Greenwood^*

Greenwood is a fantasy strategy game for 1 to 4 players aged 14+, where Primal Spirits rescue magical creatures and borrow each other's abilities.

What's it about?

Feuerland Spiele publishes the German edition, and games run 40 to 160 minutes depending on player count. The peninsula of Greenwood is run by a circle of druids and marketed as a sanctuary for magical animals and the perfect holiday spot. That version of Greenwood is a lie. You play Primal Spirits out to save it. The designers are Christos Giannakoulas and Manolis Zachariadis.

The core decision

Every turn, you pick one of three options:

1. Use the abilities of your own companions.
2. Use the abilities of another player's companions.
3. Send one of your companions into the forest to improve your wayfinding and rescue mystical creatures.

The game lasts three nights, and the player with the most victory points wins.

For experienced players

• In the advanced game, each clan has a unique ability.
• These small extra rules have a big effect on how a game unfolds.
• The twist: you can use the ability of any clan in play, not just your own.

Conclusion

Greenwood is a medium-weight strategy game for players who like watching what others do and turning it to their advantage. Shared abilities create interaction without making it nasty. It is not a quick family game. If you enjoy titles like Everdell, it is worth a closer look.