- Publisher : Pixie Games
- Designer(s) : Dani Garcia
- Artist(s) : Pedro Codeço, Zbigniew Umgelter
- Players : 1–4
- Playing time : Play Time 45–90 Min
- Weight BGG : 2.93
What's this?
The game Windmill Valley is set in the Netherlands at the end of the 19th century, where players take on the role of tulip farmers and entrepreneurs. The goal is to manage windmills and tulip fields while earning victory points through various actions.
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How do you play?
Game Turn Phase
➡️ Adjust Water Speed (optional).
➡️ Adjust Water Level.
➡️ Spin Action Wheels: Players spin their action wheels by a number of notches equal to the water speed.
➡️ Perform Action: Player chooses one of the actions on the action wheels.
The Action Phase
➡ Plant Tulips: Plant bulbs in the tulip rows on the farm board to earn end-game points and immediate rewards.
➡ Lower Water Level: Reduce the water level and receive coins or victory points based on the current position of the water level marker.
➡ Build a Mill: This action allows players to place a mill on the main board and earn points and rewards based on the mill’s position. It must be connected to the market by an uninterrupted path of mills.
➡ Visit the Market: Players can move their pawn on the market area to get rewards in tulips or additional resources.
➡ Upgrade Wheels: Place an upgrade tile on the action wheels to improve future actions.
➡ Foreign Trade: It allows to use stored tulips to get rewards or remove bulbs from the board to put them back in the player’s storage.
➡️ The end of the game is triggered as soon as a player reaches the last space of the calendar track.
What's this?
Windmill Valley offers pleasant and refreshing mechanics: the spinning wheel system, versatile cards, mill construction and dynamic endgame bring a touch of originality to the genre.
Resource management is intuitive, allowing you to gradually build an efficient game engine.
The game offers a positive and fluid experience, where each action seems to make its contribution. Unfortunately, this generosity can sometimes lack tension and strategic depth. The market mechanic, which is not very thematic and has little impact, is a weak point.
The material is of good quality, although the main board can seem disproportionate.
In summary, Windmill Valley is a pleasant and accessible game, perfect for those who appreciate original themes and pleasant mechanics. However, players looking for a more complex and strategic experience may be disappointed by the lack of difficult choices and decisions with heavy consequences. The game excels in creating a positive and relaxing atmosphere, but lacks a bit of spice to make an impression.
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Review Windmill Valley
Positives
- Good ideas
- A "feel good" game
- Several ways to score
Negatives
- Lack of tension
- The mechanics of the market
- Some actions become obsolete
Breakdown
- Components and illustrations 8.0
- Mechanics 7.0
- Theme 7.5
- Replayability 7.5
- Handling 9.0
- Interaction 7.5
- Originality 8.0
