25: Dark Souls: The Board Game
In brief: Dark Souls: The Board Game was always a good implementation of the board game, but with the newest core sets (The Tomb of Giants and the Painted World of Aramis) the ante has been upped considerably. These sets are the perfect way for any videogame fan to make the leap into board games, and you can read more about it here.
24: Azul
In brief: Arguably the game of Christmas 2017 and winner of many awards, Azul remains a steadfast choice when introducing new players to modern board games. With fast gameplay, attractive components and a very simple learning curve, Azul has a lot of positives going for it, even despite the introduction of a sequel in late 2018. Check out our detailed review here.
23: Root
In brief: The second game from Leder Games to appear in our list, Root is even more ambitious about its asymmetrical setup than Vast is. Although there are fewer different roles to play, each one is wildly different, making Root a eurogame, a war game, a programming game and something akin to a hand management game all at once. Very niche, but incredibly powerful, here’s our review.
22: Lords of Waterdeep
In brief: Whilst Lords of Waterdeep is a longstanding classic for some, it may be completely new to tabletop players who are taking their first steps into the hobby. Whatever your perspective, Lords of Waterdeep is undeniably one of the best entry points into worker placement games, especially if you enjoy the thematic crossover with the Dungeons & Dragons universe, which is deeply ingrained here. You can read more about it in our review.
Buy Lords of Waterdeep on Amazon.
21: 7 Wonders: Second Edition
In brief: Whilst 7 Wonders isn’t a new game, we didn’t get our hands on it until early 2023 when we received a copy of the fantastic 7 Wonders: 2nd Edition. This edition brings new artwork and components, whilst retaining almost identical gameplay to the original release. This evergreen classic is popular for a reason, as you’ll discover in my review.
