The Tree Review (Mobile)

Game: The Tree
Genre: Card based board game
System: Mobile (also on Steam)
Developers | Publishers: Simon Harvard |Touched by Grace | Plug in Digital
Price: US $4.99 |EU € 5,49 |UK £4.99
Age Rating: 10+
Release Date:  November 24th, 2020

Thank you to Plug in digital for providing us with a review code!

In card game The Tree you grow an emblamatic tree by placing branches, leafs, buds, fruit and flowers on a tree. You can play in one of four different worlds and play the game solo against the computer, or online with other players. 

Take your time with the tutorial

The Tree starts with a tutorial, taking you through all the steps that you have to take to, and all rules you have to take into account. I’ll admit that I played the tutorial three times before I felt confident enough to try on my own. It’s not that the game is difficult, but know how to influence the outcome of the “battle” is a must! 

The aim is to win by placing all your items

Each player starts with 25 items and a tree trunk. Those 25 items are a random selection of branches, leaves, bulbs, fruit and flowers. The aim is to put all items on the tree, and be the first to do so. Every turn you have three options, to play the cards in your hand, draw cards from “the River” where the stock of cards for all players is. Or you can grow up the tree. 

Playing a card means you can place the item depicted on it on the tree, and every card in the River that is of the same item will be placed as well. So let’s say you choose two leaf cards in your hand, and there is one leaf card in the River as well, then you get to place three leaves, depleting your items. Joker cards have more then one sort of item on them, which is even better. That is, if you indeed have three leaves (or more) in your collection of items. 

From branche to flower

The order to place items is branch —> leaves —> bulbs —> fruit —> flowers. And there are rules in place when placing your items on a branch that is your own or your opponents. 

Every card has a spirit icon on the trop corner. There are always two spirits in play, and if the icon on the cards you played is the same you will be able to invoke their power. There are four spirits in a game, one gives a branch item to an opponent, another allows you to place an extra item on the tree. The other spirits give you a choice of extra cards to draw. 

Use the Spirits power

Solo play or online

Though there is no storyline in The Tree, the game does have four different worlds to play in. They are inspired by popular folklore (Brocéliandre forest, Native Americans, Vikings, Medieval Japan). What I like is that the tree and the items you add to it are in style in each of the worlds. Plus, the spirits are different for each world too.

One of four worlds, place items on a Sequoia tree

You can play the game on your own, against up to three AI opponents. But you can also go online and find people to play with, up to four people can share a game. Even though the game hasn’t been released too long ago I was pleased to find people to play with online.

Having three AI opponents

Soothing Gameplay

The Tree is a card game that relies heavily on the beautiful artwork and the music. The soundtrack varies with the World you are playing in and is very soothing. So aside from being a decent card game, The Tree is relaxing to play too. No timed pressure, no frantic rushing around. Take your time on the choices to make and enjoy. 

Medieval Japan

Conclusion

The Tree is a nice board game gone virtual to play together with the family or online. Or, if you are in need of some relaxation, put on your headphones and play solo against the AI. I found that the gameplay itself took a bit of getting used to, but when it clicked in my brain, it all seemed fairly easy. What makes the game special however is the soothing sounds and relaxing gameplay. 

There is no lite version of the game and though it’s nice to just pay the price and have no commercials distracting you, I do wonder if this isn’t a missed opportunity. The price point as it is now, may be a bit high to take the step to download The Tree.

Final verdict: I Like it! Ladiesgamers.com

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