Derek 'Dez' Maggs 
Petrichor: a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.
How to play:
Normally, this is where I would normally summaries the rules of Petrichor: Cows expansion. But when the team at Meeple University has already made this amazing video that explains it better than I ever could. It’s just easier to watch their How to Play Video
If you aren’t already a subscriber to Meeple University, you need to check them out. Not only are the Australian, but they deliver some of the best How to Play videos & mini-reviews on Youtube.
First Impression
First impressions of a game made by Mighty Boards, David Chircop & David Turczi. I was like a little school girl skipping around the house….. but then I heard it was a game about clouds & their new Cows expansion.
I have heard some great things about Petrichor & the fact this is the third expansion for Petrichor tells you the things I’ve heard are true! The two previous expansions were Flowers & Honey Bees, which makes sense in a game about rain, clouds & growing plants. But how are you going to bring cows into that world?
Will this be another genius stroke by David Chircop & David Turczi, or will it fall (cow) pat?
Game Play
Having never played Petrichor, my new neighbors (Talk about excited, my new neighbors, who just moved in, are mad board gamers!) & I sat down to play Petrichor without the Cows expansion. As none of us have ever played it. We found Petrichor to be a beautifully designed game with a very unique theme. From the ease to learn to the challenging area control mechanics, Petrichor plays as beautifully as it looks.
In all honesty, I actually loved Petrichor exactly how it was & couldn’t imagine that the Cows Expansion would add that much extra to it. Man, was I wrong!
The Petrichor: Cows Expansion adds more depth to the original game; from new interactive pieces, weather controls & (the bit that makes the child in me giggle) Cow farts. Yet in all seriousness, The Cows Expansion changes the whole complexity of the game, but these added complexities & changes feel so organic in their additions.
We played about 6 games with the average game lasting approximately 40-45 mins. Which is quite quick for an area control game, & at times games do seem a little quick. I found at times, I wished there was an extra round or two. As the added complexity Petrichor: Cows Expansion adds to the game.
One thing I must say, I love the climate conditions & how it affects the game. It seems so simple in a weather-themed game, it was such a great aspect. I would like to see this further utilized in fore coming expansions if done right will be a game-changer.
Art
Cow Standees! That is all you need to say about the art!
I love the cows so much, but the beautiful restraint shown by artist Daniela Attard in Petrichor is amazing! When working on something with so much white, your art has nowhere to hide. It needs to be crisp & clean; you need to utilize the space without making it look messy or sparse. It takes a special skill to do this & Daniela should be applauded for how she has done this. The use of watercolor style art gives Petrichor & Petrichor: Cows Expansion an almost ethereal art style & this isn’t an easy task with such minimalistic styling. It truly is a stunning show of skill & talent.
Final Thoughts
I, like my new BFF neighbors, loved Petrichor & completely agree that Petrichor: Cows Expansion adds something special to an already great game. Petrichor: Cows Expansion actually takes Petrichor from a beginner area control game to a more complex & superior game.
Even my housemate that I have never ever been able to get to play board games with me, said ‘I like this one can I play!’ That is high praise indeed
If you don’t have Petrichor there is no better time to buy, as not only can you get the Petrichor: Cows Expansion but a Collector’s Edition of the base game which includes the Full Custom storage solutions from Game Trayz & custom molding cloud. (see the picture below)
If you love area control games or just want the cutest Cow Standees, you can get your copy of Petrichor Collector’s Edition & the Cows Expansion here
Recent Comments