Doomlings

🧠 Teaser

Doomlings is a charmingly chaotic card game where the world is ending — repeatedly — and your goal is simply to evolve your species with the best traits before the final catastrophe wipes everything out. Light, fast, and full of personality, it’s the kind of game that surprises you with how much laughter and table‑talk it generates.

🎯 Game Overview

Title: Doomlings

Publisher / Year: Doomlings LLC / 2022

Theme / Setting: Post‑apocalyptic, Humor, Evolution / Card Game

Target Audience: Families, Casual gamers, Party‑game lovers

Recommended Players: 4 to 6 players

Complexity: Low

📈 Quick Stats

🧩 Components & Presentation

Score: 8 / 10

The colorful, quirky design of Doomlings stands out immediately. The card art is vibrant, charming, and full of personality, with each trait card featuring its own unique illustration. The naming of characters and traits adds a delightful layer of humor. Sleeving the cards is highly recommended, as the trait deck can be difficult to shuffle. One oddity: the base game included only four player aid cards despite supporting up to six players — unclear whether this is intentional or a packing oversight.

📜Rules & Accessibility

Score: 6 / 10

The rulebook is short and simple, but in my opinion it could have been worked on a bit more to add extra detail. Some rules are not clearly explained and are missing examples that would really help new players. One of the first things you notice when reading the rulebook is that the list of components and the number of cards per color is missing. The section “Trait Effects” also needs more clarity — it says effects “typically occur as long as they’re in your trait pile. If you lose the card, you lose the effect.” So if you have a card with a “+1 Gene Pool” effect and you lose it, you should adjust your pool size accordingly, but this isn’t clearly stated.

⚙️ Gameplay

Score: 7.5 / 10

Doomlings unfolds over several rounds until the third catastrophe appears. The gameplay is smooth and fast, and players can plan ahead since most actions don’t heavily disrupt others’ turns. Expect chaos — the world can end at any moment, forcing you to pivot your strategy constantly. This unpredictability is part of the charm.

🔄 Gameflow

Doomlings follows a simple and fast-paced structure that keeps players engaged from start to finish:

1. Setup

• Each player receives a starting hand and a Gene Pool limit.

• The Age deck is prepared with three catastrophes shuffled in.

2. Ages Begin

• Each round, an Age card is revealed, introducing a temporary rule or effect.

• Players take turns playing one trait card from their hand, adjusting their species’ abilities and scoring potential.

3. Player Turns

• On your turn, you typically:

  • Play a trait

  • Resolve its effect

  • Draw back up to your Gene Pool limit

• Most turns are quick, and other players’ actions rarely disrupt your planning.

4. Catastrophes

• When a catastrophe appears, the round becomes more chaotic.

• Catastrophes often reduce hand size, limit options, or force tough decisions.

5. End of the World

• After the third catastrophe, the game ends immediately.

• Players total the points on their trait cards, plus any bonuses or penalties.

6. Scoring

• Highest score wins — simple, fast, and satisfying.

😄 Fun Factor & Theme

Score: 10 / 10

This is where Doomlings shines. It’s a lively, hilarious party game full of interaction: stealing, swapping, discarding, and sabotaging keep the table buzzing. The post‑apocalyptic theme is surprisingly whimsical and bold for a debut card game, and it fits the mechanics beautifully.

📊 Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

Short game for the depth and chaosSimple actionsHighly interactive and entertainingFantastic artworkGreat replayability

❌ Cons

Rulebook needs more claritySome effects are not well explainedHigh randomness may frustrate strategic players

🧮 Score Summary

📝 Verdict

Overall Score: 7.5 / 10

Doomlings is far more fun than it initially appears. The artwork, humor, and theme combine to create a memorable and chaotic experience that stands out in the party‑card‑game space. It’s light, silly, and endlessly replayable — a great addition to any casual game night.

Recommendation: Play your first game with four players for the best balance of chaos and clarity. Also, be sure to watch the rules video referenced in the rulebook to ensure you’re catching all the nuances.