I could not disagree more! I think this expansion absolutely elevates the experience and provides a really fun twist on the game. The biggest thing I think this does is make Ares Expedition an absolutely phenomenal solo game. The solo mode in base Ares Expedition (as well as original Terraforming Mars) provides no benefit to victory point producing cards (which made quite a few cards absolute dead weight in solo). This expansion provides a really interesting use for victory points that I am surprised was not mentioned in this review. It allows you a lot more freedom in the solo mode to play how you want in building your engine an interesting ways. The expansion makes a great game into an absolutely perfect solo game in my opinion. Different strokes for different folks! Curious how Mike Delisio would enjoy it solo.
Technically the VP in the original solo mode(s) is for high scoring, but winning the game is so difficult unless you are experienced that the VP is an afterthought. Heck, I still lose half the time which is why I pretty much solo the original only via the App (which I do not play as well as OTB). Personally, I find TM:AE underwhelming/derivative vs. the original other than fixing the art and "card quality" (though my wife prefers TM:AE). I agree that if you want a co-op or solo experience, Crisis elevates the game into basically having a second different game in the box. (Also, most of the time when you are losing it's cascading so fast you can safely reset early.) My only complaint of Crisis is, because I didn't spring for the second set of cards - seemed wasteful, woudln't have fit easily sleeved in my insert anyway - setting up between the two games can be tedious, while playing with discarding requires all players to be familiar with the rules. Definite a bright spot in TM:AE "saga"
This expansion is the only reason that Ares Expedition is still in my collection. If I want to play Terraforming Mars normally I'll just...play Terraforming Mars...but Crisis changes up the gameplay in a way that is meaningful, thematic (the feeling of putting out fires [saving the planet from total annihilation] adds real pressure), and enjoyable. It's a good cooperative puzzle that is not TM, but that's good because I didn't want Ares to be TM, I wanted it to be in the world of TM and Crisis really does that for me.
Wow, I got to try Crisis and it might be the reason why I'll purchase the base game. I've heard a lot of similar opinions as well. A fantastic expansion!
As a solo player, Crisis is a neat addition. I got a bit bored of solo base game and this is a really neat twist (I love Spirit Island, Atlantis Rising etc solo and it sort of has a similar vibe in terms of staving off disaster etc). I wonder if solo is where this will really shine? Haven't yet played this multiplayer.
Do you think your opinion would change if you were a mostly solo gamer with a limited collection who already owns Ares Expedition? Could this help expand that collection at limited cost without increasing shelf space used?
Yes! This expansion thrives in solo and unfortunately the Yi’s didn’t touch on that at all in their review. It turns a fine enough solo game into a top tier one. I can’t recommend it enough in your circumstances.
This expansion fleshed out the solo mode nicely, which was a pretty weak variant in the base game. Personally, if I'm playing Ares multiplayer, I'm playing competitive. If I'm playing Solo I'm playing Crisis every time.
I can see every issue that you have with the game, but I enjoy it quite a bit. I like that it is a completely different game from the base game or the other two expansions. In fact, this is my favorite one of the three.
Sounds like Wendy and Chris really missed the point of what the expansion was trying to do, I've only heard great things about it. Sometimes expectations are a downfall.
I also disagree, but understand where you two are coming from, if you had trouble building engine, that would be frustrating, luckily we haven’t had that yet. I would say we really didn’t like the previous coop version for it, so this a welcome addition
I feel some of the objections you have with the game were designed that way on purpose. Yes it does not give you the freedom to built an engine your way...because the crises get in the way. To me that makes sense. Anywho that does not make your opinions less valid, but to me this is a 7/10. Pretty fun now and then.
I think the expansion is ok, not great. It really forces the player to rely on small cost cards more often than not and I found myself using the 3. action card more than the original area expedition base game. It’s a bit too difficult for what it really is. Ares Expedition seems to be a LOT more forgiving and allows the players time to really develop their city. I think one idea I’m going to use is after mars is terraformed then, with the cards already bought play through crisis mode so it’s not as tough
I felt the same about this expansion module, it was too hard the second any one metric fell we could never recover. Especially at the end we never had enough resources to recover when the really bad cards flipped over. I was looking forward to this during the Kickstarter but I don't think I will ever play it again cooperatively.
So they release Turmoil for Ares too... As in limiting what you want to do instead of offering you more options. In an engine building game like this it is not fun and it detracts from the good aspects of the game.
completely disagree with this review. I feel like we played completely different games. Its super fun, hard but not brutal, I lik having to adapt to challenges.
