Equinox

Strange creatures gather in a forest to get their stories written into a legendary storybook, but there is room for only four more tales. In Equinox you play numbered power cards in front of the creatures, and in each round the lowest-valued creature is eliminated. You also bet on which creatures you think will make it into the book, so you are pushing the outcome with your cards and hoping your bets match. The creatures have special powers that you can use to bend things your way, and the whole thing turns into a negotiation of nudges and bluffs. Reiner Knizia fans may recognize it as a revised edition of Colossal Arena. Quick card play, a bit of bluff, and a happy tendency to blow up your own best guess.