Pyramid Review
Amazing Space Venture
Published by SherCo
Designed by Dr. Steve LeShay
Art and graphic design by Kyle Price
Full-color boxed set with, board, 88 space tiles (nine starting tiles, 79 playing tiles), 150 cards (playing, point, and reference cards), 156 counters (set of 37 ship and planet counters for each of four players, plus eight "destroyed planet" markers), eight plastic stands (two per player), rules $49.99
Fans of tile-laying games know by now the next supplement is never far off, and each tweaks one or more rules under which the fans may chafe. Amazing Space Venture is from SherCo Games, not Rio Grande, but instead of a simple rules adjustment, it tries to break free altogether from its source of inspiration. The creator isn't shy about the game's roots, so subtlety isn't necessary: This is Carcassonne in space. That said, there are as many differences as similarities. Two to four players ("astronauts") take to the stars with ships and a hand of cards, but the tiles are confined to a grid on a board, 13 squares on a side. Undiscovered worlds on the Space tiles are claimed with Planet, Environment, and Life Form cards, but if the claimant lacks the last two, other players may supply one from their hands to reduce the score. The object of the game is to score the most points for exploring the galaxy.
Aside from those used in discovery, cards also improve the fleet or permit special actions. Some ships move faster than others, while some can traverse the void without . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: January 18, 2008
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