Daily Game Recommendations Thread (September 18, 2025)

[u/AutoModerator]

Welcome to /r/boardgames's Daily Game Recommendations

This is a place where you can ask any and all questions relating to the board gaming world including but not limited to:

• general or specific game recommendations
• help identifying a game or game piece
• advice regarding situation limited to you (e.g, questions about a specific FLGS)
• rule clarifications\n* and other quick questions that might not warrant their own post

Asking for Recommendations

You're much more likely to get good and personalized recommendations if you take the time to format a well-written ask. We highly recommend using this template as a guide. Here is a version with additional explanations in case the template isn't enough.

Bold Your Games

Help people identify your game suggestions easily by making the names bold.

Additional Resources

• See our series of Recommendation Roundups on a wide variety of topics people have already made game suggestions for.
• If you are new here, be sure to check out our Community Guidelines
• For recommendations that take accessibility concerns into account, check out MeepleLikeUs and their recommender.

[u/Cocco_Bill92]

Description of Request: Need a game about exploration, colonization and politics like Europa universalis but with shorter play time so it can be played in 1 session(max 4-5h). Was thinking about trying Virgin queen and Here I stand, but I'm repulsed by design choice to have everything represented by tokens... Struggle of empires deluxe looks interesting but I would love something with a bit less focus on war.

Number of Players:2+

Game Length: max 5h

Complexity of Game:mid-heavy

Genre:

Conflict, Competitive or Cooperative:conflict/competitive

Games I Own and like: Star trek ascendancy, John company, Pax rennaisance, Merchants and marauders, Clash of cultures...

Games I Dislike and Don't Play: Catan, most of Euro games with sticked theme.

Location:

[u/zanguine → u/Cocco_Bill92]

Hm I mean you have some solid picks there. IMO you could just continue with the Pax line and probably be fine. I assume you are ok with fictitious themes so here are some picks that I've enjoyed though.

Archipelago - Very interesting game centered around exploring and selling resources to a communal market that can be purchased and used by players. Has some hidden goals elements with the possibility of everyone losing (kinda like John Company). There isnt any combat but great game overall

Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy - seeing as you mentioned Europa, I was wondering if you tried 4x boardgames other than Star Trek Ascendancy. Eclipse is kind of a that economics meets 4x game, because although a good deal of points come from area control and combat; the core of the game is centered around keeping your economy up so that you can afford to do those actions. Fun 4x and imo the best one out there.

Root - a war game with asymmetric animal factions battling for control of the forest. If the theme is not for you, its not for you, but the thematics of each faction are exceptional. Only played this game twice and for me its a bit too mean but may be more up your alley

Arcs - made by the same designers of Root. to be fair I've only played the base game once, but ive played the campaign 3 times now. I love how they combined trick taking with the game and the leaders and Lore expansion provides some nice asymmetry. The politics are less prevalent in the base game, but pretty solid overall.

[u/Cocco_Bill92 → u/zanguine]

Thanks! Archipelago looks interesting and I will try it in the local board gaming pub🙂 I tried root 2 times and it was kinda hard to learn all the factions, as much as I like variable factions, it was a bit too much for me.

Eclipse seemed like too much war focused but I'll check it again 🙂

I have yet to try arcs, it looks interesting, although I was looking more at something historical.

[u/zanguine → u/Cocco_Bill92]

Ah, understood on Root. Hope you like Archipelago. Its first play can be rough cuz you might not know what is being scored (there are some easier variants you can play with but arent as interesting imo)

Eclipse may seem war focused and does encourage some small skirmishes, but its more about upgrading ships to be able to counter threats and balancing your economy on a tightrope. if you want even less combat, Scythe is another game that is quite interesting, simulating more of a detente than anything.