I used “new math”. Try that.
So, I’m at the weird place in the hobby where I am getting so many games so quickly that I don’t get to play them often enough to get favorites. There are exceptions.
- Quartermaster General - Victory or Death - Something about the Warring Greeks. So, a QMG game had to go on this list, so I picked the one I think is my favorite. Unfortunately, I’ve only managed to play 1914 once, so this could change. Regardless, play QMG games! They are fantastic. The first is probably the easiest to teach (except for “shore support”), and I consider it a gateway game. Victory or Death is probably the most complicated, where deck knowledge is almost as important as Twilight Struggle, plus needing to string together prepare cards. Regardless, games of Victory or Death tend to form a natural evolution. Sparta wants to build towards attacking Athens, with Athens having the necessary defensive cards to stop this. Athens then works with its ally to set up scoring situations, which Sparta and Corinth need to disrupt to avoid losing by points. Corinth meanwhile attacks Athens deck while Sparta burns through her deck the old fashion way. The end result is Athens and Sparta spending their last few turns using their few remaining cards to pull off the win.
- Kemet - This is my favorite Eurowargame. Yeah, that doesn’t even get a hyphen. You can see the technical mechanisms at play, from the action selection pyramid to the deterministic combat. The map is wonky with all temples and cities being equally distant. Yet, all those mechanisms are pointed to one thing, attacking your opponent. There is some additional considerations for holding space, but really this can only be thought of as a ware game. If it weren’t for the heavy teaching time, this might be number 1.
- Fief: 1492 - Does a remake of a game from the '80s count? I have not played this one nearly enough. Part of that is undoubtedly the theoretical long run time. The election rules can also get complicated, with every game needing somebody who can keep track of the votes and explain the voting implications to other players. However, where as games such as Diplomacy make all alliances doomed to fail when the backstab has to happen, in Fief its till Death do us Part. Winning as part of an alliance is easier, but get caught in a bad alliance and you are stuck with them… unless a spouse gets killed. And wouldn’t you know it, there is a card that can kill any character. Sure, this is a war game, but it is also a game of wheeling and dealing your way to a measly 3 VP. Oh, and the pope can tax, like, everything. So, don’t your opponent get pope!
- Baseball Highlights 2045 - This game takes place in a dystopian universe where humans have to modify their bodies Jensen style to compete with the robots taking over the league. In this world, a few loan “naturals” try to compete using their agility to compete. Players will be unceremoniously “sent to the minors” (which I suspect is a euphemism) as soon as a better player shows up. OK, so I’m having a bit of fun with the otherwise retro-scifi theme and art. This is a deck builder, where after every game win or lose you buy new players, but then removed some players so your deck is always at 14 or 15.
- Eldritch Horror - An experience more than a game. It can be brutally unfair where you do what you are suppose to do, and then the dice just don’t favor you. Yet, inevitably as the board state decays, players eventually have to figure out how to make the most out of their few sparse actions to solve that last mystery.
Runners up from another time.
Pret-a-Porter - An economic game themed around the fashion industry? Incredibly cut throat and mean? Yeah, that seems about right.
Sentinels of the Multivers - I really like card play as a mechanic. Does it show?
- Deception - of all the betrayer among our midst games, this one has the most depth and no one player can dominate the entire discussion or the decision / everyone gets a voice. The theme is very good as are the components. There is one player that does something different than all the others, but that feels like and plays like an important role… one that requires thought and paying attention to the game.
- Terra Mystica - fantasy, unique strategies per race, beautiful art, never plays the same way twice… love it.
- Dead of Winter - It’s a story. it’s cooperative. There can be a betrayal element (which I normally hate), and even with all the right choices made you ca lose. The voting mechanism for hard choices makes for very interesting discussions and for every voice to be heard.
- Pathfinder Adventure Card Game - this is pretty much as close as you can get to an actual RPG experience without diving into an actual RPG or one of the massive miniature sets.
- Fury of Dracula (3rd edition) - it’s got depth, strategy. It’s a 1 vs. 4 game that works for 2+ playrs. The art is beautiful. The choices are meaningful… it’s super long.
runner up… Code Names. It’s the most asked for game at my part nights. It’s easy to play, and can accommodate any skill set or number of people.
edited: for five years requirement
If we’re just sticking to the past five years, I’ll go with:
- Pandemic Legacy
- Star Wars: Rebellion
- Above and Below
- Eldritch Horror
- Forbidden Desert
If we could push the timeline out just a few years, this list would change significantly.
