RDTN Episode 167: Call to Adventure, Crisis and Roll for the Galaxy

Episode 167 packs several kinds of tabletop conversation into one show: a story-building game, a new favorite, a quick filler, familiar racing fun and a digital adaptation. That focus gives the episode a useful through line: games can invite players to weigh tactics, tell a story, or simply enjoy a lively table, sometimes all at once.

Building a story in Call to Adventure

The hosts spend time with Call to Adventure, describing it as a beautiful game that is simple to play but built around creating a story. Their advice is to pay attention to that developing narrative. The story isn’t just decoration around the game: the hosts say it can drive gameplay, and they point to strategic moments that are easy to overlook if players don’t keep that connection in mind.

That’s a helpful angle for groups approaching a game with both narrative and tactical elements. A story-led experience can encourage players to make choices that feel connected to the character they’re building, while the strategic layer gives those choices weight at the table. The episode’s discussion suggests that players will get more from Call to Adventure if they pause to consider how the story is taking shape rather than treating each decision as an isolated move. The show doesn’t spell out rules or particular strategies, but its recommendation is clear: let the narrative inform how you play.

For game masters and players who enjoy character creation, that emphasis may be part of the appeal. The group’s description points toward a game where the pleasure comes from watching a story emerge through play, with tactical decisions tucked into that process. If you bring it to the table, keep both parts in view: follow the character’s developing tale, and look for the choices that can affect your approach.

A new favorite and a quick filler

Crisis earns a notable mention as a new favorite for Marty. The episode provides no further detail about its mechanics, so the clearest takeaway is the strength of that personal response. A host’s enthusiasm can be a good prompt for listeners to investigate a title, while the discussion itself gives Crisis a place among the episode’s featured games.

At the other end of the table-time spectrum, Nate Bivins brings Village Pillage as a quick filler. That makes it a natural counterpoint to the longer game conversations: a short title can offer a compact session between larger plans, or give a group something to play when there isn’t time to settle into a longer experience. The episode identifies it as a new filler for the hosts, but doesn’t give a player count, play time or rules breakdown. Listeners looking for those details can use the linked listing as a starting point.

Returning to Camel Up and Roll for the Galaxy: Rivalry

The show revisits Camel Up Second Edition, this time with a surprise guest joining the discussion. The episode’s description doesn’t detail what changed in this return visit or what the guest adds, but the revisit signals that the game still offers enough to bring back to the table. For listeners who already know the title, it’s a chance to hear the hosts return to it; for others, the segment can help fill out the range of games covered in the episode.

Roll for the Galaxy: Rivalry gets a dedicated conversation with special guests discussing the expansion. The source doesn’t describe its contents or explain how it changes play, so there’s no basis here for a rules summary. Still, setting aside time for a guest discussion makes it one of the episode’s central segments. Anyone weighing whether to explore the expansion will want to hear that conversation for the hosts’ and guests’ impressions of it.

Together, these segments show the podcast moving between different kinds of tabletop coverage: a return to a familiar title, an expansion discussion with guests and a fresh filler brought to the table. The format suits listeners who want several distinct game conversations in one sitting rather than an in-depth review of a single box.

Istanbul moves to Nintendo Switch

The hosts also try a digital version of Istanbul on Nintendo Switch, making this their first discussion of a game implementation on the console. They’ve covered apps before, and the Switch segment might become a recurring feature if they can settle on a name for it. That makes the episode a small format experiment as well as a look at the adaptation.

The description doesn’t offer a verdict on how the Switch version handles the original game, or details about its interface and play options. The interesting point is the question the segment opens up: what makes a tabletop game work when players encounter it on a console? The hosts’ choice of Istanbul gives the discussion a specific starting point, while their mention of future segments suggests they’re interested in testing more digital versions. Listeners who want the hosts’ practical impressions should tune in to that portion of the episode.

Where to find the episode’s segments

The time guide makes it easy to jump between topics. After the introduction, the show moves through a bookcase mishap, a GAMA news review, a PC game discussion and a Nintendo Switch conversation. Village Pillage comes up at 17:57, followed by The Broken Token at 22:52 and Crisis at 24:25. Istanbul is at 30:03; Camel Up follows at 42:55, and Roll for the Galaxy: Rivalry begins at 49:27. Call to Adventure starts at 1:05:22.

The later portion includes RobbCon, the outro and a discussion of Dinos Not Assembled, followed by another outro and a mention of Portal Games. Other topics on the running list include basketball and Miniature Market. The episode is therefore a broad listening menu, with the story-and-strategy conversation around Call to Adventure as its clearest centerpiece. If that’s the sort of table experience you enjoy, start there; if you’re checking in on a familiar game or curious about a Switch adaptation, the timestamps make those stops easy to find.

Warhammer Chaosbane PC Game · Village Pillage · The Broken Token · Crisis · Istanbul App · Camel Up · Miniature Market · Roll for the Galaxy: Rivalry · Call to Adventure · Dinos Not Assembled · Portal Games