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Kevin Klemme
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Mycelia Board Game Review

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River Wild Board Game Review

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Outback Crossing Review

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× A place to talk about stuff that doesn't belong anywhere else.

Major Butt Kissing delivered to Michael Barnes

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10 Sep 2017 19:08 #254018 by Nagajur
I just want to let you know that I am really enjoying the review corner on Miniature Market. I don't really watch any of the videos, but the written content is really top notch. I'm pretty sure that it has been my single primary resource for game news and reviews since early in the year. As part of a measure to reduce my "acquisition disorder," I stopped consuming other media as I felt like too much chaff was getting through my filter, even if I wasn't buying it, I was seeking out an opportunity to play it, losing valuable Cthulhu Wars time.

Recently, at my friend's house whose game collection is stuck in 2007, we brought out Top Race and I got my first play. The components were a tad dated, but the bluffing during the auction was top notch and the play so streamlined that the game just stole the table with much cursing and shouting.I was super excited to find your review of Downforce in my inbox (I will admit it took me a jump to BGG to figure out it was nearly the same game).

In other words, thanks, and you and your team keep up the great work, the side of the hobby more focused on gaming than collecting needs it.
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10 Sep 2017 19:17 #254019 by stormseeker75
What does this sort of shilling cost these days? J/K. Mike is a true professional as are the folks on his staff.

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10 Sep 2017 21:47 #254030 by Colorcrayons
Barnes' mom has an interesting user name.
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10 Sep 2017 21:54 #254031 by Black Barney
May I offer a contrary viewpoint?
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10 Sep 2017 22:08 #254032 by Nagajur
Hell yes, I will inflate the ego, you knock'em down, tag team, back again, whomp there it is.
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10 Sep 2017 22:13 - 10 Sep 2017 22:14 #254033 by Nagajur

Colorcrayons wrote: Barnes' mom has an interesting user name.


If you look through my post history, you will definitely see that I am most definitely his mother. The name roughly translates from the armanian word for "mother of animal houses."
Last edit: 10 Sep 2017 22:14 by Nagajur.

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10 Sep 2017 22:26 #254036 by Michael Barnes
Thank you for you kind words, mommy- it means a lot, seriously. Doing Review Corner is actually quite a lot of work, more than when I used to Gameshark or post regularly here. I'm looking at 6-8 pieces a week, writing 1 or 2 myself, and managing 12 writers including doing invoices and behind the scenes work. I really didn't think we would make it this long but we are going into year 3 and it's just getting stronger and MM really values what we do. We did a reader survey a few months ago and I was absolutely shocked at how much folks value the _written_ reviews.

I certainly can't take all the credit. Charlie is responsible for setting up the whole thing with MM, and his writing has just blown up over the past two years. So happy to see him doing so well with it- he's come along way from sending me a geek mail asking for reviewing advice!

We also have some top notch writers and I am super proud of what they all do. If you haven't read any of Byron's work, he does an excellent job of reaching deep and approaching games with a multi-disciplinary view. Kyle can handle the classic Euros and wargames equally well. Grace is funny and brutally honest. And we've got FAT's own Nate Owens (San Il Defanso) and of course Pete Ruth. Dan Thurot pops in from time to time and usually blows me away with a great piece. And we are always looking for new folks to write, suggestions always welcome!

Anyway, thanks for reading...it is something I am very proud of and I'm glad it is appreciated.
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10 Sep 2017 22:37 #254037 by Msample
Written reviews are for more likely to get my attention than video reviews, the vast majority of which are huge wastes of my time.
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11 Sep 2017 08:05 #254042 by drewcula
MB has been responsible for a lot of my game purchases. I'll keep reading his reviews where he goes. So even though my customer reward status is through the roof with CSI, I visit MM for the 'written' reviews. No offense MB, but those videos reviews with the weight lifting painter retiree are terrible.
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11 Sep 2017 12:35 #254056 by Michael Barnes
Written reviews, come to find out, are also more widely trafficked. You can read a review anywhere, any time and at your own pace. Video reviews you can't.

I don't actually oversee any of the video stuff. There have been a couple of folks that don't care for them. To be honest, I never watch any of them.
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11 Sep 2017 12:54 #254058 by Shellhead
I routinely ignore video reviews and all podcasts. As you said, I can read a written review anywhere and at my own pace. Podcasts are the worst, because people tend to drone on and on, in tedious detail and even monotone. I also dislike unboxing videos as a timewaster. A couple of big photos of game components do the same job in just seconds.
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11 Sep 2017 19:41 #254080 by Vlad
I have to say that I read far less Barnes' reviews (or miniaturemarket reviews) since he stopped writing his Barnestorming column.

As a separate appreciation note... when I first started reading MB's reviews, I was thinking: "this guy so gets boardgames, I wish he would design one". Now I am glad he didn't ever feature in any kickstarters, or stuff like "co-designed by", etc. Something about professional integrity, I guess.
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11 Sep 2017 20:22 #254083 by san il defanso
I haven't contributed anything to the Review Corner for a long time, mostly because I just don't buy games much, and the rest of the staff hits the high points instead. But I do really enjoy writing for that site. I feel like I've been able to sharpen my own writing quite a bit over the last couple years.

I do check in and read stuff though. It's consistently good work.

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12 Sep 2017 00:36 #254086 by Nagajur

Michael Barnes wrote: Written reviews, come to find out, are also more widely trafficked. You can read a review anywhere, any time and at your own pace. Video reviews you can't.

I don't actually oversee any of the video stuff. There have been a couple of folks that don't care for them. To be honest, I never watch any of them.


As long as the video reviews do not dilute the written reviews, I don't really have an issue with it, but if it turns into Game Boy Geek's youtube feed as it has on occasion, then it's annoying. I'd almost like to see video reviews filtered out by default unless the creator is also including a text review. It's like they are filler when filler is not really needed. I don't really understand who is benefiting from the having the video reviews listed in the "review corner." I get having them attached to the game's detail page so that customers have something to reference, but not in the aggregate original content area.

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12 Sep 2017 12:10 #254111 by SuperflyPete
The display format is weak, IMO. Special articles like the monthly collaborations, Head to Head, and the upcoming clearance stuff should probably have their own headings, or at least be more easily found.
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