This is a summary of the board games that saw my most interest, investment, hobby time, playing and enjoyment in 2024. It is not necessarily a direct reflection of my all time favourite games. This was a higher than usual game trading year.
New Games Received : Ashes Reborn , Euthia , 7th Citadel , Agemonia , Primal the Awakening , Hybrid , Parks
Games Sold : Lords of Waterdeep , Dungeon Alliance , Small World , Champions of Midgard , Aeon’s End , Blackstone Fortress
1. Primal The Awakening – this new arrival in May has been the most played and painted game this year, completing a full campaign. Rivalling Oathsworn for giant monsters to paint up, this has one of my favourite card interplay mechanics with minor deckbuilding, being relatively straightforward but allowing for character to build in preferred ways. Easily my game of the year.
2. Ashes Reborn – a new deckbuider in January for me following the introduction of the Chimera solo expansions. The artwork is great and solo it works well but with a slightly higher complexity to others i like. I bought up a decent collection and have been adding Chimera expansions to play against.
3. Hexplore It – played through the Klik’s Madness campaign using upgraded encounter cards. This game continues to expand with the arrival of a play mat and the campaign book for the second game in the series called Fall of the Ancients. There are two more core games released and another in development but i feel like my ownership is sufficient now.
4. Cursed City – early in the year new content was added via White Dwarf, including Flesh Eater Court rules allowing more expansion miniatures to be added and painted. I have also been painting the Nemesis expansions models including Vargheists, Dire Wolves, Crypt Horrors and purchased the Callis and Toll set. This is still one of my main hobby painting projects.
5. Hybrid – a re-purchase of this great thematic game and another journey begins to rebuild a collection as a new hobby project. Selling this game a few years back was the worst gaming decision i have made and i plan to rectify this over the next year. I sold my painted Blackstone Fortress set to fund it.
6. Marvel Champions – a quiet start to the year but a strong finish as i added more expansion packs by bargain hunting, and begun to play again in the autumn (Doctor Strange, Ms Marvel, Ironheart, Mad Titan’s Shadow, Rogue and Storm). New retail content continues to be released next year.
7. Warhammer Quest 1995– a revisit and repainting of my old copy of this original game. I decided to work through my whole set and restyle it more into my current painting level. We also played a few games this year too. It remains such an accessible dungeon crawler.
8. City of Kings – a return to a favourite and resurgance of my enjoyment for this game which has a mix of worker placement for resources with a strategic adventure. This was my most played solo game during the summer.
Here is a look at the previous years > 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015