Well, it's that time of year, the time when everyone climbs all over everyone else to get their Top 10 lists up and running. We're no different here at the PCP, so we have some lists for you too. However, we are different enough to put a little spin on the exercise. So,  mainly because we've yet to play all the major 2014 releases, here are the top games we played for the first time in 2014.

Yeah, bet you didn't see that coming.

Of course, rather than keep it simple, we throw other lists at you first: Disappointments, games that need to be played more, honorable mentions. In other words, we talk about a lot of games in this one. Help you somebody!

GENERAL TIMELINESS:

08:20 -- What We're Doing
09:00 -- Friendless Stats
10:48 -- Disappointments
26:27 -- Need More Plays
44:35 -- Honorable Mentions
64:17 -- The Top 10 Games We Played For the First Time in 2014

Over two long play sessions we've decided the fate of post-war Germany five times over, and we've survived to tell the tale. Just how good is Histogame's Wir Sind Das Volk!, and can it rise above GMT's cold war competition? Can these game designers take the ridiculous and make it sublime? Will we come to grips with the whisky is rated? Why is the sky blue?

Join us on this magical journey back to the middle of the 20th Century and find out. Mostly.

SHOWTIMES:

00:42 -- BenRiach 10 Year-old Curiositas
02:57 -- Ratings: Theirs, Ours and Everyone's
09:30 -- Wir Sind Das Volk! (very full review)

We're a little low-key early on in this one, but there's nothing like Feld mechanics to raise the temperature of a discussion. Come along to a quiet little city on the Zwin. Or even better, join us for some Dim Sum in 1960s New York City.

TIMESCAPES

03:05 -- When Things Go Bad #2
06:50 -- Jim plays Uwe, WHA????
21:38 -- Temporum, a brief note
24:45 -- Setup? This is about setup???
28:45 -- The Feld Throwdown begins
30:30 -- Featuring the Bruges Expansion (review)
53:05 -- Expansions?
60:45 -- Chinatown (review)
76:10 -- Age of Steam
83:00 -- Lethargy Incorporated

Episode 50! A Milestone. We've got special guests and previews of secret upcoming games by all-star designers and marching bands and . . . well, none of that really. Just Jim and Eric pontificating about some games they've played. But that's what you came for, right? Right? Hello?

THE TIMES (ARE A CHANGIN')

01:35 -- What to put under the tree
07:30 -- How could we forget Imperial Settlers?
08:35 -- Meh (Five Tribes)
13:12 -- Meh 2 (La Isla)
19:49 -- And fill the stockings too.
21:25 -- La Granja (full review)

You do not mess around with Sandra. If she wants something, she wants it now, and you hop to. And don't try impressing here with your fifth upgraded part when she's only interested in the first three. She doesn't have time. Just make sure you're working enough shifts and pushing those cars through in a timely order to facilitate the Automotive Revolution.

But if you want an escape you can always go to Greenland. In 1200 AD. Find yourself a fine Norse woman and settle down a while. Watch out for sharks.

TIMELINE:

01:23 -- Auchentoshan
03:38 -- Productive Gaming & the Sheriff of Nottingham
10:43 -- More Castles for the Mad King
14:40 -- Twilight Imperium III forever, and ever, and ever. . . . 
18:20 -- A Word about Streamlining
19:40 -- Kanban: Automotive Revolution (review)
38:26 -- Greenland (review)

And here we are, on the last episode of our first season. Welcome. This, I believe, is also our longest episode as well (something I could look up, but if you've been listening, you know . . . ).

We discuss many, many things in this episode, including a trip to Stonemaier Games' Design Day event, United Airlines' complete incompetence (Save one beautiful soul) and a bunch of games played. Long reviews of Panamax and Castles of Mad King Ludwig included for your listening pleasure.

We do rant and ramble a bit, but we think some of it is quite entertaining, and Jim's story of his journey back from St. Louis ends with hope for us all.

THE TIMES:

3:15 -- Stonemaier Design Day
8:05 -- Horse and Pony Show
14:00 -- RANT! De-icing and the redemption of humanity
23:00 -- Asmodee: The New Electronic Arts?
25:00 -- More St. Louis Shout-outs.
28:30 -- Eric plays Brass and Cosmic Encounter
31:10 -- The Ty Wyman Memorial Cup, Race 2 (Thunder Alley)
33:07 -- Review: Panamax!
68:00 -- Review: Castles of Mad King Ludwig
91:25 -- Queen Corrects Greed MSRP

You wanted it. We promised it. Then you waited for it. And now it is here! The COIN series comes to the Punching Cardboard Podcast. And this episode is so big that good ol' T.C. returns to help carry the weight of this series.

We discuss some other games as well, and yeah, well, for the better part of an hour: COIN!!!

TIMES

3:20 -- Our never ending Kill Shakespeare update
8:03 -- Our Machi Koro impressions
10:49 -- What's been on our tables
11:30 -- Panamax 1st impression
16:32 -- Munchkin Deluxe? not really
17:20 -- Segue
19:08 -- A little Cosmic Encounter
20:05 -- How to Concentrate in Vinhos
22:25 -- COIN series featuring Fire in the Lake

We spend some time with some lighter fare and end up running all over the place in this episode. Kickstarters delivered late. Over-priced games. Greed. Greed. Sushi Go wrongly compared with 7 Wonders (I mean, come on!). Games where red cards win. More 7s. Games with shoddy components. Etc.

TIMELINE:

9:05 -- quick take on Trains: Rising Sun
10:52 -- IDW bungles Kill Shakespeare
21:50 -- Greed (Queen games bungles)
33:50 -- Card Drafting (7 Wonders, Seasons, etc.)
50:57 -- Red7
52:20 -- She didn't realize it was Carl Chudyk
54:34 -- Back to Red7

With Essen 2014 in the rear view mirror we take a look at the games we will be pursuing. Two lists, five items on each, 10 games that at least one of us will own even if home equity lines of credit are needed.

And then there are all the games that didn't make our lists that we're just not gonna buy. Nope, no way, no chance, only in an emergency, only if they look really great, or good, or at least appear in some physical form at our friendly local game store. But truly, other than that . . . .

TIMESTAMP:

2:18 -- Lagoon 1st Impression
5:30 -- Essen post-view
6:40 -- Deus
12:00 -- Wir Sind Das Volk (We are the People)
15:45 -- Samurai Spirit
20:25 -- Kanban: Automotive Revolution
26:28 -- Aquasphere
32:15 -- Arkwright
39:09 -- Mythotopia
44:20 -- Colt Express
51:20 -- Greenland
64:32 -- The Castles of Mad King Ludwig
68:58 -- Notables from our long lists

Welcome to episode 44, the episode in which we were going to discuss GMT's Fire in the Lake.  Yup, we're all set to get that one on tape, but circustances continue to prove they are far from within our control as Eric is stranded at work, and even though we've recruited our friend T.C. to join the fun, we are unable to get things rolling.

Plan B. Guest host? check. Other games to chat about? check. Electricity? check. Single malt whisky? check. Alrighty then, Fire in the Lake and COIN to be pushed back again. Fire up the chatter about Ars Victor, Dead of Winter and Here I Stand. Enjoy.