Space Alert

What is Space Alert about?
The game is about flying shoprt (10 min) missions in a spaceship. Each of you will be playing as one crewman of said ship. The game is divided into two parts – the Action Phase and the Resolution Phase.

In the Action Phase you plan your movement around the ship and the actions you will take. The soundtrack that comes with the game will tell you what is happening – mainly what kinds of trouble are you facing (and believe me, you will be facing ALL kinds of trouble – ranging from enemy spaceships, space monsters, intruders aboard your vessel, all the way to various systems malfunctions). All the actions you plan will have some effect, like shooting a laser cannon at the enemy, powering the main reactor, etc. After 10 minutes the soundtrack will annonce that the mission is over.

In the Resolution Phase, you will go through the mission again, this time without the soundtrack (no time pressure) and see what REALLY happened. You see, what you planned in the Action Phase and what did happen might not always be the same (and thats an understatement). Did you plan to shoot that cannon in round 7? Ok, you shot it, but someone else forgot to power the reactor earlier, so the gun had no energy to shoot with. Did you assume that frigate was destroyed in round 8? Well, you didn’t shoot the cannon in round 7, so no it wasn’t and it fried half of your ship in the process. That’s the kind of revelations you will see in the Resolution Phase. Of course there are times everything goes smoothly and you fly the mission without a scratch. Yes, I heard it can be done…

What is Space Alert REALLY about?
This game is about a lot of things, but mainly communication… your ability to stay focused and process information under severe time pressure… ability to prioritize and coordinate with your fellow crewmembers… and ultimately the ability to cope with failures in a productive way (yes, there will be failures, take my word on it). It is also about getting better with every single mission – after flying several times you will notice that you really are better, the missions go smoother (though you will still get killed – often) and you are coming together as a team.

Space Alert is balanced in such a way that there is almost always too little time and too much information to cover every angle. You will have to do the most important stuff and hope the rest won’t kill you. It is also an exercise in trust and delegating – you will definitely not have enough time to plan for other people (yes, alpha players, I’m looking at you) – so you will have to trust that they are doing their jobs and you can concentrate on doing yours.

Impressions
Have I mentioned that this is the best co-op game I’ve played? It’s absolutely amazing, it has truckloads of replay value (each mission takes roughly 30 minutes to set up, play and analyze) and even if you fail, you have great fun and want more. Last time we played, we flew 12 missions in one session (don’t ask for succes rate though, please) and we had a blast.

Aside from the gamer’s perspective, Space Alert has tons of real life value – it’s a great exercise in communication, problem solving, teamwork and interpersonal skills. A word of warning though – don’t play it with people you don’t come along with. A certain dose of forgiveness for each other’s mistakes is required in a game when a misstep of one player can ruin the whole flight.

Well, what would you like to know besides all the above… Components? Great and a lot of them. Instruction? Written in a clear way with lots of examples – and the story sections are hilarious. If I really had to nitpick, I would mention non-standard card sizes (I still haven’t found the right sleeves) but really, considering all the things this game does perfectly, card size is really a non-issue.

Truth is, I have wanted to review this game for some time – mainly because I have been wanting to PLAY this game for some time: 10 months to be exact. Why did it take so long? Space Alert anyone?…anyone?…Beuller?

Well, I guess that says something right there. Ok, it’s not a “mainstream” game (No deck-building, no worker placement, resource management, etc.). It IS a “cooperative” game, so what gives? Maybe, I thought, it’s the fear of playing something uncomfortable and not easy to understand. There are many of games that fall into this category. You know the ones… “Yikes! Do I want to risk 4 hours of my life I will never get back?”

Well, to allay any fears, I would like to invite you to play one of the most unique, immersive, and yes, challenging games I have experienced.

Style/Components: (Fully functional)
The overall style of this game is good. It lacks a defining look and feel as some sci-fi genre games do – the development team didn’t create an extensive back-story or setting. There is some particularly gorgeous sci-fi artwork on the Threat cards. For the most part, it’s perfectly functional. This is important…

Gameplay: (Where no one has gone before…)
Game play is the game’s main appeal and challenge. So, let me see if I can demystify it a bit.

The game board is a spaceship (the “Sitting Duck”) and players are its crew.
There are two major phases of the game, the “Action Phase” which happens in “real time,” And the “Resolution Phase” when you see how your choices play out.

First, the “Action Phase.” In a nutshell, players start a CD soundtrack of a 10-minute space flight. The soundtrack plays a sort of ship’s computer voice announcing events: alien threats, chances to draw cards and especially when to start and end phases. During these 10 minutes, players program 12 actions for the entire spaceflight. The cool (and tension filled) part is everything happens simultaneously. As an action, players can, move about the ship and press systems buttons (A, B and C) that activate weapons, shields and power reactors and other cool spaceship stuff. Why are you all doing this? Survival. During this 10-minute soundtrack, alien threats appear very quickly to destroy your ship. If your ship takes too many hits… space dust. Survive and you win. See… easy!

