Space Explorers

This game is quickly rising to one of our all-time favorites. It scratches the itch of being simple enough to explain, quick to set up, deep enough to always be stimulating, and short enough to play over and over.You are in charge of a research hub, recruiting scientists to come work for you, not with money but opportunity to advance their field. Get enough skill built up in each division, and you can launch a space project for even more bonus points. The game ends when any player has recruited 12 researchers to come work for them or when all the bonus projects have been built. Each game lasts about 20 minutes.This is an engine-building game with some unexpected dynamics that are pure joy.As you specialize your engine, the divisions you specialize in get cheaper to advance, not harder. This mimics the way real-world research in that it's hard to get started, but you can always stand on what you've previously done.Next, as you expend resources to get skill, you don't return those resources to the supply... you give them to the player next to you. And you quickly learn that hoarding resources doesn't advance you, doesn't really hurt them, utilizing them provides for bursts of advancement, more opportunities to select from, and a small economy of zero-sum goods.Which ever researcher you added -last- brings in its ability while removing the one that was previously there. In other words, parts of your also engine go away, so you can trade up or shift priorities. Sometimes that means making a hard choice: do you want to enhance your engine to get more things, or do you want to assure yourself a bunch of points.Some researchers come with their own specialties, which provide additional boons for as long as they are visible.The game plays well with 2, easily adopts up to 4 (where it has an entirely different feel), and there's an online instruction book for how to play solo.I have to say this is perhaps one of the best instruction manuals I've ever seen written -- text is short, precise, and clear. Everything has a minimalist, clean, pictorial example with annotations. The game's icons take a moment to pick up, but there's also a reference card for every player, and if there's still questions there's a verbose card glossary in the instructions as well. Add to that each card has a number up in the corner on its face so you can instantly cross reference to your guide. Flavor text is enjoyable and not interlaced with how to play instructions.The art work is beautiful 1950s muted colors, and even that some cards are just closer cropped photos, yet even this just provides more detail. The cards are made of good stock, the cardboard tokens feel of high quality, the print quality is sharp, and unique, simplistic, eye-catching symbols both mesh in with the theme and supplement anyone having problems distinguishing colors. In short, they got form working with function brilliantly.The game feels very well balanced, there's numerous strategies that can be employed to win, and everything feels fair after repeated playings and when mixing experts and newbies.I'm struggling to find something negative for a Cons section, other than I wish this had been put on my radar much earlier. If you like games such as Splendor, then you'll like this, and vice-versa.

Este fue una sorpresa de juego. Para los que conocen Splendor es muy similar en mecánicas pero mejor. El punto es conseguir puntos mediante cartas (profesionistas) y proyectos para tu centro de investigación del espacio. Lo que se me hace genial de este juego es como construyes cartas mediante descarte de tu mano y tokens limitados que tienes y se pasan al jugador de izquierda. Otro aspecto genial son las habilidades de las cartas; algunas que te quitan costo de un cierto tipo de icono o habilidades para conseguir más cartas. Pero al momento de poner otra del mismo tipo la habilidad se pierde y ahora la nueva entra en efecto. Finalmente el juego termina si construyes 12 cartas o se acaban los proyectos. Un Engine builder que es carrera muy impresionante que recomiendo ampliamente.

Item received in good condition. The game itself is fun to play with friends. Delivery time is acceptable. Weldone

I like Splendor but it got a little old over time. This game has the spirit of Splendor but with a much cooler theme and added mechanisms that make it more exciting. It adds actions that are more interactive with the other players so you don’t feel like you’re solely focused on your own cards.

Cool game. Fun. Iconography could be a bit larger and more clear and intuitive. Nonetheless, still fun.