If you wish for peace, prepare for turmoil.
Time of Crisis: The Roman Empire in Turmoil is a unique take on the typical area control formula. It combines deck building with a governor appointment system, separating the concept of official control of a region from the military might present in that region.
This creates terrific thematic flair as you can use political sway to gain control of regions where your armies aren’t even present, but can have their support eroded by a massive opposing army camping out in the capital. This makes for a uniquely satisfying puzzle as needing to defend your holding both politically as well as militarily forces new considerations. I know of no other game with this dichotomy.
I found Time of Crisis to be a worthwhile experience. However, time between turns is pretty long, and, coupled with the original sin of the genre of effective player elimination, I can see some frustrating experiences emanating. These experiences may be hard to spot if you aren’t the person getting blown off the map.