OB Podcast Episode 21: A New World... Relatively Speaking

Oh my it's been a long time, but we're back, and poodling about Games-Space in our brand new shonky spaceship, the HMS Orbital Bombardment Ship Goodship!

Alex, Dan, Ed and Mike take to the microphones to deliver some news in an 'alternative' fashion, and to discuss some icy dealings in Frostgrave and some chickpea related dealings in Infinity; that's right, we're no longer bound to only Dropzone Commander! How exciting.

Space Samurai and Bikes

Infinity, Infinity, Infinity........ where do I start?
The beginning would probably be the best idea.

I have known about the game for a while, when I say "known about" what I mean is, I was aware that there was a game called Infinity. I have always been predominantly a 'one game' kind of guy, as in, I will play one game as my main game to the detriment of all others. I dabble with the odd casual game in and around my main game too. I started with 40k back in 1995! I played that until the end/half way through 6th edition when my interest in it was really waning, I then picked up Dropzone Commander and have played that pretty religiously from the end of 2012 until now(ish).

Alex (over at the Epitude Rusk blog) is a massive fan boy of Infinity. He has a butt-load of models and even more scenery. He bullied me into gave me an intro a long while ago maybe early 2015 or late 2014ish. I really didn't enjoy it. In fact I'd go so far as to say I hated it.

Learning This Game Could Take Forever...

There's been a rather large void to fill in my life since Dropzone Commander has not just taken a back seat in my gaming car, but instead has been tossed in the trunk and forgotten about, rolling around like an old, half-sucked Chupa Chup collecting fluff and losing its flavour (Cola, if you were wondering). With the passenger seat of the Gamesmobile now empty I have been looking keenly for any hitchhikers to play with, like a sinister old man from a horror movie. In my wake of hitchers I have had the fortune to pull over and give a lift to Corvus Beli's game of anime science-fiction; Infinity.

Never before have I encountered a game which has gorged itself to obesity on such complex and layered rules, and gorgeous but fiddly (some would say badly cast) miniatures. A game which clearly didn't care about the difficulty curve for new starters, or for that matter players with an intermediate grasp of the rules. A game which feels more like an RPG where not just the GM has to learn every little detail, but each player who wants to have a moderate chance of winning (and for some, a chance of enjoying) a contest.

Infinity is the most unashamedly decadent game I have ever played. Corvus Beli have cultivated a true Beast of wargaming, and clearly there is a niche for it, as this Beast is confidently galloping forward and chomping down gamers left and right.