Root (board game)
Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right is a 2018 asymmetric board game designed by Cole Wehrle and published by Leder Games. A digital version, developed by Dire Wolf Digital, was released in 2020.[1]
Gameplay
In Root, 2-4 players compete in an asymmetric wargame to control a forest. Each player controls a different faction, each of which has different gameplay elements, tactics, and point scoring options. In the base game, 4 factions are present: The Eyrie, Marquise de Cat, Woodland Alliance, and The Vagabond. While all players have a common set of rules around movement, hands of cards, and battling each other, every faction adds an additional layer of rules complexity.[2][3]
Players who select The Eyrie take their turns by planning their actions in a specific order as part of the "decree", requiring them to take specific actions in specific areas of the board. Each round the player adds new cards to the decree, until they are unable to take a prescribed action, at which point they lose victory points and must reset their decree. The Marquise de Cat requires its player to construct buildings across the board - gaining wood via sawmills to construct other types of buildings and add combat units to the board. The Woodland Alliance start with no units on the board, instead adding sympathy tokens, gaining supporter cards, and adding a small number of warriors to the board when given the opportunity. Unlike the other factions, The Vagabond has no warrior units, instead controlling just one piece around the board. The Vagabond player can purchase items from other players and either befriends or attacks the other players to earn victory points.[2]
Four expansions have been created for the game, primarily adding new playable factions.[4]
Reception
In a 2017 preview of the game, Destructoid commented favourably on the game's artwork; especially the contrast between cartoon animals and the mature themes of the game.[3] Ars Technica praised both the game's visual and rules design in their review, describing it as having "astounding depth".[2]
In their list of the best board games of 2020, Vulture named the digital version of Root as the best board game app, complimenting the animations, AI, and in-game tutorial.[5]
Root won the 2018 Golden Geek Board Game of the Year award.[6][7]
References
- ^ Law, Keith (26 December 2020). "Best new board game apps of 2020". Ars Technica.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Theel, Charlie (29 September 2018). "Root is a terrific—and fully asymmetric—woodland wargame". Ars Technica.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Nakamura, Darren (24 November 2017). "Root has cute animals and a vicious revolutionary uprising". Destructoid.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Carter, Chase (3 February 2021). "Root's Warlord expansion launches Kickstarter this month, adds two-player rules and minor factions". Dicebreaker. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ Law, Keith (15 December 2020). "The Best Board Games of 2020". Vulture.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Hall, Charlie (4 April 2019). "The best board games of 2018, as chosen by the Board Game Geek community". Polygon.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ St. Neal, Anthony (24 February 2020). "ON SMALL BUSINESS: The business of games ; A roll of the dice pays off big for a St. Paul board game creator". Star Tribune.
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