A sensational origins
Terraformic Mars is a phenomenon for me. At the first contact – ugly and ill-considered graphics on the cards, icons that do not match the theme and the lack of any sensible molding for components. The rest is on the plus side – a great background, a million cards, rules that are brilliant in their simplicity and one of the most mechanically pleasant games that I can play anytime and anywhere. A number of smaller and larger additions allowed to expand the title in the preferred direction and enjoy even more cards and additional boards. In addition to them, a Big Storage Box was also created , which not only organizes everything, but also contains three-dimensional elements that add even more atmosphere to the game.
And suddenly an announcement – a standalone game based on one of my favorite board games. Despite the great joy and anticipation, the question came to the fore: will it not be a spectacular flap, which, drawing an idea from the older brother, will spoil his image?
You can’t fool genes
The Ares Expedition comes in a smaller box, but the cover art isn’t going to go wrong with any other game, as the font and name directly refer to a large Terraformation . The graphic layer has gained, because the pictures used are definitely nicer. The icons remain the same, so fans of the previous title will find themselves immediately in the markings, while their location on the cards seems to be more orderly and aesthetic. A big advantage is the use of boards with recesses for cubes, thanks to which they will not move.
The theme has not changed as well – we manage interplanetary corporations and build our engine, thanks to which our production will increase. Of course, the mission on Mars also serves the same purpose as before. Changing the climatic conditions (oxygen, ratings and temperature) on the red planet will end the game.
The mechanics themselves remained the same – we are increasing production, we have a large deck of over two hundred cards and terraformation factors to increase. The biggest novelty is the way you choose and execute actions. We cannot use everything the game has to offer as long as our mega-credits allow us to do so. This time we have very limited options.
Each player has five action tiles, and must secretly choose one and reveal it simultaneously with the rest of the players. They are numbered and always considered in the same order (development, construction, action, production, research). The person who chooses the action may benefit from the bonus described on the card, and the basic phase is performed by everyone. In addition, you cannot play the same tile twice in a row, but if others just repeat our choice in the next round, we will be able to use it as well.
What are our options? Play a green (production), red (immediate), or blue (permanent effects and actions) card, use actions from projects already placed or use standard projects, start production according to their level on the board, or draw cards.
Once the maximum three terraforming stats are reached, the game ends and the person with the most points wins.
Mars or Ares?
Definitely Mars. Seizing the next hexes on the board is a great pleasure, which, unfortunately, the players are now deprived of. Like grand plans to take over the planet with countless actions in any order. The interaction has been moved to a different part of the mechanics. In the large Terraforma , where we would build the forest and city was crucial as it allowed them to block out others, take their land benefits and score points in the end, and destroying resources with cards was the icing on the cake. The race for titles and awards was also important, and they got rid of them altogether. On the other hand, in the Ares ExpeditionI paid most attention to my teammates, trying to predict which tile they would choose, because doubling it means that in a given round we have even fewer actions to perform, and there are still so few of them. And it was very frustrating for me to play the same card, because I had to move my plans to the next round again.
What has definitely been improved is the appearance, which I mentioned above. Maybe if the original’s success had been predicted in the beginning, it would have been released in a more thoughtful way as well. It’s nice to look at the orderly markings of the cards, the sensibly separated phases in which they can be used, and the boards that prevent the dice from moving around.
However, I have the impression that someone took a not-so-nice, but nonetheless eye-catching and classy car, stated that he would tweak the parts under the hood a little, then decided that the guts alone would be enough and got rid of the rest of the car. The atmosphere of Terraformation was taken from her, and the mechanics were slightly tweaked, which destroyed the balance, which gave such a great pleasure to the game in the original.
Has the Ares Expedition failed? Not completely. It had a very difficult task because it is not rated as a separate title, but compared to the previous one, which it has no chance against, at least on my table. However, if I were to rate it as a separate game, I’d like it a lot more, as there’s no denying it’s a decent card game. New players will definitely appreciate it more, as well as those who wanted something shorter, simpler and prettier.
Additions have already been announced, which will surely confuse the mechanics of the base. I hope they improve this card game so that I can put it together with a large Terraformation without hesitation . Therefore, for now, the box is left with me, and although it will not be pulled out as often as my older brother, I give him a chance to improve with the upcoming extensions.
