There can be only one king of the undersea world – review of the board game “Conspiracy: The Abyss Universe”

Bruno Cathala is the author of many great books. Is the  Conspiracy , set in the world known from the Abyss board game  , as good as other titles by this author?

Building a coalition

Principles of the Conspiracycan be explained in minutes. Because on their turn, players only draw Lord cards. They can take up to three cards face down from the deck and choose one (discard the rest face up) or take all undersea individuals of the same color. Then, from the acquired members of one of the five factions, an inverted pyramid is built. Each card has its own value and an additional effect. For example, a key needed to obtain a location in one of the two colors or a pearl. Some lords allow us to influence the layout of the pyramid, and the most valuable ones help our rivals a little. How to win? You need to get more VPs, and you can get them in four ways. First, the person with the most pearls scores five points. Secondly, we pay attention to the most valuable lord in each of the colors. Finally, coalitions and seat cards also bring us VPs. In the first case, the largest group of undersea creatures counts, multiplied by three. On the other hand, locations are acquired with the help of keys (two of the same color allow us to draw a location card). They score in various ways, such as pearls or cards of a certain color. Sometimes they also have a passive effect or force their rivals to behave in a specific way. The game ends when someone creates a pyramid of fifteen cards. And that’s basically it. The game ends when someone creates a pyramid of fifteen cards. And that’s basically it. The game ends when someone creates a pyramid of fifteen cards. And that’s basically it.

The fight for pearls

I had some doubts about this item after reading the manual. I thought the gameplay would be bland. Meanwhile, each game was addictive. There are not a lot of decisions here, but thanks to this, the game does not last long, and you can even figure it out a bit and try some tactics. Admittedly, not all ways of earning points are equally beneficial. For example, fighting for pearls for 5 VPs does not seem like a profitable investment. And the formation of coalitions or points for the most valuable lords of each color are gained involuntarily. I have the impression that the most interesting element are places, because they can strongly influence our strategy. Theoretically, it is worth fighting in every possible way, but it does not change the fact that locations can generate the most VPs. Is this a serious drawback? I think not, it’s just worth looking at your rivals’ hands and steal their tasty morsels. The best thing is that even if we are very unlucky, we will always draw something from these cards and collect some points. For example, even if the Lord’s ability is of no use to us, he can always be used to enlarge the dinner. As for scaling, it’s worth noting that with four players, almost all Lord cards will come into play, so we know what to expect and can hunt down specific inhabitants of the undersea depths. It should also be borne in mind that the full composition that with four players, almost all Lord cards will enter the game, so we know what to expect and can hunt specific inhabitants of the undersea depths. It should also be borne in mind that the full composition that with four players, almost all Lord cards will enter the game, so we know what to expect and can hunt specific inhabitants of the undersea depths. It should also be borne in mind that the full compositionThe conspiracy takes up a lot of table space.

The beauty of the underwater abyss

I must admit that the game captivated me primarily with its appearance. First of all, there is not even one word on the cover, there is only an atmospheric picture. Second, instead of the standard box, we have a small metal can. Third, I appreciate the beautiful illustrations. Indeed, the undersea depths look brilliant. And although each location is different, unfortunately the graphics of the lords are repeated. Additionally, it’s a pity that the cards aren’t a bit thicker. Despite these minor drawbacks, I would not regret the money spent on this inconspicuous can.

Is it worth plunging into this universe?

Definitely yes. Although Conspiracy is not a revolutionary game, you can spend many enjoyable moments with it. There are some interesting decisions to make here. Even if we want to draw more cards to have a lot to choose from, and thus give more options to our opponents. Add to that four ways to earn Victory Points, and thus we gain a quite repeatable and addictive position. Another advantage is, of course, the graphic design and performance. Well, I can say more, Conspiracy is a great title that I recommend you test.