Completely agree. Played it and originally loved it. 5 plays in and you realis this turns a cool tableau/engine builder into a put out the fire game. The core game excelled at building wild combos and building up lots of science or tonnes of steel. Delving deep into one or two areas to leverage and advantage and do cool things. This coop mode necessitates you keep one of every type of card possible in hand to be able to deal with the crisis. So you need, earth and science and green and blue and steel. No longer do I keep the cool cards for my engine. I keep a bit of everything even if I hate the card effect just for a tag. Really weakens the core gameplay for the sake of the crisis cards and I think it makes for a worse game overall
Only played this once so far and am not very eager to return; it ended up being a boring slog for the last hour (of 3). That was my single biggest problem: it extended the length of the game by double. We were victims of our own success perhaps; our engines were so good that it became obvious pretty early on that all crises the game threw at us would be easily mitigated the last, seemingly endless turns were just a boring grind. I'm a massive fan of the base game- in my top 5 all time- but I'd have to be persuaded to return to the coop mode. It just wasn't fun. And long. And long. And long....
I should add that I like the two other new expansions and a quick note to Chris; the recommend that you only play with infrastructure in a 5-6 player game is spot on wrong. It works great at 2, 3, and 4 as well. I am flummoxed as to why they recommended that at all. Adding a dummy phase card deck also helps move the game along, mitigating the extended length considerably.
Looks like a worse version of Helionox, Mistorn/New Angeles. Helionox is so much fun that I just can't see myself wanting to add this to my already fun game Ares Expedition. I thought it would add excitement...sounds like instead it just adds stress. The whole thing with adding difficulty is that you have to also add power, so that you feel like a powerful hero fighting a crisis, not an overwhelmed small-time beaurocrat getting crushed by problems too big for you.
I could not disagree more! I think this expansion absolutely elevates the experience and provides a really fun twist on the game. The biggest thing I think this does is make Ares Expedition an absolutely phenomenal solo game. The solo mode in base Ares Expedition (as well as original Terraforming Mars) provides no benefit to victory point producing cards (which made quite a few cards absolute dead weight in solo). This expansion provides a really interesting use for victory points that I am surprised was not mentioned in this review. It allows you a lot more freedom in the solo mode to play how you want in building your engine an interesting ways. The expansion makes a great game into an absolutely perfect solo game in my opinion. Different strokes for different folks! Curious how Mike Delisio would enjoy it solo.
yeah I don't understand how they disliked it this much. Spirit island, a game I love is way fiddlier and harder to an unfair point sometimes
Technically the VP in the original solo mode(s) is for high scoring, but winning the game is so difficult unless you are experienced that the VP is an afterthought. Heck, I still lose half the time which is why I pretty much solo the original only via the App (which I do not play as well as OTB).
Personally, I find TM:AE underwhelming/derivative vs. the original other than fixing the art and "card quality" (though my wife prefers TM:AE). I agree that if you want a co-op or solo experience, Crisis elevates the game into basically having a second different game in the box. (Also, most of the time when you are losing it's cascading so fast you can safely reset early.)
My only complaint of Crisis is, because I didn't spring for the second set of cards - seemed wasteful, woudln't have fit easily sleeved in my insert anyway - setting up between the two games can be tedious, while playing with discarding requires all players to be familiar with the rules. Definite a bright spot in TM:AE "saga"
This expansion is the only reason that Ares Expedition is still in my collection. If I want to play Terraforming Mars normally I'll just...play Terraforming Mars...but Crisis changes up the gameplay in a way that is meaningful, thematic (the feeling of putting out fires [saving the planet from total annihilation] adds real pressure), and enjoyable. It's a good cooperative puzzle that is not TM, but that's good because I didn't want Ares to be TM, I wanted it to be in the world of TM and Crisis really does that for me.
Wow, I got to try Crisis and it might be the reason why I'll purchase the base game. I've heard a lot of similar opinions as well. A fantastic expansion!
As a solo player, Crisis is a neat addition. I got a bit bored of solo base game and this is a really neat twist (I love Spirit Island, Atlantis Rising etc solo and it sort of has a similar vibe in terms of staving off disaster etc). I wonder if solo is where this will really shine? Haven't yet played this multiplayer.
Do you think your opinion would change if you were a mostly solo gamer with a limited collection who already owns Ares Expedition? Could this help expand that collection at limited cost without increasing shelf space used?
The solo mode in the basic game was good enough, I think. Though I like original Terraforming Mars solo even more.
Yes! This expansion thrives in solo and unfortunately the Yi’s didn’t touch on that at all in their review. It turns a fine enough solo game into a top tier one. I can’t recommend it enough in your circumstances.
