2018 Challenge
My major takeaway from my 2017 Challenge was not to include many games I had played extensively. For games such as Jamaica and Sheriff of Nottingham, they began to feel like chores since I had already determined my strategy; they lacked nuance from game to game. This year, I decided to focus on games with depth and replayability as major factors, while also minimizing my experience with them going into the challenge. For one game, which you should recognize, I am only counting factions that are new or underpowered.
Conquest of Speros

Area Control - Mistake or Opportunity? Choose your moves carefully in this tactical deployment game.
Elysium

Drafting - Every move matters in this brain-burner. Cards are powerful until you choose to score them.
LOST LEGACY

Deduction - Combine several sets of cards to create your own deck in this Love Letter spiritual successor with more deduction.
Mystic Vale

Deck Building - Create your own cards by sleeving upgrades into your cards to make them more powerful.
Pandemic Legacy

Cooperative - The game evolves over time as you race to the save the world from viral outbreaks.
Sagrada

Drafting - Solve your individual puzzle by carefully placing dice according to color and number. It looks beautiful too!
Seasons

Resource Management - Summon powerful cards to grant abilities from your limited pool of mana.
Sellswords

Tile Placement - Draft your heroes and place them carefully to flip over the tiles of your opponents. Over 50 heroes!
Smash Up
Variable Player Powers - Ninja Kittens! Sharknado! Teddy Bear Calvary! Anything is possible when smashed together!
Space Alert

Programming - A real time game of programming actions to keep your ship from exploding. Hilarity ensues.