Yup, we’re going there. There are so many games in all different sizes of boxes that it’s impossible for every game to get talked about. Let’s instead talk about some of them that maybe are a bit overlooked or that, at least, I want more people to talk about and play. Because there are so many great games that I know I can’t and won’t talk about them all.

5 Big Box Games You Should Try

5. The Reckoners

Let’s start out with one that has an IP behind it, but not one that is massively well known. I find it a bit odd that it’s not better known because people know and love Brandon Sanderson. The Reckoners is his take on superheroes or I should say Epics. Epics, they all have amazing powers, but the powers always turn them evil. So you play as The Reckoners who are out to take down the Epics.

This is a very cooperative game with a Yahtzee like mechanism of rolling dice, saving some and then rerolling twice to get the actions that you want. You do all of that at the same time. Then also at the same time you spend your dice to research the weakness of these epics and do damage to them and take them out.

The huge challenge of the game is that they are wiping out the population and getting closer to finding your base. But you can’t just take out all the little epics you need to take out the city boss epic as well. And as far as you know there is no real way to do that, at least until you can figure out their weakness. So you need to be spending resources on that as well.

I like, also, in the game that you are building up your characters, spending money to get more cards that give you special powers that you can use. So as the game timers tick down further and further, you get closer to being able to win because you are more powerful.

4. Deranged

Now we move onto the least known of the games on the list. And this is a game that is one for all but can have a lot of people get close to winning.

The theme is the element I really want to hammer home on this game. In Deranged you are all cursed. And you only have until dawn to get rid of your curses and escape this town. If you fail to do that, you find yourself stuck there forever.

Of course, getting rid of a curse isn’t that easy. Now, it isn’t that hard, but you need to avoid the monsters. And when the clock strikes midnight, one or two are going to become deranged. That means that you turn into a monster. That isn’t game over for you. It is just a curse you need to take care by taking out another player. When they die, don’t worry, they come back but with another curse to get rid of.

This game is not the cleanest game when it comes to game play. I think that a second edition could streamline it. But, at the same time, I love the game. The theme is amazing and that bit of a jankey feel at times almost makes it feel more thematic. It definitely gives it more heart. So probably not for everyone, but should be for more.

3. Xenoshyft

The only good bug is a dead bug.

I love deck building games and Xenoshyft is a fun one where it’s a cooperative tower defense game against some bugs who are out to kick you off their planet. You just want their wonderful resources from the planet.

But this game does two things that I love in it. Firstly, depending on the level of bug you are facing, the game gives you money. The higher the level, wave, that you are facing the better the money. This means in terms of deck building that you can always buy something. Along with that, this is a bonus one, it let’s you trade in your lower totals for higher, for three ones for a three, to keep your deck lean.

The other element is how cooperative this game is. When you buy a card and are setting up your defense, you can give a card to another player. That is part of their deck now. So if I get a discount on armor, let’s say, I can give you armor if I have too much same with troops. Or when you are fighting your bugs on your side of the base, I can play grenades, healing, or drop in a paratrooper to help you. You truly work together in it and I love that.

2. Detective

Why haven’t more people played Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game?

This is a game that actually did pretty well when it came out. And the core box is amazing. Even the Batman box is a lot of fun. It’s cases that you solve between interviewing people, sweeping crime scenes, and putting information into the computer, and Googling things in real life. All in an attempt to actually crack the case.

Of course, there is a timer on it so you can only do so many actions and take so much time. And you don’t know for sure which leads to follow. So that is what drives the challenge of the game, because it is a tough game. And at the end of the case you need to answer questions on the case, which you might not have seen the answer to.

The story in the core box is great. The story in the Batman box is really good. And it’s such an experience of a game. Again, rough around the edges at points, but that is what makes it feel like a great crime and deduction game as you try and solve who done it.

1. Stars of Akarios

Finally is Stars of Akarios. And some of why this one is on the list is because it was Open Owl’s first game, or one of their first. And it is their first big campaign style game. Stars of Akarios is not without it’s wars but at the heart of the game it is amazing.

This is a game with three different elements as you play through a massive story. The first element and least popular is space exploration. This is pretty simple and mainly just fiddly. It doesn’t add much to the game.

The second part, and the part that is good but not the best part, is planetary exploration. This is kind of a puzzle of a map as you explore and you lay out cards for locations. Those locations are going to do unique things and offer story and interaction points. Often times they are going to give you missions and kick off more story as you go there. Or the planet itself might be the mission.

The third part is this amazing tactical space combat. It is such an interesting puzzle to figure out as you maneuver your ship, try and get off shots and flank your enemies while not being flanked yourself. There are times it’s an escort mission. The are other times it’s just survive long enough, or maybe it’s two groups of enemies that will fight each other and you.

The story is fun, and the game play is great.

Final Thoughts

I knew I wanted to get one campaign game on the list. And Stars of Akarios is probably the one that people have played the least or talk about the least. Mainly because there is that space exploration which is not that fun. But what other bigger box games do you think people should try? This category has so many and so many that are talked about.

Even as I look at some of my favorites like Dice Throne, Aeon’s End, and Lost Ruins of Arnak they are all well known. So it’s trickier, in some ways to come up with that great hidden gem, or at least I felt so. And that might be because these bigger games feel like more bang for their buck so more people pick them up.

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