A bit of a weird title, but basically what’s a game that’s more than a year old but still considered “modern” that you love? There’s no real strict definition for modern, I’d just like to see some discussion around great games that aren’t quite classics yet (but probably will be one day).
The nature of this community typically attracts discussion around decade-old games (which is what I mostly play too), but I’d like to see some newer (but not too new) games on this post.
I'm not sure if this counts because it's >10 years old, but also still developed:
Europa Universis IV
It's like this game was built exactly for what I like most in games.
But for something more in the spirit of your question, I'll go with Manifold Garden. I love M. C. Escher, and this feels like a puzzle game in one of his worlds.
I wouldn't expect to see EU4 here, but I must vouch for it—once it clicks it is engaging, thrilling, and addictive. I just wish there was a better way to get all the dlc. And a better UI lol
For DLC, I just bought 1-2 at a time and treated it like a new game each time. I now have most of them, and I've always waited at least a year before buying a DLC to get it for 50% off.
I think the UI is fine, though it seems EUV is coming out soon, so the UI will likely be completely reworked. If you're thinking about jumping in, I recommend waiting for EUV since EUIV will likely be steeply discounted (just like CK2 was when CK3 was released).