Thank you Chris and Matt both for your opinions.
its fantastic
Anything that elevates a solo mode, or add one, nowadays is a must-buy. Shame this wasn't mentioned in the review.
This expansion fleshed out the solo mode nicely, which was a pretty weak variant in the base game. Personally, if I'm playing Ares multiplayer, I'm playing competitive. If I'm playing Solo I'm playing Crisis every time.
I can see every issue that you have with the game, but I enjoy it quite a bit. I like that it is a completely different game from the base game or the other two expansions. In fact, this is my favorite one of the three.
I completely disagree. This gets an 8/10 for me and will be on my top expansions for the year. I love it!
Great specific critique, thank you! 👍
Wow I thought it was pretty fun and a nice way to mix up the system
Sounds like it is very thematic: the degradation has a runaway effect. That doesn’t mean it fun, but sounds very realistic
Sounds like Wendy and Chris really missed the point of what the expansion was trying to do, I've only heard great things about it. Sometimes expectations are a downfall.
I also disagree, but understand where you two are coming from, if you had trouble building engine, that would be frustrating, luckily we haven’t had that yet. I would say we really didn’t like the previous coop version for it, so this a welcome addition
Thematically, it sounds like First Martians.
I feel some of the objections you have with the game were designed that way on purpose. Yes it does not give you the freedom to built an engine your way...because the crises get in the way. To me that makes sense. Anywho that does not make your opinions less valid, but to me this is a 7/10. Pretty fun now and then.
….just because it was that designed that way on purpose does not change their opinions lol
Yeah this definitely sounds like an expansion that needs some "hero" cards to make it more exciting and "fun".
I think the expansion is ok, not great. It really forces the player to rely on small cost cards more often than not and I found myself using the 3. action card more than the original area expedition base game. It’s a bit too difficult for what it really is. Ares Expedition seems to be a LOT more forgiving and allows the players time to really develop their city. I think one idea I’m going to use is after mars is terraformed then, with the cards already bought play through crisis mode so it’s not as tough
Worst take ever. This coop is just pure fun for my group
I appreciate your feedback and honest thoughts. I have been on the fence about this expansion.
I felt the same about this expansion module, it was too hard the second any one metric fell we could never recover. Especially at the end we never had enough resources to recover when the really bad cards flipped over. I was looking forward to this during the Kickstarter but I don't think I will ever play it again cooperatively.
Im glad i didnt back these on kickstarter. I really like the base game, but will likely only get Discovery.
So they release Turmoil for Ares too... As in limiting what you want to do instead of offering you more options. In an engine building game like this it is not fun and it detracts from the good aspects of the game.
completely disagree with this review. I feel like we played completely different games. Its super fun, hard but not brutal, I lik having to adapt to challenges.
Completely agree. Played it and originally loved it. 5 plays in and you realis this turns a cool tableau/engine builder into a put out the fire game.
The core game excelled at building wild combos and building up lots of science or tonnes of steel. Delving deep into one or two areas to leverage and advantage and do cool things.
This coop mode necessitates you keep one of every type of card possible in hand to be able to deal with the crisis. So you need, earth and science and green and blue and steel.
No longer do I keep the cool cards for my engine. I keep a bit of everything even if I hate the card effect just for a tag.
Really weakens the core gameplay for the sake of the crisis cards and I think it makes for a worse game overall
Only played this once so far and am not very eager to return; it ended up being a boring slog for the last hour (of 3). That was my single biggest problem: it extended the length of the game by double.
We were victims of our own success perhaps; our engines were so good that it became obvious pretty early on that all crises the game threw at us would be easily mitigated the last, seemingly endless turns were just a boring grind.
I'm a massive fan of the base game- in my top 5 all time- but I'd have to be persuaded to return to the coop mode. It just wasn't fun. And long. And long. And long....
I should add that I like the two other new expansions and a quick note to Chris; the recommend that you only play with infrastructure in a 5-6 player game is spot on wrong. It works great at 2, 3, and 4 as well. I am flummoxed as to why they recommended that at all.
Adding a dummy phase card deck also helps move the game along, mitigating the extended length considerably.
Looks like a worse version of Helionox, Mistorn/New Angeles.
Helionox is so much fun that I just can't see myself wanting to add this to my already fun game Ares Expedition.
I thought it would add excitement...sounds like instead it just adds stress.
The whole thing with adding difficulty is that you have to also add power, so that you feel like a powerful hero fighting a crisis, not an overwhelmed small-time beaurocrat getting crushed by problems too big for you.