- Publisher : Matagot
- Designer(s) : Dennis K. Chan
- Artist(s) : Franz Vohwinkel
- Players : 2–4
- Playing time : 60–120 Min
- Weight BGG : 3.13
What's this?
Beyond the sun is a game in which players collectively decide the technological progress of humanity at the dawn of the Space Age, while competing to become the dominant faction in economic development, science and technology. ‘galactic influence.
How do you play?
➡️On their turn, the players move their action token to an empty action space and then perform this action.
There are different actions such as: researching technologies, building ships, gaining rewards. ores and population, automate food and ore production, upgrade ships, perform hyperspace jumps, colonize a system, etc.
➡️Next, they move on to their production phase, either producing ore, growing their population, or trading one of these resources for another. Finally, they can claim up to one objective, if possible.
As players act, they research new technologies divided into four levels. Each technology belongs to one of four types (scientific, economic, military, commercial), and higher-level technologies must correspond to one of the technology types preceding them.
Thus, Players create their own technology tree each game, using these actions to strengthen their military power, explore different habitable exoplanetary systems, colonize these systems, increase their resource production, develop different technologies.
The game takes place over a varying number of rounds until a certain number of end-game objectives are collectively claimed by players.
Is it good?
Beyond the Sun is an excellent game, with a very original worker placement mechanic, using the locations of the technology trees to unlock from left to right. Actions become more powerful or entirely different as players progress through these tech trees.
Furthermore, all these technologies are common to all players. Thus, it is the players who create a path of action by unlocking the chosen technologies, which offers an interesting renewal in each game.
Resource management is also interesting with the use of dice representing either the population or ships of different powers, thus requiring strategic choices. In addition, ores must be collected in quantity to progress on technologies.
The board of systems and planets where you must be in the majority to control them or have sufficient military power to colonize them is simple but effective. Beyond the Sun stands out for its lack of unnecessary rules and mechanics, providing a smooth and clean experience, while offering something new and interesting in the gaming world.
To support the site, purchase the game here:
Review Beyond the sun
Positives
- Managing resource dice
- Original mechanics with the technology tree
- Sufficient interaction between players
- good replayability
Negatives
- A rather cold theme
- The price
Breakdown
- Components and illustrations 7.5
- Mechanics 9.0
- Theme 7.0
- Replayability 9.5
- Handling 9.5
- Interaction 9.5
- Originality 10.0
