The year is ending, and now is the time to hang out with our families, stay warm, and think about board games. The Op is known for adding IPs to popular games like Monopoly, but it also releases a few unique games every year, most of which are worth checking out. Let’s look at what made this year so special for The Op.
Two Excellent Cooperative Games
Fans of games like Pandemic or Tesseract will appreciate that The Op released two enjoyable cooperative games this year. The A.R.T Project and Express Route. Express Route is a nice and like take on cooperative games in which players work together to optimize deliveries and other logistics. Meanwhile, The A.R.T Project impresses with great aesthetics and a theme that includes saving great works of art from around the world.
Disney Sorcerer’s Arena Expansions Make A Great Game Better
I was provided a copy of Disney Sorcerer’s Arena for review at Gen Con and I’ll admit that I wasn’t expecting much. It’s easy to write off a Disney board game that adapts a mobile game as being a cash grab, but I am so grateful that I didn’t. This is one of the most delightful two-player skirmish games out there, and it does an excellent job of teaching players who are new to the genre. At The Ready and Leading the Charge are the two newest expansions, adding a total of 6 new characters for players to pick up. Each one is unique and can fill a new niche while also bringing popular and unexpected characters to the game.
The Perfect Game? No, But It Is Pretty and Fun
I love a good set collection game when everything comes together. The Perfect Wave is a lovely set collection game with a theme that I haven’t seen before. Surfing is something I’m not familiar with, and I’m sure most people who don’t live on the coast have a similar amount of knowledge on the topic. It’s a great theme that feels fresh. The gameplay is a little too familiar if someone has many similar games on their shelf, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t want to get this one on the table to show off. It plays well at all player counts and isn’t too long, so even casual players can enjoy it and stay engaged.
A Family Friendly Party Game
For hardcore board game fans, this likely won’t be a favorite. Still What The Cup deserves mention because it’s a rare opportunity to give children the opportunity to participate in party-style games. This one mixes bluffing with bidding, and while it’s all a little clunky, it’s nice for casual players who haven’t gotten to play too many modern board games. Plus, the little red party cups are cute.
What are your favorite games from The Op this year? What do you want to pick up? Let us know in the comments below! Click here to check out more of the best stuff from 2023!