Then the “Resolution Phase.” When the soundtrack ends and all the players have placed 12 action cards on their panels. Then the space flight is played out again, but in a slow, organized order using a Mission Steps Board. Players reveal their actions in player order and see how they resolve.

The mechanics for recreating a dangerous space flight – being forced to make decisions in a split second, then “rewinding and seeing what your actions have wrought ” are ingenious and irresistible.

Value: (Deep immersion for the Dollar)
At $59.99 the game is a great value and if you crave adventure and a unique game experience, you wont be disappointed. It’s out of print right now so copies are a bit pricier. ($90 or so) If you can find it for under $70… purchase it. Otherwise there may be a reprint? (Although there is currently an expansion: Space Alert: The New Frontier).

Audience: (Adventure seekers wanted!)
Avid and Power gamers will enjoy the feeling of being truly tested by a game. Casual players can enjoy it if they have the patience and friends to get through the first two simulations. The game does focus on organized and logical strategy so Strategic players may enjoy it as well. It is a truly challenging game, so those who see failure as a “growth experience” will enjoy this game.

Instructions (Effective and entertaining)
The instructions for Space Alert come in two parts: the rule book and a “How to become a Space Explorer Handbook.” You cannot learn the game from the rulebook. The “handbook” is necessary and if you have a group of players willing to walk through the first few simulations, reading through every page as you go, you will learn the game with ease – and be entertained as you do. The handbook is narrated by a sort of flight instructor who walks you through every step of the game. Again it takes patience – but you must learn this game by playing.

Overall Review: (Frantic, fantastic fun)
I love games that offer deep immersion and something different. This game is a blast, but it does come with challenges.

This game tests ones ability to think quickly and cooperate effectively. Communication is everything. It can bring out the best, and worst in people. If played with a group of players that doesn’t get along, things wont go well. At it’s most basic; it’s a test of logical thinking. The amazing part is, the game asks players to think logically and clearly in a timed situation. The real-time Action round is exhilarating – but some folks just don’t like having their feet in the fire.

In my games, we replayed each simulation – learning from our mistakes and trying to anticipate the dangers and…wait for it…we were overwhelmingly successful.

So, you see? Space flight can be fun! If you find the thought of boarding a space ship and exploring the vast unknown as irresistible as I do, suit up! If you’re like me, you won’t want to disembark.

You’re on a ship, charting an unknown region. You only need to survive 10 minutes. There’s a good chance your team doesn’t make it, unless you can work together. Not only do I feel Space Alert is a great cooperative game, it’s one of the best board gaming experiences out there.

General Game Overview

Space Alert is a fully cooperative game (no traitors or hidden agendas) where everyone wins as a team. Gameplay takes only 10 minutes, enforced by an audio file that is played along with the game. During these very tense 10 minutes, the group will attempt to repel attacks and protect the ship. Players move around and interact with the game through cards, playing one per phase (12 total). Unlike most games, you don’t move your character around and take actions one at a time, instead, you set all of your actions over the 10 minutes of playtime, and then go through a Resolution Round to find out what happened. If you’ve limited damage to the ship, the team will win. Even when you lose, the experience can be very enjoyable.

Learning the Game

As with many of Vlaada Chvatil’s games (Galaxy Trucker, Dungeon Lords, Dungeon Petz, Mage Knight: The Board Game, and others) Space Alert has different levels of play, helping your learn the game in steps. It is difficult to jump into a full game with new players as the basics of playing the game, while not difficult, are better experienced than simply explained. As a training mission only takes 7 minutes, it’s often quicker to play through an entire round, showing how the game works, than it is to try and explain all of the rules. For a recommendation on what rules to introduce when, check out the “Game Tips” tab.

Game Play

NOTE: Space Alert generally requires a bit more pre-planning than other games, due to the need to play an audio CD. There are cards that can be used instead with someone reading prompts, but I wouldn’t recommend this method. Smartphone versions also exist.

At the start of a game the players will sit around a board depicting your ship. This ship is split into 6 sections (an upper and lower level each having three section, Red, White, and Blue). Each player will be dealt cards that will be used to denote their actions. These cards have a movement on the top, and an action on the bottom. When playing a card, the orientation you use shows whether you’ll be using it for its movement or action half. There will be 12 total actions taken per player (fewer in training missions). The set of actions are straightforward, movement is up/down/left/right, and actions are generally letters, A, B, and C (for the full game, some cards also show battlebots).

Each playing consists of two rounds, the Action Round, and the Resolution Round. The CD portion is the Action Round, where cards (and in essence, the game) will be played. Once these 10 minutes are up, you’re locked in, and the Resolution Round is used to find out how you did, no new decisions are made.

