The Best Board Games of 2023 So Far
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So far 2023 has been off to a great start! I’ve been introduced to a lot of good games, but some stand out more than others. This is the list of my favorite games of 2023 so far.
TimeStamps:
0:00:00 – Overview
0:01:50 – Cysmic
0:02:40 – Sirens
0:03:30 – Stonespine Architects
0:04:36 – Mille Fiori
0:05:38 – District Noir
0:07:05 – Sentinels of the Multiverse
0:08:02 – Endeavor: Deep Sea
0:08:50 – Skytear Horde
0:09:58 – Numbsters
0:11:10 – Frosthaven
0:12:19 – Sponsor (Mint Mobile)
0:13:40 – The Age of Atlantis
0:14:34 – Mother of Frankenstein
0:15:17 – Conquest Princess: Fashion is Power
0:16:23 – The Isofarian Guard
0:17:34 – For Northwood!
0:18:30 – The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era
0:20:17 – Cosmoctopus
0:21:31 – The Emerald Flame
0:22:49 – Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape
0:24:17 – Marvel Zombies
0:25:22 – Expeditions
0:27:01 – Rolling Heights
0:28:24 – Tanares Adventures
0:30:10 – 20 Strong
0:32:03 – D.E.I.: Divide et Impera
0:33:39 – Wrapping Up
Links:
Cysmic –
Sirens –
Stonespine Architects –
Mille Fiori –
District Noir –
Sentinels of the Multiverse –
Endeavor: Deep Sea –
Skytear Horde –
Numbsters –
Frosthaven –
The Age of Atlantis –
Mother of Frankenstein –
Conquest Princess: Fashion is Power –
The Isofarian Guard –
For Northwood! –
The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era –
Cosmoctopus –
The Emerald Flame –
Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape –
Marvel Zombies –
Expeditions –
Rolling Heights –
Tanares Adventures –
20 Strong –
D.E.I.: Divide et Impera –
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I would definitely vote for showing at least 1 photo of each board game
Do you keep track of how many hours you have played?
Haha I loved the sneeze into advertisement planning. Great list, Alex! I have yet to play a lot of these.
No Legacy of Yu? Was it far away from these 25?I am very curious to play both DEI and Expeditions (more the later). I haven't played Scythe in years, so that one I should probably give a new try too. But Expeditions sounds very much like my alley
LOVE D.E.I.!!! How would you compare Oathsworn to Tavares Adventures?
Wasn't Cysmic cancelled?
So happy to see you like 20 Strong that much. I backed it based on Chip Theory's reputation and an interest in what they could do with an inexpensive game. Really looking forward to my pledge delivering!
Ty for this video!
Where’s akropolis?
Great review as almays. Could I know what home rules you use in Massive Darkness? Thanksé
Did you try DEI at more than 4? I need to complete my pledge manager and I hesitate to take the Cash and Rads expansion for that
no Scarface 1920?
Mille Fiori with The Masterpieces has been a great 2P game for us. I read a comment somewhere that The Masterpieces makes the game good at 2P, and they were not wrong! However, at 4P I'm not yet sure whether I would choose base or with expansion.
Too bad Endeavour Deep See will only deliver in a year 🙁
Most people use year of publication to assign years to games. With that, I’m surprised Earth, Beast, and Witcher Old World aren’t on the list. (Especially since, if I recall correctly, you rated both Earth and Beast a 5; I don’t recall your Witcher’s ranking offhand.)
Isoferian Guard sounds very tempting 🙂 I look forward to the reprint!
I think my Galactus is coming in today. Really looking forward to the rest of marvel zombies
Isofarian Guard- game so expensive you start wanting to skip the battles because they start feeling repetitive. A ringing endorsement! Glad I don’t like these time-wasters!
What about the Witcher Old World?
Nice list. I’ll check out Rolling Heights and DEI. But no Earth? One of my favorites.
Try the expansion for Mille Fiori, it’s twice as good and you will never want to play the game without it after! 😊
Did you see that DEI will be available on BGA?
Best game of the year so far, for me, is The Witcher: Old World.
Honorable mention: MotU Clash for Eternia
Also, that small box for Marvel Zombies allows you to play the big box as the heroes (so not just the small box experience). It was worth picking up back then as it has allowed me to play as the heroes for the past 6 months. Might not be worth grabbing now, with wave 2 so eminent…
i like a lot of your list, but i have not enjoyed D.E.I one bit. I felt it was shallow and obvious the OP factions. The fault of design and lack of actions just lost its hope for me. I know you get 6 but those 6 just feel weak and not as satisfying as other area control games out there.
Alex,
ALEX!!!!
You finally got to Age of Atlantis. I could cry tears of joy.
Great list. I love the variety. Expeditions is the one on my wish list. I also want to try For Northwood! because of your review, and now its on this list as well!
Can't wait for Cosmoctopus to arrive! Just played it once online, but it's a strong candidate for my top 10 of the year.
Ok, you wore me down. I’ll late pledge 20 Strong.
Thunder Road Vendetta is so far my surprise favorite of the year. I have had blast every time I play it.
Monster Hunter World is the no.1 game played which was new to me this year.
Cysmic cancelled in May, I don’t think there is any way to currently pledge until a potential relaunch.
Alex do you still rate DEI as a 5/5 for Solo ? Also were you able to test the solo part of the new expension Faith & Anarchy ?
The Isofarian Guard and Frosthaven will take up the back half of 2023 for me. However, I'm anxiously awaiting Earthborne Rangers and eager to see how much that grabs me. Thanks for the video!
So far my game of the year is masters of the universe clash for eternia. I may be bias because I love the IP. But this game is so fun regardless.
Oathsworn fallen out of favor or just been busy with other things since 2023?
what a great video, I see they are reprinting The Isofarian Guard, that will be so tempting to back. I know I will give in and back.
Rolling Heights is really good fun!!
i got DEI out of these; i am good at picking ! and i dont need to get Tanares Adventures due to the Dibs i claimed the second you introduced it.
So… do you like Marvel Zombies more than Zombicide White Death? Or is WD just not a 2023 game? Which one would you prefer more from what you know about them?
From what I played this year.. Rolling Heights is at top, chased by The Witcher. 3rd place claims Keep the Heroes Out and honorable 4th exequo Sniper Elite and Mind MGMT.
Isofarian Guard is all I've played the last 5 weeks. Looking forward to Tanares Adventures as well
Cysmic had me intrigued. I backed. Then they canceled to retool the game.
I really love Age of Atlantis
In the first 6 months of 2023 I have managed 23 new to me games. Of those my top 5 are: 5; Isle of Sky: From Chieftain to King. 4; Summer Camp. 3; Lost Ruins of Arnak. 2; Flamecraft. 1; Earth.
Apocalypse is coming too! And after… Dante! Hahaha
Nice. Quite a few I also like and quite a few that I am interested in.
Not sure how the first half of 2022 looked, but there are two new 2023 games in the BGG top 500 (Earth and Darwin’s Journey). Currently there are 19 games from 2022 in top 500. Still a lot of 2023 to go and catch up.
I would say Disney Lorcana is my #1 and only been playing with half the cards from set 1. Earth would come in second.
What are your overall thoughts for quality of board games in 2023 so far? Should publishers release more games in first part of year?
So far it is Darwin's Journey for me, but I like Euros.