Starling Games | Everdell: Bellfaire | 1-6 Players | Ages 14+ | 40-120 Minutes Playing Time

Product Information

With over 30 new cards and unique player mats, the Bellfaire Expansion offers endless possibilities for strategic gameplay. Players will have the chance to build new structures, recruit new citizens, and complete exciting new events, all while immersing themselves in the charming and whimsical world of Everdell.

A shedload of realistic looking and nicely crafted resources (rolly wooden logs, hard, shiny stones, translucent, golden amber and squishy pink berries) are also placed along the river at their gathering locations, with the effect of both the tactile resources and the huge Evertree put together resulting in a nice sense of height, albeit one that is, unfortunately, purely cosmetic. There are, of course, the animeeples, money tokens and a few other components, but the final major piece of the puzzle (and the one that you’ll spend the most time staring at) is probably Everdell ’s single, huge pile of cards. There isn’t much more to say, and that is probably why it sits in the #2 spot. It just fits. #1 – Legends As expected, Pearlbrook asserted its dominant reach all over the board. The trouble with water is it gets into everything. We left the Events on the board, but there was never a moment where selecting one was more lucrative than pushing toward Pearlbrook’s Wonders or one of Newleaf’s Visitors. In the end, the difference in the score was almost equal to the difference between the Wonders my daughter and I had chased.Players can get pearls for being the first to visit the underwater locations/citizens and flipping those cards over (which then become additional expansion spaces.) Sometimes these spaces allow pearls to be spend, as do some of the seasonal event cards that Pearlbrook introduces, but the main way in which you’ll spend pearls is by investing in the monuments, which are worth increasingly more points (right up to 25) should you be able to afford them. the locations along the edge of the river). When you visit a Basic location, also gain the "any" resource token from there. You may use each token one time as any resource of your choice.

Law, Keith (August 13, 2018). "The Best Games at Gen Con 2018". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on September 30, 2019 . Retrieved January 18, 2019.

The Absurdity

Using Player Powers will give each player a unique ability, based on which critter type they choose. The Everdell franchise is known for its stunning artwork and Bellfaire does not disappoint. Every aspect of the game fits beautifully with the main board and other expansions, should you wish to play with all of them together. Everdell Bellfaire is the most recent expansion in the Everdell line. The expansion is modular, meaning it comes with different pieces that can be mixed and matched. While it changes gameplay less than Pearlbrook and Spirecrest, and is less thematic, I consider it the most functional of the expansions, since it has some cool elements that integrate nicely with the base game. While Pearlbrook is my favorite of the expansions, if you’re looking primarily for a few extras (including components and rules for 5-6 players), Bellfaire is where you should look first.

If gaining, choose one of the available tokens, gain the resources and cards, then move that token to the "trade" side. This may include locations on Destination cards like an Inn or Queen, but not a Cemetery since it is a permanent location. The setup was no joke, obviously, but once laid out the game is quite stunning on the table. Assuming, that is, that a table of sufficient size is available. I’m not sure I’d have been half as happy playing on the floor! By game’s end, our dining room table might have been able to bear a third player, but even at two we were often standing for portions of our turn because the needed component was out of arm’s reach. The scores were bloated, but not to an extreme. Honestly, they were only a small percentage higher than my most recent play of Newleaf.

A word on components

In addition to the worker placement spots that allow players to collect one of the games resources, everyone also has a hand of personal cards, as well as access to a shared hand of eight cards that are placed on the board, in a location called The Meadow. Many cards can be played without an action (although they may cost resources) so whilst the game appears as if it will be very brief thanks to the low number of workers in hand, it is actually much more involved that you might think. Finally, a word of praise for the board itself in all its unorthodox glory. No rectangles here, folks! I applaud the decision to use rounded edges, insets, and interesting contours. I think Everdell feels more like a world right out of the box because the board is so very strange. Even in its unusual dimensions, it is terribly efficient and a fit showcase for the game. These boards may be used as an area to store resources, workers, and point tokens. Players may choose any board that they wish to use.

My favorite addition comes from 15 cards which introduce asymmetric player powers. At the start of the game, each player gets 2 player powers and chooses 1 to keep. These are small bonuses that help guide your strategy. For example, the “Mice” player power allows you to gain 1 of a resource you don’t have when you visit a basic or forest location. The “Otters” can use resin as any resource. The “Cardinals” have a hand limit that is 2 higher (so 10 instead of 8 initially), and, when they draw cards, they draw an additional one. In all, there are 15 new player powers, and they add an interesting and engaging amount of asymmetry without adding much complexity. Though they aren’t necessary (and may clash) with the other expansions, this is a straightforward and effective way to spice up Everdell for experienced players.You may keep this drawn card, or you may give it to an opponent. If you give it away, draw 2 cards.