New-to-me games played recently include …

A WAYFARER’S TALE: THE JOURNEY BEGINS (2025): Rank 8244, Rating 8.0

If I were to invest in a big roll-and-write, I guess this would be the one. Continual engagement on every turn. A non-trivial decision in which of the five movement mechanisms you wish to specialise in. Maintaining that focus whilst the dice play havoc with your wishes. Giving yourself multiple good options to reduce the potential for havoc. Different maps for variety, each with tricky decisions on what connections to shoot for. It runs long for a R&W at 60 mins though. And the second game did feel like the first, even on a different map. Still, there’s enough oomph there for me to play again if others want to.

Rating: 7

KOMPROMAT (2020): Rank 5345, Rating 7.1

2p games are mostly a pull-me-push-you kind of struggle but I place this one in the rarer “fun” category. In each of the 6 rounds, put out 4 score cards to compete for, worth either low points but a useful action (for later) or no action but bigger points. Each player plays BlackJack to each pile, first card face-up, the rest face-down, best score without busting wins the card. With identical decks, there’s a ton of luck in the order you draw your cards but you’ll improve your odds counting the cards down if you care enough. The play is quick with lots of internal groaning, laced with the occasional “mmm, perfect”, and the reveals at the end of each round are fun surprises. And it all plays in a nice timeframe to boot.

Rating: 8

LAND AND FREEDOM (2023): Rank 5010, Rating 7.8

This is the first semi co-op I’ve enjoyed in a long time. Played over 12 turns, play a card from your special deck each turn for points or its event (Twilight Struggle style). The three asymmetric roles provide different conditions to be met in order to determine who gets to place a ‘win’ chip in the bag each turn. But if you spend too many card actions swaying the conditions your way, then you’re not spending actions fixing the hordes that are invading the provinces. Too many hordes, we all lose. But if one player dominates the win chips, the others will tank the game so there’s a beautiful balance to be found between swaying conditions to give yourself a shot and ensuring the others feel they have a shot as well. Here’s the best part … a various number of ‘win’ chips are drawn randomly from the bag each round (most at end of game though) and the winner is whoever has the most drawn. This non-determinism is so important in making semi co-op work … as long as I have a chance, I’ll do my share. But maybe just a little better chance than you please if I may!!

Rating: 7

METRO X (2018): Rank 1945, Rating 7.1

A roll and write made interesting by how the tracks join and cross, and how advancing one track can cross off a space on another track which limits how far yocan advance that one. As each card is revealed (indicating how many spaces you can tick off), the decision each turn is which track to advance such that you have good non-limiting options next turn regardless of what number is turned over. As such you’re continually assessing your board, working what you want/need next on each track. It’s not a game I want to play on high repeat given each turn is a bit same-y, but the changing deck order is going to provide variety enough to say yes to the occasional play.

Rating: 7

NATURE (2025): Rank 4239, Rating 7.1

A streamlined version of Evolution which plays in under 30 minutes by only going 4 rounds. The species you create each round is just generic size and population. There’s not much more than a handful of traits so you get familiar with those quickly. Then it’s a matter of getting the most food and the winner will likely be determined by who invests most in food production yet still manages not to get picked on much in hunts. Otherwise, scores will be close and it’s a lottery. There’s variety on offer by adding in optional card sets that simulate different eco-systems. I don’t love the hitty system and this didn’t sway me despite the appeal of quicker and tidier.

Rating: 6

PAMPERO (2024): Rank 2280, Rating 7.5

Another dry businessy game of a type that I’ve been going off recently because it doesn’t matter how engaging the game management challenge, it fails to make me care. Use action cards to build power towers to expand what you can do, build wind towers to generate power, and use that power to buy income chips. Most money wins. You seem to have only enough actions to explore half the game, concentrating on the scoring-round categories. The game is bedevilled by icon hell in the tiniest icon font making most of the game a mystery unless you squint over every chip all game. And let’s not forget the world’s most confusing mis-use of gaming terminology ever – they’re rewards, not contracts! Contracts imply later fulfillment, making the rules so confusing. Anyway, yes, it provides an engaging challenge of balancing money while maintaining strategic focus if the theme appeals and you can afford to give it a few plays to get to grips with it.

Rating: 6

REFOREST (2024): Rank 4273, Rating 7.6

Picture Wingspan type cards – similar art, costs to build, effects of all types, VPs. On your turn you draw cards or you play a card to your tableau, spending cards from your hand to do so San Juan style. You’ve only got 6 spots but the twist is you can build over the top of a previously played card at a discount, as long as you’re building something taller, while maintaining the covered cards VPs and icons (which are used in effects). There’s a LOT of reading in the game to get the synergies you want, whilst working towards the end-of-round goal for points. Which makes the game slower than expected, and just as you get more familiar with what’s on offer, turns slow down while you’re activating all your triggered effects. But still, card-building engines are always engaging so I could see myself playing again if people were keen.

Rating: 7

TICKET TO RIDE: GHOST TRAIN (2022): Rank 6661, Rating 6.8

A friendly kid’s version. Each ticket only needs 2 or 3 links and each link is 1-3 spaces long. It only takes a few turns to get the cards you need to build some links and score a ticket. Then simply draw a new ticket and the first to complete 6 tickets wins. That’s it. The player who draws into tickets that match what they’ve already built will win but in a 15 minute game for kids, all good.

Rating: 6

Thoughts of other Opinionated Gamers:

Matt Carlson: I’m still interested in giving Nature a spin with some of the add-on modules. Without any of the modules the game is pretty simple and is basically a kid/family version. The modules do change the nature of the game in significant ways. It’s still a minor negative to be eaten by another player’s species but not nearly the penalty it was back in the previous iteration of the game, Evolution. I have not played it enough to give a judgement on its own yet but pretty much every change from Evolution is for the better.