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Hi all,
So I figured I'd focus my first real blog-post on the mack-daddy of my board game collection, BattleStar Galactica. I wrote earlier that BSG is presently king of my gaming enjoyment, yet I also indicated that the core purpose of this blog is to focus on the more cerebral, strategic, and/or tactical games - so what gives?!
For me, at least in more recent years, I generally gauge a game's overall "goodness" by the feeling it provides before, during, and after play. Let's break it down with this particular game:
 BEFORE: As one of my close friends likes to repeatedly bust me on, I love reading rulebooks! I also tend to enjoy the setup process for a good game, where I know many others would rather play something that's quicker to setup and get into. Of course the overall sense of anticipation to play a particular game plays heavily into the tolerance level for rulebook assimilation and setup time. In the case of Battlestar, there is always a strong sense of intrigue prior to the game - who will be human this game, who are the cylons, what characters will everyone pick, when will the cylons appear, how will the humans struggle this time around, who is Cally going to shoot in the head on the first round, etc.etc. Each game is so vastly different, and the added human dynamic of the hidden loyalty system creates such a sense of mystery and anticipation that I have not seen elsewhere. In short, anytime there's a chance we'll be playing a game of BSG I simply can't wait to get into it - before the game has begun we're already enjoying the experience.
 DURING: For anyone who's played this game it's no secret that the game is truly a rich, unknown story that unfolds before the players in real-time. This is why I classify BSG among the best of the best games, even though it isn't inherently a complex game involving much tactical depth. So while this game lacks in cold hard numbers and the ability to develop deep overarching strategies, it drips of theme, tension, and anxiety. With that said, there is still some room to develop interesting strategies, whether you're on the human or cylon side. This game fosters interpersonal communication, planning, and cooperation that is rarely seen in other games. Essentially, I believe, it combines the best of cooperative games (Forbidden Island, Space Alert), hidden loyalty games (Werewolf, Mafia, The Resistance), and games rich in theme and atmosphere (War of the Ring). Combined with the core game mechanics that create an incredibly bleak outlook for the human side, regardless of how well they may seem to be doing, this game has provided the absolute best gaming moments I've ever experienced, bar none.
 AFTER: Regardless of how late we play, or how many games we've played throughout the day, there is always post-game conversation. How could we have done things differently, what would have happened if that event didn't, OMG you were a cylon from the beginning?!, etc. This conversation can be almost as fun as the game itself, usually accompanied by much smack talking, laughter, and sometimes even tears. So in the same way the game creates the best gaming moments, it also provides for some of the best social moments as well.
For me BSG stands in a league of its own. It's not a tactical game, like RuneWars or War of the Ring, and it's not a highly strategic game, like Puerto Rico or Dominion. In fact, it's really like very few other games out there - the closest I've seen is Arkham Horror, and to me BSG is unquestionably the better game (your mileage may vary), primarily due to the added human dynamic with the hidden loyalties.
So is BSG the king or queen of my gaming collection? As someone who usually leans towards games with strong tactical/strategic depth, I would say it couldn't possibly take the crown, but then I can't ignore the fact that it has brought me more heart pumping anxiety and immense pride upon victory than any other game experience to date. It may not have the depth of some other games I adore, but it spans a far greater breadth of gaming criteria than most, and it excels every step of the way. I am firm in my statement that at this point BSG is by far my favorite board game.
YOUR TURN! What I would love to hear from you all is less about how you may agree or disagree with this particular game's worth, though I would find that interesting as well, but more about what your greatest gaming experience was like and why.
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