We played Cosmic Encounter at Compulsory Merriment this week, which is a game of conquering the galaxy on behalf of your alien race! Each player starts with 5 home planets and 20 star ships. The objective is to colonize 5 of somebody else’s planets using battle, negotiation and diplomacy. Each player represents an alien race with special powers to help the quest.
In our game, Mandi gave a whole new meaning to the term, “asymmetrical player powers.” She had an unbeatable battle card, and her special power was that she never had to discard it, so Chris and I just lined up to take our beatings on every turn. I started calling her, “The Borg,” and muttering, “you will be assimilated.” But the game isn’t always like this!
There are lots and lots of different aliens, gadgets and tricks in the base game plus there’s a ton of expansions with even more tools to save you from the likes of Mandi. Cosmic Encounter is an easy to learn, hard to master, game for anyone who likes their strategy battles with a side of chaos and humor.
60-120 minutes playtime, 3-5 players, Ages 12+