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War of the Ring (Second Edition)
War of the Ring (Second Edition)
2012 | Adventure, Dice Game, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures
For me, this version is an improvement to the original. It tries to help you learn the game rather than fight you as the FFG version seemed to do at times. If you already have the FFG version, you can purchase an upgrade kit that has all of the new cards in a nice tin for about $30, and then download the new version of the rules from the Ares Games website, that might be enough for you.

Original Rating: 10/10
Reviewer: Elliott Miller
Read the full review here: https://thegaminggang.com/our_reviews/tabletop-gaming-reviews/one-edition-to-rule-them-all-war-of-the-ring-2nd-edition-reviewed/
  
Forbidden Island
Forbidden Island
2010 | Adventure, Card Game, Fantasy
Easy to learn. Good character choices. Clear objectives. Decent replay value. Promotes cooperation to win. (0 more)
Can be frustrating for younger or newer players. (0 more)
Race time and a booby-trapped island to find lost treasures!
I bought this game as an intro to strategy tabletop gaming for my kids. Our first game was a win, but the second ended in tears as the island defeated us.
It didn't stop us though. We still play it and have learned how to apply strategies to help each character meet objectives quickly.
We are considering other games in the franchise, but now the kids are hooked on gaming and we're trying new types.
Well worth the money for adventure and strategy for even seasoned players. The scaled difficulty and multiple characters make strategy and replay a must. The more people playing, the more the game seems to adapt.
Maybe not the best intro to new gamers, but it worked for us!
  
Century: Golem Edition
Century: Golem Edition
2017 | Card Game, Economic
Fun fast pace, good set collector. (0 more)
No insert. Made my own, picture attached of my insert. (0 more)
Great family friendly introductory game!
I really enjoy this game. This is a great game to introduce to people new to the tabletop gaming industry. Century golem edition is a rethemed version of Century Spice Road. Both games are played the exact same way. I prefer Century Golem Edition over Century Spice Road, for no other reason but looks. Century is a great set collection game with minimal "take that" mechanics that can turn people away from other that collecting games. Easy game to play, an easy game to learn, challenging enough for beginners, not so easy for heavier gamers to avoid playing with new gamers.
  
Doki Doki Literature Club
Doki Doki Literature Club
2017 | Role-Playing, Simulation
Atmosphere (1 more)
Art
Not a lot of actual gameplay (0 more)
Unsettling and Entertaining
I am not a fan of dating sims. I would not have played this one if I had not heard a podcast on horror tabletop gaming say to play this game. They gave no details whatsoever, except that the game was free. No harm in trying it when it's free!

There is very little actual gameplay, as with most dating sims. A lot of just reading and clicking on dialogue choices. The game has all the stereotypical dating sim personalities and events to work through: culture fest, clubs, making friends, getting to know people. It takes a bit, but eventually, small things start to seem out of place or odd.

Once you start to notice the weird things, though, the roller coaster ride begins.

The game takes you on an unsettling, sometimes disturbing, trip that crosses into meta-gaming and breaks the fourth wall in some unique ways.

The art is solid. The dialogue and writing are excellent. Some parts of the game remind me of some of the older meta-gaming efforts out there in the late 90s, early 2000s.

Even though there are not a lot of choices to make in the game, not a lot of gaming, it is still worth the effort to watch the show and be part of the game itself. This game sucks the player in and adds you to its dossier. Guys and girls alike will get a thrill out of it if they stick through to the end. And trust me when I say that when you think you are at the end, just keep playing. Don't turn the game off for a second. Keep playing. And when you think you are at the end again, keep playing. And when you think you are at the end again, keep playing.
  
7 Wonders
7 Wonders
2010 | Ancient, Card Game, City Building, Civilization
7 Wonders is one of my go-to games for larger groups. Capable of handling up to 7 players, it's both strategic and a good casual game. As the game that brought drafting as the primary game mechanic into the forefront of tabletop gaming, it still remains on the top of the list. It does take a game for a new player to understand what they need to prioritize and need to keep an eye out of cards, but once they make it through a round, they'll be enjoying it in no time. Quick gameplay with lots of decision space allows for a fulfilling game that you can look back on and realize oh I should have done this!. There are issues with a lack of player interaction with people not next to you, but expansions do offer solutions to that.
  
The Resistance
The Resistance
2018 | Bluff, Card Game, Deduction, Science Fiction, Spies / Espionage
Quick Gameplay (1 more)
Simple
Enjoyment is super dependent on who you're playing with (0 more)
Hit or Miss
I was introduced to this game by a friend, and completely forgot about it until it appeared on Wil Wheaton's Tabletop.

The first time I played it, it didn't leave much of an impression. Felt like a more lightweight version of Werewolf.

After watching the Tabletop episode, I gave it another chance and had a much better time. Like a lot of lightweight party-style games, The Resistance lives and dies on the specific people playing it. If you have even just one or two players that have a little bit of buy-in, or what to really get into the scheming and accusations, it can be immensely fun.

However, sometimes you end up with a group of players that eschew the seat-of-the-pants gameplay implied by the quickness and lightweightedness of the game, and by the third mission, the game has become less about being sneaky and playing against people, and turns into a kind of logic puzzle.

Have had some real fun games, have had a few dull ones. Definitely worth a play if you're looking for something light and fast while you're waiting for the one guy in your gaming group to make heads or tails of the rulebook of the big box game he just bought.
  
Tsuro
Tsuro
2004 | Abstract Strategy, Fantasy
Quick to play (3 more)
Simple to learn
Interesting concept
Charming
Very little scope for strategy (1 more)
Not much replay value
A Path Into Gaming
Tsuro is a game with a very simple concept: be the last player on the board. You do this by laying tiles which link to create winding paths around the board, which inevitably end up running off the board altogether. But be careful - colliding with another player results in a double elimination.

Because it boasts such trivial mechanics, it is very easy to pick up and play a few rounds quickly (some games can last under 10 minutes including setup), as well as being one that young children could enjoy. The player meeples have a good quality feel, and it can be satisfying watching the winding paths in the game board grow.

However, it very quickly becomes obvious just how simple this game is - winning is often less about trying to run your opponents off the board as it is trying to keep yourself in play for as long as possible, until you inevitably take yourself out of the game.

Tsuro, then, is an inviting game for introducing regular folk to the mad world of tabletop gaming, and is a solid option for beginning a proper games night with its simplicity and charm. I used it recently myself as a sweetner to help ease a new player into game night, and it worked a treat. It probably won't make regular appearances however.

I like it. Worth a look.