Review copy submissions are always welcome, but there are a few things you need to know and understand first. Please read the following before contacting the blog about reviewing your game.

(Photo by Matt Seymour on Unsplash)
(Photo by Matt Seymour on Unsplash)

Reviews Not Paid For and Games Not Sold

First of all, and most importanly, reviews on this blog are NOT PAID FOR!

Free review copies are also NEVER SOLD and it is not assumed they can be kept either.

Any games that are allowed to be kept are either donated to a board game club or charity, auctioned or raffled off for a good cause, or in some rare cases, go to a friend or family member for them to enjoy. In some even rarer cases, I keep the game for myself.

Personal Opinions Based on Actual Plays

Secondly, reviews are always based on actual plays. Each game is played enough time to be confident that it can be discussed constructively and in a meaningful way.

Reviews are the author’s opinion of a game, which is often influenced by how the other players felt when they played it. Reviews will discuss the author’s concerns or things that people didn’t like about your game, as well as positive experiences. Saying that, reviews always try to be fair and ensure any criticism is constructive.

Reviews in Written and Audio Format

Reviews appear in written format on this blog and are promoted via various social media channels, such as Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Mastodon.

Reviews are also released in audio format on the podcast, which is available on all major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and others.

Deadlines and Lead Times

As it takes a while to play a game, write the review, record it and get everything ready for publication, there are lead times to consider. It usually takes 4-6 weeks from receiving the game until a review is published.

However, it depends on the game and the current schedule as to how long it takes for the review of your specific game to appear. Some games can be turned out more quickly, while others take longer.

Generally speaking, there is no guarantee of a deadline. The release date for a review is down to my own discretion. However, I will try to fit my reviews around a game’s release or marketing schedule, whenever possible.

So if your crowdfunding campaign is soon, a review of your game may not appear in time for its launch, but you may still want it to be reviewed during or afterwards. That can be helpful to keep a campaign’s momentum going or can allow you to promote your pre-order or late pledge efforts. If you are planning on selling your game after the campaign is over, late reviews are also very useful.

The only thing that is fixed, is the day of the week. Reviews are always published on a Saturday. So please bear that in mind.

my board game library

Prototypes

Reviewing prototypes is not a problem, as long as the rules are practically finished, meaning how the game plays is almost complete, apart from maybe some minor tweaks. So even if the rulebook isn’t laid out yet, your game’s artwork isn’t complete or the components are simple standard ones and will be replaced with something else in the final game, just explain what the final product is likely to look like and your game still be reviewed. Of course, the review will explain that it is for a prototype copy and explain what is yet to change.

Print-and-Play Versions

Print-and-play games can also be reviewed, as long as there is not a lot of cutting out or other time-consuming assembly required. A single-sheet roll-and-write with a few pages of rules is absolutely fine. Alternatively, you can send in your ready-made PnP, even if some standard components, like dice, cubes or pens are missing.

Of course, the same applies to PnPs as it does to prototypes. So the rules for your game have to be basically finished with no or only minor tweaks needed.

Online and Digital Versions

The focus these days is on physical copies, but online or digital versions of games are still sometimes accepted. Reviews of online or digital versions will explain that they are not based on a physical copy and will not cover component quality or the physical game experience. These reviews will focus on the mechanisms and the enjoyment derived from them only.

Roleplaying and Tabletop Skirmish/War/Miniature Games

Despite the name of the blog, roleplaying games are never reviewed, while tabletop miniature games have made an appearance but review copies aren’t currently accepted as a matter of course.

I simply haven’t played RPGs for many decades and I don’t have a group to try them with. So it doesn’t make sense for me to try and review them.

With regard to tabletop miniature games, I’ve started to make a foray into the genre, but it’s all still quite new to me. While I see how I get on with these, I won’t accept the submission of review copies of these types of games.

Solo Games

I don’t usually review solo-only games or solo modes for multiplayer games, even though I have done so in the past and always strongly recommend publishers include solo modes. So please do get in touch if you have a solo game or a solo mode you would like to be covered in a review.

Alternatively, there are dedicated solo game reviewers, who I recommend you contact instead:

Two-Player Games

The blog features reviews for anything from light to medium-heavy two-player games. It doesn’t matter if these are two-player-only games or games that can be played with two players.

Three or More-Player Games

Medium-heavy to heavy games for three or more players are also always welcome, as long as you can play them with at least three players.

Definite No-Nos

There are a number of things that mean that your game will definitely NOT be reviewed – but these should be really obvious.

If your game contains illustrations, miniatures, descriptions, names, game mechanisms, rules or anything else that glorifies or promotes racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, ableism, body shaming, misogyny or any other discriminatory behaviours and prejudices, killing, torture or any other maltreatment of people or animals, and it doesn’t deal with these in a sensitive, constructive and meaningful way, then please don’t send it in.

Similarly, games whose main focus is on sexual practices, drinking or drugs, even if it’s in a fantasy or other fictional setting, will also NOT be reviewed, unless they do so in a sensitive, constructive and meaningful way.

Games that use gendered pronouns like “he” or “she” in rulebooks or other game material, unless it’s to talk about a specific in-game character (but then I would expect your game to have a diverse range of characters) are also not welcome, unless it is to highlight issues with gender and is done in a sensitive, constructive and meaningful way,

Please make sure your game uses gender-neutral pronouns, such as “they” or “you”.

Sensitive, Constructive and Meaningful Games Welcome

So, as I said, if your game deals with any of the above in a sensitive, constructive and meaningful way, in an attempt to highlight issues and educate people about them, please DO get in touch.

No to AI

I will also never knowingly review games that have used AI tools that are based on copyrighted work.

So if for example, your game uses artwork that was created using tools that do not require artists’ prior active permission for their work to be used, then please don’t contact me.

If you try to hide the fact that your game uses such artwork and I find out later, you will be added to a blacklist and will also be barred from having any of your games reviewed in the future.

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Get in Touch

So, if you have made it this far, you know if you should contact the blog to discuss your game or not.

If you want to get in touch, please send a brief description of your game and some of the basic stats, like player count and game length, as well as a copy of the rulebook in PDF or similar digital format.

Just use the contact form or DM me on Twitter or Discord.