Biomes of Nilgiris, an Ecological Exploration Game by Bluencore Games
Biomes of Nilgiris is a management and exploration game designed by Sidhant Chand and Shelly Sinha for publisher Bluencore Games, illustrated by Sanjana Singh. Players take on the roles of ecologists, photographers, or forest rangers exploring the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in India to discover endemic animal and plant species. Its originality lies in its modular board, built up as the game progresses, and its grounding in real ecological data.
Setup and Gameplay
Each player chooses a role with its own abilities and receives their personal board. On their turn, they perform three actions among several options: travel, explore new biome tiles, journal their observations, study to turn notes into experience, discover new species, or equip tools. Certain actions let players secure biomes or species to earn Ecology Points (EcoP).
Win Conditions and End of Game
The game unfolds in two phases: reaching 18 Ecology Points triggers the shift to level 2, unlocking more complex cards. The game ends when a player reaches 49 Ecology Points; the current round is completed so everyone plays the same number of turns. Pointsns from shared objectives and sustainability are then added, and the player with the most points wins.
