Tigris and Euphrates. Hands down, even though I’ve only ever gotten to play it on the app, but man have I lost so many hours to that app. I keep an old android tablet for nothing more than playing it because it doesn’t work on the newer OS. I very much adore Spirit Island, Carcassonne, Orleans, and Barenpark, and while I put all of those on the same level of love, I find that they all really depend on my mood for how enthusiastic I am about them.
I will play Tigers and Pots anytime, anywhere, with anyone, over anything. Every single turn feels consequential, and I feel like you can’t ignore anything happening on the board unless you want to get done over. I never care if I lose because, just as they point out in the SUSD review, the whole game is filled with moves that just tickle me because I didn’t see something that my opponent did or I manage to pull something off that feels so clever. No decision in this game ever feels wasted or superficial, and as soon as one game is over I find myself disappointed if there isn’t another one happening right then and there.
11 Likes
Great choice. I have a feeling T&E might have been my number 11. Perhaps it didn’t make it into the top 10 just because I haven’t played it enough.
3 Likes
I really want to try Abyss. That game is so gorgeous!!!
Just wish it worked a bit better at 2, which would make it easier to justify.
1 Like
It’s beautiful. It does actually play OK with 2, it’s just better with more. Adding the expansions were good but I’m just as happy to play the base game.
Kraken would have almost nothing to add to a 2 player game but adds a good bit of player interaction to a 3/4 player game
Leviathan is pretty much automatically used by my friends and I because it addresses one of the few weak points we felt the game had.
There is a smaller card game with the same setting released now - Conspiracy: Abyss which also has some of the lovely art (albeit in a more limited fashion), different gameplay but similar feel to it.
It plays great with 2 players, is pretty cheap if I remember correctly too. As a small box (tin) card game without the board, huge tiles, pearls etc that went into the production of abyss it sets up really quickly and doesn’t swallow the table space in the same way. It could be a wee compromise option to give a go
2 Likes