The Wicked Forest (2020)

About this game

In The Wicked Forest, a.k.a. ウィキッド・フォレスト, players from a village struck by disaster explore a dark forest where a wicked witch rules in the hope of finding "dirty flowers" from which they can produce crystals with the power to cure diseases, grant wishes, and help their loved ones. In the game, the forest is represented by a 3x3 grid of cards from a deck. You and your fellow players search cards, revealing them one by one, deciding to return home or remain in the forest after each one. If you return home, you receive the dirty flowers on the cards you revealed, then can use them to acquire ability crystal tiles and magic crystal cards; if others return with you, then your share of the goods will be reduced. If you reveal a witch for a second time, you receive nothing and must drop out until the next round.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 3 to 5.
• Rules load. At 2.0/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 14 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.