Brandon (Optimal Play)
@optimalplay.bsky.social
Brandon (he/him) from the board game youtube channel Optimal Play youtube.com/optimalplay 🏳🌈
12:01am on Ryan's birthday. Day seems to be off to a good start.
January 21, 2026 at 8:13 AM
12:01am on Ryan's birthday. Day seems to be off to a good start.
Ryan and I got Kingdom Rush back to the table last night, which was long overdue. We started from the beginning and scored three stars in the first two scenarios, actually stickering the map this time. I kinda can't believe this is the only game I've seen do polyominoes as damage, it's so clever!
Kingdom Rush: Rift in Time
Defend the kingdom by arranging damage tiles on grids of attacking hordes.
boardgamegeek.com
January 20, 2026 at 3:47 AM
Ryan and I got Kingdom Rush back to the table last night, which was long overdue. We started from the beginning and scored three stars in the first two scenarios, actually stickering the map this time. I kinda can't believe this is the only game I've seen do polyominoes as damage, it's so clever!
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
This makes me feel more patriotic than the national anthem ever could
January 16, 2026 at 5:28 PM
This makes me feel more patriotic than the national anthem ever could
I'm guessing pivoting this game to a licensed Invincible tie-in has worked out well for them business-wise, but I miss the Astro Knights. It was quirky and fun sci-fi and I just have no knowledge or interest in this show. Ah well.
We've hit a couple more milestones over on the Invincible: Aftermath campaign with more on the way!
👉 Back it now and join the fight. https://f.mtr.cool/nhpfbbyvlq
Built on the Astro Knights system, Invincible: Aftermath plays standalone or integrates with all Invincible and Astro Knights content.
👉 Back it now and join the fight. https://f.mtr.cool/nhpfbbyvlq
Built on the Astro Knights system, Invincible: Aftermath plays standalone or integrates with all Invincible and Astro Knights content.
January 17, 2026 at 5:09 PM
I'm guessing pivoting this game to a licensed Invincible tie-in has worked out well for them business-wise, but I miss the Astro Knights. It was quirky and fun sci-fi and I just have no knowledge or interest in this show. Ah well.
Played chapter 7 of Clank Legacy 2! This one had a timer mechanism to its main story contracts which was cleverly executed, but caused us to blitz those objectives then not have much going on for the remaining 2/3 of the session. Still a lot of fun as always.
Clank! Legacy 2: Acquisitions Incorporated – Darkest Magic
Fight bosses, avoid the dragon, and collect loot with or against fellow employees!
boardgamegeek.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Played chapter 7 of Clank Legacy 2! This one had a timer mechanism to its main story contracts which was cleverly executed, but caused us to blitz those objectives then not have much going on for the remaining 2/3 of the session. Still a lot of fun as always.
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
love this for Warhammer, James Workshop has done it again
frvr.com/blog/warhamm...
frvr.com/blog/warhamm...
Warhammer company Games Workshop bans Generative AI for all content to “respect our human creators”
Games Workshop has banned the use of Generative AI for future Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 content as the studio strives to protect artists.
frvr.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:53 AM
love this for Warhammer, James Workshop has done it again
frvr.com/blog/warhamm...
frvr.com/blog/warhamm...
We're planning a trip to Japan and a reel my husband was watching just highly recommended getting an eye exam and glasses while In Tokyo, because it's so much more affordable than the US. So that's a nice peek at the state of things.
January 12, 2026 at 2:22 AM
We're planning a trip to Japan and a reel my husband was watching just highly recommended getting an eye exam and glasses while In Tokyo, because it's so much more affordable than the US. So that's a nice peek at the state of things.
Lol
January 11, 2026 at 8:54 PM
Lol
Played a couple more games of Riftbound last night with precon decks - a 1v1 and a 4 player free for all. Avoided having a grindy endgame when the Lux player nuked everyone's big single units and grabbed all 3 battlegrounds as soon as she was at match point.
January 9, 2026 at 11:03 PM
Played a couple more games of Riftbound last night with precon decks - a 1v1 and a 4 player free for all. Avoided having a grindy endgame when the Lux player nuked everyone's big single units and grabbed all 3 battlegrounds as soon as she was at match point.
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
We should all sit with this ICE murder. Any one of us could be executed by ICE, and our government wouldn’t bat an eye. Instead they’d just lie about us to the world.
January 7, 2026 at 9:39 PM
We should all sit with this ICE murder. Any one of us could be executed by ICE, and our government wouldn’t bat an eye. Instead they’d just lie about us to the world.
Like when I was on a bank robbery trial jury and we made sure to give them kudos for a heist brilliantly planned and executed.