As the CD plays in the Action Round, threats will be announced as “T plus X” where X is from 1 to 8. This number tells you the phase in which that threat will appear. Generally, threats attack a given colored section of the ship (they come in on the left, middle, or right). The players will be playing their cards to attempt to deal with these threats. Much of the replayability of the game comes from these threats. They are drawn from a deck of cards, and varying difficulties can be chosen (External and Internal, Common and Serious).

Different sections of the ship have different abilities, based on which action letter is played. In general:

A = weapons
B = energy/shields
C = specialty action

To use most of the weapons (especially along the top level), energy will be needed. Energy is drawn from reactors on the lower level. If at any time a card is played that requires energy, and no energy is available, the action does not occur.

The lower level is primarily concerned with energy management. The lower-middle section has a reactor that can produce energy by feeding in fuel rods, though only a limited number exist. The left and right sections can then have energy drawn to them (by playing the B action in those sections).

This is where the teamwork aspect is vitally important in Space Alert. There are 6 sections. Energy needs to be moved around, weapons need to be fired, shields need to be charged, and since actions happen as specific times, everyone needs to stay in sync with each other. For instance, if one player wants to fire a laser cannon in Phase 4, but energy won’t be available until Phase 5, nothing will happen. In this way, the game plays out in real time.

While the players are setting their cards, enemies will advance. Most enemies (denoted by cards) have a speed that they will move with each phase. Tracks of varying number of spaces are setup at the start of each game, one for each colored section of the ship. When an enemy arrives, they start at the far end of this track, and move towards the ship. The tracks also have letters (X, Y, Z) at different distances. When an enemy passes one of these letters, they will attack based on their special abilities for that letter. Sometimes they do damage to a section, other times they change tactics. It’s yet another variable the players will need to keep track of, knowing when and where an enemy will exist.

Following the Action Round, player’s blood pressure returns to normal, while the cards are resolved one at a time. Enemies appear and move as indicated by their abilities, and players move their pieces around the board, and take the actions depicted on their cards. Again, you make no decisions at this point, you are simply findinng how things actually played out.

If, at the end of the Resolution Round, no single section has taken more than 6 points of damage, you have survived the round. If a section takes more than 6 points, the ship is considered destroyed. A score can be determined based on enemies faced and damage taken.

My Thoughts

I don’t think a block of text describing the game play can adequately get across the “feel” of this game. It is unlike any other game I’ve played. What Vlaada has managed is a game where cooperation is absolutely key to the players winning. With 6 sections to interact with (and at most 5 players), players must communicate to win. The real time aspect of the game will ensure players can’t go off on their own and expect positive results.

Each action in the game depends on other actions having previously been taken. In some ways, this game is very unforgiving as one misstep can doom a mission. Players must be able to think and act quickly and decisively. The entire game will play out over 10 minutes; it is not possible for a player to take 5 minutes thinking through their move. It is amazing how quickly it feels those 10 minutes have passed.

This is the best part of the game design. Not only is there tension and teamwork, but even when things go poorly (which they often will), you’ve only spent ~20 minutes (including setup and resolution). Space Alert packs in more decision and game play fun into those 20 minutes than any other game I can think of. The game is always moving, always evolving.

One note I find important in any cooperative game is how it reacts to an “alpha-bully”, the type of person that tells everyone what to do, converting a coop to a solo game with an audience. From my experience, Space Alert suffers less from this problem than any other coop, precisely because there is so much going on that one person can’t take over. If you are an “alpha-bully” type player, this game will likely be very frustrating, as it truly depends on each person carrying their weight and timing their play for the team to win.

I would highly recommend this game to anyone that wants a fast paced game that gets your blood pumping and adrenaline racing. There are so many pieces to the game that make it great. Different levels of threats, changing tactics of enemies, intruders that require battlebots to deal with, damage that weakens your weapons and defenses, and more.

When taught correctly, casual gamers should have no problem picking up the basics. It may be a bit much for all but the most expert family gamers. It is very much a social game, due to the teamwork and discussion aspect, but requires intense concentration on the game while playing, keeping it from being an instant recommendation for social gamers who like to use games as a part of their evening.

Where Space Alert shines is for the avid, strategy, and power gamers who want to work as a team. Though starting with rather easy training missions, it is easy to control the difficulty based on the types of threats used.

Should you enjoy the game and want more, an expansion exists that will test even the most battle hardened Space Alert veterans.

Space Alert is a game I believe any self-described gamer should try at least once, the experience is a fantastic departure from typical boardgames. It is intense, it is unforgiving, and it is one of the great entries in any boardgame genre.

This game is pretty much unique among boardgames. It plays for exactly ten minutes, and leaves you with your heart pounding. Cooperative play at its finest, this game prevent excessive coordination with its strict time limit, forcing your team to try and communicate during distractions in order to ensure the entire teams survival. Hilarious consequences nearly always result, and things rarely go as predicted. By far my personal favorite cooperative game, and darn close to my favorite game of any category.