Lanterns: The Harvest Festival
Lanterns: The Harvest Festival is a family game for 2-4 players ages 8+. In the game players take on the role of artisans placing lanterns in the palace lake in an attempt to dedicate the most of them to the emperor and earn favor.
In the game players take turns placing lake tiles on the table in a way that (hopefully) benefits them more than the other players. Lantern cards are first earned by the player who placed the tile based on any matches the made in placement then every player earns a lantern based on the lantern color that is facing them on the tile. This adds an extra level of strategy to the game because it allows players to determine what cards the others get on their turn and whether that may help them or not.
Players may then turn these cards in for points depending on which combination of cards they have acquired though as play continues and players collect more cards the points available decrease. This game is easy or new players and younger players to learn but includes a level of strategy that can keep everyone happy.
Blynken’s Thoughts:
I liked that there were different ways to score points depending on which combination of lanterns you had. I also liked that the favor chips allowed you to trade one lantern card for another if needed. I wish there were more ways to earn favor tokens because they were really fun. I liked that you could earn more than one lantern on your turn bu also had to figure out what other players would earn on your turn so they didn’t get the cards they needed.
7/10 Stars
Wynken’s Thoughts:
I liked that you could earn multiple lanterns on you turn based off matching tiles and which direction the tile was placed. I also liked being able to score different ways and that the scores went lower as the game went on and it became easier to get more cards. I liked that you could earn cards on other players turns and figuring out what card to play so that I didn’t give other players what they needed if possible.
9/10 Stars