Northstar Game Studio Eila and Something Shiny Board Game | Adventure Game for Couples, Families or Solo | 1+ Players, 45+ Minutes, Ages 12+

Delightful and Charming. Strongly recommend

I have recommended this boardgame to anyone and everyone who will listen. The mechanics of the gameplay are awesome. The illustrations are spectacular!Waiting for more games just like this!

I was looking for a board game that didn't require multiple players but was optional. This game has definitely met that need. I really love the artwork and story of this game, although it can be a bit difficult I actually don't mind it. Also love the fact that it is so replayable. Awesome game with great character.

I have never been a big fan of the old "Choose your own adventure" books. When I read about Eila and Something Shiny, I was on the fence until I saw that it was published by North Star Games. I am a big fan of their games so I gave it a try and I'm glad that I did.I won't give away any spoilers and will just talk about the gameplay high level. The game is a cross between a deck builder, resource gathering and choose your own adventure game. There is not a lot of reading and the artwork in the booklets that walk you through each scenario. The artwork is very whimsical and well done and definitely fits the story. Each scenario consists of 7 days and there are resource requirements that must be met by the end of the 7th day. Resources are gained through decisions made on each card played. Some cards are one and done, and some are used and then put in the "future". This means that they will be reshuffled and used for the next day.The game is marketed as a 1+ player game and you can definitely play with solo or with your family. When playing with more than one player, you can simply discuss which decision to make as a team. The age range shows 12+ and I think it's pretty accurate. While the game looks cute, there are some darker decisions and events that come up. There is nothing violent or adult themed, but younger kids might get upset at times.With a story driven game, I was honestly worried about replayability. I was at a large gaming convention this past weekend and North Star Games was there. I got a chance to speak to one of their reps (and play a scenario with them) and she let me know that she thought the same thing. At the time we spoke, she had played it through THIRTY FIVE times and never gotten the same playthrough twice. That definitely eased my worries about the game being unplayable after a couple of playthroughs.The components are nice. The tokens are wood and very colorful, there is a card holder that keeps the current "present" deck separate from the other decks in play. The card stock is just average, but as they aren't being shuffled or handled a lot, they should last a while. The cards might be a bit hard to sleeve as they are not a standard size if you are looking for that.My wife and I really enjoyed this game. I played it once solo and once with her. We are going to play again and include our two teenagers next. The game is very thematic, easy to learn and allows you to play in short bursts through a single scenario at a time. At the time of this review the asking price was $65 and I think it is worth it for what you are getting.

I was really intimidated when I got the box in the mail for this. The box is huge and there are so many parts. We usually stick to very simple games in our house, but I was intrigued and wanted to try something new.My daughter and I finally sat down over Christmas break to figure out the rules and try it out. We have played every single night since. I love that each chapter brings something new and a new mechanic, so the gameplay doesn't get stale.I really love the art and the way that the art is incorporated into the story in meaningful ways sometimes too. It encourages you to slow down and really look at the cards and think about what you are seeing, not just reading.The very nature of how this game is played ensures that it is never the same, even if you have to repeat a chapter multiple times. It's been fun to have debates with my daughter about which choice we should make, weighing the pros and cons each time.My daughter just turned 11 and while this game says its for 12+, I think with some help younger kids can play. I wouldn't recommend anyone under 10 playing solo. The one time I did allow my daughter to play solo she "cheated" a bit and peaked at upcoming cards or choices to determine her path forward. She was pretty sad afterwards because she realized that doing so killed the enjoyment for her. She now is firmly committed to playing it by the rules.A few critiques and helpful tips:1) While they definitely went to lengths to create some functional storage/organization within the box, its not labeled and can be confusing (check the very back of the manual for a chart on how they intended it to be used before you start setting up the game). It also didn't offer us a good place to store the 6 different types of resources while actively playing, and that can get a bit messy. I recommend LOTS of ziplock bags to help keep things tidy as you move from one chapter to the next. You will need to keep all of each chapters cards together.2) When getting started it would be nice if the decks were clearly labeled by chapter so I didn't have to keep returning to the manual to figure out which symbol goes with which chapter. For anyone playing the first time, that little guide in the beginning of the manual is super important. Pay attention to those symbols.3) Putting the card decks into numerical order each time was a painful process, and is painful each time you have to reset a chapter as well. Sometimes you are having to fish a specific card number out of the middle of a deck that you just spent several minutes putting back into order, and then returning that card to that deck requires you to do it again, sometimes many times per chapter.4) Be prepared to need quite a bit of desk or table space to play this game. Particularly once you get to the later chapters.Overall I am extremely pleased with the game and it has created some wonderful memories playing it with my daughter. I love that its not competitive so game time gets to be truly relaxing and enjoyable. I can't wait to loan this one out to friends once we have truly beat all the chapters and found all the alternate endings. Worth every penny and more!