This Sunday was a chance to get some gaming done, so after a bit of wrangling we got most the group together for some board game fun and frolics.

But first a little bit about my game shop visits over the last fortnight.  Last weekend I decided to visit my Friendly Local Gaming Store (FLGS) in Bristol called Area 51. I had not visited in a while, due to saving for a house, and I felt it was time to see what new games were out.

There on the shelf in gleaming, shiny, pristine shrink wrap were two games I really wanted – Battles of Westros and Castle Ravenloft.  They called to me “Mike…Mike…you really want us…please take us home”.  But I resisted and walked out the shop empty handed.  Mind you, I had a strop that would make Christian Bales Terminator Salvation rant look like a small grumble between pals.

After what can only be described as a “week of complete and total grumpiness” I decided we should go back and pick up the games.  looking at, adjusting, squeezing and a bit of money transferring in my accounts I could get away with two games without breaking the bank.  Oh yes! Some gaming goodness would be mine and I knew what they would be……until I got to the shop.

I always enjoy visiting Area 51 and it has come a bit of a ritual.

Step One : Stop at the front of the shop.  Prepare yourself mentally for the joy your about to receive.

Step Two : Admire the store front, Aaahhhh!

Step Three : Shuffle a bit closer, peer in through the window at the jumble of miniatures and gaming paraphernalia.

Step Four : Move to the other window and repeat Step Three.

Step Five : Open the door.  Avoid the dust cloud of swirling, card holding, potential death by paper-cut dealing mass of kids talking about / haggling over Magic the Gathering cards which always congregated at the till.  Usually this can be accomplished by a quick tuck and roll or by throwing a empty booster pack wrapper in the opposite direction of where you want to go.

Step Six : You’ve done it – Gaming Heaven!

Well not this time.  I only got to Step Three.  There in the pile of games stacked behind the till was Betrayal at House on the Hill.  I had heard a lot about this game and there it was, the brand new second edition. Before I knew what happened I was standing back outside the store with Castle Ravenloft and Betrayal at House on the Hill.

The bits in between are still a bit of a blur.  Slamming front door, children falling like bowling pins, fluttering MtG cards,  GAMES, beeps of credit card pin being rammed home, slamming of the front door again.  ”Hang on! I’m outside?……OOooooh Games!”

So two new games for gaming Sunday then!

Castle Ravenloft was most definitely the game of the day.  In total we played three times and had a blast.  We have all played 4th Edition D&D so the rules were easy to understand as it uses the same RPG system. The hero’s lost the first quest, we decided that working as a team sucks and went in different directions. Queue mass death and destruction, a lesson learned I think.  We replayed the same quest and using team work we were able to find the icon of Ravenloft.  Queue the victory dancing.   We moved on to the next quest, beat a huge dragon, another dance and then on to Betrayal at House on the Hill.

If you have never played Betrayal at House on the Hill you HAVE to give it a go.  It might not be to every one’s taste but as a game I will say that it is fun, unusual and had some brilliant twists.  Lets just say our characters escaped the Tabby Cat of DEATH in our last game by flying a toy plane off the balcony.  Yes its THAT random. I will write a full review in the future as I won’t do it justice in the few lines that I have time for right now.

Then it was on to Rune Wars.  You can see my thoughts on Rune Wars here.

Anyway, after the grump I was in last week this was just the thing to get me excited about my hobby again.

I would like to say a BIG thank you to the Guys for a wicked day!  GAME ON!