Hello everyone!

I wish you all a great new year and all the best for 2026!

Today I’m sharing my plays from the last month of the year. December was a good gaming month with 17 plays across 8 different games. Half of them were new to me.

Game of the Month: Obsession

This Victorian hand management game completely won me over and earned my highest rating of the month at 9/10. Managing a fallen aristocratic family while competing to impress the Fairchild orphans through hosting social events creates a compelling narrative arc. The servant rotation system, reputation management, and courtship mechanics all work together beautifully. Each of the four families plays distinctly different due to their unique starting advantages, adding tremendous replayability. Read my full Obsession review

My Top Games This Month

Underwater Cities (8.5/10) impressed me with its tight, strategic gameplay where each move must be carefully considered. The card-driven action selection creates a satisfying puzzle: matching card colors to action spaces unlocks powerful effects, but you’re constantly working with limited resources. I improved from 72 points in my first play to 83 in my second, showing the rewarding learning curve. What makes this game special is the frustration in the best way possible, I immediately wanted to play again after each loss. The asymmetric player boards and variable card draws mean every game feels fresh, and the combos can be incredibly satisfying when everything clicks.

Both Obsession and Underwater Cities feature hand management with puzzle elements that kept me coming back for “just one more game.”

The Biggest Surprise

Tracks: Siren Bay (7/10) surprised me most with its unique gameplay. Discovering what happened and helping to solve a case using only sounds is challenging but really satisfying. It’s completely different from typical detective games and offers an innovative mechanic I hadn’t experienced before.

Other Games Played

Endless Winter (8.5/10) made a return this month, a game I enjoyed a lot last month. On this second play, I tested the mini-expansions Ceremonial Grounds and Canine Familiars. Ceremonial Grounds adds a new mechanic at the end of eclipse phases: you can select one of the rituals that gives you immediate points based on criteria like food and materials you have. Once selected, you can no longer bury cards, but it’s a great point boost. As for Canine Familiars, I didn’t use the cards during the play, probably I missed how it could improve the game.

Troyes Dice (8/10) is a Roll & Write that continued to challenge me. The transparent dice mechanic and medieval city-building theme create satisfying strategic depth, and I’m still improving my scores with each play.

R.A.V.E.L. (8/10) is a quick logic puzzle where you solve enigmas by moving dice to meet specific card conditions. Perfect for filling short gaming sessions.

M.A.R.I. has you guide a robot on Mars through a series of enigmas based on movement mechanics.

SmartGames: IQ Six Pro reminded me why puzzle games are perfect travel companions. It’s always a pleasure to come back to these clever, portable challenges.

Looking Forward to 2026

I’m excited to continue exploring these games in the new year. I’m particularly looking forward to testing Tapestry and Wayfarers of the South Tigris.

What About You?

What were your favorite games from December? Did any of you try Obsession or Underwater Cities? Any new discoveries that surprised you? I’d love to hear your thoughts!