So after sitting in my closet for 3 months waiting for my wife to pull this out as a father's day gift, I was finally able to play what I call "Happy Little Tree Chess, inspired by Bob Ross." You need to understand going in, I grew up in a Redwood forest and to this day LOVE trees. I am not exactly an objective observer, but rather a passionate gamer and forest lover. So with that caveat, what's the consensus?
Much like its titular chemical reaction, Photosynthesis is an complex, brilliant game.
If I had to classify Photosynthesis, I would describe it as an action based, economy driven, area control game. Photosynthesis is all about planting seeds, growing trees, having those trees topple down to give you points, and starting all over again, all while fighting for the limited sunlight of the forest.
The rules of Photosynthesis are actually simple. At its core, there is a organic component and a economy game mechanic. First, the organic side of things follows a nice pattern. Seeds are 1, trees are 1-2-3, then four to score. To break down what that means: To plant a seed, it always costs one light point. Next, the trees follow a simple 1-2-3//S-M-L breakdown; light points earned, shadows cast, seed-spread range, and cost are all 1-2-3, based on tree size. If you want to score, its 4 light points.
Second, there is the economy game mechanic side of things. For obviously mechanical purposes, you need to purchase trees and seeds off your board, place them into your "available area," and THEN and only then can you use them in the organic process of planting and growing. It's the only un-thematic thing of the whole game, but the necessity is obvious to balance the game against the first player simply running board.
Each turn, these two core components are carried out via actions. At the start of a turn, players collect light points from their trees. This is affected by shadows, which move based on the sun's position (it moves each turn). Players then use those points to take actions: grow, plant, harvest (organic), or purchase (economy).
Because it's based on nature, I found the rules very easy to pick up; just do what a tree would do, and you'll be fine. It's all relatively simple.
Until your eight year old daughter throws a seed over your tree, blocks the sun two turns later, slows your plans down, then your realize you can slow HER down by growing a taller tree, only to have your wife harvest a tree and allow sunlight in where you didn't expect it, which lets the brat-child make a bigger tree ahead of you, and you have to write the whole plot of land off to focus on another part of the forest.
Let me tell you, the strategy to this game is NOT simple. This is area control at its finest. Your choices at any particular area hurt your opponents, probably will hurt you, might help you if you didn't hurt yourself too badly, and affect other areas as well. It's brilliant. The potential to harm yourself is especially brilliant.
That said, there is an obvious mechanic problem with Photosynthesis that needs to be addressed. This is abstract strategy at its finest, which means of course that you will have analysis paralysis at its slowest. [Example: I just spent 5 minutes contemplating how the payoff from reaching the middle space may be mitigated entirely by the shadow effects that hit your own trees.] In paralysis situations, I find that theme makes or breaks the game for a group. For me, I can stare at trees and plot my forest (pun entirely intended). You may not enjoy that nearly as much. In fact, I doubt my wife will play this a ton with me because she likes high-interaction games. Be forewarned!
I don't want to end on a grumpy note, so before I sign off for this review, let me also say that the storage is atrocious. The trees fit in the assigned areas, but not well. You are stacking them, and they are so stinking pretty (see below) that I have concerns about that. On top of that, the player boards and the game mat are smaller than their assigned area, so things constantly shake around in the box. My solution: use another box. Bottom line is that you can make it work, but you'll probably be happier with your own concoction.
As a final note, the art to this game needs as much recognition as I can give it. The coloring is phenomenal. There are small birds and foxes on most of the trees. The deciduous trees get the green, orange and yellow, with the conifer having a nice blue hue that rings of northern snows. Each tree type has unique art for its seed. Most importantly, all the trees are 3D. This game is an absolute joy to look at. I will try to bring this out as often as possible on cold wintery days.
In Photosynthesis, the forest truly comes to life. May the best forester win....
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This item: Photosynthesis Board Game | Award Winning Kids Teens Adult and Young Botanists Strategy Game | 2-4 Players | Perfect for Family Game Nights | Harvest Light, Grow Trees | by Blue Orange Games
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This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.Made with materials from well-managed forests, recycled materials, and/or other controlled wood sources.As certified by
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The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) supports responsible forestry, which is a vital solution to combat climate change. Choosing FSC-certified products – whether furniture, building materials, paper, rubber, or textiles – helps protect forests, wildlife, clean water and supports the Indigenous Peoples, forest workers and communities who depend on them. Choosing FSC-certified products can also help to mitigate climate change by supporting responsible management of the world’s forests. For a better future, choose FSC.
From the manufacturer
The Evergreen Strategy Game
Welcome to the world of Photosynthesis, the green strategy board game! Plant and shape the ever-changing forest as you cultivate your seeds and your strategy. Take your trees through their life-cycle, from seedling to full bloom to rebirth, and earn points as their leaves collect energy from the revolving sun’s rays. Carefully pick where you sow and when you grow, as trees in the shadows are blocked from light, and from points. This game features realistic gameplay and beautiful graphics.
Award- Winning Strategy Game
'Photosynthesis is a visual and a mechanical marvel'- Polygon.
Sunshine and a beautiful game!
