Bosk Preview

Bosk is a beautiful, eye-catching game that might remind you of Photosynthesis. A bosk is a small wooded area. As such, the game of Bosk is filled with three-dimensional cardboard trees. Each group of trees is a different autumnal player colour and its shape represents a different tree species. You’ll also find matching wooden leaf tokens and squirrel meeples. This, perhaps, is the most endearing of critters, currently causing fierce online debate as to whether they are called Squeeples or Squirrples.

The game is published by Floodgate Games, and is designed by Daryl Andrews and Erica Bouyouris. Bosk is an abstract game for 2-4 players, with a variety of area control mechanisms and puzzly point scoring on offer.

Gameplay

Bosk takes place over the course of four seasons. That's two action rounds and two scoring rounds. At the start of the game each player will be handed a box of components. Inside are eight trees (numbered 1-4 twice), a Squeeple, a bag full of wooden leaves and some larger cardboard leaves.

A game of Bosk starts in Spring with the planting of trees. Players will take turns placing trees along the crossings of grid lines on the central board. Once all the trees have been placed, the Summer round begins, when trees will be scored. For each grid line, both vertical and horizontal, points will be given out to the player with the highest total value in trees in each line. Fewer points are given to the player with the second highest value.

At the end of Summer, the player with the least points will get to choose the compass direction for the Autumn phase. A track marks the current wind direction and which number tree must have its leaves blown off. On a player's turn they choose one of their trees with the applicable number before choosing one of their large leaf tokens to flip over. This determines how many wooden leaves they can place this round. They may then place a wooden leaf in one of the squares adjacent to the tree in the relevant direction. A second leaf is then placed in any of the squares adjacent to the first leaf in the wind's direction, and so on until they run out of leaves. If you wish to place a leaf on top of an opponent’s leaf it costs more leaf tokens.

After placing leaves, the tree chosen is removed and play continues until all trees are removed from the board. At this point Winter begins and each area on the board (marked by the colour scheme of the terrain) will reward points for the player with the most and second most leave in it, counting only visible leaves on the tops of stacks. At the end of Winter the player with the most points wins.

Bosk - Coming Soon

Floodgate Games have built a strong reputation with Sagrada. Now, with another visually striking game like Bosk, they're certainly setting themselves up for success. Bosk is eye-catching, as well as having gameplay that’s easy to understand and fun to master. The game has a competitive edge that is disguised by its charming looks and it’s definitely a game we’d recommend checking out.