This is not the first time the Opinionated Gamers have weighed in on the wonder that is Everdell. Chris Wray did a marvelous job of writing about the charms of the base game and the various expansions available circa 2020 – and it was his series of reviews that convinced me to back The Complete Collection box in 2021 even though I’d never played the game.
Looking back, that impulsive purchase could have been a disaster – instead, it’s become a staple of both my solo gaming and gaming with my sons and others. As a long-time fan of the Mouse Guard and Usagi Yojimbo graphic novels, the setting of Everdell feels like a country I’ve been to before… which is aided by the tremendous art throughout the game. Rulebooks, cards, boards – all of them help immerse you in the stories of Everdell.
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Alison Brennan: Game Snapshots – 2025 (Part 18)
One of the notable differences between normal gaming conventions and the Gathering is the number of high profile designers walking around and the relatively high proportion of prototypes on the tables be they works in progress, or close to final and being shown off to publishers, or being spruiked to build word of mouth. Well, the days of me fawning over designers are long over and to be honest I try to avoid playing prototypes. I don’t want to waste time on a half-baked idea needing serious tweaking, I don’t want to be responsible for ideas to improve things, I like playing with nice components, and I don’t particularly get a kick out of being ‘first’ to play something before it’s released.
However it seems almost inevitable that you’re going to be sucked into a few (because that’s what’s on offer as you’re wandering around) and I tried to tackle them with good grace and responsibility. The good news was that they were all decent, which probably isn’t that surprising given the track record of the designers there. Mind you, there was nothing that set my mouth frothing in anticipation either. And while some prototypes were a bit rough and ready, there were others that were indistinguishable from produced games so good were the components. Anyway, I felt I did my bit, helped shared the load, but I was always happy to get back to the ‘real’ stuff once done.
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