Tend (2025)

“Tend was so much better than I ever could have imagined. It might not be a game I want to consistently play back-to-back in a single day or week, but of all the games on this list, it will be the one I play the most over the coming years.”

The reviewer praises "Tend" as a beautifully produced and strategically deep flip-and-write game that masterfully balances complexity with a fun, cohesive design, making every element feel perfectly placed for an engaging and brain-burning experience.

John LaRuffa highly recommends "Tend," calling it a super fun and engaging solo puzzle game that offers a great sandbox experience with exciting goals and clever mechanics like scratch-off cards, placing it among his top solo games.

The reviewer highly appreciates 'Tend' as a compelling solo optimization puzzle, emphasizing the satisfaction derived from chaining actions, managing growth, and efficiently planning cargo manifests. They find the game engaging enough to aim for high scores, having previously achieved 97 points in a practice session.

The reviewer enthusiastically praises 'Tend,' indicating it elevates the flip-and-write genre to an exceptional level, suggesting a highly engaging and enjoyable experience.

The reviewers highly praise "Tend" as a substantial and enjoyable flip-and-write game that offers significant strategic depth and an open-world feel, making it highly replayable despite some initial learning curve challenges with the rulebook.

Rahdo describes 'Tend' as his absolute favorite game from IV Studio, praising its cohesive design where every element clicks perfectly, resulting in a consistently enjoyable and friendly gaming experience despite its tactical depth and contradictory nature.

The reviewer enthusiastically recommends Tend as a superior board game choice over Stardew Valley and Three Sisters, suggesting it is a worthwhile purchase for its engaging gameplay and overall experience.

The reviewer highly recommends Tend, praising it as a really great and fun game that was one of their favorites of the year, offering a cozy Stardew Valley-like experience with strategic depth, satisfying chain actions, and excellent progression.

“Tend is the type of game that keeps me coming back for more. This is a strategically tight puzzle where every choice feels meaningful.”

The reviewer expressed excitement for 'Tend's' unique scratcher card mechanic, highlighting it as one of the coolest features, and also appreciated the innovative dual-ended markers with stamps, noting the game's engaging 'flip and fill' system.

The reviewer, Tim Chuon, enthusiastically recommends Tend, highlighting its immediate fun and addictive gameplay, satisfying combos, and immersive scratch-off mechanics, noting it's the first 'X and Write' game he has truly enjoyed despite his usual preferences.