My review of the Gen Con list for this year comes with a bit of a disclaimer, as many of the brightest and best offers are already in my possession, on their way, or way too far away to be concerned about. What’s left after removing amazing games like Above and Below, News@11, Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn, Mysterium, Trambahn, Dark Moon, La Granja and many others is a list of games that are largely unique to Gen Con 2015 and will likely be what you’ll be fawning over after the “running of the gamers” has subsided Thursday morning.

5. The Others: 7 Sins

With little to no information available surrounding this soon-to-be-Kickstarted title, the news that it will be floating around the Gen Con floor is exciting and enticing. Eric Lang is at it again, adding another game with amazing miniatures and a great concept to his catalog. In a One vs. Many horror romp, players get to control/fight off disturbing personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Sign. Me. Up.

4. Codenames

Vlaada Chvatil and CGE have joined forces again to bring, what I will predict to be, the next big “Con Game” of this year. Codenames is a team based word game that combines some really interest mechanisms with what will likely be a ton of laughs.

3. Aura

As a fan of quick and light strategy games, in addition to card games of any sort, Aura sounds like it’s right up my alley. With its first major debut at Gen Con this year, I’m exciting to catch any of the buzz that comes off of this quick pattern building game.

2. World’s Fair 1893

Foxtrot Games has won me over with this one – the beautiful box cover is hard to resist and the gameplay description is even better. I’m a sucker for an easy-to-play area control game.

1. Imperial Settlers: Atlanteans

I. want. more. Imperial. Settlers.

There’s so many other games to see; be sure to check out the other Gen Con lists to find out what everyone else is looking forward to! It’s the most wonderful time of the year…