Clank! in Space, The Climbers Return and Gen Con Plans on RDTN Episode 125

The biggest tabletop surprise in RDTN Episode 125 is Renegade Studios’ plan to release Clank! in Space at Gen Con. The hosts describe the announcement as a well-kept surprise, and the game sounds like a natural next stop for players who already enjoy Clank!’s deck-building adventure and want a space setting. Its clearest change to the established play is a faction system: cards can carry faction identities, and playing cards from the same faction together on a turn activates their special abilities.

That system gives players another consideration while browsing the market. A card’s appeal isn’t only about its individual effect; it may also strengthen the combination a player is assembling. The practical tension is familiar to deck-building fans: a tempting purchase has to be weighed against the shape of the deck and the chances of drawing useful cards together. Here, faction abilities add a reason to pay attention to those connections as a turn unfolds. The episode doesn’t spell out each faction or its powers, so listeners looking for detailed rules will need to hear the discussion or consult the game’s materials.

The hosts had also been looking forward to Thunderstone Quest at Gen Con. Clank! in Space may give that deck-building conversation another point of interest, though the episode frames it as a preview rather than a verdict after extended play. For players deciding what to seek out at the show, the useful detail is the blend: Clank!’s deck-building foundation, a space theme and faction bonuses that reward playing related cards together. Those are the elements to watch when the hosts share more of their Gen Con impressions.

A return trip up The Climbers’ tower

The Climbers, first released in 2008, is returning in 2017 through Simply Complex, part of Capstone Games. The hosts’ description points to a pleasing mix: the rules are easy to pick up, yet the decisions can create plenty of strategy and direct interference between players. Its growing tower also gives the game a visible sense of change. As the structure rises, it can start to resemble a skyscraper, making the board state itself part of the table’s appeal.

That physical growth comes with a sharp edge. The hosts warn that a player can reach a point where elimination feels close, leaving them stuck on the lower sections while others continue upward. That kind of pressure can make each move matter, but it can also leave someone with little to do if the gap becomes too large. It’s a useful consideration for groups choosing a game: the same interaction that creates memorable moments may be less welcome for players who prefer everyone to stay active throughout.

The episode sees The Climbers as a strong occasional choice for older players, while suggesting it could have particular staying power with younger gamers. That’s a thoughtful distinction for a game built around a shared structure and visible competition. The tower offers an immediate visual hook, while the easy-to-learn rules help a group get started without a long explanation. The strategic choices and possibility of being shut out provide the counterweight. Groups can keep an eye on how players are positioned and whether someone is falling too far behind, especially when introducing the game to people who may not enjoy direct take-that play.

Gen Con together, at last

The hosts are especially excited because this will be the first Gen Con they attend together. One host last went in 2012 and expects the scale of the show to be a shock. That’s an understandable prospect: the episode anticipates plenty to see and do, and even experienced attendees can find a large convention hard to navigate. Their schedule gives listeners a few chances to meet up, alongside stops at publisher and media booths.

For those who can’t make it to Gen Con, the hosts point listeners toward Gencant, then in its third year and led by their friend @425Suzanne. Attendees can find the hosts at The Summit Charity Event on Thursday at 21:00; the Portal booth on Friday at 16:00; and the RDTN Meetup at Omni Bar that evening at 19:00. Saturday’s schedule includes the Dice Tower booth at 11:00, Passport Games at 13:00 and the Secret Cabal Meetup at 19:00.

The episode’s chapter list also maps out its broad run of topics. It begins with an intro at 00:36 and a moving segment at 1:15, then reaches a Gen Con game preview at 6:10. Game Toppers follows at 13:10, with the Secret Cabal Meetup at 15:35 and the RDTN Meetup at 17:00. Later entries include Save a Gamer at 19:05 and The Summit Charity Event at 21:50. Clank! in Space starts at 27:20, followed by Portal Games at 37:43 and The Climbers at 38:51.

The remaining chapters point to Terraforming Mars: Hellas & Elysium at 44:22, The Broken Token at 50:56, Mega Moosecon at 52:05 and The Front Porch at 58:25. After the outro at 1:01:31, Funagain appears at 1:03:30. The segment listing signals a discussion of Terraforming Mars: Hellas & Elysium, but offers no expansion details to assess here. The hosts close by looking ahead to their next show, where they plan to share a burst of Gen Con impressions. For listeners, this episode works as both a preview of games to watch and a practical guide to finding the hosts at the convention.