Inhabit the Earth

Inhabit the Earth is a game that surprised me. I was initially drawn to the colorful artwork and the promise of 162 unique creature cards. It looked like a light and fun game, something I could enjoy with my family. However, after playing it a few times, I realized that this is a game with some serious depth and strategic complexity.

The core mechanic is simple: players create menageries of creatures and race them across continents. This is accomplished by playing cards to evolve, adapt, and multiply your creatures, gaining special abilities and scoring points. But beneath this simple premise lies a surprisingly rich gameplay experience.

The card system is the heart of the game. While there are a lot of cards, they are not all unique. However, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The cards allow for a lot of interesting combinations and strategies, and the lack of complete uniqueness keeps the game from feeling overwhelming. You're balancing building up your tableau, managing your hand, and making smart decisions about when to move your creatures. This means you're constantly weighing the potential benefits of moving versus staying put to build up more cards.

I found the game to be a bit slow at first, especially while learning the rules. However, once I got the hang of it, the game became much more enjoyable. It can take a while to finish a game, especially with more players, but the strategic choices and the constant interplay between players make it worthwhile.

The game's artwork is also worth mentioning. It's charming and whimsical, and it helps to create a lighthearted atmosphere. I really enjoyed the high-animal designs. Overall, Inhabit the Earth is a well-designed game that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a challenging and rewarding experience. It's not for everyone, but if you enjoy hand management, tableau building, and strategic racing games, then you'll likely enjoy Inhabit the Earth.