Wouter & Ymke 
Imagine a world where humans have disappeared and intelligent bees, called the Mellifera, have taken over. This is the setting of Apiary, a board game where you play as the queen bee of one of twenty factions. Starting with just a basic hive and a few worker bees, your task is to expand your empire, explore new planets, and develop technologies—all before your bees enter hibernation.
👥 1-5 players, ages 14+
⌛ Playing time: 60-90 minutes
📝 Designer: Connie Vogelmann
🎨 Artwork: Kwanchai Moriya
🏢 Publisher: Stonemaier Games (review copy provided)
Navigating the Hive: Core Gameplay Mechanics
In Apiary, each turn offers two main choices: place a worker bee on the board or retrieve all your previously placed bees. Each bee has a strength value from one to four. When you place a bee in an action spot, its strength can be combined with the strength of any bees already there, which influences the outcome of the action.
Throughout the game, you’ll work on expanding your hive with various upgrades like farms, storage, and income tiles. You’ll also craft monuments that celebrate your hive’s accomplishments. Exploring the galaxy is another important aspect, as visiting different planets allows you to gather resources. These resources are crucial for breeding new bees, conducting research, and producing the honey and wax needed for your monuments.
Using the strongest bees, with a strength of four, is essential for certain actions, such as carving significant scoring tiles. These powerful bees can access special action spots and grant bonuses, including special benefits when visiting certain planets.
When you decide to retrieve your bees, they grow stronger—except those at strength four, who go into hibernation. You’ll mark this by placing a hibernation token in the hibernation comb, which also earns you a bonus. The game ends when all sectors of the hibernation comb are filled, giving each player one final turn to make their moves.
Beyond the Box: Inside Apiary’s Game Design
Apiary is a board game designed for 1-5 players and suitable for ages 14 and up. The game, designed by Connie Vogelmann and published by Stonemaier Games, typically takes 60 to 90 minutes to complete. It incorporates elements of worker placement, tile placement, multi-use cards, and asymmetrical player powers, offering a balanced experience that is neither too simple nor overly complex.
The quality of the game components really stands out. The box includes a neat custom insert that helps keep everything organized. The resource tokens are custom wooden pieces, and the bee workers are especially unique—they’re not just simple pieces but are numbered 1 to 4, and you can rotate them to show their growing strength. There’s also a beautifully crafted queen ship miniature, durable cardboard tiles, and high-quality cards. Everything is illustrated with artwork by Kwanchai Moriya, which really brings the game’s theme to life. The board itself is double-sided, which adapts well to different numbers of players, keeping the game engaging whether you’re playing solo or with four friends.
Gameplay in Bloom: Seeding Strategies and Anticipating Moves
We really like how each player gets a hive mat and a faction tile at the start of the game. These aren’t just for show; they really shape what you can do during the game. Your faction tile might unlock special abilities or help you score points at the end depending on how well you meet certain goals. The player mats influence your choices too, pushing you toward specific strategies based on the bonuses they offer.
Gameplay in Apiary is quite interactive. Placing and retrieving bees involves tactical decisions, especially when you’re going to bump an opponent’s bees from a crowded spot. This isn’t just about placing your workers on the best spots; it’s also about anticipating where your opponents might place theirs. If you play it right, they might end up helping you by bumping your bees back to your hive, saving you a move. The game mechanics encourage you to think about your moves and watch what others are doing closely.
Final Thoughts
After several plays, we’ve found Apiary to be a solid game. It cleverly combines several familiar game mechanics into something that feels fresh each time. It’s also visually appealing, which never hurts. The gameplay is tight, the strategies are varied, and it all wraps up in a reasonable amount of time.
📝 Disclaimer: We received a copy of Apiary from Stonemaier Games for review purposes.
