2022 has come and gone and a brand new yr is upon us. Final yr was stuffed with fairly just a few high quality board video games and even some nice occasions at conventions. Whereas we might have already closed out the yr with Tony and Brandon’s High 10 Board video games from 2022, we wished to offer the remainder of the BGQ workforce an opportunity to chime on their favourite board video games from the yr. So, with one closing look again on the yr, the BGQ workforce every picks what they assume is the Finest Board Recreation from 2022. What was your favourite sport? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood
Chosen by James:
Whereas there have been a number of superb video games in 2022 that would simply slot in right here (Clone Wars Pandemic, Flamecraft, and Sorcerer’s Enviornment had been all within the operating for varied causes) however the elephantine sized packing containers within the room that’s Oathsworn takes the prize. It was an bold scope each when it comes to the professionally written branching narrative and the distinctive and epic boss battles that happen in a grim-dark fantasy world the place society struggles to outlive towards the lethal Deepwood. Each state of affairs additionally delivers a Nightmare Earlier than Christmas styled current the place you get to open a brand new field or envelope to disclose some horror your celebration of Oathsworn should face within the upcoming battle. The fight system is versatile permitting gamers to make use of both playing cards or cube and makes use of a push-your-luck system with exploding criticals permitting for large swings in harm. Harm completed is the worth of the assault divided by the defender’s protection permitting you a number of company for utilizing rerolls/redraw tokens or utilizing playing cards for his or her defensive worth to scale back incoming harm. In the meantime, that huge assault that destroyed a part of the boss will lead to a response—basically a free activation for the massive unhealthy. Then there’s the battle circulation mechanic the place a card advances playing cards in that cool-down spot that rewards strategic play and has you attempting to plan out your turns. Thus far, by way of six eventualities, it’s been an epic expertise. Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood was definitely worth the wait and worthy of the reward being heaped upon it.
1-4 Gamers • Ages 12+ • 30-90 minutes 
Twisted Fables
Chosen by Tony:
Since I already posted about my High 10 Board Video games from 2022 in our end-of-the-year checklist with Brandon (spoiler alert, it was Foundations of Rome), I’m going to make use of this slot for my favourite “new to me” sport from 2022. At Gen Con final yr, I obtained an opportunity to play Twisted Fables from Dimensions Video games. It’s a dueling sport that may be a riff on the outdated second combating video games. In it, you tackle the position of a fairy story creature from legend: Purple Using Hood, Sleeping Magnificence, and Alice to call just a few. You’ll battle your opponent utilizing card play and deck constructing. Not solely does every character have its personal distinctive deck, however gamers additionally draft energy playing cards to boost their character’s skills. General, I had a ton of enjoyable with this one because it’s each artistic and entertaining to play.
2 Gamers • Ages 10+ • 30-60 minutes • $69
Cat within the Field
Chosen by Dylan:
2022 had a wealth of releases that peaked my consideration, primarily due to the recognition of importing Japanese trick taking video games. 9 Lives and Ghosts of Christmas had been each massive releases, however to me, the de facto trick-taker of 2022 was Cat within the Field. It’s not a primary trick-taking sport, not by any means. But it surely’s so cool in what it does in another way.
2-5 Gamers • Ages 8+ • 20-40 minutes • $27
Wonderland’s Battle
Chosen by Spencer:
Wonderland’s Battle hit Kickstarter throughout my two-year hiatus from Kickstarter. As quickly as I performed it for the primary time after its launch, the FOMO kicked in onerous. This one is correct up my alley. Medium weight, however solely a few hours to play. Tense and interactive with many viable paths to victory. Replay worth is excessive given the faction asymmetry and varied ally set ups. Most of the battles result in get up, memorable moments through a Quacks of Quedlinburg type bag constructing and determination mechanic. The theme suits snugly, and the parts (particularly within the deluxe model) are stellar. This one will probably be within the common rotation for years to come back.