Photosynthesis is a lovely abstract strategy game, it has beautiful art, thematic gameplay, a simple but deep strategy, and is overall a joy to play and place on the table. I found this game over a year ago at a gaming convention and from the very first was drawn in by the way it presented itself on the table. It is easily one of the most eye catching games in my collection - however it is also a family friendly strategic adventure that is easy and rewarding to bring to the table. I would highly recommend Photosynthesis to anyone in the board gaming community, I would easily recommend it as a stepping stone to those moving from other classic games like Azul, Catan, or even the dreaded monopoly.Best at 3+ playersAge range 10+Complexity 2.5 out of 5Average playtime 45-60Non-gamer friendly - Yes!The GoodComponents / art - From the images and videos attached to this post it is clear that Photosynthesis is one of the most beautiful games on the market currently. From an easily readable board and tiles to the obvious stand out, the trees, each unique and aesthetically thrilling as the forest begins to populate the board. This game is well made.The gameplay - Photosynthesis is an abstract strategy / economic / action point board game. The gameplay and flow revolves around collecting sun and then spending the sun resource to spread and grow trees until they are harvested (chopped down or returned to the forest floor). The gameplay is rewarding, has a clear strategy, and has a complexity and depth to it that rewards future playthroughs and lots of thought.Strategy - is clear and simple enough to begin playing quickly - while providing a depth that rewards thought and future games (or the advanced rules)Story - the theme, art, and gameplay all feed into a rich storytelling experience. You watch the sun flow around the board, shadows cast on smaller trees, seedlings drop and spread, sun enriching and growing a colorful quilt of species. This game lends itself well to the imagination (if, like me, you want to see a story while you play)Non-gamer friendly - this game is clear, well laid out, has one major resource system, 4 major action systems, and 2 environmental mechanics - it is easy to understand, quick to learn, and fun to jump into.The BadStrategy - this game does have a depth of strategy to it so one well read and experienced gamer could ruin the fun by playing to win despite the group's experience or ability.Resource management - this game is focused on collecting and spending a scarce resource (light) all of your actions and points collected will be based around this model of play. If you do not enjoy resource management heavy games this is not the game for you.Play time - this game can run long, with new players or advanced rules it would be fair to expect this game to run 60+I know the winner - because the game limits your actions to one per tile per round there comes a point in most games where you can do the math and see the winner down the road. You might try to make good moves and carry the game forward, but everyone can tell that uncle Joe has two trees left to harvest in the last round and ours will just be saplings. This results in the last for rounds of some games feeling very - anti-climatic.Logging theme? One big problem with the game is that the theme goes off a clif when you harvest a tree for points - it feels like you are chopping down a tree you just nurtured and watched grow. I know the theme is more about the tree growing old and returning to nature - but someone will make a comment - and the logging feeling comes through loud and clear.Two Player? This game is not as good with two players - 3-4 is where it shines.The Game You start as two small trees on the edge of the board with the ability to absorb sunlight, grow, spread seeds, and retire. The main gameplay of photosynthesis focuses on the collection and use of resources (sunlight) and is divided into two main phases.Collect Phase - Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants syntheses foods from the environment around (carbon dioxide, water, sunlight) - this phase in the game acts in a simplified but similar way. The sun (a cardboard border on the game) rotates around the end of the playing field and provides sunlight to the growing trees. The players then gain resources for any trees that are not in the shadows of other trees.Action Phase - During this growth phase the players use the sunlight resources they have gathered to take a variety of actions.Buying - you can purchase trees and seeds from you resource pool to your storage making them usable items in the game.Planting - You can plant a seed from your resource pool to the board spreading them based on the tree they are coming from (one space for a small tree, two for medium, three for large)Growing - Grow a tree or a seed to the next level. If you have a larger tree in your resource pool you can grow a seed, small, or medium tree allowing it to collect more light and spread seeds further.Collecting - Once a tree is large it’s life cycle ends and you gain points from returning to nature (removing it from the board) you then collect a scoring token from the space the tree was resting in.Flow - Players can do as many actions as they would like (have the resources for) but they can only do one action per space (per tree or seed). The sun rotates around the board and once it has circled three times 18 movements the game is over.Points - points are scored by retiring trees and then collecting sun that you have in storage at the end of the game (max 20) Final Thoughts - 3.5-4 out of 5Photosynthesis is a beautiful and rewarding game to bring to the table, it is visually captivating, easy to learn and play, accessible to new gamers and fairly quick. I would recommend this game to anyone who likes resource management games, enjoys the theme, and has a new or young gaming group. There are problems with the game however, at times the ending rounds can be predetermined and anticlimactic, the theme is not always enforced by the gameplay, and the game can become unbalanced if one member of the group has played or gamed the strategy. At the end of the pond however - Photosynthesis is a game worth picking up and if you have made it through this article you already know that!Thank for reading ~ Give me a Helpful mark if you enjoyed it! If you did please check out Quackalope on youtube, fb, instagram - so you can see the new work we are putting out!
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Top reviews from other countries
- Calum ScottReviewed in Singapore on February 22, 2021
Excellent game, really beautiful design.
Style: Photosynthesis Board GameVerified Purchase - AnonanasReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2018
Five Stars
Style: Photosynthesis Board GameVerified Purchase -
Cliente de AmazonReviewed in Mexico on June 2, 2023
Una excelente adición a un buen juego
Style: Photosynthesis Under The MoonlightVerified Purchase - GeoffReviewed in Canada on February 15, 2025
Relaxing Game
Style: Photosynthesis Board GameVerified Purchase - Earthwhile BeingReviewed in Australia on October 8, 2024
Great game, complex enough to keep it interesting, not so much you don't want to learn it
Style: Photosynthesis Board GameVerified Purchase
