Another month, another stack of games played! February was a great mix of solo gaming, club nights, and some chaotic social deduction sessions. I managed 20 plays across 17 different games, which is pretty solid considering life, work, and, well, general exhaustion. Six of these games were new to me, which is always exciting, especially since a couple ended up being real standouts.
This month’s gaming had a little bit of everything: puzzly solo experiences, competitive worker placement, and, of course, my bi-weekly dose of Frosthaven. I also started making some real progress on my “Me, Myself and (A)I“ solo challenge, revisited a few classics, and squeezed in some new releases. Plus, I may or may not have expanded my collection again (oops). Let’s dive in.
Café
A quick, puzzly game about running a coffee business from bean to cup. The mechanics are simple: you’re layering cards, triggering actions, and trying to maximise efficiency, but the actual gameplay is deceptively brain-burning. I really liked how the solo mode forced me to think about optimising every move while keeping it relatively low-stress. Plus, pushing around little cubes to simulate roasting and brewing coffee? Weirdly satisfying.
Cascadia (Landmarks Expansion)
Cascadia is already one of my go-to solo games, but this time, I played with the Landmarks expansion. It adds just enough variety to make each game feel fresh while keeping that relaxing, build-your-own-wildlife-reserve experience intact. I was also playing this for the Board Game Geek challenge, which pushed me to be a little more strategic rather than just vibing with pretty animal tokens. Definitely worth adding to the rotation.
Harmonies
Similar to Cascadia, but with distinct pattern-building mechanics and beautiful art. Harmonies shines solo and multiplayer alike. Managing your little ecosystem tiles is satisfyingly tricky, offering a relaxing but thoughtful experience. Also played it multiplayer this month for the first time and it was nice to be able to compare it to the solo. The two modes don’t really differ a lot but tiles and cards come and go quicker in the multiplayer so you’ll need to adjust your strategy more often.
Three Sisters
Another roll-and-write, this time about gardening. The BGG challenge element was a big part of why I played this. I’m trying to push myself to replay games more and explore different strategies. The solo mode is solid, though the automa system (farmer Edith) can get a bit fiddly with tracking what the AI is doing. Still, it’s a satisfying puzzle and definitely one I’ll be coming back to.
The White Castle
Worker placement with tight resource management and limited turns, right up my alley. Every decision felt crucial, which I love in a solo game. The thematic aspect (impressing the emperor, managing samurai, and controlling areas) was… there? But honestly, I’m not a theme-first player, so what really mattered was the crunchy, efficient decision-making. A great addition to my collection.
Slay the Spire: The Board Game
Finally found this on offer second-hand and immediately got it to the table, and it blew me away! Deck-building meets dungeon crawling beautifully, offering engaging decisions and satisfying combat. Surprisingly better than its digital counterpart (I haven’t played the videogame a lot so that’s a loose comparison), this game stands out as a stellar solo experience.
The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game
A surprisingly effective combination of Lord of the Rings theme with trick-taking mechanics. As someone relatively new to trick-taking (with For Northwood being my previous experience), I found this approachable yet strategic. The theme makes it extra fun for me as a book fan and they’ve included characters beyond just the movie adaptations, which I really appreciate!
Group Gaming & Social Deduction
Not all my plays were solo, there was plenty of social gaming this month too.
Secret Hitler, Blood on the Clocktower and Feed the Kraken
All three made an appearance at the club, and while I usually love social deduction, Secret Hitler was just meh this time. Maybe it was the group or just the general vibe, but it didn’t click for me. Blood on the Clocktower, though? Still fantastic. I love how much drama and tension it brings to the table.
Forest Shuffle
First time playing this multiplayer, and it was fun to see how different the dynamic is compared to solo. I tried to build the wolf-deer combo, but someone else hoarded all the deer (rude).
Scholars of the South Tigris
Finally played this again at board game club, and while it had been a while, I ended up absolutely crushing everyone with my strategy. Was it fair? Maybe not. Was it fun? Absolutely.
Other Quick Plays
We continued our bi-weekly Frosthaven campaign, which remains a highlight. HITSTER surprised me since I’m not a huge music person, but I recognized enough songs to have fun. Sounds Fishy worked well with our larger group, and Who Did It brought some chaotic speed card-play energy that had everyone laughing. While none of these are particularly deep, they delivered exactly what we needed: good times with friends.
Tracking my challenges
Solo challenges
2025 Cartographers Challenge — January to December
Jan: X | Feb: X
2025 Cascadia Challenge — January to December
Jan: X | Feb: V
2025 GROVE Solo Challenge — January to December
Jan: V | Feb: X
2025 Spirit Island Challenge — January to December
Jan: X | Feb: X
2025 Railroad Ink Challenge — January to December
Jan: V | Feb: V
2025 Rolling Realms Challenge — January to December
Jan: V | Feb: X
2025 Nusfjord Challenge — January to December
Jan: V | Feb: X
2025 Roll Player Challenge — January to December
Jan: X | Feb: X
2025 Three Sisters Challenge — January to December
Jan: V | Feb: V
2025 Dinosaur Island Rawr and Write Challenge — January to December
Jan: X | Feb: X
2025 The Search for Planet X Challenge — January to December
Jan: X | Feb: X
Variety solo challenge: Me, Myself and (A)I
Me:
= 0
Myself: Railroad Ink, The White Castle, Harmonies, The Fellowship of the Ring, Slay the Spire, Café
= 6
(A)I: Three Sisters, Cascadia
= 2
Mindful spending tracker
Starting budget February: €275
2025 purchases:
January:
- Slay the Spire = €75
- Mandelorian Adventures = €15 (had some gift card credits left)
February:
- Cloudspire = €75
- Eila and Something Shiny = €25
- 51st State Complete Edition = €40
Sum purchases February: -€140
Sold games:
Sum sold: €0 (no games sold this month)
Collection changes:
Games added: 3
Games left: 0
Playing unplayed (owned) board games:
- The Fellowship of the Ring Trick Taking Game
- Slay the Spire the Board Game
- Café
Sum: €30
H-index: unchanged
February end budget: €165
Final thoughts & March goals
February proved that even a shorter month can be packed with gaming goodness. The BGG challenges continue to transform how I approach games, encouraging me to dig deeper into strategies rather than just sampling and moving on. The six new games I tried all delivered interesting experiences, with Slay the Spire being the standout hit. I also realized how much I enjoy worker placement games when they’re tight and strategic (looking at you, The White Castle).
For March, I’m planning to focus more on my unplayed shelf of shame, there are still too many games I’ve purchased but never played. I also want to be more mindful of my spending, as my budget is shrinking faster than anticipated. I’m particularly excited to explore more of Slay the Spire’s different character decks and to give Forest Shuffle’s solo mode a proper try. And of course, I’ll keep up with the BGG challenges that have been adding so much structure to my gaming life.
What games surprised you in February? Did you discover any unexpected gems or revisit old favorites? Let me know in the comments!