Gwent

This card game spin-off from a wildly popular franchise is a well-made strategy title that challenges your patience and planning skills. As of this writing, Gwent is still in open beta and as such, is still a work in progress. That said, it's already highly polished, aside from minute issues brought up by hardcore card players. It does a fair job of teaching new players what to do, but players used to the search-and-destroy method of winning could be confused by the additive approach.

The idea in Gwent isn't to destroy your enemy; it's to have more power on the board. While you can still destroy enemy units, remembering that's not the point can be difficult at first. The point is to control the flow of battle, and that means sometimes it's better to pass rather than play. Each player is given only so many cards to last three rounds, and since ultimate victory means winning two rounds of three, it's important to play your cards with care. The graphics are nice (cards can be upgraded from still image to animation), the voice acting and sound are good, and the five current factions are interesting and varied enough to satisfy all kinds of fantasy generals. Single-player challenges and Practice mode let you learn while you earn (in-game currency for buying more cards), or you can jump right into online-ranked or casual multiplayer. Along with that, a simple crafting mechanic lets you craft new cards from the shreds of old ones. Developer CD Projekt Red is no doubt still tweaking the balance of the game, but thus far, playing for free is as easy as falling off a tavern bench. And best of all: The game's so entertaining, you don't have to be a Witcher fan to enjoy it.