I’ve never heard of this! Cool theme! It’s good? I want to know more.
This would have made my last-5-years list too. It’s like a dish made with all my favorite ingredients.
So since I think we need to just make a decision on timeline and stick to it to avoid further confusion lets stick to the last 5 years qualifier. I know that leaves out some all time greats but maybe we highlight some more recent under-the-radar gems.
I think the rules changed again!
I actually like the “last five years” restriction. That’s gonna get me thinking!
So, release date 2012 or later, right?
Yeah 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 are the qualifiers.
Oh crap. I thought it was 2011. That removes Trajan. I’ll redo my number 5 later.
It was put out by Ignacy Trwezezjizljdsklaajkkl. I may be getting the Polish spelling wrong, but he’s the owner of Portal games and creator of Imperial Settlers (I think that’s his most well known game). So, this is sort of an old school worker placement game. You have two turns of worker placement where you try to pick designs, get cloth to make those designs, and hire employees or build buildings to give yourself permanent abilities. Then, every third turn is a fashion show. Each show awards different categories such as having the most designs, or having the most PR going into a show. This awards stars which boosts the sell price of your designs, and where the games can get mean (beyond usual worker placement stuff such as your spot being claimed by other players).
Unfortunately, it did not sell very well, quite possibly due to theme, so buying a copy now can be quite expensive. Good news, though, I’ve heard Ignacy will be reprinting the game with a new theme, making video games. I have a hard time imagining the new theme will work with the mechanics, though, so who knows. Video games succeed often with long development and then a long tail of secondary purchases. Fashion is about throwing together (for cheap) what’s hot at the time, and cashing in before finding the next trend.
In particular order:
- Pandemic Legacy
- Archipelago
- Clockwork Wars
- Secret Hitler
- A Study in Emerald
But I’m sure someone will suggest a few games that will make me change my mind.
edit- put them in particular order as per the rules. I guess you can see that I’m not one to carefully read the rules prior to playing.
Based off my collection in BGG rating/times played:
- Pandemic Legacy - a campaign version of Pandemic? Its much more - a series of cliff hanger episodes where you’re the star racing against time, with huge plot twists thrown at you. Amazing
- Roll For The Galaxy - They’ve streamlined the arcane cards in Race, and added in the most addictive mini-game in any dice game - maximizing your dice outcomes each round while guessing what your opponents will pick. Wow!
- Tzol’kin - still the most clever worker placement/resource game I can think of - feels like there are more paths to victory (and more interactivity) than comparable games.
- Splendor - My go to light/gateway game. Plays fast, and offers enough decision making to still be enjoyable
- Castles of Mad King Ludwig - the most interesting points collecting game of the past 5 years - hits multiple fun sweet spots - auctioning, the puzzle of fitting your castle pieces together, etc.
Honorable Mentions:
Quartermaster General
Edo
Thunder Alley
Paperback
Terra Mystica
Eldritch Horror
Five Trives
Star Realms
Robinson Crusoe
I would probably have two lists; one for family and the other a gamers list.
Family:
Codenames
Diamonds
Sheriff of Nottingham
Machi Koro (probably will be replaced by Valeria Card Kingdoms)
Love Letter tied with Werewolf latest edition with iOS app
Gamers:
Kemet
Sentinels of the Multiverse series both cardboard and digital
Star Realms digital
Tragedy Looper (I only played once but it was a great experience).
Lords of Waterdeep (family members will play this too)
Games that I would vote for but have not played yet:
Star Wars Rebeliion
Cry Havoc
Uff, this was kinda hard. I play a lot of games a couple of times and then never play them again. I tried to stick with the ones that I keep coming back to.
- Scythe
- Warhammer 40k: Conquest LCG (RIP)
- Roll For The Galaxy
- Darkest Night
- Arkham Horror LCG
HMs: Eldritch Horror, Terraforming Mars, Star Wars: Rebellion, Food Chain Magnate (I think…only played it once, but it was awesome!), Mansions of Madness (2E)
What can I say? I give it up for Lovecraft games.
EDIT: Oh shit, forgot Darkest Night.
I switched out Trajan for La Granja above because I can’t do basic math and thought 2011 was 5 years ago.
Well, admittedly, we’re only 3 weeks into 2017.
Mine looks a lot like @AlanSmithee 's list.
Archipeligo:Great balance of worker placement, exploration, social concerns, and resource management. Play with or without the Traitor- it’s good both ways.
