Caverna

You manage a family of dwarves living in a cave and farming the land outside. You can mine for ore, forge weapons, and go on expeditions for loot. There are many paths to score points. I usually suggest this one when we have friends over who do not play a lot of heavy stuff. It is straightforward and gets people talking across the table. The rules take about five minutes to explain, and then everyone just gets it. You will find that the mid-game really tests how well you can adapt to what others are doing. I keep this on my shelf because it reliably fills that gap when we want something engaging but not overly taxing.