Gallogly Games

Category: Blog

  • Taking Good Counsel

    Taking Good Counsel

    The process of building a new game can come to you over time, like a growing idea in the back of your mind. Or it can come to you all at once, like a tidal wave of inspiration. In either case, it’s important to maintain your vision for what goals the game aims to achieve,…

  • Expanding Horizons

    There are only a few paths to consistent growth once you reach adulthood. One is to seek out new and unique experiences; that becomes harder with each go around. Another is to look inward and examine your own beliefs and understanding of the world, reshaping your perspective. But the most consistent form of growth that…

  • The Cresswood Harvestide Festival

    A murder mystery party among friends and conspirators. The room was dimly lit by candles. In my doublet, I paced back and forth rehearsing my part. Theo Messerdell didn’t make mistakes. The mood was anticipatory and anxious, to a point. The door knocked, and the night began. A few months ago, my wife and I…

  • Magic’s Treasure Problem

    Magic’s Treasure Problem

    How Magic’s designers are pushing the game to it’s limit with too much of a good thing By Martin Gallogly If you play Magic: the Gathering’s most popular format, Commander, you’ve almost certainly come into contact with the most ubiquitous artifact tokens: treasures. The game is rife with them. In a format that encourages players…

  • What I’m Playing: Year in Review

    What I’m Playing: Year in Review

    So 2023 is coming to a close, another year in the books. There’s been a lot to look back on, and I think it’s about time I got to getting my list of picks for games that I sank my teeth into this year. So here is a list of what I played, what I…

  • Limited is Getting Harder – Again

    Limited is Getting Harder – Again

    Recently we got the biggest news for limited Magic since the introduction of remastered sets: Boosters are changing, again. The latest change announced by Wizards of the Coast is the discontinuation of both Draft and Set Boosters, in favor of the new Play Boosters which combine elements of both.  These will be draftable packs with…

  • The Complexity Tax

    The Complexity Tax

    Every game has its variety of gameplay and mechanical elements that make it fun, engaging, and thought-provoking. Components like dice, cards, unique pieces, and even the players themselves can contribute to the feeling of adventure and excitement of a given game. But what happens when these elements are too numerous or unwieldy? How do players…

  • Cube Picks for Phyrexia: All Will Be One

    Cube Picks for Phyrexia: All Will Be One

    Here we are again, at set review time. The most recent Magic: the Gathering set is Phyrexia: All Will Be One. On the plane of New Phyrexia the local Mirran forces battle to retake their world from the horrifying and calculating Phyrexians. I’ll be breaking down which cards I feel will fit into my cube,…

  • The Value of Memory

    The Value of Memory

    A Museum of Games A museum is more than pieces of art in a stuffy building. A gallery isn’t just sculptures and paintings of people you never met. It is an archive; a record of cultural history. Museums can be windows into the hearts and minds of our ancestors, a glimpse into their lives, hopes,…

  • Martin’s Cube Picks from Dominaria United

    It’s cube review time! DMU is one of the coolest sets we’ve seen in a while, returning to a lot of Magic’s old school mechanics and themes. Off-color kickers are back for the first time in years, and we have a new crop of legendaries and multicolor cards to test too. Let’s jump right in.…