First, a bit of context. I have been playing a wide range of board games since childhood (nearly fifty years). For the last 10 years or so, I have tended to gravitate toward “heavier” games that focus on intense player interaction and conflict—I am especially fond of asymmetric war games. I also have a particular fondness for “old school” Euro games that became popular 20 to 30 years ago.
I DESPISE the cult of the new, and I am rarely convinced to fund anything on Kickstarter. Candidly, I loathe what influencer culture has done to board games over the last few years.
With that grumpy rant as a backdrop, Decision Space feels almost otherworldly to a cranky old gamer like me. There is simply nothing out there quite like it. It seems to have come from an alternate universe where the magic and wonder of gaming was never stealthily snuffed out by unbridled consumerism and the infernal noise of social media. Its thoughtful exploration of what truly makes the gaming experience meaningful is utterly unmatched. It playfully stands alone, and it is WONDERFUL.
Like all of their faithful listeners, I have been cheering for Jake, Brendan, Paul and Pete to win the Golden Geek Award for Best Podcast. They certainly deserve it. That said, it occurs to me that the reason they haven’t won is the very reason I love them—they are different in the best possible way.
Much of modern gaming commentary exists in its own unfortunate “donkeyspace” (a term I first learned on Decision Space). Would-be influencers survey the landscape of available podcasts and jockey for advantage with suboptimal commentary about their pre-release copies of the latest Kickstarter hype. Meanwhile—Jake, Brendan, Paul and Pete are talking thoughtfully about Ra and Medina.
Decision Space really is the best podcast there is. If I had the power, I’d not only give it a Golden Geek, I would give it a Golden Globe. Sadly, I have limited power—so I am left to write this rambling review. Five stars just doesn’t feel like enough.
*One quick footnote:
Here’s a REAL board game hot take (pun intended)—the episode after the Golden Geek Award winners for 2026 were announced, Decision Space had an interview with Cole Wehrle that left me absolutely breathless. That beats a Golden Geek Award any day in my book!
