so I checked it out. Intriguing title, great premise, interesting information.

    Another is “Working Podcast” (www .jobacle. com). If you decide to review this one, please take a sampling of shows, making sure to catch some in the 50s, as well as some of the later ones. Filled with info, mixed with humor, relatively short episodes (around 15m, each).

    Along those lines, there’s also one called “Manager Tools” (www .manager-tools. com). Seems to be intended for a more specific audience, but could speak to anyone – manager or not.

    There are a few more, but what do you think about checking these out? Add them to your (I’m sure already unbelievably long) list or into your bingo drum of potential topics or whatever, if you would?

    Good to hear you again. And I see that 42 is already up!!!!!! Yea!!!! (never know how to spell that… is it “Yay!”, “Yea!”, “Yeah!”, maybe “Yeigh!”?)

    Ashamed to admit that even though I’m a videophile, I haven’t watched your Scandanavian series yet, but i’ve got access to some video tools, and would gladly help convert them to iTunes format if it would help.

    Can’t wait to listen to 42! And I think I’ve still got some past catching up to do… anyway, thanks!!!!!

    – Chris

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