Stellar

I recently picked up Stellar, a two-player card game where you compete to assemble the most visually impressive night sky tableau. I have to admit, I was drawn in by the beautiful card art featuring real photos of celestial objects like planets, moons, and black holes. The gameplay itself is surprisingly strategic for a game with such simple rules. It's easy to learn, but there's a lot of depth to the decisions you make each turn.

You're essentially trying to balance two competing goals: maximizing the value of the numbers on your telescope cards while also maximizing the "star rating" of those cards. The challenge lies in the fact that higher value numbers often come with lower star ratings. On top of that, you also have to collect cards to fill your notebook with different categories of space objects, adding another layer of complexity.

I love that this game is quick to play and easy to set up, making it a great choice for a casual game night. I've found that it's definitely a game where you want to think strategically, but not one that will leave you feeling bogged down. I would highly recommend Stellar to anyone looking for a fun, engaging, and visually appealing game for two players.