2-5 Gamers • Ages 12+ • 45-125 minutes • $50
Tiletum
Chosen by Jacob:
What can beige do for you? In my case, rather a lot. Okay, I’m about to checklist some very unsexy traits about my favourite sport of the yr. It’s fairly rattling beige, for starters. I do know that’s a joke avid gamers throw round about any variety of loosely themed Euros (I signify a German commerce guild, you say? My dream come true! Wait, now I’m a rich Italian household vying for favor with the King? Get out!), and whereas I do assume there’s a magnificence to Tiletum, it’s nonetheless a beige-ass Euro (I’m a wealthy service provider touring all through Europe throughout the Golden Age of the Renaissance? NO WAY). That mentioned, few video games have made my dopamine ranges soar fairly like Tiletum after I pull off a juicy combo. It’s a giant board with a giant ole map with very satisfying picket items, and has parts of Hansa Teutonica, one other beige basic, in that pulling off items out of your participant board unlocks endgame factors, whereas filling up the homes in your board with folks additionally unlocks tantalizing methods to improve your actions. Finally, you’re loudly speaking out your flip, a lot to the chagrin of your opponents, and following up every transfer with “AND THEN…”. However hey, the hustle by no means ends for [insert generic mid-level Renaissance bureaucratic figure here].
1-4 Gamers • Ages 12+ • 60-100 minutes
Trekking By way of Historical past
Chosen by Andy:
Trekking by way of Historical past is an simply taught, enjoyable, fast-paced sport with plenty of replay worth. Its theme, time-travel tourism, has been a dream of mine for forty-plus years. The aim is to pick out as many occasions in chronological order as doable (one sequence is known as a “Trek”) while not having to begin a brand new Trek as a result of no occasions match the sequence, whereas additionally attempting to reduce the time wanted to look at every occasion since you are restricted to 12 “hours” per spherical in a 3-round sport. Figuring out when to sluggish your roll versus when to seize an costly (in “hours”) occasion and when to begin a brand new Trek versus attempting to eke out yet another occasion creates a really good stress in what’s in any other case a light-weight sport (BGG complexity=1.86). I taught my daughter easy methods to play in 5 minutes and she or he shortly proceeded to beat me two occasions in a row. Any sport you may lose twice to a beginner and nonetheless love enjoying must be a winner! 4-stars from Andy and right here’s hoping somebody asks me to play it once more quickly!
2-4 Gamers • Ages 8+ • 30-60 minutes • $36
Scooby-Doo! The Board Recreation
Chosen by Chris:
My identify may simply be added to any variety of the video games my esteemed Board Recreation Quest kinfolk have already talked about. Wonderland’s Battle is, nicely, fantastic and Tony’s prime decide from his separate checklist—Foundations of Rome—can also be distinctive. However piggybacking different picks is boring so I’m going off the grid and deciding on CMON’s mild household cooperative sport Scooby-Doo! The Board Recreation as my favourite. (Fellow BGQer James Wolff are I are large followers of the Scooby model and infrequently derail the positioning’s board game-focused Discord channel with pointless trivia in regards to the varied incarnations of the characters. Be a part of the Discord and see for your self! It’s extremely annoying!) Sadly, the sport hasn’t hit retail simply but, however its core mechanism of a villain who can provoke their flip in the midst of the heroes’ flip is an impressed design selection. With scalable problem (simple may be very simple, whereas the toughest setting is mainly unwinnable… that’s, after all, if performed with my youngsters on the workforce) and fast turns make this a robust entry within the middleweight cooperative area. For followers of the franchise itself, this can be a slam-dunk buy and a surefire keeper. Jinkies!
1-2 Gamers • Ages 8+ • half-hour • $60
Return to Darkish Tower
Chosen by Brian W:
Should you learn BQG’s most anticipated Video games of 2021 & 2022 then it shouldn’t shock you that this sport may seem as my finest board sport of 2022. I wished to like this sport even earlier than it lastly arrived however as soon as I obtained it to the desk it exceeded my expectations from the primary to my final play. I actually have a blast with it after I don’t win. The built-in app is great for general gameplay and employs a singular fight system that makes defeating monsters and foes moderately difficult. The app additionally isn’t any cake stroll when attempting to finish quests or particularly dungeons. The centerpiece is after all the brand new fancy Tower that can add corruption to the sport board and can unfold much more as the sport turns into tougher as you play. General, Return to Darkish Tower is a welcome addition to my assortment and I really like getting this enjoyable and difficult sport to the desk.
