Boxcat's Seal of Approval is given to games that have either been very well received amongst Boxcat and his friends, and or has become a staple on our shelf at home!
In our first edition of Boxcat's Seal of Approval, we would like to introduce you to Everdell, by Starling Games!
Everdell is set deep in a forest inhabited by tons of adorable animals. Everything from squirrels, to mice, owls and badgers, and they are all working together to build and prepare their city for winter! In Everdell each player is working to prepare their city by collecting resources, hiring new animals, and constructing new buildings in their city.
Finding the right combinations can mean all the difference in the world. For example, having the farm in your city allows you to get a mouse farmer for free. The synergies are very well thought out and make sense. Each game of Everdell starts in the spring, and each round moves forward one season. Each season, players will decide where to assign their workers. Will they mine for stones? Will they harvest berries, or perhaps chop some trees for wood? The choice is yours, and every move counts. While Everdell is not a co-operative board game, it is VERY light in competition, and I say this in the best way possible. There IS a winner at the end of the game, but it is never cutthroat and the game remains very calm throughout. The winner in Everdell is the player with that is most prepared for the winter by the time it arrives. This is decided by points gained during the game, and postgame by ranking placements, synergies, and awards.
Every piece of Everdell is beautiful
There is a giant cardboard Evertree that stands in the middle of the board, holding cards and other point related tokens.
The little creature meeples, while basic in shape, get the point across, and leave room to admire the board, which is designed with extreme beauty and care.
Another thing of note is no small thing at all. The resources in this game are very very fun to play with. The rocks are made of clickity clacky heavy stone or metal (it's hard to tell, but they are smooth and heavy) The logs are little wooden painted rods, the resin is clear orange plastic, and most excitingly, the berries are each little purple rubber berries that are squishy and fun to collect.
Everdell is easily one of the most peaceful games I have ever played, and the expansions add entire new mechanics, including a river, a market faire, a train station, and even a misty mountain. We happily give Everdell Boxcat's Seal of Approval!
Get your own copy of Everdell HERE!