Earth, designed by Maxime Tardif, offers players the chance to cultivate an ecosystem by planting flora, growing trees, and fostering biodiversity. While the game is visually stunning and presents an enjoyable tableau-building experience, it leans heavily into multiplayer solitaire, with minimal interaction between players. The core mechanics are solid, but the game can feel repetitive after multiple plays.
Nature's Beauty Captured on the Table
Earth is a game that thrives on aesthetics. The artwork is breathtaking, with beautifully illustrated cards featuring real-world flora and landscapes. The game’s dedication to its theme is evident in every element, from the lush greenery on the board to the earthy color palette that enhances immersion.
The components are well-produced, with thick cards, detailed tokens, and a visually appealing layout. The presentation makes every session feel like constructing a living, breathing ecosystem. However, while the theme is strong, it doesn’t necessarily enhance the gameplay, as much of the experience revolves around individual tableau-building rather than fostering a dynamic ecosystem.
Gameplay: Engine Building with Predictable Growth
Earth follows a straightforward engine-building formula, where players develop a 4×4 grid of ecosystem cards to generate resources and score points. Core mechanics include:
Simultaneous Action Selection: Players take actions that benefit everyone, reducing downtime.
Card Combos and Synergies: Certain flora and fauna work together to create more efficient ecosystems.
Soil and Growth Management: Players must balance their resource economy to expand their tableau optimally.
While the mechanics encourage strategic planning, they lack player interaction. The engine-building loop is satisfying, but because all players benefit from chosen actions, there’s little room for strategic disruption or meaningful engagement with opponents. This, combined with limited variety in long-term strategies, can make the game feel formulaic over repeated plays.
A Relaxing but Disconnected Journey
Earth provides a meditative, low-conflict experience. Turns are quick, thanks to simultaneous action selection, and the rewarding feeling of watching an engine unfold keeps players engaged. However, the lack of direct interaction may leave competitive gamers feeling disengaged.
Replayability is moderate—while there are numerous card combinations and objectives, the core gameplay loop remains largely the same each session. The game is well-suited for those who enjoy personal optimization puzzles rather than cutthroat competition.
At higher player counts, the game moves efficiently, but because players are largely focused on their own boards, it lacks the dynamism of more interactive strategy games. Solo mode, however, works well, as the game’s mechanics naturally lend themselves to a solitaire-style experience.
Final Reflections: A Beautiful but Isolated Ecosystem
Earth is a gorgeous, well-crafted engine builder that rewards thoughtful planning and tableau construction. However, its multiplayer solitaire nature and repetitive gameplay loop prevent it from reaching the heights of more engaging strategy games. It remains a solid option for players who enjoy relaxing optimization games with a nature-inspired theme.
Who is this game for? Players who enjoy tableau builders, engine-building mechanics, and nature themes will appreciate Earth. Those seeking high interaction or varied strategic paths may find it lacking in depth.
Final Rating: 7.0 out of 10
Want to check more? Take a look at the videos/reviews below:
- Watch the “Playthrough” video on YouTube
- The Dice Tower Review
- Read the rulebook here.
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