Games

This is a list of all games that have so far been discussed on Talking Shelf Space. Doing long form, in-depth reviews and first impressions does take its time. I seem to average one piece every 2-3 weeks and started in early 2022. So by now a sizeable back catalogue exists for you to enjoy!

  • First Impressions of Oros – A Fresh Breeze That Moves Mountains

    First Impressions of Oros – A Fresh Breeze That Moves Mountains

  • First Impressions of Splendor Duel – Smaller Box, Bigger Game?

    First Impressions of Splendor Duel – Smaller Box, Bigger Game?

  • Review of Encyclopedia – The Power of Expectations

    Review of Encyclopedia – The Power of Expectations

  • First Impressions of Heat: Pedal to the Metal – Zero to Fun in Sixty Seconds

    First Impressions of Heat: Pedal to the Metal – Zero to Fun in Sixty Seconds

  • First Impressions of John Company: Second Edition – A Story Worth to Be Told

    First Impressions of John Company: Second Edition – A Story Worth to Be Told

  • First Impressions of Woodcraft – Who Knew Carpentry Would Be Such a Tight Business?

    First Impressions of Woodcraft – Who Knew Carpentry Would Be Such a Tight Business?

  • Preview of Tranquility: The Ascent – The Things We Do for Board Games

    Preview of Tranquility: The Ascent – The Things We Do for Board Games

  • First Impressions of Carnegie – A Perfected Euro Experience

    First Impressions of Carnegie – A Perfected Euro Experience

  • First Impressions of Golem – The Evolution of a Classic

    First Impressions of Golem – The Evolution of a Classic

  • First Impressions of Castles of Mad King Ludwig Collector’s Edition – Lovely Game Gets Dreamy Production

    First Impressions of Castles of Mad King Ludwig Collector’s Edition – Lovely Game Gets Dreamy Production

Editorial Policy

When I started this project, I had one firm rule: only write about a game if there is a story to tell. There is already an abundance of content creators that do “this is how the game is played and do I like it” and I noticed that I didn’t find them helpful at all. Often they were produced after only a few plays, which might explain why the enthusiasm with which the games were presented didn’t really match the long term feedback that later came from the community of players out there.

The articles on this site are written only once I’ve played a game enough times to discovered its core, what it is really about. They are more about the experience of playing a game rather than its rules. So don’t expect being able to play the game after reading one of the discussions here. Instead, I love digging into small details that one doesn’t get from a rulebook but only from actively playing a game. There are also no ratings. It is up to you to figure out if a particular game is for you. I can only try to paint you a picture what’s it like to play the game.

As a general rule, I don’t ask for review copies. I’m not opposed to the idea, but mainly I don’t want to have the pressure of having to write about a game I don’t know if it will interest me or not. Pretty much all games you read about on this page have been bought by me, either first or second hand, or been on loan from a friend. In the rare case where that isn’t so, I mention it in the article.