Complete space! Part 1

It is often necessary to choose games according to their themes, because this can be decisive, whether the game will go "hurray" or make you simply shrug your shoulders. One of my favorite genres is Sci-fi, so in my next three reviews I will be looking at three different but very interesting games about space. First Review - Cosmic Encounter .

Most of the great and popular board games have been released relatively recently, after 2000. With new trends come new game designs, so it's rare for a game to keep up with the times. Today I will be reviewing Cosmic Encounter, which was originally released in 1977, but is still a relevant game and is firmly in the Board Game Geek top 100.

Subject matter

When playing Cosmic Encounter, you represent one Martian race whose goal is to establish new colonies on other lands. Each race is themed and different. Already in the basic set there are dozens of them, but with expansions this number grows into hundreds. While the colonization itself isn't always thematic and logical, the alien races are brilliantly themed and live up to their name. For example, there is the "Vacuum" race, whose special ability is to suck enemy ships into the dung of the universe. But note right away, the game is not about conquest, but about diplomacy and the ability to get powerful allies at the right moment and be ready to betray them if necessary.

Components

The components are very practical. Each player has 5 planets, each with ships. They can be conveniently placed on top of each other so that they do not take up much space, but at the same time they are clearly visible. Each planet is movable separately and therefore easy to transform the game board according to the situation. However, the attack, defense and special action cards look like they are from another universe to me. I'm not thrilled with the design choices, but functionally they make the game manageable and easy to play.

Mechanics

This is a pure game of diplomacy. At the start of a round, one player draws which planet they will have the chance to attack and colonize. After that, both the attacker and the defender have the opportunity to ask for help. The third option is to try to make an agreement between the attacker and the defender and in this way try to exchange territories. The game is based on various negotiations and agreements of this kind, which is very exciting, because the different mechanics and abilities give the opportunity to offer interesting deals. But this is also one of the game's Achilles' heels, because if there are players in groups who don't like to talk a lot and try to convince the others, or who recruit a lot, then the game can become quite linear. An excellent company is important here.

The build itself has very simple mechanics and gameplay, but it's easy to feel confused when learning it for the first time. Each turn consists of 8 simple actions, but many cards have various references related to these and other cases, making the amount of information and terminology used difficult to grasp. The first moves for a new player will certainly be space, but after the first game everything will be completely clear and the mechanics will be mastered.

Another thing to mention is the fact that there can be multiple winners at the end of Cosmic Encounter. Since this is not a co-op game, this annoys me beyond words, because winning this game with someone or someones is not as uplifting as doing it alone. Although I have managed to win once alone, it is very difficult to do so and will most likely have to be shared with one or two other competitors.

Multiplayer

I already mentioned the many races. I have played the game 5 times already, seen around 20 races, of which 2-3 have been repeated. Each time there will be a new adventure. Multiplayer is very high. This is a game that may not exhaust itself for years.

Rating

A great classic that every board game fan should play at least once, but due to the group dependency, inelegant rules and split wins, I give it an 8 out of 10.

Kristaps

The game can be purchased: in the Brain Games store at K. Barona street 55, Riga, or in the Brain Games online store - here.

Images: Board Game Geek

Board Game Geek rating: 7.6