Everdell: Spirecrest is the second expansion released for Everdell, part of a Kickstarter campaign that also funded the Bellfaire expansion that I’ll be reviewing next. Everdell was fantastic. The first expansion, Pearlbrook, was superb. And now I’m talking about an entirely different animal (literally, since the other game involved Frog Ambassadors and this one features Rabbit Travelers) because Spirecrest complicates and changes the game in ways that haven’t happened before.

The worker-placement game further evolves with the Mountain board, Weather and Discovery cards, Big Critters, and expeditions that will have you marching on as the season progress in an effort to complete an epic journey. Whereas Pearlbrook was about Wonders and explosive growth in the city, Spirecrest is about maturing beyond the city with an eye on the great world outside of Everdell and the forest.

Like its predecessor, Spirecrest is a lot and it’s recommended to only play with that module rather than combining multiple expansions.

So let’s get our walking stick ready and explore what happens when we take the road less traveled.

STORY

I find myself gazing upon a sparkling blue sea, ready to board a vessel that will take me across to an unknown destination far beyond. But the destination is not what drives me. It is the daily travels, the surprises and delights, the challenges and heartbreaks, the wonder and the imagination and every breath of every moment…

The journey is the destination.

The distant shore awaits.

- Excerpts from the Journal of Torrin Hare

Everdell started with the Ever Tree, the Meadow, and the Forest. Then it added the River and all of the destinations that appeared when the western fringes of the land opened up.

Now, the Mountain stretches to the south, with Foothills, Peaks, and the Ridge introducing new terrain and discoveries for the travelers that are brave enough to endure the weather and the trials that accompany a long journey.

The critters of Everdell are adventurous and they may even encounter Big Critters that will transform the way they interact with nature.

Stories grow and change over time, and Everdell is no exception with the introduction of Spirecrest.

GAMEPLAY

Just like with the Pearlbrook expansion, it’s suggested to just play Spirecrest with the base game and to avoid using any other content. So, no Legends expansion, no Pearlbrook, and no Bellfaire expansions. While that’s advisable for the first playthrough and any time you’re introducing it to players unfamiliar with the game, I do think it would be pretty epic to combine all four expansions into one epic Everdell game.

It would take a while and it would absolutely dominate a table, but it would be pretty crazy and I kinda think that it would be awesome to try out.

Spirecrest has a lot to keep you entertained, though. Everdell remains the same mostly, but let’s discuss what’s changed.

There are negative effects that influence the game now. Depending on what season a player is in, there is a corresponding Weather card that will affect some element of the game—the cost of constructions, the use of workers, etc.

Also, Discovery cards provide either immediate bonuses or permanent effects. These cards do not count against a city limit and players will get these multiple times throughout the game. It’s possible that the Discovery cards might also grant players a Big Critter, which upgrades and modifies a meeple worker for the rest of the game. The best part? You can sit your old worker on the new Big Critter using a plastic saddle. It’s the most adorable thing. If you didn’t know that you needed a Squirrel sitting on top of a Wolf or a Hedgehog riding a Bear, it’s okay. I didn’t know I needed it either. Little animals saddled on big animals is a temporary cure for the pandemic blues, though.

The gradual and endgame change, however, is the expedition. Players will get an Everdell Map Tile at the beginning of the game. Each season, their Rabbit Traveler will advance through the Mountain trail, adding more Map Tiles to their personal expedition, which is attempted at the end of the game. When Autumn concludes and a player passes for the final time, the Rabbit Traveler will progress through each of the Map Tiles for which the player can afford the resource cost. This journey provides Points for endgame scoring, and players can move through up to 3 Map Tiles.

It’s a good way to utilize resources at the end of the game that would have otherwise gone to waste and it’s a final surge in Points for scoring.

Besides the interesting mechanics of the final Expedition, the most engaging gameplay twist is the addition of the Big Critters. These large meeples offer clever powers and special abilities that can really help a player capitalize on certain locations to gain more resources and to chain more combinations of cards.

Just like Pearlbrook, everything in Spirecrest fits naturally with the base game and it further expands Everdell. I’m really pleased with what the expansion offers, and I’m ready to try out the base game and both of these big expansions for a larger, more complex strategy offering from Starling Games.

VISUALS

Quality components and the same beautiful artwork return in Spirecrest. Everdell is increasingly becoming a centerpiece in my gaming collection with all of these great expansions.

The boxes are well-designed, the art is gorgeous, and it all stacks nicely on top of each other for a compact and fully-loaded gaming experience.

If you own Everdell, you will likely be thrilled by what these expansions have to offer, in both gameplay and visual appeal.

REPLAYABILITY

More than 40 new cards and another map board, as well as more than two dozen meeples—not to mention other game components—provide another big boost to Everdell.

With regards to replay value in a board game, Spirecrest is a superlative example of what you want from board game expansions.

It’s a big thumbs up from me.

WHAT IT COULD HAVE DONE BETTER

With no 3D constructions and fewer overall components in Spirecrest, I don’t anticipate as much wear and tear on the game. This adds a lot to Everdell without compromising quality, so I’m happy to continue using it with the base game.

VERDICT

Everdell: Spirecrest opens up Everdell in new and wonderful ways. The southern Mountain calls to the pioneers and adventurers, even as calamitous Weather buffets the Meadow and Forest. Big Critters are on the way to help the industrious critters of the woodlands, though, and the cities will only continue to thrive in this beautiful tabletop game.

I love Everdell and the Spirecrest expansion only underscores what’s great about the game.