GamesRadar+ Verdict
Agricola is a farming sim, with resource management, push-your-luck, and take-that elements.
Others in the genre, likeDoggerland, all take cues from this game with their own interesting twists.
Let’s do some groundwork and take a look at how this iconic farming game sews its strategic seeds.
Can’t feed your people?
You’ll need to take a scarcity token.
That’ll harm your overall point score, which is dictated by how well you’ve improved your farm.
The rulebook has also been rewritten for clarity and readability.
A round consists of several phases.
The two major types of space to choose from during the work phase are action and accumulation spaces.
Action spaces are resolved immediately, as opposed to waiting for a later phase to enact everything.
Players continue to place their meeples until they have none left, even after other players have run out.
Gameplay
Learning Agricola fully takes time.
You’ll likely play it wrong the first time, but that’s ok.
The replay factor works to accommodate missteps, and it’s nowhere near as weighty as something like Scythe.
The rulebook itself notes that “Cultivation is tedious.”
That means you should probably be ready to adapt.
It’s this adaptive play that’s the real meat of Agricola.
So we have that to look forward to.
Should you buy Agricola?
Agricola is a game of rags to riches.
You’re big on resource management:Managing your resources is a cornerstone here.
If that’s something you enjoy, Agricola has it in baskets.
Everyone’s going to have a bad time if your strategy relies on ruining it for others.
How we tested Agricola
This review was conducted using a personal copy of the game.
I made sure to attempt different tactics, to test if it was more weighted toward one strategy.
For a more in-depth look at our process, see this guide onhow we test board games.
you could also find out more viaGamesRadar+ reviews policy.
Want something that lets you work as a team?
Don’t miss thebest cooperative board games.
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