Rolling Dice & Taking Names Gaming Podcast

00:01:00 Intro00:05:00 Let’s Get to the Picks01:03:00 Draft Time01:13:00 Outro

Summer 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting movie seasons in years, with big‑name directors, long‑awaited sequels, and the triumphant return of theatrical event‑going. And to celebrate that return, we’ve brought in some familiar voices to help us break down the upcoming releases.

For those new to the show, here’s how we do things. Every movie gets one of three calls. First, if it’s worth your hard‑earned dollars and absolutely demands the full theatrical experience, we’ll tell you to go SCREEN it. If it’s a solid watch but doesn’t need the booming speakers and giant screen, then it’s better to STREAM it at home. And finally, there are those unfortunate titles that miss the mark so badly they’re nothing more than a big, old pile of STEAM — and those should be avoided altogether.

Either way, it’s clear the studios are making a serious push to get us back into theaters, and this summer’s lineup shows they’re not holding anything back.

We’d love to hear from you. So, tell us which movies we missed and what should be on our radar. Jump into the conversation over in our Discord and let us know what you’re planning to SCREEN, STREAM, or is a pile of STEAMing stuff.

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00:01:15 Intro00:05:15 Ascension: LOTR00:07:45 Straight to LOTR Stuff00:11:30 Intro to Harder Games00:17:15 Round Up Error00:20:30 New Contest00:21:30 Taste Buds00:37:30 Portal Games00:38:45 Frenzy Falls00:44:30 Rising Cultures01:04:00 Miniature Market01:05:15 Got Five00:11:15 E-Win Desk01:15:45 SWU Report Out

Whether you’re in the mood for the high-stakes chaos of a spilling pool, the grand strategy of rising civilizations, or the quiet tension of a deduction puzzle, we got it covered in this lineup of games for this episode. First up is Frenzy Falls where players play cards face-down into “Pools,” trying to raise the water level. Once a pool hits a value of 10, it “spills over.” The player with the most influence in that pool at that exact moment snags the points.

Rising Cultures is next on the table and this asymmetric “Civ-in-a-box” experience is designed specifically for two players. You pick from four civilizations either Rome, Egypt, Persia, or the Abbasid Caliphate. The thing we love in this game is the multi-use cards: every card in your hand can be used for resources, military power, building structures, or deploying leaders. You have to decide which path is worth sacrificing the others in order to gain victory over your opponent. Since each civilization has its own unique deck, the game feels completely different every time you swap roles. It’s a tight, 45-minute battle of wits.

Finally, we got a game that shows the strengths and weaknesses of the RDTN crew. You have five tiles on a rack facing away from you. You can see everyone else’s tiles, but not your own. By asking questions like “Where would this tile fit in my sequence?” or “Do I have a tile with this many dots?”, you narrow down the possibilities. The tension is high because you can guess at any time, but if you’re wrong once, you’re out. It’s incredibly satisfying when the logic finally clicks and you can confidently shout, “Got Five!”, which I never got to experience

Thanks for listening and don’t forget about the contest over in the Discord server.
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00:01:00 Intro00:04:30 Skyjo – it isn’t hard00:10:30 Contest: Flip 7 with a Vengeance00:13:00 Tulikko00:23:00 Karma sucks00:26:45 Pandasaurus – Tulikko00:28:00 All In: Predictions00:33:45 Moytura00:40:15 Portal Games00:42:00 Arkham Horror: Investigator Decks00:53:45 Wispwood01:00:15 Miniature Market01:02:15 Torchlit01:09:30 SWU – Escalation League01:14:30 Concert Review01:17:00 Outro

Some weeks, the tabletop world feels like it’s bursting with fresh ideas, and this lineup is a perfect snapshot of that creative energy. Wispwood and Tulikko both tap into mythic forests, but they do it with completely different rhythms. Wispwood leans into cozy tension of tile placement, but each has a different method of accomplishing the end goal. Tulikko’s quick tile‑placement puzzle hits that sweet spot of “teach in a minute, replay all night,” while Wispwood invites players to strategize and consider how to best accomplish the many goals set before them to claim victory over opponents.

Then there’s Moytura, which swings the pendulum toward epic conflict and ancient legend. It’s a game that feels like so many we have played in area majority but offers something new with semi-coop play to battle the game itself to keep it from winning. Torchlit takes trick‑taking in a direction I’ve rarely seen—Bottle Imp is the closest comparison, and even that only gets you partway there. Every hand becomes a tightrope walk where winning a trick and intentionally losing one feel equally viable, equally dangerous, and equally tempting. The game constantly asks you to reassess your position: Is this the moment to take win or is surrendering the trick actually the smarter play.

