Everdell (2018) – Designed by James Wilson
Everdell is a charming game that sees its players play as one of a few species of woodland critters settling a new area and establishing their own village. The game takes place across one year as you establish your village through a combination of tableau building and worker placement.
A crowd-pleasing combination of theme and depth.
Everdell’s real magic lies in the depth and decision space lurking inconspicuously amongst the charming woodland critters beckoning you to sit down and dive into the game. The first impression of this welcoming box belies what is really a bonafide medium complexity game with no shortage of strategic decisions to be made.
Complexity – Medium
I found this game to be a deceivingly “easy learn” in that I did take long to believe I understood the game. I chalked this up largely to the game consisting of a number of mechanics I already had some familiarity with from my time in the hobby, but in my experience as well as others playing the game reveals more weight than you might initially suspect.
While the rules are not difficult to learn, the majority of people I have played this game with have had at least some level of challenge with fully appreciating the specifics of some of the more nuanced rules. For example, while everyone heard me explain the timing of when the various types/colors of cards activate, without fail I seem to have at least one player who has an “oooooh, I see. I remember you saying that, but now I get it” moment when the green leaf cards trigger for the first time at the end of that player’s first season. That being said, aside from grasping the import of the timing of the various types of cards, I would describe Everdell as a fairly easy learn; the decision space however is another story.
Let me come out and say that I do not find the decision space or combination potential in this game overwhelming, and I think the majority of people will find this game a very comfortable medium complexity experience. BUT, I think it is worth mentioning that at least one of my frequent fliers found the strategic complexity/practical nuisance of monitoring which cards let you combo others for free was more than they enjoyed dealing with. It is also fair to say that I suspect most people experiencing the game for the first time will be surprised by the depth hidden in the decisions surrounding the order in which you can opt to play cards, seize a valuable space or bide your time until someone else calls back their workers for a season (thus freeing up other valuable spaces). The game is juicy, and the woodland critters are captivating set dressing to a very interesting game.
X Factor – The Theme
While I do not wish to undercut the clever design that would work across themes, for me the real anchor in this game that ensures it will always have a place in my collection. You can describe Everdell by the unique combination of tableau building and worker placement, but I prefer to describe it in terms of what truly makes it special to me: my wife’s most requested game. The artwork and the cozy theme are hands-down the primary reasons my wife requests this game more than any others in our collection.
We both find the game brilliantly inviting and charming, and that has not worn off across repeated plays. No notes. Even the more “take that”/hostile cards, a.k.a. The Fool, have a special place in our hearts because of how lovable the frustrating little skunk appears in his stupid hat and the showmanship in its stance.
Target Audience – Everyone But the Lightest Complexity Players
As the broad success of the game portends, Everdell is a game for just about everyone. Between the theme, the mechanics, the pricepoint and the available expansions for repeated play, I think the only people who I would advise NOT to try this game would be those who truly prefer only the lightest games with minimal rules overhead. If you have any willingness to learn some rules and give a new game a couple of tries to sink in, you will find ample reward for your efforts here.
The Peanut Gallery
Among my typical group, three of us LOVE this game. As previewed, this is likely my wife’s favorite game of all time, and another of our group quickly declared this as among their top 5 games within just one play (and they have stuck by that stance). The only complaints I have received from the peanut gallery are about the non-intuitive activation timing of certain cards, particularly the green cards, and the need to constantly track potential card combinations.
Conclusion
Overall, I cannot recommend this game enough. The best games are the fun ones you get to play the most, and this is among my most played given my wife’s love of the game. On the whole, I am going to write reviews with an aim towards a tiered rating system:
Tier 1 – Reserved for my absolute favorites. The type of games that I am always excited to play.
Tier 2 – Great games that I always enjoy but do not reach for with the same frequency as Tier 1.
Tier 3 – Enjoyable, but situational. These are games that might not always sing or might require a certain type of group to enjoy. I consider these candidates for possible culling or replacement in my collection.
Tier 4 – Not my favorite (although not to say they are bad). These are games that I either would not buy or would likely sell. To the extent I keep these games, I am likely either (i) holding out to give it one more try before a final decision or (ii) keeping it because someone in my group loves it.
Tier 5 – Just not good, and I would not recommend it to others.
It should come as no surprise that Everdell is a Tier 1 game. On the BGG scale, I would award the base game a 9 primarily because I suspect I will be yearning for an expansion in due time to keep it fresh and complex enough for my tastes.