A notable accomplishment in the board game world, Welcome To Everdell, currently ranked 38th on the BoardGameGeek chart, is a captivating and magical forest city-building game. In this enhanced version, players are tasked with constructing this enchanting city, complete with delightful animal characters and engaging gameplay.

GAMEPLAY: BUILD A CIVILIZATION

In the enigmatic Everdell valley, a community of various forest creatures is gradually emerging, with the weather and crops continuously evolving. At the beginning of the game, each player is given two personal assistants and a selection of random cards.

How each turn unfolds: Players can place workers or assistants in various locations to aid their progress, prepare for the upcoming crop, or use a card from their hand or the communal area known as the "field".

Each level features a few fixed worker slots, allowing players to gather more resources, cards, or points. However, there are four areas that change with each game. Some slots permit multiple workers simultaneously, but most restrict the area to one player.

After a player has placed all their workers, they can recall their workers and assistants to prepare for the next crop, reopening those slots. The first and second times this occurs, players receive an additional worker for the next crop, but the third and final time, they receive two. There are also bonuses for advancing to a new crop. In spring and autumn, players activate all their production cards, generating resources and other benefits. In summer, they can draw extra cards, either from the deck or the field, which is rare, as drawing from the deck is the norm.

The significant effect of transitioning between seasons is that workers are placed and removed from the board at different times. There is no requirement for players to be in the same season, and it is entirely possible, or even common, for players to conclude the game at very different times.

THE CARDS THAT DEFINE POWER

Contrary to the common belief that the game primarily revolves around placing workers and assistants and occasionally changing seasons, the true allure of the game lies in the cards representing the creatures and structures that form the jungle civilization. Each card has a cost, although players can acquire free cards by constructing prerequisite structures. Players are limited to eight cards in their hand, and with a few exceptions, their civilization is limited to 15 cards in play. Therefore, players must carefully decide which cards to retain and which to play. Some slots allow players to discard cards for resources or points.

There are five main types of cards in the game:

• Traveler cards: Activated only once, offering a unique advantage to the player
• Production cards: Activated when the player uses them during a specific crop
• Destination cards: These cards provide additional slots for workers and assistants beyond the existing slots.
• Governance cards: Offer special powers that alter the game's dynamics.
• Prosperity cards: These cards grant bonus points at the end of the game.