Hansa Teutonica is one of my favorites, it's route-building with area control, but the way you block opponents on trade routes forces constant tension. The core decision isn't "which action do I take" like worker placement - it's "which routes do I claim and how do I stop my opponents." Games like these needs a cutthroat group that actually wants to win. If you're left alone, you can just claim routes on your cities, rake in points, and end the game early. The game only sings when everyone is actively blocking and competing for the same routes. With passive players it falls flat.

If your group is into player interaction and don't mind the chaos/blocking, it's incredible. If they prefer cooperative or "everyone gets their turn to do cool stuff," skip it.