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Harmonies is a game I was introduced to at UK Games Expo last year and I have been a big fan ever since. It is the kind of game that looks like a gentle puzzle and turns out to have more interesting decisions than you expected. The kind of game you finish and immediately want to play again.
Designed by Maxime Morin and published by Libellud, Harmonies plays 1 to 4 players in around 30 minutes. It is a tile-laying and pattern-building game about creating ecosystems. The artwork is gorgeous and the components are excellent.
What Is Harmonies?
You are building a personal landscape across your player board, placing terrain tiles to satisfy the scoring conditions of animal cards. Each animal scores based on how specific terrains are arranged adjacent to each other on your board.
If Cascadia and Kingdomino had a child that cared deeply about aesthetics and added a stacking mechanic, it would look something like Harmonies. The comparison is a compliment.
The game ends when any player has two or fewer empty spaces remaining, or the draw bag runs out. Scores are tallied and the highest wins.
Key Game Information
| Players | 1-4 (best at 2-3) |
| Play time | 30 minutes |
| Designer | Maxime Morin |
| Publisher | Libellud |
| Categories | Abstract Games, Pattern Building Games, Solo Games, Strategy Games |
| Mechanics | Drafting, Tile Placement, Pattern Building, Set Collection |
| Theme | Animals and Pets, Nature and Environment |
| Complexity | Medium-light |
| Best for | Players who enjoy Cascadia or Azul and want something beautiful with a fresh twist |
How to Play Harmonies
Before the game, players choose which side of their personal board to use. The Spirit Animals variant adds asymmetric abilities for a slightly deeper game. For your first play, leave the Spirit Animals out.
The shared drafting board has depots, each loaded with three terrain discs drawn from a bag. An animal market of five face-up animal cards sits above it.
On your turn:
- Take all three discs from one depot on the shared board.
- Place them on your personal board, following terrain stacking and adjacency rules.
- Optionally buy one animal card from the market by placing its amber cube on the required terrain.
Animal cards have specific scoring conditions based on which terrain types surround the amber cube when the game ends. A mountain animal might need to be surrounded by mountain and lake tiles. A forest animal might need to border fields and trees.
Turns are fast. The interesting decisions come from managing which terrains you collect, how to place them to satisfy multiple animal scoring conditions simultaneously, and whether to grab a tile someone else might need.
| At our tableI spent two rounds collecting the perfect combination of lake and mountain tiles for a high-scoring eagle card. Someone took the eagle on their turn. I had to pivot to a fox that scored based on fields I hadn’t prioritised. I came third. The eagle player won. |
Playing at Different Player Counts
1 player (solo): A solid solo mode with puzzle-like objectives. You are racing to hit a target score. Plays briskly and works well.
2 players: Strategic and relaxed. There is less competition for tiles but the game still has interesting decisions.
3-4 players: More competitive for tiles and animal cards. The game plays faster as the board cycles through depots more quickly.
Two to three players is the sweet spot. Four is good fun but the game moves quickly and requires more reactive play.
Playing Solo
Harmonies has an official solo mode with a scoring target to beat. You are playing against yourself rather than an opponent, optimising your board to reach a threshold. It is one of the better solo implementations at this complexity level and a genuine reason to buy the game if you play alone.
Components and Production Quality
The components are excellent. The terrain discs are chunky and have a satisfying weight. The stacking mechanic, which lets some terrains sit on top of others, is handled cleanly with distinct visual shapes.
The animal cards are beautifully illustrated. The cloth draw bag is functional. The insert is well designed and keeps everything tidy. One minor note: a printed bag instead of the cloth one would have felt slightly more premium, but it is a very minor point.
Harmonies is one of the most visually striking games at any price point. A completed board genuinely looks like a painted landscape.
Expansions and Other Versions
There are no expansions for Harmonies at the time of writing. It is available on Board Game Arena and that digital implementation is faithful to the physical game.
Digital Versions
Harmonies is available on Board Game Arena. The digital version is a faithful adaptation and a good way to try before buying. The interface handles the terrain placement and animal scoring clearly.
If You Like Harmonies, Try These
- Cascadia: Nature-themed tile and token placement. Won the Spiel des Jahres in 2022. Very similar accessibility and feel.
- Azul: Abstract tile placement with a tighter, more competitive puzzle. If you want more direct confrontation.
- Kingdomino: Faster and lighter tile placement. Good if Harmonies feels slightly long.
- Calico: Pattern building with a cat and quilt theme. Similar difficulty level and satisfying solo mode.
- Wingspan: A step up in complexity, but shares the beautiful artwork and nature theme.
Final Thoughts
Harmonies is a warm, satisfying, well-designed game. It is the kind of thing I reach for when I want something that looks great on the table, plays quickly, and produces real decisions without demanding a lot of mental overhead.
It sits comfortably alongside Cascadia and Azul in what has become a very competitive space of accessible, beautiful tile games. Whether it belongs in your collection alongside those or instead of them depends on your preferences, but it absolutely earns its place.
The solo mode is a genuine plus. The components are excellent. The game ends slightly faster than you want it to, which is the right kind of complaint.
Harmonies is like a warm cup of tea. Comforting, well-made, and always welcome.
Here’s a great video review of Harmonies from Board Game Hangover
Digital Versions & Board Game Arena
For those who enjoy digital adaptations, , making it easier to get a game in when you’re short on time or fellow players. The digital version is a faithful adaptation, capturing the strategic depth and aesthetic charm of the physical game.