Getting closer to the top now, heading into the last third of the 100, some really solid gaming experiences are coming up and separating these is so hard.
#30
IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD - A card drafting gaming about creating a new world, much like a very similar game that has a number in the title, players are building structures in their developing world to score points in a variety of ways. Other than loving the ability to throw down combos of building out cards, this game is helped by it's speed and ease of play while still offering a great thoughtful challenge each turn as you choose what you may potentially be creating or turning into resources.
#29
DOWNFORCE - You know occasionally it is nice to get out a game that doesn't involve a spreadsheet of rule and that evokes a reaction from your inner child, for me that is this game. It is a racing game that doesn't necessarily require you to win the race, you can place bets on your opponents cars making it over the line first while helping them along by playing the right cards to move them. Restoration Games have been doing awesome things by bringing back older IPs and fitting them smoothly into the modern board gaming world.
#28
FIVE TRIBES - What another fabulous production from Days of Wonder! The decision space that is created each turn is fantastic is one, as you have to choose where to pick up workers and how to move them mancala style to another spot on the board, trigger an effect at your final destination. So many ways to score points let's player really choose how they want to play and can blur where the best action choice might be. Now it has two more expansions that really do expand on what you can do, this is certainly a modern classic.
#27
CHRONICLES OF CRIME - Now here is a game for all of you who are hooked on those true crime shows on Netflix, put your binge watching skills to the test in this very interactive investigative experience. Using a brilliant app interface you scan suspects cards to interrogate them and you even get to use VR google to stare at the crime scene for clues. How long you take can effect the game as further events can be triggered, or if you return to a location at a different time a new person might be there for you to question. With downloadable cases and more expansions to the world coming this definitely has hours of game for you.
#26
THE CREW: THE QUEST FOR PLANET NINE - Although I haven't had much opportunity to play this game I have really enjoyed it's unique co-operative trick taking form. With just a small deck of cards and limited communication players have to work together to win the correct cards for them to complete their chosen tasks. Much like Skull King this can make losing a trick just as important as winning and the choice of which cards to shed at the right time even more impactful. With a variety if quests in the game there is many hours of deepening gameplay to be hard here.
#25
TZOLK'IN: THE MAYAN CALENDAR - This worker placement is all about timing and how you puzzle your choice out. Using one of favorite mechanics in which you have to choose to place or pick up workers, you only get your resources when you pick up and the longer your workers are out on the board the better the return. You place these workers onto interlocked dials that each round will turn moving them further round. Your ability to plan for the future will be put to the test each round, fail and you might have starving workers come the end of the season.
#24
GREAT WESTERN TRAIL - Who doesn't love having a handful of cows?! You are herding cattle via deck building, pick up those heifers and move them along the trail so you can ship them off to cities. Further the expanse of your rail network so you can get more points each round. How long you take to run the trail can impact the length of the game, take your time visiting all the action spots may leaving you behind in the bovine exportation race. Pfister designs always engross me and this is no exception.
#23
TRAJAN - A yummy point salad of a game with a wonderful action selection rondel with mancala bowls, Feld once again puts so many choices in front of the player you fell spoilt for choice on what to do. Every turn seems like a step forward and I love that progression in a game, it doesn't feel wasted as you move toward you goals and build up that big turn when you get to move a lot of your action tokens at once.
#22
RAIDERS OF THE NORTH SEA - Giving you a simple action choice each turn and using it to the max interests me a lot. Raiders has worker placement in which each round you put down one worker and pick up another, with generally quick actions attached. Your goal is build up your raiding party and then headed out over the North Sea to pillage the villages to bring back tributes to your jarl. Another game which all your efforts seem to be moving ever quicker toward the end triggers, no round counter but when two of three end goals are met the game ends. I do really like it when it feels you can have some control over when the game will finish.
#21
CONCORDIA - Trading and travelling through the Mediterranean is hardly the most exciting theme, and often gets a bad reputation in euros but Concordia holds the banner for making it a great experience. Your actions each round are chosen from your hand of cards, you can improve that hand by purchasing cards which is also one of the timers for the game end. Also these cards are your end game scoring. This games features something I really love in modern gaming, you don't track points at all during the game, so there is no clear leader, which gives every player at the table that feeling they are still in the game with a chance to win. Brilliant!
NEXT STOP: The Tablestop 20!
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