Doomlings - Imaginary Ends: Review
Information:
Mechanics: Set Collection, Tableu Buildimg, Take That
Player Age: 10+ Player Count: 2 - 6 PlayersTime to Play: 20 - 45 Minutes
Game Designer: Justus Meyer, Andrew Meyer (I)Game Artist: Justus MeyerPublisher: Doomlings LLCYear Published: 2024Disclaimer: A review copy for the game was provided by the publisher.
Player Age: 10+
Game Designer: Justus Meyer, Andrew Meyer (I)
Introductions:
Doomlings Imaginary Ends is the best kind of expansion; more of the same. There are three new types of traits introduced (the glittering, moonlings and deeplings), as well as a new card type and modular way to play. Merchants and trinkets are card types that create another scoring opportunity. They award a benefit or a negative effect until they can be 'pocketed' by meeting the objective and scoring extra points at the end of the game.
Glitterings:
Glitterings add more randomness to the game. The best part being that they reduce the take that aspect through positively effecting friends rather than negatively targeting opponents.
Deeplings:
The deeplings come with the new ability of ‘suppressing’ that allows cards to be placed under a trait. These score one point at the end of the game per card suppressed. The great part of this ability is clearing the bad cards out of your hand and trait pile, therefore leading to drawing more cards in your stability phase while turning undesirable cards into points. 
Moonlings:
Moonlings thrive off a lower gene pool/hand. They have many ways of achieving this including discarding cards or outright decreasing their gene pool.
Fuzelings:
Fuzelings are a combination of two or three of these archetypes. Allowing the themes/mechanisms of these groups to mesh perfectly. Some fuzelings will also be multicoloured traits that count as both colours at all times.
Merchants:
Merchants add a new benefit to gain in their tableu, as well as a new goal to chase. During setup two ages from each pile will be replaced by merchant ages (shown below) to create more interaction with the trinkets. 
If a player has no trinket at the start of a turn, they will draw a new one. Players will also start with a choice of two trinkets, one to be chosen and the other to be discarded. Each trinket will have either a beneficial power in the lower-scoring trinkets or a negative effect for the higher-scoring trinkets. If players can meet the pocketing requirement, they can remove the card's effect from play and instead place it in their scoring pile to later score the bottom right value.
Final Thoughts:
- Plenty of variability.
- Trinkets create a new way for players to focus on scoring while enhancing or stalling their engine.
- Certain trait playstyles may not shine if the entire trait deck is mixed together.
Like Doomlings Legend of Enderas, Imaginary Ends is a great expansion to add variability to your game. Honestly, out of the three traits included in this expansion it's hard to pick a favourite. I enjoy the reduction of the take-that effects with the glitterings; the deeplings help increase your card drawing while scoring small points; and the moonlings create an interesting goal of a lower gene pool. The other intrigue to note here is the trinkets that add another layer to the game, creating a different way for players to score while either enhancing or slowing their engine. I can't see myself playing with both trinkets and another module (like treasures) as that would create too much complexity, but I can easily see myself swapping what module I use from game to game. If you, like me, enjoy how these specific traits work or are looking for modules to create more advanced gameplay then I recommend adding Imaginary Ends to your Doomling collection.
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