Choose a game by the company you keep.
Choose the company first.
A table of quick talkers may enjoy a different game from a pair who like to think quietly. Before comparing the boxes, decide how many people will join and whether you want a brisk exchange of turns or time to study a position.
Read the shape of a turn.
Reedwater makes timing visible in a changing river. Penny Wharf asks what to spend now and what to keep for a later exchange. Canopy Routes gradually fills the table with connected paths. Reading a single turn example often tells you more about that difference than a long list of features.
Leave a little room in the evening.
Treat the printed play time as a guide for a group familiar with the rules. Add time to open the box, introduce its goal and try the first moves. If the group wants a shorter evening, choose the kind of decision it can enjoy without rushing.