Rounding out the mix is All In: Predictions, a card game that leans into a poker vibe but adds its own clever twist. Instead of relying solely on the luck of the draw, each card comes with an action that lets you manipulate the flow of the round—mitigating randomness and giving you real agency over your hand. Yet the heart of poker still beats underneath: bluffing, reading the table, and deciding when to push your luck. What really sets the game apart is the shared‑pot mechanic. Even if you don’t have the strongest hand, you can still walk away with chips by correctly predicting who does. Suddenly every reveal becomes a mini‑mind game, and every player is invested in the outcome. It’s fast, social, and full of those “I knew it!” moments that make card games sing.

The Arkham Horror LCG Investigator Decks are pre‑built, ready‑to‑play decks that spotlight a single investigator’s strengths, signature cards, and thematic playstyle. Each one offers a curated experience that shows off what makes that character tick, whether it’s clever clue‑gathering, brute‑force monster smashing, or bending the rules of reality. They’re perfect for new players who want to jump in quickly and for veterans who enjoy seeing how Fantasy Flight interprets each investigator’s identity in deck form.

Thanks for listening and be sure to get over to the Discord channel for an opportunity to win Flip 7 with a Vengeance.

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00:01:30 Intro00:05:30 TCG Storage Solutions00:09:30 SWU Progressive Tournament00:13:00 Red Pill or Blue Pill00:16:00 King’s Gambit – Restoration Games00:20:45 The Rant00:29:30 Arkham Horror LCG Demos00:32:00 Taste Buds00:34:45 Portal Games00:35:45 DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum00:43:30 Compania01:03:45 Miniature Market01:05:15 Flip 7 with a Vengeance01:09:00 Ewin Racing Desk01:12:00 Outro

Compania, Flip 7 With a Vengeance, and DC Breakout each scratch a very different itch, but together they paint a fun snapshot of where modern tabletop design is heading. Compania leans into the current wave of streamlined games, that incorporate two types of mechanics, worker placement and area majority. It’s the kind of design where every turn feels consequential—don’t plan accordingly and be challenged to catch up to the other players. The game’s charm comes from how accessible it feels despite its core; turns are quick, the iconography is clean, and the tension ramps steadily as players jockey for position on a board that never quite seems to have enough to go around.

Flip 7 With a Vengeance takes the opposite approach, embracing chaotic, push‑your‑luck energy with a theatrical flair. It builds on the original Flip 7 formula but adds a layer of “gotcha” cards and combo‑driven moments that make the table erupt. It’s fast, loud, and intentionally swingy—the kind of filler that shines when you want to reset the mood or get a group laughing.

DC Breakout, meanwhile, provides quick, fun experience in a racing game where random dice roll meets strategic position that allows for some tense situations as players jockey for the finish line.

Thanks for listening and hope you are able to get one of the games above to the table.
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00:01:30 Intro00:03:30 Please Sub and Review00:04:30 Granddaddy Stories00:08:30 SWU Update – A Lawless Time00:17:00 TCG News00:21:00 Reality TV – Traitors00:24:30 Firefly Again?00:31:30 Miniature Market00:32:30 Corps of Discovery00:46:00 Portal Games00:47:00 Arkham Horror LCG Chapter 201:13:00 Outro

Two cooperative games hit the table this episode, along with a few thoughts on the Star Wars TCG. It’s always refreshing to switch gears and dive into something fully co‑op, where the tension comes from the puzzle instead of the players. And no, your ears aren’t deceiving you—Marty actually convinced Vanessa to join him for a discussion about Arkham. Who knows… maybe this is the start of her becoming an investigator convert.

Corps of Discovery invites players to retrace the legendary Lewis and Clark expedition, but with a sharper strategic edge than you might expect from a historical adventure. You’re managing a small but determined team as you push westward, balancing resource scarcity, shifting terrain, and the constant pressure of the unknown. The game thrives on its tension: every decision feels like a trade‑off between speed and sustainability, and the modular map keeps each journey fresh. It’s a thoughtful blend of exploration and logistics, capturing both the wonder and the hardship of charting unmapped territory.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game, by contrast, plunges you into a very different kind of expedition—one into cosmic dread and psychological unraveling. Its living‑card‑game structure turns every campaign into a branching narrative where your deck evolves alongside your investigator’s triumphs, traumas, and terrible choices. Scenarios twist the rules, warp the environment, and force you to improvise under pressure, making each session feel like a bespoke horror story. Where Corps of Discovery celebrates discovery and perseverance, Arkham Horror LCG revels in uncertainty and creeping doom, offering a deeply immersive experience that rewards clever deckbuilding and narrative investment.

Thanks for listening and please take a moment to sub or rank if you so desire.

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