Sid Meier's Civilization VI

Civilization VI showed up in 2018 and we were immediately trapped. Six hours that felt like two—the eternal 4X problem where you plan to play a quick session and suddenly it's been forever. We hit 311 peak viewers watching us manage civilizations, plan district layouts, and negotiate diplomatic victories. Firaxis absolutely nailed the sequel formula. Every turn pulled us deeper. The house would sit down for what was supposed to be two hours and suddenly we'd hit the six-hour mark without blinking. That's the power of good strategy design.