To the glory of the forest!
The Holy Tree was put to the test. The Onibi attack with glaring flames, and the good creatures must fend off their attacks in order for the giant to survive. Four sprites, symbolizing the seasons, have been summoned to fight and only they can save the day. However, this is not only their motivation, after all, the title of the Great Ranger of the Forest is a real treat. You can boast and remind others of what has been achieved. Every action matters, and one careless move can lead to failure. Let’s face it, luck will also come in handy.
Interesting interior
The creator of the title is Aske Christiansen from Copenhagen, and the graphic artists are Apolline Etienne, a talented illustrator from France. In a solid and large box there are cards: 65 Guardians, 23 Fire Dragons; boards: circle of spirits, four woods, Guardians, Fire Dragon; pawns: the Spirits of Nature, the Holy Tree; tokens: four starting defense trees, 45 fires, 24 magic particles, 12 victories, 37 defense trees and two of their containers, as well as an integral instruction.
But what is this all about?
The goal of the game is to protect the Holy Tree from the evil sprites that arise after the death of a wounded person, namely the Onibi. The game can be ended in several ways: by driving out hostile creatures by stopping their fire attacks, awakening Sanki, the Defender of the Forest, by collecting sacred flowers or by planting defense trees. No matter what tactic you take, protection is paramount.
Let’s play!
The game lasts about forty minutes, so these are not quick games, and is divided into three parts. In the first, we summon Guardians, and each player reveals their cards from their own deck, creating a line of support. This is where you decide what it looks like, unless you hit the third Solitary symbol, in which case you cannot play any further. However, if a herd does appear, it subdues the opponents and more cards can be played. Guardians and animals provide the elements, and the sneaky Fire Dragon, sent by Onibi, leaves us with nothing. He can be defeated with magic particle tokens, otherwise the Guardian lands in the discard pile. The sacred flowers have great power and allow you to come out ahead. When the participants have finished their preparations, it moves on.
In this phase, the participant with the Holy Tree begins, and the ability to move depends on the number of loners in the support line, which may differ from player to player. Each action results from the available elements in the cards and the forest board. At this stage, the quantity counts, and less is always better. The first step is to select a magic molecule, thanks to the elements of the suns you can choose Guardians. When the element has water droplets, it extinguishes fires that are less than or equal to our number of drops. After reaching twelve, victory is getting closer.
And in the final stage, hostile spirits attack the protective Nature Spirits. In this case, many factors are important. If there are any fires in the circle of defenders, it is checked who has how much water. If there is not enough of it, participants draw Fire Dragons to clog the deck. In the next step, the Holy Tree is attacked, and it is up to the Guardians how many fire tokens will fall. After these actions, cards are replenished, the Tree of Life goes to the next person, and everyone continues to play until one of them is victorious.
The decision is yours
It may all seem a little complicated, but once you get down to the game and go through a few rounds, the whole thing makes sense and is logical. A well-structured instruction is also helpful, dispelling doubts as soon as they arise. Each round is different and it is up to the players how it will go. Once the game ends at the time suggested by the publisher, and on others it takes even twice. The more skill, the more smoothly everything goes.
The first part of drawing cards is actually testing your luck. You never know what will appear on the drawn sheet and when we will reach the maximum of unfavorable icons. An interesting solution is that there is a way out of every situation, and it depends on the player what he wants to go to the next round, where he will fight with his choices. Good tactics are the most important, but a bit of luck won’t hurt either. Building your own deck of cards is an interesting trick, and we depend on the choice of creatures and budget. The worst option is the Fire Dragons that take their place.
Beautiful release
The ancient forest is solidly constructed. The cardboard is thick and all elements are resistant to the impatient hands of the players. The graphics from the box, cards, tokens or boards are colorful and definitely make the game more pleasant, even if we are not doing well. The whole thing makes a very good impression, and the illustrations of the Guardians will be remembered for a long time. The title is intended for up to four players, aged ten and over, but younger players can also find their way around the games.
As I mentioned, when you learn the mechanics, the rest is no longer a problem, enthusiasts may feel bored at some point, but even them may be surprised by the decisions to be made. Despite the practice, there are many dilemmas to be solved. If a man expects an uncomplicated, interesting fun, he will surely find something for himself in the Ancient Forest, and winning will bring joy.
Is cooperation a challenge?
An interesting procedure is the interaction of players, where you are supposed to fight for a common goal, but you really care about your own interest. Pick-up, manipulation and deception are the order of the day. If you like the element of competition, and not interesting cooperation, you will definitely find yourself in the Primeval Forest . Especially when you are only playing with two people. Then a lot depends on luck, and the scales of victory are tilting every now and then. Time is also important here, because whoever meets one of the three conditions first wins. Games with more people are definitely more exciting.
I recommend the game especially in a family circle, where the rules are very easy to learn, and the thrill of competition will be a lot of fun. Getting started is not too hard and the level stays at all times thanks to its dynamics. Unpredictability and counting on luck introduce a hint of mystery, which gives a positive reception of the title.
