Tea Garden

Tomas Holek does it again! Another great game along with SETI and Galileo Galilei.

This is a thoughtful Euro with deck building, satisfying action chaining, and resource management. Looks great on the table as well. Can't wait for the expansion for even more replay value.

Good game and not too difficult

I bought the game based on the pedigree of the designer. I've played SETI and Galileo Galilei, and both have been solid experiences.

I also watched a playthrough for Tea Garden, and I thought it looked like my kind of game, so based on the designer and the playthrough, I went into my first (and currently only) play of the game with high expectations.

Sometimes I play a game, and I just know I'm enjoying it. Other times, I know I'm loving it. It was maybe halfway through the game when I looked up to the other players and told them I was really liking the game, and they each agreed. I think I said it again multiple times through the game because it was just that good.

The interactions are subtle: taking a card someone wanted, putting a tea garden where they wanted, trading before they could do it, etc, but that's about the extent.

The insert is functional, but could be better, or completely absent, and I would be happy without it, but it's not bad.

The components are of a nice quality, and the iconography is really easy to understand within the first play. The player aids are also useful and functional.

I have concerns about the longevity, though. I feel like you always need to trade and you always need to get new cards, but aside from that, I worry that there isn't a lot of variety of paths to victory. This is based only on 1 play, but each of our players traded a lot while I went up the river and they each went around the university. I was the victor in the end, but I think it's because I did a little more of everything than the others. The cups don't seem like a great point-grabbing opportunity (though I plan to try that in the future), so it seems like trading, going to the university, and sailing up the river are the 3 key activities that will possibly win you the game, and how much you do each will make the difference...but I don't know.

More plays are required, and I absolutely and actively need to play it again.