Darwin's Journey cover
2023BGG rank #89

Darwin's Journey

by Simone Luciani, Nestore Mangone · ThunderGryph Games

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Players1–4
Time60–120m
ComplexityMedium-Heavy
Age14+

About the game

What is Darwin's Journey?

When all you can identify in the horizon for many long days is the line that detaches the sea from the sky, the glimpse of a distant shore appearing before you will make you shiver at the understanding that the adventure is about to begin. You find yourself astonished, landing on the shore that will be the origin of an extensive exploration through the Galapagos, a magic place of inconceivable beauty and endless biodiversity. There, you will gather repertoires and expand your knowledge of the natural sciences. Your eyes will learn how to detect the hidden species in the tropical forest, gazing at the countless colors and textures of nature. After inspiring hours spent studying and getting to enlightening conclusions, you will rest under a sparkling sky, admiring the stunning complexity of the animal realm. Darwin's Journey is a worker-placement Eurogame in which players recall Charles Darwin's memories of his adventure through the Galapagos islands, which contributed to the development of his theory of evolution. With the game's innovative worker progression system, each worker will have to study the disciplines that are a prerequisite to perform several actions in the game, such as exploration, correspondence, gathering, and dispatch of repertoires found on the island to museums in order to contribute to the human knowledge of biology. The game lasts five rounds, and thanks to several short- and long-term objectives, every action you take will grant victory points in different ways.

How it plays

Mechanics

ContractsOwnershipPick-up and DeliverPoint to Point MovementSet CollectionSolo / Solitaire GameTurn Order: Claim ActionVariable Set-upWorker PlacementWorker Placement, Different Worker Types

On the shelf

Categories

ExplorationTravel

Questions players ask

Questions to bring to BoardGameBrain

  • How do setup and the first turn work in Darwin's Journey?
  • When does scoring happen and what ends the game?
  • How should the table resolve an unusual timing or rules interaction?