“From Everfrost to Bellsong, many a peaceful year have passed in Everdell — but the time has come for new territories to be settled and new cities to be established. You will be the leader of a group of critters intent on just such a task. There are buildings to construct, lively characters to meet, events to host— you will have a busy year ahead of you! Will the sun shine brightest on your city before the winter moon rises?”
— Everdell Rule Book —
This is the forest of Everdell, the peaceful, prosperous, bounteous place of wonder and enchantment where you will meet industrious (and adorable) critters who will help you build your new thriving city.
{Isn’t the storytelling in this game exceptional?!?}
Games are stories in which YOU get to play a part. Part of our Gameschooling family culture/educational methodology is reading the setting of the game, the story that explains your mission and involvement in this made-up world.
I actually didn’t know every game had a back story like this until recently when my board-game-loving brother-in-law pointed it out. He always likes to read the back story to a game before he plays, and at first, I thought it was an unnecessary waste of time, but I was so wrong! The back story transforms a game into an experience.
The board set up is part of the amazing artistry of this game with
- Twigs, resin, pebbles, and berries along the bank of the river
- Forest cards to help workers get resources
- 4 Event Tiles and 4 Event cards for extra points
- The Meadow (8 cards face up in the center of the board)
- Main deck inside the Ever Tree
Each player begins the game with a few cards and 2 workers. Players place their workers in various locations around the board to get the resources needed to purchase cards, which then become part of that player’s City. A maximum of 15 cards can be laid down in a player’s city, so choose carefully!
After a player has placed his 2 workers (the squirrels in the above picture) and has done all he can do with the resources and cards available to him, he can “Prepare for Season,” which means he gets all his employed workers back PLUS one or two additional workers.
Each card has lots of information on it, but the most important bits are the cost (5 berries) and the ability. When a worker is placed on this card in your city (the paw print indicates a worker location), you can play a card worth up to 3 points for free. Our beautiful queen is generous indeed!
Players take turns placing workers, drawing and purchasing cards, and preparing for the next season until the end of Autumn has come (you have played through all 4 rounds of the game) and you can no longer take any actions. The earth is winding down for its long winter’s rest, and so is your city. :)
The game has an excellent Solo Player option too, which my oldest enjoys playing by himself. Sometimes brothers are great game companions, sometimes it’s nice to play a quiet game by yourself. The solo player game pits you against a ruffian called Rugwort, who gets to play a card every time you do and takes up specified resource locations, blocking you from using them. The Solo game works well and is challenging and fun to play.
The components in Everdell are absolutely fantastic. The Collector’s Edition comes with REAL gold coins that are heavy and clinky. All the pieces are of high quality and every single tiny detail was carefully considered to contribute to the whimsical feel of this game. 
The 4 Event cards give players extra points – a player who has both of the critters/buildings in their city gets that Event card for extra points.
The 4 Event Tiles work similarly.
Each card is one of 5 types: Traveler (tan), Production (green), Destination (red), Governance (blue), and Prosperity (Purple).
Each card type has a different purpose/function in the game, and having 3 of one kind in your city can earn you the Event Tile for that card type if you have a worker to place there. This is an action usually taken towards the end of the game when you need more points than workers!
We use games as an essential part of our homeschooling “curriculum” and so we have a lot and we play a lot. Everdell is the most unique and beautiful board game experience we’ve had to date. It covers all the typical GAMESCHOOL SUBJECTS like abstract thinking, problem solving, logic, strategy, arithmetic, but with added language and visual arts elements. There’s a POEM in the rule book. A poem!!
It’s an excellent game to fuel discussions about habitats, shelters, a forest through the seasons, but also design, graphic art, and beautiful storytelling. We love it so much and know your family will to. Thanks to Starling Games for sharing it with us!
{Read my reviews of the Bellfaire and Pearlbrook Expansions!}
