Playtested but Passed

Written By Red Cell UX

S1Ep2 – Playtested but Passed: Gen Con 2025 Review
We’re fresh back from Gen Con 2025 and diving into all the games we demoed, playtested, or previewed on the show floor — the ones we enjoyed, admired, and ultimately didn’t bring home. Just because we didn’t buy doesn’t mean they weren’t great! From gorgeous marble abstract games to flick-happy dexterity titles, and even a surprise sit-down with Vlaada Chvátil and Tom Vasel at a Harry Potter Codenames event, this episode is packed with first impressions, design notes, and plenty of laughs.

We cover 12 games in total, including:

  • Duat – heavy marble production with ancient Egyptian flair

  • Mystic Curling Club – dice-flicking meets curling with magical powers

  • Codenames: Return to Hogwarts – Hogwarts houses add asymmetry

  • Eschaton: Iconoclasm – apocalyptic deckbuilding gone co-op

  • TowerBrix – passive-aggressive tower stacking

  • …and more, from Galactic Cruise to Sea Beasts: A Bloody Voyage

If you want board game reviews, Gen Con previews, and honest first impressions, this is your stop.

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

Timestamps:

  • 01:35 - Duat

  • 06:09 - Mystic Curling Club

  • 11:22 - Code Names: Return to Hogwarts

  • 21:39 - Eschaton: Iconoclasm

  • 25:55 - TowerBrix

  • 30:21 - Galactic Cruise

  • 34:35 - Worms

  • 37:52 - Regicide Legacy

  • 40:41 - Psychobabble

  • 48:19 - High Frontier 4 All

  • 50:42 - Sea Beasts: A Bloody Voyage

  • 52:22 - Eve: War for New Eden

Red Cell UX
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