Fill your forest with trees and give the creatures of the forest a home underneath the branches before winter comes and ends the game.

On your turn, either draw two cards or play a card. When drawing, take from the display and/or draw from the deck. When the third winter card is drawn from the deck, the game ends. When playing a card, play either a tree or one of the creature cards in your hand. Each tree is considered as having one space along each of its sides. Creature cards are divided into half, either vertically or horizontally, and each half will show a different animal. When playing a creature card, choose which of its two creatures you are playing and play it to a tree’s empty space, placing it on the side of the tree that corresponds to the creature you are using.

Each card also has a number that indicates how many cards must be discarded face-up to the display in order to play it. If the display ever has 10 or more cards, discard them all. Some creatures also grant special abilities if you discard cards with specific symbols to play them. Different trees and different creatures have unique scoring mechanics, and some have special effects when played. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Forest Shuffle is all about finding the right combination of cards that complement each other and building up score combos, while trying to block opponents from doing the same. Initially, there is a bit of a learning curve as you figure out the different cards, their various strengths, and how they score. Even the trees have different scoring mechanics, so every single card affects your end total. Similarly, at the end of the game, calculating your score can take a few minutes. However, the core mechanics are easy to learn, and after playing a couple of times, you’ll gain an appreciation of the ways the cards interact and you can make informed decisions about which animals to add to your trees and which to discard.

This is a slow, thoughtful game as you build the tableau of your forest. It’s also beautiful to look at with lovely artwork, and a wide range of creatures represented, from mammals to birds and insects. The result is a mentally satisfying and aesthetically pleasing game that improves the more you play it.