- Publisher : Matagot
- Designer(s) : Bruno Cathala, Bruno Faidutti
- Artist(s) : Andrew Bosley, Samuel R. Shimota, Alyn Spiller, Derek Stenning
- Players : 2–6
- Playing time : 45–90 Min
- Weight BGG : 2.21
What's this?
Send astronauts, occupy resource-rich areas, and leverage your characters’ unique abilities to become the most successful company. The game combines territorial control, secret programming, and bluffing in dynamic games that keep you on the edge of your seat until the final round.
How do you play?
A game takes place over 10 rounds , each divided into several phases.
1. Character selection
Each player has the same set of 9 Character cards . Each turn, everyone secretly chooses one and reveals it simultaneously. Each character has a special power (sending astronauts, sabotaging a rocket, moving troops already in place, changing the launch order of rockets, etc.).
2. Resolution of actions
In ascending order of characters played (numbered 1 to 9), players apply the effects. This can allow:
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Send astronauts into rockets waiting for takeoff.
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Launch a rocket to a specific region of Mars.
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Influence the board (reorganize troops, sabotage enemy plans, collect bonuses).
3. Rocket takeoff
When a rocket is complete, it takes off immediately and its astronauts will occupy an area of Mars .
4. Counting and Events
At the end of rounds 5, 8, and 10, a majority count takes place. Each region reports its resources to the majority company. Secret events , revealed during the game, can also change the value of territories or introduce new scoring conditions.
In summary: you have to plan, bluff and anticipate your opponent’s moves , while adapting your strategy to the twists and turns.
Is it good?
Mission: Red Planet is a majority-based board game that skillfully combines planning, backstabbing, bluffing, and opportunism .
Interaction between players is omnipresent and often chaotic. Indeed, you never know which Character card your opponents will play. A real psychological game is set up: you have to try to imagine the future choices of others, anticipate their reactions and sometimes outwit them. The players are constantly observing each other, and the secret character selection system is the heart of the game. It generates permanent tension , punctuated by numerous twists and turns. It is a game where dirty tricks are commonplace, and where you take as much pleasure in sabotaging your opponent’s plans as in planning your own. It is quite possible to find yourself in a situation where you think you have the advantage, but where everything can be swept away by a bluff: destroying a rocket, changing your route… not to mention the Event cards, revealed at the end of the game, which can redistribute everything.
If there was one thing that some people might not like, it would be the lack of long-term strategic depth . The game is primarily focused on immediate tactics: it’s difficult to plan several turns in advance, as the situation can change dramatically in an instant.
Dirty tricks and chaos are common: sabotage, last-minute majority grabs, hijacked rockets… This makes the game particularly enjoyable for 4 players . On the other hand, it works poorly with two players, and can sometimes suffer from minor readability issues, without this really detracting from the fun of the game.
In conclusion, if you like games of majority, bluffing and intense interaction, where betrayals and surprises are part of the fun, then Mission: Red Planet is for you.
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My review of Mission: Red Planet
Positives
- Strong and ubiquitous interaction
- Secret Character Selection Mechanic
- Games full of twists and turns
- Ideal for 4 players
- An accessible game
Negatives
- Little long-term strategic depth
- Strong share of chaos and opportunism
- Less interesting with 2 players
