Pyramid Review
Mission: Red Planet
Published by Asmodeé Editions
Designed by Bruno Cathala & Bruno Faidutti
Illustrated by Christophe Madura
Full-color boxed set with Square Mars Board, Launch Pad, 20 Destination Tokens, 14 Resource Tokens, 70 Score Tokens, 24 Event Cards, 34 Die Cut Spaceships, 110 Astronaut Tokens, 45 Character Cards, First Player Medal Token, Turn Indicator, & 8-page rulebook; $44.99
From the outset, Mission: Red Planet has a number of obvious selling points. First, both the box and the components look good. Second, it is a collaboration between Brunos Cathala and Faidutti, one the designer of the very well received Shadows Over Camelot and the other of Citadels. Third, it can be played within an hour. Fourth, the theme is pure steampunk. The year is 1888 and several corporations stand ready to send men to Mars and there explore beneath its surface for precious minerals. At each corporation's command is a cadre of specialists -- explorers, scientists, soldiers, recruiters, and even saboteurs -- who will ensure that the corporation's astronauts will not only get aboard the right space rocket, but also dominate the tunnels and mineral veins beneath Mars. They will also do their best to prevent rival companies from both reaching and dominating the Red Planet.
Designed for three to five players, Mission: Red Planet is an "Area Control" game in which the players try to control not one area, but two. The first is the Launch Pad, the second is Mars itself. Control is gained . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: June 13, 2008
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