Thank you for the great continuation, Sam and JT! :D I would sneak in Vindication and Lost Ruins of Arnak for more Euro exploration ... Also really do like Unsettled. Orange Nebula just announced two new planets :)
Tough category depending on how you interpret "exploration". Searching different locations for items in "Dead of Winter" was one of the first first games to come to mind. "Arctic Scavengers" is still on the shelf of shame but I suspect it has the same sense of exploration in the context of searching for something. Then I thought of games where you explore by building a map and "Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy" came to mind (never pulled the trigger on TI4 due to the time commitment). For a big space game in a small box, there is also "Impulse" by Carl Chudyk. "Inis" is excellent and I also thought of it when considering games where you build the board as you play, but to me it doesn't feel like exploration. It's more like placing tiles as in Carcassonne or Takenoko. I think it would feel more like exploration if all the land tiles were randomly laid out upside down and exploring just meant flipping the tiles to discover what was there without choosing where to place it. I also thought of "Descent" but it's been too long since I've played it. More recently, I've played "Claustrophobia" and it is a really fun dungeon crawler with a map that expands during play. "Dead Men Tell No Tales" is an excellent and thematic game where, as pirates, you cooperatively explore a burning ghost ship in an attempt to avoid skeletons and find treasure and escape before the powder kegs blow up and sink the ship. "Incan Gold" is a fun and interesting choice and opens up the category to all games where you explore through a deck of cards. "The Isle of Doctor Necreaux" is too punishing to recommend, but definitely captures the spirit of exploring by delving through a deck of cards. "Cartaventura: Vinland" is a decent choose your own adventure exploration in a single a deck of cards game. However, I think JT nailed it with "Unsettled". "Unsettled" would be my top pick for this category with "Dead Men Tell No Tales" and "Claustrophobia" in 2nd and 3rd place.
My list, in no particular order: Space Ventures: 2035 - 2300 Runebound Clank! Legacy (or Catacombs) LotR: Journeys in the Dark Gloomhaven/Frosthaven Starship Catan Beyond the Sun Starfire (the campaign version, by whatever name) Mage Knight Source of the Nile
I had no idea I liked exploration games this much. 1: Mage Knight. My #1 game of all time. 2: Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle Earth. My #2 game of all time. 3: War of the Ring: The Card Game. My #3 game of all time, it might sound like shoe horning it in, but you don't know where you're going to go before you get there. 4: Nemesis. 5: Destinies. 6: Star Wars: The Outer Rim. 7: ISS Vanguard. 8: Auztralia I might be shoe horning this in a bit. I blame BGG describing this as an exploration game. 9: The 7th Citadel I need to play this more. 10: Lost Ruins of Arnak If any of the above 10 are invalid, bump up Earthbourne Rangers to 10. If I could get some of the other games you guys mentioned to the table, I'm sure I'd enjoy them.
Sam c'mon .. I know Zee's not there to defend himself but that's no reason not to put the boot in when appropriate. Xia Legends Of A Drift System man! ; )
One I would have considered for my top ten but ultimately would not have made it is "Dungeon Quest". It comes out about every 2 yrs or so, but everytime enjoy and laugh so much.
JT. Totally agree with ISS Vanguard. We recently had our first crew deaths, but what a fun play experience.
Great selections, Sam and JT!!
Thank you for the great continuation, Sam and JT! :D
I would sneak in Vindication and Lost Ruins of Arnak for more Euro exploration ... Also really do like Unsettled. Orange Nebula just announced two new planets :)
3 out of 10 on JT”s list are Polish games! Soooo cool. Thank you for sharing.
Very nice!!
Tough category depending on how you interpret "exploration". Searching different locations for items in "Dead of Winter" was one of the first first games to come to mind. "Arctic Scavengers" is still on the shelf of shame but I suspect it has the same sense of exploration in the context of searching for something. Then I thought of games where you explore by building a map and "Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy" came to mind (never pulled the trigger on TI4 due to the time commitment). For a big space game in a small box, there is also "Impulse" by Carl Chudyk. "Inis" is excellent and I also thought of it when considering games where you build the board as you play, but to me it doesn't feel like exploration. It's more like placing tiles as in Carcassonne or Takenoko. I think it would feel more like exploration if all the land tiles were randomly laid out upside down and exploring just meant flipping the tiles to discover what was there without choosing where to place it. I also thought of "Descent" but it's been too long since I've played it. More recently, I've played "Claustrophobia" and it is a really fun dungeon crawler with a map that expands during play. "Dead Men Tell No Tales" is an excellent and thematic game where, as pirates, you cooperatively explore a burning ghost ship in an attempt to avoid skeletons and find treasure and escape before the powder kegs blow up and sink the ship. "Incan Gold" is a fun and interesting choice and opens up the category to all games where you explore through a deck of cards. "The Isle of Doctor Necreaux" is too punishing to recommend, but definitely captures the spirit of exploring by delving through a deck of cards. "Cartaventura: Vinland" is a decent choose your own adventure exploration in a single a deck of cards game. However, I think JT nailed it with "Unsettled". "Unsettled" would be my top pick for this category with "Dead Men Tell No Tales" and "Claustrophobia" in 2nd and 3rd place.
Unsettled is a great exploration game! Thanks, David!
Great list and post. Thanks
My list, in no particular order:
Space Ventures: 2035 - 2300
Runebound
Clank! Legacy (or Catacombs)
LotR: Journeys in the Dark
Gloomhaven/Frosthaven
Starship Catan
Beyond the Sun
Starfire (the campaign version, by whatever name)
Mage Knight
Source of the Nile
I haven't heard of half of these titles! Thanks for listing them and thanks for being here!
I had no idea I liked exploration games this much.
1: Mage Knight. My #1 game of all time.
2: Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle Earth. My #2 game of all time.
3: War of the Ring: The Card Game. My #3 game of all time, it might sound like shoe horning it in, but you don't know where you're going to go before you get there.
4: Nemesis.
5: Destinies.
6: Star Wars: The Outer Rim.
7: ISS Vanguard.
8: Auztralia I might be shoe horning this in a bit. I blame BGG describing this as an exploration game.
9: The 7th Citadel I need to play this more.
10: Lost Ruins of Arnak
If any of the above 10 are invalid, bump up Earthbourne Rangers to 10.
If I could get some of the other games you guys mentioned to the table, I'm sure I'd enjoy them.
Great choices. Xia would have made my list.
Another solid list, fellas. Saw you and Jess at DTE, Sam, but no JT. Maybe next year?
I really want to go next year. JT
Sam c'mon .. I know Zee's not there to defend himself but that's no reason not to put the boot in when appropriate. Xia Legends Of A Drift System man! ; )
20 Strong: Nemesis soon. For the next list.
So cool. I can't wait. JT
Star Trek Ascendancy
One I would have considered for my top ten but ultimately would not have made it is "Dungeon Quest".
It comes out about every 2 yrs or so, but everytime enjoy and laugh so much.
Xia
Tobago
Outer Rim
Maricaibo
Wrath of Ashardalon
Clank: Catacombs
Cheers.
I mean, BSG has a jump deck, so that's kind of like exploring, right? ... right? Anyone? 😅
@@saveversus lol! Thematically, you’re spot on, but BSG just hasn’t ever felt like exploration for me!
Lol, nope 😉. Thanks, JT
No Red Raven Games? Im calling the police
@@phillipstone3116 lol! I really respect the heck out of Ryan Laukat…the man is amazing.