Study In Emerald (1st ed): I hate to put this here, as the intention of this is supposed to be exposing people to games they should try, but this game really is the best, period. Too bad most people will never get to try it if they don’t already have a copy. The revised second edition is a pale shadow of the original.
Pandemic- Legacy: I would have personally put Risk: Legacy here, but it looks like a late 2011 release (though my group played the campaign in early 2012). The Legacy system is one of my favorite new things to come out in modern boardgaming, and the simple systems of Pandemic and Risk seem better suited to it than the seemingly bloated mess that is Seafall.
Argent: The Consortium: The most stupid, over-complex worker placement game ever, taking the genre to its furthest conclusion. By the end, it’s almost too much to keep track of what everyone is capable of. But then it’s over. At least, until the crazy amount of variation gets somehow boring and we decide to turn it up to 11 and try the ‘epic’ variant that goes one more turn.
Splendor: Probably the best ‘filler’ game to come out in years. I’d have probably put 7 Wonders here, but that came out in 2010. My how time flies.
Honorable mentions:
Terra Mystica, Scythe, The Colonists, Great Western Trail. The latter three just don’t have enough plays, but I think they’ll stand the test of time. Maybe next year.
Pandemic Legacy: Pandemic is a fun entry game that soon overstays it’s welcome. Pandemic Legacy is the best storytelling-through-evolving-mechanics I have seen in a boardgame. It is truly an exceptional design even though the game it’s not that great. One of the most unique experiences (along with other legacy games, I guess, but there are not that many of those yet).
Star Wars Rebellion: Just a great asymmetric wargame, full of original rules, a pretty decent combat system (even though some people seem to hate it I think it fits the game perfectly) and some of the best theme integration I have ever seen. And thankfully, devoid of unnecessary expansion (for now, and one would hope forever).
Robinson Crusoe: I was trying to decide between this or Dawn of the Zeds, but ultimately this is, I think, the most varied and interesting of the two highly thematic solitaire experiences. I have had the game for just a couple months, but have played tens of plays and I’m still loving it to death.
High Frontier Colonization: the original is from 2010, but I’m not talking about the original here. I’m talking about the base game + expansion, which is the real game, and a very different one than the first edition (and be sure to use the living rules!). This game is all theme, in the sense that it veers close to being a playable simulation of industrial expansion into the solar system. A little bit complex, and I think better played via vassal due to the game’s length (although certainly a F2F game is playable in say, 4 hours if the players are experienced). This is the most evocative game I have ever played, but that’s probably because the theme of realistic space exploration is much more evocative for me than WW2, farming or fantasy. A third edition should be coming out reaaaaaally soon now.
Tragedy Looper: An incredible and original design. Takes a little to wrap your head around it so you can explain it to the other players, but ultimately it has simple but fascinating gameplay. It’s hard to play as the bad guy competitively, though, but not because the game has a design flaw, but because I revert into RPG dungeon master mode sometimes when playing it.
Honorable mentions:
Dawn of the Zeds and Eldritch Horror (awesome solitaire experiences I have played to death, it was just that Robinson Crusoe won than spot)
Enemy Action Ardennes (this is incredible, probably my favorite game right now, but I have not played it enough yet to be able to confidently put it on the list.)
Mechs versus minions (this probably should have been up there, but because these lists work as recommendations, and this game hardly needs any new recommendations, I didn’t put it up)
Edit:
Leaving Earth, of course, thanks @newbrof below for reminding me . High Frontier is the better “scientifically accurate space exploration (and exploitation, in the case of HF)”, but Leaving Earth is still fantastic and much, much easier to learn.
1 Marco Polo - from the Tzolkin designers, great asymmetrical role cards
2 Leaving Earth a bit mathy
3 Eldritch Horror replaced Talisman as a story telling game for me
4 Legendary Encounters: Alien only played with 2, wish to experience the traitor part sometime
5 Tzolkin - essential worker placement game, it is a bit chess like in that you actually have to plan your play a couple of moves into the future
edit: I mixed up and read “from the last 10 years”
too old Endeavor - an eurogame where you can take advantage from slavery and get punished for it
too old Claustrophobia - If I want to play a dungeon crawler, I play this.
too old Ascension - my goto deckbuilding game, fast and tense.
runners up are: Elder Signs, Shadowrun Crossfire, 7 Wonders (Duel), Pandemic Legacy, Darkest Night, Seasons, Nations… so many good games. We play regularly Wizard (the card game), Chess, Battle Line, Talisman, Rosenkönig etc… but they are older games…
also High Frontier is OOP at the moment, maybe I can get a 3rd edition sometime this year