Helge Ostertag, co-designer of Terra Mystica and Gaia Project, has a new game on shop shelves. Feya's Swamp, designed alongside Anselm Ostertag, is a 2-4 player euro about guiding a clan of swamp dwellers to prosperity. If you have ever wondered what the mind behind one of BGG's all-time greats would do with a fishing village, here is your answer.
The game is a reimagining of the Ostertags' 2005 title Kaivai, rebuilt from the ground up. The original's auction mechanism has been swapped for a role selection system where your chosen card determines turn order, grants a special ability, sets your sailing capacity, and adjusts building costs. Over four rounds, you send boats across the swamp to fish, trade with rival clans, explore abandoned temples, and build settlements that improve your clan's abilities.
Terra Mystica (rated 8.2 on BGG with over 70,000 ratings) and Gaia Project made Helge Ostertag one of the most respected designers in the hobby. Feya's Swamp sits in a lighter weight class than those heavyweights, but early reviews suggest the strategic depth is still there. Meeple Mountain gave it a perfect 5 out of 5, praising how every system has been "optimised and tweaked" from the Kaivai original.
Published by Grail Games and distributed by Asmodee, Feya's Swamp is available now at retail. If you are looking for a mid-weight euro with a distinctive theme and a pedigree designer, it is well worth a spot on your shelf.
Sources: Meeple Mountain | BGG | Asmodee
