I love all things tabletop gaming. However, I simply do not have the space to store or play all the games I want. Nevertheless, I love watching and reading board game reviews and drooling over all the things I wish I could buy and play. The more reviews I watch and read, however, the more I notice a disconnect between my own interaction with the hobby and that of many big name reviewers. They have the space and ability to acquire, play, and store far more games than I can.
Most reviewers don't often discuss the size of the box, unless they are complaining about it being too small or praising it for being the biggest on their shelf. I need to know the rough size of a game before I buy it, and the smaller the box the better. Reviewers also typically don't discuss how portable a game is. My flat is too small to host a game night, so I have to lug my games to and from game night each time. The size and portability of a game is essential for me in deciding whether or not to buy it, and I realise that these are not major concerns of most reviewers.
The purpose of Tabletop Takeaway is to offer a different perspective on the board game hobby. This is not necessarily meant to replace any of the already phenomenal reviewers already out there. Hopefully, those like myself who have limited space for games or simply travel with games a lot will find these reviews helpful additions to what is already available. The four categories I use to rate games are a lot like those I use to judge a good takeaway restaurant. I want a good amount of food (gameplay) that is good quality, easy to carry (portability), and makes me want to return for more (replayability). For a detailed description of the four Tabletop Takeaway metrics, have a look at the post on the Rating System.