Title: Everdell Farshore
Designed By: James A. Wilson and Clarissa A. Wilson
Art By: Jacqui Davis
Published By: Starling Games
Released: 2023
Player Count: 1-4
Time to Play: 40-80 Minutes
Ages: 10+
Overview:
Farshore is a standalone game set in the world of #Everdell. If you love the original, you are going to love this one too. It uses similar mechanics with lots of new twists and variations to the original game. In a way it reminds me of the Azul series where the games are similar but also different. Check out the video below to see what comes in the box and then read on to see my thoughts.
What's purr-ty cool:
Solo the spokescat and I have been checking out the Solo mode and have to say, we love it. Well I love it. Solo likes to make up his own rules and sit on top of all the pieces. You play against Captain Redclaw, a crab pirate. She works kind of like Nightweave in the original Everdell does where you have a deck of action cards for her and you flip them over and following the available actions. It’s very smooth and pretty intuitive. You can also use her in a multiplayer game to be another player which is cool.
So what else is new? You have more fun meeples, a lighthouse and more squishy pieces. But for gameplay there are some new really neat changes. There are now actions that allow you to ditch cards and more easily gain more resources. There is also a spot that allows you to ditch cards and replenish your hand. This means cards are easier to get. However, resources are a bit harder. You also can only play 3 critters for free during the whole game so you need to find ways to build generating mushrooms into your engine since mushrooms are how you pay for most creatures.
There is also a new boat track that can award a ton of points. You earn these points by playing cards that match Windrose tiles for the season, as well as in a few other ways. It's a whole new feature to pay attention to. The treasure tiles you collect from actions can be used either for points of for resources so they are very valuable.
Instead of events and special events, you have map tiles which multiply together to earn a big points. The more you get and the earlier you get them, the more points they are worth. So planning your city is super important as you race for the maps!
Between the map tiles and the Windrose rules, you have to focus more on building your city order strategically in a way to maximize not just the resources and benefits gained from the cards played, but also how those cards contribute to earning the other points. I like this a lot. It changes how you might prioritize cards or actions at certain times.
So if you own Everdell, do you need Farshore? I vote yes, but let me tell you why you may or may not want the standalone sequel.
Farshore is good for people who:
Have never played Everdell before and do not like expansions. If you don't already have the base version of Everdell, skip it and buy Farshore. The gameplay is similar enough, but the new actions add more choices.
Own Everdell but don't like having to break out expansions, but would still like a twist. I see a bit of Mistwood, Spirecrest, and New Leaf in Farshore. I think it does well taking the basic version of Everdell, modifying it for some extra content, all without needing to add in expansions. It would be a great version to take to game nights without needing to bring extra boxes for more content.
Like to play Solo. If you like Solo games, and enjoyed the Mistwood expansion, you will like how Captain Bonny Redclaw works. The AI system is really streamlined and easy to manage, while providing a challenging opponent to play against. I also like how you can incorporate the Captain into 2 or 3 player games too.
Like ocean critters. If you are like me and enjoy sea creatures, you will love the art of this version.
Skip Farshore if:
You own the base Everdell and the expansions and are looking for something completely different. Everdell and Farshore feel very similar. This is great for people who love the original and would like to try it with a new twist, but if you are the kind of gamer who prefers to keep a small collection or doesn't like to have games similar to each other, and you already own the base Everdell and the expansions, this may feel too similar for you to add to your collection. If you do not already own the expansions for Everdell, I would consider getting Farshore if you want to try a slightly more complex version of Everdell.
Hope this helps you in figuring our if Farshore is for you. It's definitely my cup of tea!
Let me know in the comments what you are excited for about Farshore!
The cat's meow:
"Make sure you have a big table to play on. The board is big enough for my giant kitty body to sit on and still have room for game pieces!" - Solo the Spokescat
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.