Tonight at Dragons West:
--Little Devils
--Im Reich der Jadegöttin
--Exposed
--Prohis
--Sushi Go Party
--Team Play
Little Devils is still a good filler. Simple, quick, flexible.
Im Reich der Jadegöttin apparently translates as something to do with a jade goddess, though there's no jade or goddess involved. It's part of the Entdecker series of exploration games. I've never played any of the other Entdecker games but I have played Oceania, which is in the same vein. Im Reich der Jadegöttin has a bit more heft to it than Oceania but it's still very accessible and sleek. I like it.
A game called Exposed gave me a nightmare vision of some unholy hybrid of Cards Against Humanity and Munchkin. Contrary to expectations, it's a puzzley game about not giving away your position while trying to deduce everyone else's. Pleasant.
At one point, Sheriff of Nottingham was the talk of the town. While I enjoyed its concept, I found it suffered from needlessly convoluted scoring and more length of play than it merited. Prohis, despite a limp title, distils Sheriff of Nottingham to its essence and is, in my view, the better game. It plays far
more quickly and has a much more straightforward method of scoring, while maintaining the tension of trying to decide whether it's worth calling someone's bluff (or soliciting a bribe). Plus it fits in a coat pocket. This was one on my unplayed list, and it was actually better than I thought it would be.
Having played Sushi Go a number of times, I was curious to try Sushi Go Party. Not curious enough to buy it though. Having now played it, I'd say that while it's still a fun game, it's not quite equal to the original Sushi Go. Some of the set scoring feels a bit wonky compared to the old sets. Still, enjoyable enough, and actually contains the cards to play original Sushi Go anyway.
I agree with Eddie that Team Play is a weak name and its cover looks like a game you'd get taped to the front of a crossword book in the mid-90s. It's fun though. There isn't much actual game there in terms of rules or mechanics, but the tension and decision making comes in through the titular team play - not just trying to score your own patterns of cards but trying to give your teammate the cards they need without communication. I wouldn't play it all the time but it's fun enough.