Origins: How We Became Human

Origins is a complete gaming experience dealing with the rise of man and his subsequent accomplishments.

More strategy and decision making than any boardgame I currently play. There is a steep learning curve but the actual mechanics aren't hard to grasp once you've been over the rules a couple of times and after the first game. I would recommend a solo run before any f2f play. Each player has one of 5 different precursors to humanity (Cro-Magnon, Peking Man, Neandrathal, ect.) and each has a different Brain Map with animal instincts that must be purged before they can go on to develop language, build knowledge of immunology, master the secrets of gunpowder, and other like accomplishments. There's a lot that goes into a successful winning strategy, dealing with the ever changing world presented in Origins:HWBH can alter things but not to the point that it takes you out of the running. Heavy boardgames aren't my thing but in the case of Origins: HWBH I'll play as often as I can. I've always been a fan of anthropology (strange as that might sound) and the designer has gone to great lengths to explain why elements of the game are the way they are compared to actual anthropological data. Besides being thematically rich this is a challenging and deep strategy boardgame.