Alien Uprising

Enough of my personal life: back to board games.

What do I think about Alien Uprising?
It's not a Castle Panic game. Well it is, but it's so far different that I like it better.
I'm starting with the age: 14+ makes sense because there is so much going on in this game, it is the main reason many adults don't like it. That being said, it is a cooperative game, so I reckon kids could play it with adults, but they may get bored.
On to game play. Once all players are familiar with the game, it goes smooth. Smooth enough that 90-120 minutes is enough time to play the game. The game can be played with less player, 1 or 2, however the players will be playing more than one crewman: 3-5 Crew for a 1-player game or 2 Crew each for a 2-player game. otherwise, nothing changes about game play for rules.
Content. Setup takes a bit, as in 15-20 minutes. It is a good game to prep before everyone is ready to play so that people are not getting bored waiting to play.
Cooperative game skill. Like most cooperative games, it is impossible to win; or so it seems. Like all cooperative games, the game is in favour of beating the players and the players need to use all their strategy, wits, and a bit of luck to beat the game.
The Alien Troops cards may a rescue ship icon. This icon will ONLY move the rescue ship IF they players have found AND repaired the homing beacon, otherwise, this bonus is lost and the game is more difficult. But without finding 5 out of the 6 Hull Plating, an energy crystal and repairing the ship, you're not flying out of there.
This game is fun, but as with many cooperative games can be frustrating at the end. You're about to win then the game says no and swoops in for the kill.
The combat mechanics are simple: higher roll causes wounds, defender wins ties. All aliens have 1 or 2 health; the Crewmen have 7-9 each I believe.
This game, definitely has you scrambling around since all the debris tokens are face down, you have no idea where the beacon or hull plating are, with the chance that a couple are hiding aliens.

I like the game. I would like to play it more often, but not many people enjoy a difficult cooperative.

"Captain's Log Entry: 7790.2
We have crash landed on Tempus III due to an unexpected engine failure. The Landing was rough, but through our pilot's considerable flying skills we landed in one piece. There appears to be some damage to the ship's hull and electrical systems. My crew has suffered only minor wounds.

Considering how bad the environment is, I expected things to be much worse. our science officer has informed me that tensions have been high with the Zothran for quite some time now and that the new mining explorations on Khands IV accidentally drilled into a Zothran hive nursery. Driving things to a boiling point. The "Bugs" will likely be hostile towards us given the situation on Khands IV, and our sudden and unannounced arrival.

I have given orders to activate the intergalactic distress beacon and to set up mobile defensive shields. Long range sensors show Zothran scouts have already been spotted on one of the dine cliffs above the ship. Their numbers will likely be multiplying very soon.

We are sending an away team to investigate the crash site and assess the damages. With any luck, maybe our engineer can try to get the engines back online and get us off this rock. The situation does not look good, and I fear that we may all be veterans before this day is done...providing we live that long.

Jake Comet - Ship Captain" -Intro from Rules-

According to the box: the game is played with 3-5 players, in 90+ minutes, and for ages 14+.

Each player starts with:
A Crewman Card, the Crewman Skill Deck (draw 3), a crewman figurine with a coloured base, Starting Item Cards as noted on the Crewman Card, one (1) health token, a number of status tokens as required by items, and then select first player.

The rest of the set up is next:
Set up the shields within the 4 quadrants
Place all 20 ship debris tokens face-down.
Place 2 Alien tokens in each quadrant according to alien abilities.
Shuffle the Event Cards, Gestations Cards, Alien Troops Cards, and remaining item cards.
Set up the Alien Gestation Track, the Rescue Track, and the remaining ship part boards tot he side face down.

Now to start the game.

1. The Event Phase
   First player draws an event card and its effects are resolved.

2. The Crewman Actions Phase
   a. Each crewman selects which item cards to use based on the number of h ands required; you only have 2 hands.
   b. The "First" player rolls all red dice. They are rolled like Yahtzee; you have 2 re-rolls. If the players rolls 3 of a kind in any of the first to rolls, they may then add the 2 blue bonus dice for their following roll(s).
   b1. Die Results
   -Gun: attack aliens
   -Wrench: Repair; ships parts or shields
   -Lightning: Reload/Recharge weapons/items
   -Goggles: Scout; reveal one debris token
   -Ship: Wild; select action
   -Cross: Heal wounds
   -Alien Head: immediately place one alien token in any area; may not be re-rolled on third roll.
   c. In turn order, each Crewman selects one die for their action(s). Some may end up with 2.
   d. Perform actions. In addition to your die action, a Crewman may also move up to four (4) spaces on the board. The movement ends upon performing an action. You may use your action die to move a second time or to reveal and pick up a debris token instead of the normal action for the die.

3. The Aliens Action Phase
   a. The first player reveals an alien Troops card and adds aliens and performs any other actions required by the card.
   b. Aliens attack Crewman in the same zone, the shields, or move.

4. The Planet Phase
   a. Resolve Event Tokens (possibly drawn in 3a).
   b. If the Gestation track has reached '4' draw an Alien Gestation card.
   c. Pass the First Player token
   d.If Allie Blade's Ghost Armour was used, she reappears now.

The game can end in 4.5 ways:

1. If aliens enter the ship and no Crewman is present; the ships blows up and the aliens win.
2. If a Gestation Card is required to be drawn and there is none to draw; the aliens win.
   2a. This can be brought upon a Crewman's health reaches '0'; a Gestation Card is drawn and if none; aliens win.
3. If the ship is repaired, powered, and all crew are on board; the players win.
4. If the rescue ship makes it to the end of its track; the players win.