Spiel Essen 2025, known also simply as Essen, is one of the largest tabletop gaming fairs in the world. I already had a pleasure to attend that type of event in 2017, 2022, 2023 & 2024 and that was time very well spent. Thus, I had little doubt to come this year again!
Especially as after one year of hiatus Clio from Clio’s Board Games was planning to come and Grant & Alexander from The Players’ Aid Blog were finishing their European trip by attending that fair. And while the memories from 2025 fair are still fresh, I would like to share my experiences from it. Again, definitely one of the greatest, most fantastic and engaging boardgames meetings I had a chance to be part of.
Live report from my 1st day in Essen:
Report from my 2nd day in Essen:
This year I decided to arrive for Friday & Saturday, leaving on Sunday morning to make the most of the full, two-days. Mainly due to two reasons: firstly, there is definitely more visitors during the weekend than on the first two days – so I hoped to make the most from Friday. Secondly, on Sunday the Fair is being closed earlier and some of the exhibitors leave already at noon or shortly after. Now, with hindsight, I might confirm it worked great for me.
What would be the best way to describe experiences from the Fairs? List the games I had a chance to play or familiarize with, describe great discussions and share general experiences! Let us thus jump into the report.
WARGAMES
While Essen features pretty broad array of games, usually focusing on EURO type, I found selection of very interesting war-related positions. Below some of the titles really worth mentioning.
Neither King Nor God from Sound of Drums
That was high on my initial list of the games to be played during Essen and it fully fulfilled my expectations. Really engaging title about the conflicts in the Era of Renaissance, with great activation mechanics – chits which you place on particular area and they are resolved form the last placed.
What is important, Neither King Nor God is small, pilot version for four players – and already such a great experience! The full, epic version of the game will be out in 2026. And I can’t wait to see it – Uwe Walentin and Sound of Drums did a great job of creating title which is both intense and quick to play.
Coalitions from PHALANX
Another great session – quick, intense and interactive. This was first time I had a chance to play Coalitions and it was very enjoyable experience. The mechanics designed by Andrew Rourke allow six players for a game with minimal downtime – especially for such a number of factions involved. We had a chance to play a full short scenario – I am very curious of the full campaign and looking forward to it.
Punica: Rome vs Carthage from PHALANX
That was a true discovery for me during Spiel – it was announced only several weeks before fair. And honestly, playing Punica was a blast! A small but very intense game; pure strategy and tactics, beautiful production, zero luck, quick time to play. Definitely, one of the best surprises of the Spiel!
On top of those two PHALANX games which I had a chance to play, there was more: 1920 was available (sold-out), the paragraph bookgame – A Bridge Too Far – was a huge success (also sold out). There was a possibility to play prototype of Root-like game about Robin Hood. All in all, pretty broad presentation from this publisher which was met with high interest,
Verdun from Dragon Dawn Productions
Spiel is a great place to discover new titles. Verdun from Finnish publisher Dragon Dawn Productions was one of them for me. I had a chance to play it – it uses some cool trick-tracking mechanics to resolve battles and how you score the points. Beautiful, thematic components. Will play more for sure!
WunderWaffen from Ares Games
For all the fans of the light, quick and brutal wargames from Ares Games, similar in feel to Quartermaster General, WunderWaffen will be the game to play. Pretty straightforward, quick, asymmetric title where Allies have to plan well in order to conquer Berlin and prevent Germans from developing weapons they could use to stop the Downfall. Worth checking!
Echo Team: Spearhead from Black Mask
During second day of the fair ad a very good discussion with Christian from about his project Echo Team: Spearhead. It looks gorgeous, has some cool mechanics for Spec Ops units and is currently on Gamefound (https://gamefound.com/en/projects/black-mask-verlag/echo-team-spearhead). We shall write more about it in the future!
Assault Sicily 43: Primosole Bridge from Assault Games
My Dear Friend Wolfgang does not stop and develops his Assault system ongoingly; the recent beautiful and interesting addition – Primosole Bridge – is the first expansion to larger game which Assault Sicily 43 is. But that is not all – the first game in the series, Red Horizon, will go through extensive rehaul, getting new graphics and reimplementation of the latest rules.
Do you think that is all! By now means! Wolfgang and Erich are now focused on optional add-on modules which will involve leaders, additional equipment, special morale effects and many more features. We shall hear about it soon!
EURO / STRATEGY GAMES
I played also some of the non-wargame titles – several very interesting and beautiful designs. Short description follows below:
Bohemians from Portal Games
I was looking forward to checking this game since long time. Bohemians is a small deck-builder that has some clever mechanics of gathering points which you then use to purchase cards to enhance deck – or execute small actions to help with your play. If through whole day you do not work, i.e. you played card for each of four day timeslots, that will mean that hardship of life will catch you (negative effects cards on your hand). But you may also get muses, which will enhance your artistic endeavors.
That was quick to play, beautiful game which is also very thematic – just look at the name of bohemian activities which your character can be occupied with. Not surprisingly, the game fully sold-out.
For the Gods! from Mighty Boards
David Thompson and Trevor Benjamin are very prolific designers. During Essen I had a chance to familiarize and play a full game of their soon to be hitting Kickstarter game.
Looking at above pictures (prototype components) you may think that For the Gods! is not a conflict game. Well, wrong. The tension is here and although the number of ways to destroy something in your opponents temples is pretty minimal, you might try to take over the islands where other built to get the victory points for tallest building. Will be looking forward to it!
Ayar: Children of the Sun from Osprey Games
Last game of the fair for me was Ayar from Osprey Games. Another title from my radar which I wanted to check. Nicely designed euro, with interesting theme, great components and not-trivial scoring phase. Again, a bit of negative interaction as you can mess up the plans of your opponents. What is important, the game accelerates the closer it is to the end which is nice design decision. You should try!
SUMMARY
As you can see and from what you could read above, it is easy to deduct that I enjoyed my already fifth visit to Spiel Essen enormously. Two days after which I was exhausted but also exhilarated and satisfied. Not only from the experiences, but also a haul I managed to bring with me.
The moments which will stay in my memory for long are for sure the dinner with Clio and The Player’s Aid team (picture below) as well as next evening coming out with Sound of Drums and Aegir Games. Was great fun meeting you Guys!
Would I come next year? Most probably yes – see you at Essen Spiel 2026 which will be held between 22nd and 25th of October!
See you there!
The Boardgames Chronicle 
That card art on Punic’s looks amazing! Really striking.
Glad you had an awesome time.
One day!
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Thanks! And that is definitely a plan – we see each other one day on convention!
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Yes, that’s The Mico’s work!
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A successful fair! Interesting to see how many ot our highlights overlap 🙂
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Indeed, a lot of common interests and impressions!
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A new discovery for me was Orange Shall Overcome, a very clever co-op game where you play as the Dutch resistance during WW2. You should check it out.
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Thanks! I heard about it but hae not went into details – will check after your recommendation!
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