Harmonies Review
Advert: this game was gifted by Asmodee UK, this has not affected our opinion.
If there has been a board game that was the talk of the town in 2024 it was probably Harmonies. The visual appeal and comparisons to much loved games such as Cascadia lured in the masses. I was a bit more reserved and didn’t rush to buy it, wanting to play it and see what it was like before committing to owning it. Having played it, I discovered it was sold out everywhere, but fortunately I was subsequently offered a review copy. Anyway, I guess that’s why you are here too, to see what all the fuss was about, to see what it’s like, why else would you be here? That was a rhetorical question, so let’s crack on with the review…
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Setup
Players need to choose collectively which side of the player board to use: the larger or smaller side. You’ll also decide whether to include the Spirit Animals for advanced play, if so deal two to each player, and let them choose one to keep. The central shared drafting board points to the first player and is then stocked with three discs drawn randomly from the bag on each depot. Shuffle the Animal cards and flip over five from the face down deck to create a market of cards. Place the amber animal cubes in easy reach of all players and also give everyone a handy player aid, remember to have the correct side face up! Then you are ready to play Harmonies.
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Gameplay
On your turn, you will draft three discs from one of the depots on the central drafting board. These will be placed on your personal board with the intention of meeting the scoring objectives for that type of terrain. Spirit Animals change the scoring of some discs, if completed before the end of the game.
You can then optionally choose a single animal card from the market, filling it with amber cubes as required. You can also choose to complete objectives on animal cards by removing an amber cube from the card and placing it on the matching terrain disc as shown in the illustration on the card.
At the end of your turn refill the market of discs and animal cards so there is five cards remaining face up.
The game continues on this cycle until any player only has two or less unoccupied spaces left on their board or in the unlikely event that the draw bag is empty. Scores are tallied for animal cards and terrain types. The winner is the player with the most points!
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Solo mode
There is a solo mode, I haven’t tried it I’m afraid. But if ever I do, I will be sure to update this section.
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What it’s like
Harmonies falls into that category of chilled games to play. I appreciate cards and discs can be taken by other players, but that’s usually for their own requirements rather than spite. So while there is interaction, its mostly a solitaire puzzle to optimise.
Harmonies offers plenty to consider, with the various scoring opportunities to explore. It’s fun balancing the cards and terrain requirements. Adding the Spirit cards mixes this up further should you require and brings in a bit of asymmetry that feels pretty balanced.
Sometimes the market of cards can get a little stagnant and I think an option to refresh this somehow would have been welcome.
You can usually see what the optimum discs on the board are for you and even work out a back up during other players turns. Only the worst sufferers of chronic procrastination will slow this down. Most of the time the game will end just a little too quick!
The digital implementation on Board Game Arena is very good if you wanted to try before you buy and don’t mind playing online.
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Table Presence
I like the luxe look and feel of Harmonies. The discs are all nice and chunky, and the artwork on the cards has a lovely style to it. The requirements for cards are super clear and that is appreciated. I also like how the different colours carry symbols on them to help with colour vision deficiency, but on the cards this isn’t as clear which may frustrate.
The box art is matched by a nice little storage system within. The scorepad is ace too. I would have also liked a fancy printed draw bag, but that is only for superfluous reasons.
There is a little bit of dexterity to contend with, and stacking discs can be fiddly for those with clumsy hands, like myself. It also means that the player boards may look a little dishevelled at the end.
I was taught this game, so I haven’t really had to consult the rulebook too often, but it seemed okay from my flick through. I think I would have liked more elaboration on the Spirit cards, but you can get your head around it with the examples.
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What the kids thought
George (13): I love the art of all the different animals, and the cards are very pretty. I really enjoy the game itself too and like deciding which tiles to take.
Harrison (16): I really like it… I like how the tiles score and how that is affected by the requirements on the cards. The animals are cute on the cards too!
Final thoughts on Harmonies
I can see why people were waxing lyrical about Harmonies in 2024, but candidly it fails to live up to the hype. The trouble is, board games rarely do. It is however, a genuinely good game that looks fantastic and plays smoothly. I would therefore be happy to play Harmonies any time.
There are a lot of very good puzzly board games already on the market and many of these have a nature theme and some are arguably better. The tough competition and its late arrival to the market is perhaps its biggest downfall. Harmonies is a trifle thwarted by its comparables. It feels like Harmonies is a little forced, akin to that kid at school that tried hard to fit in but never quite did. It ticks a lot of boxes, but none of it strikes me as coming naturally.
That said, there is very little not to like, Harmonies is like a cup of hot chocolate in that it delivers a nice warm feeling around the table. What I like most though, is that it will still get you head scratching at times looking for the optimal options.
Overall, it is a lovely parcel and there is plenty of board game to appreciate inside the box.
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Key Facts
Number of players: 1 to 4
Board Game Review Recommended Age: 10+
Publisher’s Recommended Age: 10+
Playing Time: 40 minutes
Setting Up and Take Down Time: 2 minutes
Designers: Johan Benvenuto
Publisher: Libellud
RRP: £33.99
Summary
I think I will always enjoy playing Harmonies. The puzzle and scoring strategies are delightful to explore and the table presence sets it all off very nicely indeed. Be sure to give it a try if you get the opportunity.
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Artwork and Components
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Complexity
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Instructions
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Interaction
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Value for Money
Overall
Pros
- Great artwork
- Enjoyable puzzle of scoring optimisation
- Fairly quick to play
- More relaxed gameplay
Cons
- Games can end a bit too quickly
- Luck of the draw
- Draw bag could be prettier
- Card market can get stagnant
Buy Harmonies
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Reviewer’s Note
For clarity: we don’t get paid for our reviews. However, we were kindly gifted this game by Asmodee UK via MasonWilliams. We have tried not to let this affect our review in any way.
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