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....

Gridstones Game Review

Edward de Bono said, “Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.” But a human mind cannot help but look for and establish patterns as part of its process of incorporating information. Cause and effect are two essential principles that help us learn and adapt. In this game, you must find the patterns, but at the same time, break them to find what you are looking for! Continue reading

Hegemonic Game Review

Peace throughout the galaxy was maintained by a powerful few, but nothing lasts forever. When the great leaders passed, the ideals they attempted to instill in their people began to fade. The allure of the unknown and the promise of riches on other worlds became too tempting to ignore. Galactic calm has been replaced by bitter strife. Allies wage political battles while warring space fleets explode in the vacuum of space. Lead your people to their destiny or their doom. Continue reading

Grablin Game Review

No one said getting rich was easy, but they never said anything about dying either. The job sounded simple enough: rush into the dungeon, grab the treasure, and rush out again. You thought the “rushing” part was included because your employer wanted the job done fast. Little did you know that you would be running away from monsters. Oh, well. Another day, another dollar. Continue reading

Journey Stones (Boxed Edition) Game Review

Ralph Waldo Emerson said “Life is a journey, not a destination.” As we grow older, experience new things, love, laugh, cry, and hurt, we learn. We become more than what we once were each time we take a step forward. The definition of success is personal and highly subjective. For some, it’s wealth and for others, power. In this game, success is survival. Continue reading

Transformers Construct-Bots Toy Review

Ever since the mid 1980’s, I have been fascinated with the Transformers. As a child, I played with them for countless hours, acting out epic wars with my brothers and friends. As a parent, I get to play with the “robots in disguise” with my little geeks. Throughout the years, I have seen many Transformers introduced to the market. Sometimes I like them, but oftentimes dismiss them as garbage. I’m curious to see how the newest bots on the block will fare… Continue reading

The Upside Game Review

Winston Churchill said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” In this game of outrageous misfortune, every player is asked to be an opportunist to the extreme. The worst possible situation you can imagine is about to be presented. The goal is simple: flip difficulty into opportunity. Not an easy task. Sometimes finding the upside is an uphill struggle, but well worth the effort. Continue reading

Bringing A Child’s Illustration to Life

Take a moment and ask a young child to describe something imaginary. You might find that they ramble endlessly or their description makes very little sense. Younger children oftentimes do not have the necessary vocabulary skills to formulate their abstract thoughts into coherent sentences. What any child can do is draw. A child might be limited when attempting to verbally describe what they see in their head, but their artistic freedom has no such limitations. Continue reading

LightSpeed Game Review

In the blink of an eye, your world could change. Nothing is for certain. We plan and we scheme, but all it takes is one unknown to throw everything off. But the human mind quickly adapts. New challenges result in new solutions. We overcome obstacles and persevere when everything to the contrary suggests that failure is the only possible outcome. In this game, every choice could lead to disaster or a brilliant opportunity, but victory is never certain. Continue reading

Pretty Ugly Game Review (prepublished version)

The pursuit of beauty is often in the opposite direction of truth. We cover wrinkles, hide bulges, and cake ourselves with chemicals in hopes of becoming beautiful to others. Some have made a career out of defining “beauty”. Others have dedicated their lives to obtain it. Both groups quickly learn that what is pleasing to the eye today will be shunned tomorrow, making the pursuit of beauty a pretty ugly experience. Continue reading

Dark Horse: Rebels & Rogues Game Expansion Review (prepublished version)

Life in the “Wild West” was tough. There were only two ways to make a living: work the land or cheat the populace. The strong preyed on the weak and the weak banded together to fight the strong. This was a time where fame and infamy were the same thing, and right or wrong was decided at gunpoint. Continue reading

Worker Placement Game Review (prepublished version)

You consider yourself an optimistic opportunist. That’s why when the economy took a hit, and lots of highly skilled individuals were out of work, you saw nothing but profit to be gained. You have started your own Temp Business and are now seeking to fulfill lucrative contracts. Of course, so are other entrepreneurs, but a little competition can be healthy, right? Train your employees well and you just might be able to beat your competition to the finish line! Continue reading

Quartex Game Review

The human mind sees patterns in everything. We are hardwired to make associations with what we encounter in our daily lives, be it a person, a place, or a thing. This helps us make choices by matching something new to something we already know. In this game, every piece of the puzzle you add will make the “big picture” all the more difficult to observe. Get ready to think hard and see patterns where none yet exist! Continue reading