As you’ll have seen from the favourite game thread Why is your favourite game, your favourite game?
…I love Great Western Trail. There’s no official solo mode, but a guy on BGG has made a load of automata. It’s a long setup and teardown. It’s better at 3 or 4 than 2 but there is so much game for the money.
Terraforming Mars is a massive hit in our house and probably our most played game. Better at 2 than GWT, but still best with 3 (although I prefer GWT with 3&4 players). Loads of variety, lots of strategic decisions. The component quality and the art isn’t great but they’re not high on my ask list when playing a game. Loads of expansions, I’d say Prelude is a must buy.
I enjoy Concordia, again it doesn’t shine at 2 (sense a theme?). Very simple to learn and teach. Not great to look at. Probably more tactical than strategic.
The only other game I’ve played on your list is Viticulture. It’s highly regarded but I bounced of it. I’d play again in better company.
A Feast for Odin is a hit here as well. Again, better at 4 than 2. I think Feast is a Sunday afternoon, cup of tea chill out game rather than an in your face. Also, I am terrible at it.
Not sure about retail as I backed it on Kickstarter but I love Age of Steam. I’ve not played 18xx to compare it. Auctions, bidding, really, really mean. More expansions than countries on earth. Decent solo, ok with 2. Plays all the way to 7.
The other big thing that I’ve never played is the Hansa Teutonica Big Box that is due to be released next week (or it was pre Covid). It’s very highly rated by the 3 game podcasts I listen to.
Apparently the Terraforming Mars app is a very good implementation.