茂林源記

PoPoteetstar10.0

Just love it. Each faction is incredibly different, allowing a different experience each play through as players come into and leave play group and then can try different factions as well. The world is engaging and paints the story of a forest conflict well, even if it’s a relatively conflict free round. I’m always suggesting this and happy to throw it down on the table.

Vic Granellstar8.0

Played the base game once, I think the production and design are amazing but, at first, each faction's complexity can be overwhelming. We'll see how future games go!

Maxstar7.0

Root is a game that has me consistently irritated, enthralled, and sometimes left in absolute awe. Leder Games' undisputed masterpiece known as Root is a stunning amalgamation of intricate strategy, deliciously novel asymmetry, and cute little pieces pottering around a forest. The captivating thing about Root is that the very mechanic that transforms it from yet another generic eurogame into an absolute triumph of an experience is the smae mechanic that restrains it from the lucrative title of a classic. Said mechanic is, of course, that of the factions. In Root, each player is playing a completely different game; maybe you are amassing an army of feline minions; maybe you are attempting to maintain utmost order; or maybe you are just waltzing around a woodland selling bits of junk to random animals. Indeed, the commitment to asymmetry on Leder Games' part is so complete, yet so tangibly abusable, that this game is an utter delight, and one hundred percent worth the ten weeks it will take you to comprehend the rules. However, as previously mentioned, it is this same wondrous novelty that ensures that it stays well clear of so many shelves (unfortunately, mine included). Because, when puah comes to shove, this is a disasyrously clunky game. The oustanding aesthetic and cute animal theme are the only thing encouraging new players to sift through the decidedly lengthy rules and intimidatingly complex pile of cards, tokens and sheets. What's more, while the many characters with drastically different playstyles allow for almost endless replayability, it means that the game is almost impossible to teach to new players; who has time to explain the rules and strategy for four seperate games all rolled into one? It's this, and the unfortunate unbalanced nature of the characters, that forces Root into a position of reknowned godhood as the pinnacle of boardgaming, yet preventing it from becoming a household staple, as it so deserves.