Democratic Senator Jack Reed calls the Venezuela operation "well conceived and courageously executed" before adding the campaign is "illegal"
January 6, 2026 at 12:09 AM
Like when I was on a bank robbery trial jury and we made sure to give them kudos for a heist brilliantly planned and executed.
I want to be more active here and I've always enjoyed @octavianbgg.bsky.social's game report posts, so I'm going to make it a resolution to share my #boardgame plays here this year! Whether it'll be literally every game or just the highlights is TBD.
January 5, 2026 at 6:45 PM
I want to be more active here and I've always enjoyed @octavianbgg.bsky.social's game report posts, so I'm going to make it a resolution to share my #boardgame plays here this year! Whether it'll be literally every game or just the highlights is TBD.
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
For any Dimension 20 nerds out there, we WILL be bringing the dome to Capitol Hill if I win.
December 9, 2025 at 4:52 AM
For any Dimension 20 nerds out there, we WILL be bringing the dome to Capitol Hill if I win.
Multiplayer civil war coop gameplay! Can we take down Captain America at this game of shield frisbee?
Marvel Champions Civil War Multiplayer Gameplay! Tigra and Hulkling against Captain America
YouTube video by Optimal Play
youtu.be
November 25, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Multiplayer civil war coop gameplay! Can we take down Captain America at this game of shield frisbee?
Just a couple chapters in but loving this so far! A deep dive into reality competition show history and how it reflects greater society. Super sharp and fun read, by a dude I've listened to hundreds of hours of for reasons I cannot explain.
Behind the Mirror is officially published! This process has been the culmination of 25 years of fandom and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
The responses & enthusiasm so far have been deeply meaningful to me.
The book's dedication was made out to all of you.
Thank you.
The responses & enthusiasm so far have been deeply meaningful to me.
The book's dedication was made out to all of you.
Thank you.
November 25, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Just a couple chapters in but loving this so far! A deep dive into reality competition show history and how it reflects greater society. Super sharp and fun read, by a dude I've listened to hundreds of hours of for reasons I cannot explain.
No new Marvel Champions core set on the horizon! I would have lost that bet. #paxunplugged
November 22, 2025 at 8:49 PM
No new Marvel Champions core set on the horizon! I would have lost that bet. #paxunplugged
Wow, so none of the Arkham Horror Chapter 2 investigators even change class for their new iteration, huh? Sort of surprising and disappointing. #paxunplugged
November 22, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Wow, so none of the Arkham Horror Chapter 2 investigators even change class for their new iteration, huh? Sort of surprising and disappointing. #paxunplugged
Tend is the heaviest flip-and-write we've ever encountered. Like literally, the box is huge and weighs like 40 pounds.
youtu.be/6oK7W1gA7UM #boardgames
youtu.be/6oK7W1gA7UM #boardgames
Cozy Sci-Fi Farming Simulator! - Tend Playthrough
YouTube video by Optimal Play
youtu.be
November 19, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Tend is the heaviest flip-and-write we've ever encountered. Like literally, the box is huge and weighs like 40 pounds.
youtu.be/6oK7W1gA7UM #boardgames
youtu.be/6oK7W1gA7UM #boardgames
Reposted by Brandon (Optimal Play)
I was in the audience for this and it got such a huge reaction. Not surprised they cut it but certainly disappointed!
'Wicked' star Marissa Bode's original introduction of Cynthia Erivo performing 'Defying Gravity', which mentioned standing up to a 'power-hungry dictator,' was edited for NBC's 'Wicked: One Wonderful Night' broadcast.
'Wicked' TV special cuts Marissa Bode calling out 'power-hungry dictator'
'Wicked' star Marissa Bode's original introduction of Cynthia Erivo performing 'Defying Gravity', which mentioned standing up to a 'power-hungry dictator,' was edited for NBC's 'Wicked: One Wonderful Night' broadcast.
bit.ly
November 7, 2025 at 6:06 AM
I was in the audience for this and it got such a huge reaction. Not surprised they cut it but certainly disappointed!
Regicide Legacy out of context
November 6, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Regicide Legacy out of context
Asked ChatGPT to identify this weird mushroom thing I've noticed growing in my yard and it insisted it was just a discarded piece of bread.
October 30, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Asked ChatGPT to identify this weird mushroom thing I've noticed growing in my yard and it insisted it was just a discarded piece of bread.
It's Halloween and the seas are rough. Can the Atlantica make it home safe before the horrors, deep ones, and our own friends tear it to pieces? youtu.be/fna4PqgJvfQ #boardgames
Unfathomable Five-Player Playthrough (With From the Abyss Expansion) - Part 1
YouTube video by Optimal Play
youtu.be
October 28, 2025 at 4:29 PM
It's Halloween and the seas are rough. Can the Atlantica make it home safe before the horrors, deep ones, and our own friends tear it to pieces? youtu.be/fna4PqgJvfQ #boardgames