About Cyrus

Editor in Chief, Owner/Operator, Board Game Fanatic, Father of Three, and Nice Guy, Cyrus has always enjoyed board, card, miniature, role playing, and video games, but didn't get back into the hobby seriously until early 2000. Once he did, however, he was hooked. He now plays board games with anyone and everyone he can, but enjoys playing with his children the most. Video games continue to be of real interest, but not as much as dice and little miniatures. As he carefully navigates the ins and outs of parenting, he does his very best to bestow what wisdom he has and help nurture his children's young minds. It is his hope and ambition to raise three strong, honorable men who will one day go on to do great things and buy their Mom and Dad a lobster dinner. Cyrus goes by the handle fathergeek on Board Game Geek. You can also check him out on CyrusKirby.com. Yes, he has a URL that is his name. His ego knows no bounds, apparently....

Terrene Odyssey Game Review

Antiphanes wrote “The quest for riches darkens the sense of right and wrong.” Or, to put it another way, greed can make one’s moral compass a lot less accurate. In this game, you will command a group of adventurers seeking treasure. Treasure so great that you will stop at nothing to get it, including destroying anyone who gets in your way. Guess what happens when you meet another group of adventurers with the same plan? Continue reading

Missing Link Game Review

Buddhism teaches that all life is interrelated on levels that are both visible and invisible. There is always something that connects you to the person next to you, to a rock halfway across the world, and to the universe as a whole. Pretty deep. In this game, players will be asked to identify what is common and not so common between knowns and unknowns. When you see what’s missing, you’ll see the answer. Continue reading

Battle for Sularia Game Review (prepublished version)

Sularia was once a planet of beauty and majesty. The people who populated it lived in peace and prosperity, but that is the past. The vast gardens teaming with life are now dusty plains. The great cities that once reached to the heavens now lay in ruin. You would see your people rise above the death and decay. Gather your forces and battle to claim the precious resources necessary to bring the planet back to life, as your will decrees. Continue reading

Rubber-N-Glue Game Review

English novelist Algernon Blackwood said, “And so with all things: names were vital and important.” Many societies see titles and names as significant aspects of everyday life. They are used to communicate public status, wealth, and prestige. They are also used to slander, belittle, and besmirch. In this game, players will attempt to complete a title that would befit royalty, while opponents seek to make them paupers at every turn. Continue reading

Apotheca Game Review (prepublished version)

Rumors abound of a secret society of apothecaries who know ancient magics and the key to immortality. You have sought this society out and hope to persuade them to allow you to join their ranks. They are amused by your request and will allow you to demonstrate your skills. The first to appease 3 apothecaries will be allowed to join and have access to unlimited power, among other perks, such as discount wagon parking. Continue reading

NanoBot Battle Arena

The belief that “bigger is better” is held by many, but it’s not necessarily an accurate statement. Nanobots are small enough to travel through the human body next to red blood cells and have firepower equal to that of an M1A2 Abrams main battle tank (albeit on a smaller scale). Size, it turns out, is all relative. Continue reading

Wee Beasties: Bedtime Book Review

Even the biggest of dragons were once small hatchlings. Those horrific beasts that hunt in the dark woods, terrorize villages, and gobble up children were once kids themselves. It’s easy to forget that the biggest and baddest of monsters started out small and cute. In this book, you get to glimpse the “early years” of several fantasy beasts, which are not so different than our own. Continue reading

Monstrous Game Review (prepublished version)

Zeus was not pleased. The mortals no longer feared their creators. Their prayers lacked reverence. Enraged, Zeus summoned the other gods, saying “The mortals have forgotten us. They no longer know their place. This shall not stand!” And with that, Zeus unleashed his fury and jealousy upon the world… Continue reading

Castle Defenders Game Review

Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun Tzu said, “Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack.” Which is to say, if you are well defended, nothing can defeat you, but you will defeat nothing if you don’t attack. In this game, each side is well defended and armed, but only the most tactical player on the battlefield will win the game. No guts, no glory. Continue reading

Commissioned Game Review (prepublished version)

Persecution is rampant. The Jewish authorities and the Roman Legion search the land for followers of the troublemaker known as “Jesus”. You are a disciple and have been tasked to spread the teachings of Jesus across the land, establishing churches, and leading followers. But the powers that be fear you and the message you spread. With the help of other Apostles, you must journey on a path paved with trials and tribulations, for it is your calling… Continue reading

Tree Game Review

Thomas Carlyle said, “When the oak is felled the whole forest echoes with its fall, but a hundred acorns are sown in silence by an unnoticed breeze.” The death of something great is a visceral experience. Loss does not go unnoticed, but birth and new beginnings are sometimes ignored. In this game, players will grow a forest from a single seed and discover that the life of a tree is full of close calls and pitfalls. Continue reading

The Positive Side to Negative Reviews?

Every once in a while, the Reviewer community likes to kick up the dust by having a lively debate on the pros and cons of negative reviews. The argument normally consists of two parts. The first is if a reviewer can be taken seriously if they only provide positive reviews. The second questions if a Reviewer should publish a negative review at all. To bastardize the Bard, “To be negative or not to be negative is the question.” Continue reading