I want The Thoughtful Gamer to be a trusted source of reliable and clear board game reviews. To that end, I will do my best to make sure that I adhere to these three principles:

1. Honesty

This is the single most important attribute when it comes to reviewing. I want to always be honest about my experiences and thoughts regarding the games I play. If I don’t like a game, I will tell you. Criticism is valuable.

2. Optimism

A commitment to honest criticism does not mean a commitment to pessimism. I don’t play a game looking to find faults and criticisms. I, like you, come to a game expecting to have a good time. In nearly all of the modern board games I’ve played, I have fun even when I see significant faults. Partially this is because I research a lot before I purchase a game and only try to buy games that I will love. I also try to meet games with the proper expectations. I will have a much higher burden for what constitutes too much obfuscation in a historical GMT game than I will in a mid-level Euro, for example. This is because I know the GMT game will care much more about historical accuracy and simulation than the Euro, which will be more about elegant and balanced mechanisms.

3. Humility

I will mess up in reviews. I know this. I am completely ready for this to happen, and I will strive to be as humble and truthful as possible. I know that I am not the most experienced boardgamer in the hobby, nor do I have anywhere near the largest collection. I do believe that I can contribute some valuable insights into the hobby, but I want to remain humble in that endeavor. To that end, I want The Thoughtful Gamer to be the source of great discussion, and I will do my best to respond and contribute further to the discussions I start with my reviews and commentaries.