Even though I don't normally like games like Risk...
I purchased this game through the Kickstarter campaign.  I'll admit, I am friends with the creator but I wouldn't give this game a good rating if I didn't enjoy it.  I play lots of table top games (Pandemic, Ticket to Ride, Dominion) and am a big fan of Wil Wheaton's show TableTop on Youtube, so I would have tried Spheres of Influence even if I didn't know the creator.  I was worried that I wouldn't like it since I normally don't care for global domination-type games (Risk, Axis &amp; Allies) I find them too long and more frustrating than fun.  However, this game was fast paced, and very engaging.  There was significant strategy involved, and there are added elements (regional resources, oil production, and capital cities) that make the strategy a lot more interesting than just battling your opponents.  I played with 5 people--a mix of people who like global domination games and a couple who don't.  Everyone really enjoyed it.  Took about an hour to complete.  Good quality game components.
Rating: 4 stars