Resolution #1 – Play 10+ Games that were new to me
Success! Between new games in my collection, new games in the collections of friends, and even games that had sat there for months being neglected, I managed to get at least fourteen games played and I would be willing to play them again.
- Spyfall: Time Travel – Fun social deduction game, available with many themes. I played the DC Comics version but picked up this one to play with friends in the SCA.
- Very Bad Lands – Quick and easy, it’s a game of dinosaurs and not getting extinct.
- Wolves – From the makers of Crow & Coyote, a game of co-operation, where all must survive for their to be an overall winner.
- Boss Monster 2 – I’ve had the original sitting largely ignored by me on my shelf, but opportunity brought the sequel out at another table. As the Boss Monster, score points by building a dungeon full of traps and obstacles to defeat would be heroes.
- Bastion – Picked up at a liquidation warehouse but was pleasantly surprised by this cooperative tower defence game. I wish it worked for more than four players but we’ve been toying with some house rules to test next year!
- Stardew Valley – Truly this board game captured the feel of the video game as a cozy game of making friends and growing crops. Expect it to take longer than it says on the box.
- Horrified Legends – I’m a fan of the original Horrified and did enjoy this one as well but it has a few more bits to it, like instead of the encounter cards activating a set monster, they activate a specific icon and trigger multiple monsters in a single turn.
- A Tale of Pirates – A game of cooperation, communication, and some physical coordination as you attempt to complete timed tasks with the rest of the crew while swapping out pegs from the ship for needed ship roles.
- Cthulhu: Even Death May Die – According to my game journal, I probably played more of this board game in 2025 than any other. The mechanics really fit the feel and despite looking complex, still way simpler and quicker than my beloved Arkham Horror (2E) and Eldritch Horror.
- Century: Golems – Introduced to me by a friend, an engine builder with nice artwork. Acquire gemstones and cards to produce the gemstones needed to complete contracts.
- Alien: Fate of the Nostromo – I played a lot of this one as well in 2025. It’s a simple appearing game from Ravensburger, with good solid pieces and a variety of objectives so high replayability as the players work together to complete the objectives. There is no player elimination for running into the Xenomorph, but the hit to morale is punishment enough as it ticks down to zero …
- Donner Dinner Party – A social deduction game inspired by the infamous Donner Party. Secret cannibals in the party try to sow suspicion while food and settlers dwindle, while the settlers are just trying to survive long enough to complete the journey. There’s a card deck to help keep things interesting and it has a definite time limit, both a plus in my book.
- My Town – A small box game with the cozy feel of videogames like Stardew Valley, scoring points as you build and harvest, often helping others even as you strive to score the most points.
- Unicorn Fever – Remember that old wooden horses steeplechase game? Now imagine it with the chaos of unicorns, hidden cards to boost and nerf movement, and side bets on who will win or place. Apparently not in print anymore but a buddy hunted it down for his collection and I was fortunate enough to get to play it.
A Geek for All Seasons 