The Hunger and Vampire Vineyard’s Cabernet Sauvignon

The Hunger Featured

Hello, Meeples and Wine listeners! This week, we sunk our teeth into The Hunger, a vampire-themed deck-builder by Richard Garfield. In the game, you play as vampires hunting humans to gain points, but there’s a catch: you need to make it back to your castle before sunrise, or you’ll burn to ash! It’s a fun push-your-luck experience where you must balance collecting points with your race against time.

We paired the game with a bottle of Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, which was a solid hit with its smoky, oaky flavor and rich notes of plum and mocha. The game was great for two players, but we both agreed it would be even better with a few more friends to compete against. We also touched on the expansion, Hunger: High Stakes, which adds werewolves and vampire hunters into the mix, making the game even more intense.

If you love spooky deck-builders, we definitely recommend giving this one a try, especially with some vampire wine on the side! More info on the wine here.

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

The Gargoyle Club, The Gargoyle, and Gargoyles

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Heading in for the haunting season we have our first on show mixed drink and get into the world of cocktails with “The Gargoyle.” This classic 1920s drink takes center stage as we uncover the history of the Gargoyle Club, a legendary haunt for bohemian aristocrats and socialites founded by David Tennant. We discuss the picture of this iconic club’s ambiance and its transformation over the years, including its famous elevator and notable visitors, from Fred Astaire to Nick Cave. We also discuss the interesting history of the Gargoyle Club, emphasizing its significance in the 1920s social scene and it’s place in recent history.

In this episode, we dove into the world of Disney’s Gargoyles Awakening board game, and it was quite the adventure. Gargoyles fans from the ’90s will appreciate the nostalgic trip back to New York with Goliath and the gang. The game had a good balance of strategy and action, although it could get a bit frustrating at times, especially when playing with just two players. The villains, particularly Demona, seemed a bit overpowered, making our battles challenging. We tried various strategies, like doubling up on characters, but it was still tough. The game’s components, including the detailed plastic figurines and the 3D buildings, added to the immersion. However, the board felt a bit cramped, and the rules could have been clearer. Overall, it’s a fun game, but it’s best enjoyed with more players to balance the action. We gave it a rating of 6.5 out of 10 and concluded that it’s worth a try for Gargoyles fans, even though it may have a few rough edges.

For our Last Call, Suzy has found a captivating mystery game called “The Great Tea Robbery,” which offers an immersive mystery adventure. This game features unique components like tea, porcelain bowls and cups, and a wooden box filled with intriguing ephemera. Players will unravel the mystery while retracing Robert Fortune’s journey through China, adding a historical and thrilling twist to the gameplay. It’s a high-quality experience with plenty of replayability, making it worth the investment.

Next, Michael discusses “Faceless Amusement Park,” a game that takes an eerie turn as players try to reclaim stolen memories from a demon haunting the park. The game uses a unique magnetic compass mechanism to control elements on the board. While the concept and visuals are appealing, we’re uncertain about how well the magnet feature functions in gameplay. He also mentions a related game, “Faceless,” with a similar magnetic mechanism. Overall, it’s an intriguing game with some mysteries of its own.

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

Tiki Long Tongue Liar and Gates of Delirium

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Ever wonder about the creatures from beyond your sight and what madness lies in even trying to discover the truth behind the veil, and also what would be a nice refreshing beer to drink while doing it? Well this week we review both the beer Tiki Tongue Liar from Miskatonic Brewery and the board game Gates of Delirium from Renegade Game Studios. The beer is described as a soft, tart, and prickly kettle sour with pineapple flavors, complemented by a slightly salty and sweet body. The dry hop of Sabro adds a light coconutty taste to the beer.

tikilong

Moving on to the game review, Gates of Delirium is a game where players embark on a quest to uncover the truth. They search for ancient runes, lost pages of a scattered tome, and investigate the rumors of evil monstrosities calling for their return. As players progress, they become less connected to reality and experience strange occurrences, losing track of time and feeling the whispers of secret gates to another world growing stronger.

Untitled design

The game revolves around split action cards, with one side representing sanity and the other insanity. Each round, one player decides whether the round will be sane or insane, and all players must play the corresponding side of their cards. During sane rounds, players search for maps, lost pages, and assign investigators to aid their cause. In contrast, during insane rounds, players collect ancient runes and work towards building gates to release the very monstrosities their sane selves have been trying to prevent.

Madness

The objective is to earn the most victory points by the time the last monstrosity is released. Michael and Suzy provide their thoughts on the game, discussing its mechanics, gameplay experience, and overall enjoyment. Listeners can gain insights into both the beer and the board game, making it an entertaining episode for couples interested in board game reviews while enjoying a drink.

This week’s Last Call is Ding Dong and Mekkablood: Series One, both on Kickstarter!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/