Oh gosh, yes. There’s a lot of interesting stuff in there but it took far too long labouring each point. It’s like Peter Jackson was egging him on.
I enjoyed the thoughtfulness of the piece and the description of what actually makes a game thematic rather than being dressed in particular got me thinking. Slightly reaffirmed me in some of my thoughts on games that are not considered thematic that I believe are.
It also reminded me of a comment on an old SUSD podcast that I vehemently disagreed with. I think Matt said something along the lines of BSG just needs a second edition that is more streamlined, less clunky and so plays faster. I felt that this missed some of what actually made the game so special. Namely that the procedural elements that took ages added to the feel and thematics of the game. By being long and with lots of small tasks to do it bot simulated the drudgery and getting by of life aboard Galactica as well as distracting players from just guessing who was lying and just working out who can act best of those at the table. This is why it’s the only social deduction game I’ve ever enjoyed. It doesn’t become a popularity contest and it has enough for me to glom on to so I can be distracted enough that my inability to act it up doesn’t always leave me out of the meat of the game. As to wether or not I’d enjoy Unfathomable, I don’t know. It also seems irrelevant as I have a friend with a copy of BSG so I may never play it.