/pic8532107.png)
Build a thriving Biome in this highly thematic nature themed tableau builder for 1-4 players. Compete for biodiversity achievements and outmaneuver your opponents by activating the special abilities of your plants and animals. Each action can only be activated once, so think carefully about which actions you take and when.
Rounds of the game move through the seasons, each season having its own thematic impact on the Biome. In the simultaneous gameplay phase, draw cards and collect resources to play a plant or animal into your Biome and earn points. Play your birds and rabbits next to plants, so that in Spring, they will make nests and have chicks and baby bunnies! But beware, in Summer, your opponents' predators are on the prowl. Protect your baby animals by playing more plants in each habitat. Earn points with successful hunts and by feeding your baby animals.
Add the optional Natural Disasters mini expansion (spinner) to bring additional variability and nature's harsh reality to your game of Biome.
With many ways to earn points (and win!) plus multiple difficulty levels, you can tailor your game to your adventure level!
—description from the publisher
- Adorable components and immersive physical tokens (meuples and nests) that enhance theme
- Fully simultaneous core, with a clever non-simultaneous activation phase to create interaction without breaking flow
- Immediate scoring on card play and a rewarding point track with ongoing benefits
- Seasonal variation adds variety and strategic depth
- Tension between feeding, predators, and habitat development creates thematic tension
- ecosystem growth and survival
- Forest habitat with seasons and wildlife dynamics
- ecosystem simulation
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Creature tokens and nesting — Tokens (bunnies/hatchlings) are generated by cards and placed on nests; feeding and predators affect survival.
- Endgame condition on points/mat fill — The game ends when a player reaches a victory point threshold or when mats are filled.
- Immediate points on card play — Points are earned as cards are played, not solely at end-game scoring.
- One non-simultaneous phase: activated abilities — Each card has at most one activated ability; this phase introduces interaction.
- Seasonal phases — Different seasons modify actions and objectives, shaping strategy over time.
- Simultaneous tableau building — Players act concurrently to build their tableau of cards and tokens.
- Token Pairing — Tokens (bunnies/hatchlings) are generated by cards and placed on nests; feeding and predators affect survival.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm thinking 120, but it that also sounds a little bit low.
- these little tokens that you can get in the game during certain seasons.
- the cards don't have come into a come into play abilities. Um, you do get the points right away when you play a card
References (from this video)
- cute nest components made of straw
- simultaneous play reduces downtime
- interactive gameplay with giving resources to other players
- clear iconography
- good strategic depth for light game
- weather expansion adds variety
- die-roll based predation mechanic feels weak
- many card abilities and text-heavy
- similar to Wingspan and Earth in design
- hand size can be overwhelming with many cards
- animals
- plants
- nature
- biodiversity
- Wingspan
- Earth
- Cavanga
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's only a game
- you're listening to the broken meeple show a podcast that speaks passionately about board games
- I am very much a cold blooded I'm a cold blooded lizard I need cold
- the top 50 has finally finished finally it's done
- there is nothing apart from it being bright and sunny there is nothing about the summer that really gets me like you know excited or interested because it's just too hot
- I look at these top 50s uh they certainly increase a bit
- there's a lot of good feedback in terms of what's up next hard to say really
- I would give it at least a seven out of 10 right now and say it's good
- the Arkham Horror games are still pretty solid and you know they're fun to play but they are definitely getting to a point where I don't think I can uh like really say that they're practical
- my tastes were new at that point you know I respected terroriser for its thiness
- I have definitely developed to want more theme in my games