Everdell Duo - Game Review

Title: Everdell Duo

Designed By: James A. Wilson, Clarissa A. Wilson

Art By: Enggar Adirasa, Andrew Bosley

Published By: Starling Games

Released: 2025

Player Count: 1-2

Time to Play: 30 Minutes

Ages: 10+

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Overview:

Everdell Duo is a charming two-player twist on the beloved woodland world of Everdell (it also supports solo gameplay). This streamlined version brings the lush art and engaging tableau-building of the original, but trims it down for a tighter, faster, more intimate experience. Players compete to build the most delightful critter community by collecting resources, playing cards, and managing a small but mighty workforce—all while watching the seasons change. And for the first time in Everdell’s history, there's a full campaign mode, adding narrative progression, escalating difficulty, and clever cooperative challenges. Whether you’re a longtime Everdell fan or new to the valley, this cozy little box packs in plenty of strategic decision-making without overstaying its welcome.

What's purr-ty cool:

A Duo Designed to Delight

This isn’t just Everdell with the player count capped at two—Everdell Duo was built for two. Whether you're going head-to-head or teaming up in cooperative mode, the game is finely tuned to the rhythm of two-player play. Regular Everdell was never really optimized for duos (though expansions helped), so it's refreshing to have a version that feels just right. The pacing is quicker, the downtime is gone, and the new cooperative mode adds a completely fresh twist. For couples or gaming pairs who regularly play together, this is a woodland win. While you can play Everdell Duo solo, I have always enjoyed the standard version of Everdell's solo play, especially when you add in the Mistwood expansion, so unless you really love campaigns, I would stick to recommending standard Everdell for solo play, and Everdell Duo for two-player games.

Aesthetically Pleasing as Always

Visually, Duo is another stunner. Fans of the original will spot plenty of familiar critters—from those iconic turtle meeples to the ever-hospitable Innkeeper. The new rabbit meeples are an adorable addition, adding more woodland charm. That said, it’s a bit of a missed opportunity that the character stickers from the All-In Collection weren’t included here. It would’ve been great if all versions of the game used the same meeple sticker option so players could mix-and-match freely between sets. Still, everything included is beautifully made and thoughtfully designed.

Decisions That Matter (and Tension That Builds!)

The core Everdell decision-making is alive and well, but Duo adds some clever new challenges. The sun and moon tokens introduce a new layer of timing tension—you might need to take an action earlier than you’d like, or risk losing it entirely if the track moves too far ahead. In campaign mode especially, that pressure adds real drama. Speaking of the campaign, it’s no walk in the park—you’ll need true teamwork to overcome each scenario. Sharing cards and resources becomes essential, and that’s a big shift for returning Everdell fans who are used to building solo. Learning to cooperate effectively can be the key to victory… or the reason the AI critters outbuild you.

Table-Friendly Size with Big Game Feel

Regular Everdell is undeniably beautiful—but let’s be honest, it’s a table hog. Duo distills that immersive experience into a much more manageable footprint. You still get the seasonal progression, charming engine-building, and thoughtful card play, just without the sprawling setup and table sprawl. It’s a great option for when you want an Everdell fix without the full-length forest commitment.

The cat's meow:

"Finally, a forest built for two—and no squirrels hogging the best spots." - Solo the Spokescat

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Disclosure: Pudgy Cat Games was provided a copy of this game in exchange for a review, however, this review reflects the honest thoughts of the author.