Vicious Gardens
Plant, harvest, and sabotage your way to victory in the prettiest game we've seen yet
While this might sound like the worst intro I've written so far, stay with me here: what is there was a game that played like Catan but didn't make all your friends hate you? In Vicious Gardens, you plant and sabotage your way to victory, all with possibly the most gorgeous art we've ever seen in a game.
How it works: The game is a fun mix of book-making (collecting X cards of Y type) we simply love, with the heat coming from "Specialist" cards, a cast of goofy characters that can change things up (for better or worse). The goal is to collect victory cards (where my Catan folks at?!) that get you points for the end of the game, er, season.
Why it's clever: The art. And the art. Did I mention the art? Every bit of this game is dripping with style that will leave you studying each card long after the game has ended. And like most competitive card games, the simplicity is hiding a brain-tickling level of complexity, especially when you're trying to squash your neighbors garden like a bug.
Price: $40
