Dorfromantik Review – Falling Into Place

Dorfromantik is a relaxing, tile-matching puzzle game that can be enjoyed by anyone, even if its name seems strange. To create a Zen-like atmosphere, connect hexagons in order to make beautiful landscapes. This is the clever strategy of a city builder. 

Fans of the board game Carcassonne should quickly grasp Dorfromantik’s concept of drawing random tiles and finding high-scoring – and aesthetically pleasing – ways to place them on the field based on their scenery. Only tiles that have corresponding edges will fit; railway tiles connect to railroads, rivers join with other bodies, etc. Setting up sprawling forests and villages will earn you more points. I love the challenge of designing optimal fit pieces. Because it makes my models cities come to life, I find it satisfying to watch the boats navigate through my canals and complete portions of the map. 

Classic experiences have objectives like building towns that are a particular size to add purpose and interest to the otherwise free-form experience. You don’t have to complete these tasks, but I always delight in closing the loop on a plot of land I spent ages building up and watching my score skyrocket. Your board expansion can open up new tiles like windmills and water wheels. It also allows you to add biomes that spice up your draw pool. The field’s transformation from lush green to a mosaic of barren, darker or snow-frosted plants adds visual interest. 

Dorfromantik offers many modes that allow me to enjoy the experience according to my mood. You can build whatever you want, and discard any tiles that are not right for your project. Hard Mode is a harder challenge, with more intricate pieces. Quick Mode is a shorter version of the game, making it easy to play quickly while on the move. Monthly Mode allows you to mix up your game with new custom rules every month. 

The PC version of Dorfromantik was a lot of fun to play when it first launched early last year. While the Switch version is very similar, the user interface for controlling tiles and moving the camera with the controller is not as intuitive as using mouse clicks. While it isn’t bad, it is not my favorite way of playing. It is a good trade-off, however. The small screen also shows off the hand-drawn, simple, but colorful, art direction. 

Dorfromantik has a good balance of cozy and strategic aspects. You can easily fall in a peaceful trance while dropping tiles. It feels satisfying to pull the camera back and see the whole landscape, similar to admiring a painting. It’s not a game that I find myself compelled or able to do more than one session per day but I still appreciate its positive effect on my mood.