Jens' Essen 2008 Games To Watch list
Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Like the last couple of years, I am putting together a list of games, released at (or at least around) Essen, that I think sound interesting, based on descriptions, pictures, the theme alone, etc.
I generally prefer heavier euro boardgames with a historical theme, so very light games, card games, pure abstracts, and plastic bit/big box fantasy games will probably be quite underrepresented here. I do like wargames, though - traditional, old-fashioned wargames that is; with cardboard counters or at the very least wooden blocks - so if any of those will be presented at Essen, you might find them on this list too.
Have you played any of the following games, been involved in development and/or playtesting, or are you just dying to voice your opinion, please leave a comment. And if you think I am missing a potential gem, feel free to add it.
For much more complete lists of games (used as the input for this list), see the excellent Essen 2008 Canonical List here on BGG, as well as Spielbox's great Essen game list.
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1.
Board Game: Cavum
[Average Rating:6.84 Overall Rank:775]
Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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QWG Games, stand 5-50
Certainly in the have-a-closer-look-before-deciding category, this Kramer/Kiesling mining game still looks pretty cool. Yellow "track" tiles on a hex board makes the game look vaguely 18xx'sque.
Rules: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/file/info/35224
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Warfrog Games, stand 5-55
I am a sucker for anything that has to do with the Ancient Near East, and After the Flood looks fun. It also seems to be fairly complex for a Warfrog game - in the same league as Brass, I would guess.
Rules: http://www.warfroggames.com/images/ATF_rules_vis5.pdf
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Warfrog Games, stand 5-55
The other Treefrog game, Steel Driver is a low-complexity train game set in America. A game to try first?
Rules: http://www.warfroggames.com/images/SD_rules_vis3.pdf
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Bezier Games, stand 5-100
Having recently rediscovered Age of Steam, the new expansions from Bezier Games look like must-haves. It's probably just me, but how the &%!% does one preorder this year's offerings from the Bezier Games website?
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Bezier Games, stand 5-100
I definitely prefer the historically themed AoS expansions to the, er, weirder ones. Of Bezier's offerings this year, the New England maps look the most interesting.
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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AoS Team, stand 10-66
These AoS maps look pretty cool too, particularly Egypt. But hey, one has to pick them up on Thursday between 10 and 12, and since I won't be arriving at the messe before about noon'ish, the AoS Team maps are just out of reach for me... 
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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JKLM Games, stand 5-55
I am not sure Ascendancy is really my kind of game, but a Galactic empire-building game playable in a hour or so is at least worth a look.
Update: Won't be ready for Essen.
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Ravensburger, stand 11-01
An economic game from the usually capable hands of Rüdiger Dorn.
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Ravensburger, stand 11-01
Nobody seems to know much about the game yet, but a deduction game set around the Umberto Eco novel sounds, well, potentially great. But how involved will the game be? How about German text on the components?
A bit of information/speculation in this thread: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/344425
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Rio Grande Games, stand 10-33
My first experience with Dominion was fine, although I wasn't blown away. Still, there is little doubt the game has potential, so I can't imagine it not being added to the collection.
Rules: http://www.riograndegames.com/uploads/Game/Game_278_gameRule...
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Ghenos Games, stand 4-318
An extremely cool-looking cycling game! Always being on the lookout for a good racing game, this one will get a closer look.
Rules: http://www.ghenosgames.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=...=
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Rio Grande Games, stand 10-33
Well, it's Knizia, innit? ;-)
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14.
Board Game: Veritas
[Average Rating:0.00 Unranked]
Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Rio Grande Games, stand 10-33
How cool does this game sound?! Players represent a truth, trying to survive through the Dark Ages in Europe! Assuming this will even be out at Essen, I will be heading straight for it. That's the truth! 
Not much info yet, though.
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Rio Grande Games, stand 10-33
RftG is a very solid game, so getting the expansion sounds like a no-brainer.
Possibly I can wait till after the show, though. Nah, bought it already. One less game to worry about at Essen.
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Yun Games, stand 5-104
Pirates and buried treasure is always good, theme-wise. But a *deduction* game with this theme sounds positively intriguing!
Info (in German) on the Yun Games website: http://www.yungames.de/inselderpiraten.html
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17.
Board Game: Le Havre
[Average Rating:8.09 Overall Rank:6]
Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Lookout Games, stand 9-40
The success of Agricola makes this new Lookout/Rosenberg game very interesting from the get-go. Australian version preordered.
Rules: http://lookout-games.de/wp-content/uploads/lh_rules_enpdf.zi...
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Lookout Games, stand 9-40
A freebie Agricola expansion on a postcard? Yes, please.
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Heidelberger Spieleverlag, stand 10-01
Tribune is one of my favorite games from last year, so an expansion is almost a must-buy. Not necessarily at the messe, though, but I do look forward to seeing what the expansion contains.
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Fragor Games, stand 9-19
I haven't bought any of Fragor's previous games (cute components alone just don't do it for me), but Snow Tails looks very interesting. Dog sleds racing? Yeah! Preordered.
Rules: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/file/info/34891
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21.
Board Game: Sylla
[Average Rating:6.93 Overall Rank:563]
Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Ystari Games, stand 9-38
With the exception of Mykerinos, I have felt mostly so-so about Ystari's games so far. Still, they always sound interesting and Sylla, with the implicit promise of somehow fulfilling the dream of eurogame-meets-Republic-of-Rome-light, certainly sounds like just my kind of game. Oh, and you get cool blingy coin thingies if you preorder? Consider it done. :-)
Rules: http://www.ystari.com/sylla/SyUS.pdf
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Queen Games, stand 10-17
The recent controversy with everything Winsome-related aside, seeing what Queen Games will make of Wabash Cannonball certainly intrigues me. A possible buy?
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Kuznia Gier, stand 4-226
Intriguing steampunk-themed game, where players compete to build the most fantastic constructions. As with many of the other games on the list, this will at least get a closer look.
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Jens Hoppe
Denmark
Frederiksberg
What are you, like 80?
It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.
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Geode Games, stand 4-415
Area majority meets trick taking card game? The four players are paired up for the trick-taking game, but each individual player also has his own secret identity.
Rules: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/file/info/34687
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