Underrated games?

[nandblock]

I was curious what games on BGA people felt were underrated. There are around 80 games, some of them pretty obscure, and I could always use pointers to ones I have neglected. Recently I discovered In the Year of the Dragon--simply by noticing it was by the great designer Stefan Feld and giving it a try--and that's definitely one I'm glad didn't slip under my radar. Also, Amyitis seems a tad underrated--it's a drab-looking game with an initially puzzling combination of mechanics, which may be why, but it's got a lot of quirky depth to it, and a unique flavour. A bit like a cross between Spyrium and Caylus. (Like Spyrium, Keyflower and Caylus, it also drags out FOREVER in turn-based play due to all the tiny little moves and passes and actions.)

I also wish that the draft option of RFTG were more popular in realtime play, as it is pretty cool--it is hopelessly ungainly for turn-based play though. If you could save your drafted deck for multiple games that would make it more viable.

[Oso]

I was curious what games on BGA people felt were underrated. There are around 80 games, some of them pretty obscure, and I could always use pointers to ones I have neglected. Recently I discovered In the Year of the Dragon--simply by noticing it was by the great designer Stefan Feld and giving it a try--and that's definitely one I'm glad didn't slip under my radar. Also, Amyitis seems a tad underrated--it's a drab-looking game with an initially puzzling combination of mechanics, which may be why, but it's got a lot of quirky depth to it, and a unique flavour. A bit like a cross between Spyrium and Caylus. (Like Spyrium, Keyflower and Caylus, it also drags out FOREVER in turn-based play due to all the tiny little moves and passes and actions.)

I also wish that the draft option of RFTG were more popular in realtime play, as it is pretty cool--it is hopelessly ungainly for turn-based play though. If you could save your drafted deck for multiple games that would make it more viable.

Yes, here are some game that people never discover. Uncle Chestnut is a nice abstract really. In my old time Gosu was a popular game but now just get few plays, Polis and Expedition NP are so nice too.
People prefer to play fast or popular games, is more easy for learn than other games.

About draft option, I never liked this option because it takes more time -a normal game take around 10 min, with draft, 15 min-, and is impossible to save the deck because lot of card have just a one copy and if two players has the same card in the deck, it will be incompatible

[ringersoll]

I just played Uncle Chestnut's.
I like it!

[nandblock]

Wasn't super impressed by Uncle Chestnut's, though it doesn't help that it's not a visually very pleasant game to look at--looks like a prototype rather than a finished game. But I don't much like chess or checkers so I'm probably not its target audience.

I am definitely curious about Polis and Expedition NW Passage, have been meaning to try them for a while but they look like they will take a little while to learn. And I'll give Gosu a try too.

Any thoughts on Machiavelli, Time Masters, Assyria, Sobek?

[nandblock]

About draft option, I never liked this option because it takes more time -a normal game take around 10 min, with draft, 15 min-, and is impossible to save the deck because lot of card have just a one copy and if two players has the same card in the deck, it will be incompatible

Yeah it is a complete pain in the ass for a single game. The ideal would be to play 2 games for 2 players, each time with one or the other deck. (I guess by that logic it'd require 6 games for 3 players to do all the various combinations.)

I also wish Tash-Kalar had a drafting option (and also included the Nethervoid deck).... but the developer tells me that the coding he used would not be easy to modify for drafting

[squarerootofthree]

I am definitely curious about Polis and Expedition NW Passage, have been meaning to try them for a while but they look like they will take a little while to learn. And I'll give Gosu a try too.

Any thoughts on Machiavelli, Time Masters, Assyria, Sobek?

Eh, stay away from Machiavelli. It's basically the same game as Rummikub if you've ever played that. But the problem is that there's an optimal strategy: never play a set until he final few turns of the game. When opponents are playing this way, it's very annoying.

Time masters is a fun deck builder. I stopped playing it a while ago, though, because it had a bug that prevented turn-based play (don't know if that's ever been fixed).

Assyria is a great heavier game. Lots of interesting strategy as you jockey for turn order and control of the map.

Sobek is an alright game. Honestly, the corruption mechanic kills it for me, though. The penalty for having the most corruption is just brutal. I own that one and play it at home with modified corruption rules.

My favorite of all the games you listed is Northwest Passage. I love the mapping aspect of it and feeling of racing for a goal but trying to accomplish smaller goals along the way (claiming cairns, shipwrecks, etc).

[Oso]

Wasn't super impressed by Uncle Chestnut's, though it doesn't help that it's not a visually very pleasant game to look at--looks like a prototype rather than a finished game. But I don't much like chess or checkers so I'm probably not its target audience.

Is an abstract, but this game has luck and there is "the fun" of this game -at least for me-

Also, is a MENSA game

Eh, stay away from Machiavelli. It's basically the same game as Rummikub if you've ever played that. But the problem is that there's an optimal strategy: never play a set until he final few turns of the game. When opponents are playing this way, it's very annoying.

Yes, it's like an Italian Rummy, but isn't bad. Also is true, this game needs a re-work because people don't play a meld before final and isn't fun because you need melds for play single cards.

Example: http://es.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=21943253

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About the other games:

- Time Masters: Is like Dominion, you build your deck. Some cards are so powerful but isn't bad really.

- Assyria: Other underrated, I enjoyed this game really, but not good with 3p.

- Sobek: Nice game too and not complex for learn, The corruption system could be a little "brutal" if you got lot of cards in your pile, but if you play carefully you will not lose lot of points.

[MaryLyman]

Even I have played Uncle Chestnut. Its amazing game.

[squarerootofthree]

Yes, it's like an Italian Rummy, but isn't bad. Also is true, this game needs a re-work because people don't play a meld before final and isn't fun because you need melds for play single cards.

Example: http://es.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=21943253

Yes, Oso. I'd agree about the problem. I actually enjoy the game when played normally, but unfortunately too many players play the other way that I don't bother playing it. All of the top players do the "only draw cards until you can make all your melds and go out" strategy that it kind of kills it. Another example: http://en.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=18836370

[nandblock]

Huh thanks for the warning re Machiavelli. A shame.

Kind of interesting to look at the list of games recommended by Mensa--a strange bunch.

Oh, another game that seems a bit underplayed here is Tobago. I think it's better as a boardgame than online in turn-based play (again: I dislike games that end up with tons of small moves just to accomplish one thing--the complicated system for determining who gets the loot takes FOREVER in turn-based play). But it's a clever, unusual game. And it's out of print so it's only possible to play it online now.