1-4 Gamers • Ages 10+ • 100-120 minutes • $190
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Slaves to Darkness Field Set
Chosen by George:
This was one of many nicest field units for Age of Sigmar I’ve purchased shortly. With Slaves to Darkness getting revamped for third version I used to be excited to see the brand new fashions. This field didn’t disappoint. This field got here with the brand new fashions; 3 Ogroids, 10 Chaos Chosen, and a Demon Prince. The Demon Prince package even has a number of weapon and head choices so you may mirror which chaos god you would like for it to serve. Not solely did the field include the brand new fashions, however with a limited-edition battle tome for third version, enhancement playing cards to maintain monitor of your models particular guidelines, and warscroll playing cards and tokens. General, it was an awesome field with some good worth. I’m pleased to see Age of Sigmar releases getting the Warhammer 40k remedy for these superior preview packing containers.
2 Gamers • Ages 14+ • 60+ minutes • $80
My Father’s Work
Chosen by Marcus:
There have been a number of video games within the operating for this, however in the end I may go together with nothing however My Father’s Work because of the sheer ambition of the sport. It was a ardour mission of the designer, it obtained a giant following on Kickstarter, and because of this the ultimate manufacturing worth was wonderful. The parts had been closely upgraded within the closing model. Past picket tokens such as you may count on in a sport of this high quality, there are additionally some metallic, and even glass jars full with cork. All of it’s nested right into a well-designed GameTrayz. Opening it the primary time was a enjoyable expertise in and of itself. As for the gameplay, it’s not overly complicated. A lot of it’s simply employee placement, however it’s absolutely built-in with the story, which is expansive and ever-changing. The out there board and the alternatives you’ve got out there change primarily based upon the selections you and your fellow gamers make throughout the course of that story. To present you an concept of simply how expansive the story choices are, the sport comes with three eventualities, every of which has eight fully distinct doable endings. Alongside the way in which, there are completely different encounters and random occasions that occur, and lots of alternatives for participant interplay, making certain that each sport will probably be completely different. Previous to the sport’s launch there was a little bit of trepidation over the need of an app or not, however enjoying the sport, it’s obvious that it’s completely important. The sheer quantity of story potentialities couldn’t be dealt with by anything. The included voiceovers additionally contribute the ultimate layer to the theme in a sport that oozes with theme. Thematically, it actually nails the Mary Shelley/Gothic horror really feel. It’s a nice and immersive sport that’s value each minute.
2-4 Gamers • Ages 14+ • 180 minutes • $125
{Photograph} (initially Wind the Movie!)
Chosen by Brandon:
I’m following Tony’s lead by providing up a favourite “new to me” sport from 2022 since my prime ten from the yr was printed already. I initially wished to spotlight heavy hitters Meals Chain Magnate or Pax Pamir: 2E however determined as a substitute to deal with a bit card sport referred to as {Photograph}, initially launched in 2016 below the title Wind the Movie. In the identical vein because the just lately revitalized hit Scout, {Photograph} takes benefit of a system the place gamers are unable to regulate the placement of playing cards of their hand till they “wind the movie,” shifting a single card additional away from being performed. This straightforward mechanism gives loads of puzzly hand administration as gamers create ascending or descending filmstrip collections primarily based on theme and colour. By being compelled to play a card that’s too far out of the numerical order, playing cards grow to be out of focus and accrue destructive factors, whereas bigger profitable filmstrips acquire gamers good shot bonuses. Cute art work and intelligent design.
2-4 Gamers • Ages 8+ • 20 minutes
Kickstarter Funded Narrative Boss Battler from a Small Writer
Chosen by Brian B:
When this marketing campaign launched on Kickstarter, I by no means thought the sport would ship. I referred to it as Delusion 2.0 to my buddies. First KS Marketing campaign? Minis? Advanced narrative and branching story? Packing containers greater than a Kallax slot? LOL—good luck.
Not solely was the sport delivered, however it additionally blew away my expectations, particularly from such a small writer. Greater publishers ought to take observe (*cough* Queen *cough*). I LOVED this sport! The setting. The narrative. The fight system. The character development. All of it. This dynamic, partaking sport is among the finest board sport experiences of my life. It additionally proves that Kickstarter is GOOD for board video games, as a result of video games like this may by no means be made in a retail solely surroundings. I extremely suggest you no less than attempt the sport as soon as—it’s possible you’ll be simply as shocked as I used to be!
(Word: I used to be instructed I may solely have one finest board sport, so I solely included one. I’ll allow you to, the reader, determine if the above applies to Oathsworn or Aeon Trespass: Odyssey. Or each… 😊 )
