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| - The Good: This store has hands-down the widest selection of Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000, Hordes, Warmachine, and Flames of War miniatures that I've seen. You'll note I did not say, "That I've seen in Arizona." No, outside of GenCon or Origins these are THE most miniatures available to choose from I've ever seen in my 18+ years of visiting gaming stores. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, the atmosphere of the store is welcoming and clean, and there is AMPLE playspace with lots of good terrain.
I also have to point out that for newer wargamers this store is a great resource on HOW to get into the hobby. The staff aren't afraid to take some time and demo a game or explain how each of the different armies behave on the tabletop. The community attracted by the store is quite willing to help a new player figure out which figures are worth their time or which to avoid.
Finally I'm definitely impressed by the calendar of events that Empire has each month. Usually several large tournaments will be on the schedule as well as weekly league nights. This really creates a feeling of community for the local gamers who attend. They DO carry Magic and run draft tournaments, but I haven't had a chance to attend any of those yet. Reading through a few of their monthly calendars it is clear that wargaming events are the primary focus, with collectible card games coming in a definite second.
The Bad: Parking can be a little troublesome during a tournament, though this is understandable. When I see 30-45 gamers in a store, I know that the parking lot is going to be pretty full. Fortunately the nearby shopping center has plenty of overflow parking a few hundred feet away. Oddly enough Empire does NOT stock Reaper miniatures, my favorite line of character minis or any of the various smaller-name brands. The Ugly: Empire is a focused store. If you're looking for RPGs or boardgames, they DO have a selection but its tiny. What they do have are all excellent games (D&D, Pathfinder, Deathwatch, Shadowrun) or some of the bigger titles (Carcassone, Ticket to Ride, Dominion, and so on), but the non-miniature side of the gaming hobby is NOT where this store's focus lies.
In summary I'd say that Empire is absolutely worth your time if you enjoy miniature gaming or wargames. If you're curious about them, its a great place to toe the water of the hobby and see if you'd like it. If you're looking for a more general game store this won't be your place, though I'd still suggest stopping by just to see a really fun store with a happy crowd.
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