Everdell Review

Intro

Starling Games hit gold in 2018 with Everdell, a gorgeous tableau-building game that drops you into the role of a forest creature leader establishing a thriving woodland city. This isn't your typical dry Euro game about trading in the Mediterranean. Instead, you're orchestrating a bustling community of anthropomorphic animals beneath towering trees, complete with cozy buildings and colorful characters that feel like they stepped out of a Studio Ghibli film.

The game accommodates 1-4 players and typically runs about 80 minutes, though expect your first few games to stretch longer as you admire the artwork and puzzle through your options. With an 8/10 rating across gaming communities and moderate complexity that's approachable for ages 10 and up, Everdell strikes that sweet spot between accessible family gaming and satisfying strategic depth. It works well at all player counts, though most folks find the 3-player experience hits just right.

How It Plays

Everdell combines worker placement with tableau building in a surprisingly elegant dance. You start each season with a handful of workers (adorable wooden creatures) and some basic cards. On your turn, you'll do one of three things: place a worker somewhere on the board, play a card from your hand to build your city, or prepare for the next season.

Worker placement is your engine for gathering resources and cards. You'll send your critters to forest locations to collect twigs, resin, pebbles, and berries, or dispatch them to draw more cards. Some spots give you immediate benefits, while others might let you activate cards you've already played.

The real magic happens when you're building your tableau. Your city can hold up to 15 cards split between constructions (buildings) and critters (characters). Many critters can move into matching buildings for free, creating satisfying combos. A Wanderer might stroll into your Inn without costing resources, while your School might let you draw extra cards each season.

The game flows through four seasons, from Winter to the following Winter. Each new season gives you additional workers and new opportunities. Spring unlocks more powerful board spaces, Summer opens even better spots, and Autumn provides your final push toward victory. Some cards only become available in later seasons, creating natural progression and escalation.

Highlights

The first thing that grabs you is the absolutely stunning presentation. The 3D tree centerpiece isn't just eye candy (though it definitely is that). Cards hang from its branches, creating this magical focal point that makes every game feel special. The artwork throughout maintains this whimsical, storybook quality that draws players into the world.

Mechanically, the card synergies create those satisfying "aha!" moments. When you realize your Twig Barge produces resources that help you build the Dock, which then makes your Harbor Master more valuable, everything clicks into place. These connections aren't always obvious, giving you plenty to discover across multiple plays.

The seasonal structure provides natural pacing and prevents the game from overstaying its welcome. Just when one phase might start feeling repetitive, you're transitioning to the next season with new workers and opportunities. It creates momentum without feeling rushed.

Player interaction stays at just the right level. You're not directly attacking each other, but popular worker spaces fill up, and that perfect card might get snagged before your turn. The shared Events add another layer, offering bonuses for the first player to meet certain conditions.

Finally, the solo mode deserves special mention. It's not just a tacked-on afterthought but a genuinely engaging puzzle against an automated opponent that scales difficulty nicely.

Criticisms

For all its charm, Everdell isn't perfect. The biggest complaint is analysis paralysis. With so many cards creating different synergies and multiple viable paths to victory, some players can get overwhelmed by choices. This is especially true with larger card hands in later seasons, when you might have 8-10 options and limited actions to execute them.

The luck factor can occasionally frustrate strategic players. Sometimes the cards just don't cooperate with your plans, and you're forced to pivot or settle for suboptimal plays. While this adds excitement for some, others prefer more predictable strategy games where skill alone determines outcomes.

Scaling issues pop up at different player counts too. With four players, the board can feel cramped and turns take longer, while two-player games might feel less competitive for worker placement spots. The sweet spot seems to be three players, but that leaves some groups out in the cold.

Conclusion

Everdell succeeds brilliantly as a gateway into more complex strategy gaming. If you love beautiful components, engaging themes, and games that reward both tactical thinking and long-term planning, this woodland gem should definitely hit your table. Families with older kids will appreciate how the theme draws everyone in, while strategy gamers will find plenty of depth in the card combinations and resource management.

Just be prepared for some longer thinking turns, especially with newer players. But honestly, when you're sitting around that gorgeous 3D tree, building your cozy forest city one card at a time, those moments of contemplation become part of the charm. Everdell proves that Euro games don't have to be dry affairs about historical trade routes. Sometimes the best cities are built by badgers and mice.