SSO (2018)

Overview

Semi co-op Sci-fi horror survival cards and counters game. Players attempt to outlast a challenge deck of narrative threats by completing missions and maintaining the ship. Morale and oxygen levels need to be constantly monitored.

Each challenge deck tells a different sci-fi story. The base set comes with a 2001: A Space Odyssey style "AI" deck.

During a turn players receive movement cards allowing them to position their crew throughout the ship. Crew in specific locations can then activate ship systems or crew specific abilities in order to, for example, generate oxygen, raise morale, or repair the ship. The crew's locations can also complete certain missions such as when searching the ship or realigning the solar panels.

Throughout the game the overall threat is represented by a challenge deck. Some of the cards of the challenge deck will generate missions representing the crew dealing with the problems presented by the deck. Crew will vote on engaging with such missions, balancing their ability to complete the missions and earn their rewards with the risk of failing and suffering the consequent punishments. If the mission is not voted for it is aborted but may arise again. The challenge deck represents a specific narrative threat that players must progress through. The deck supplied with the base set of the game tells the story of the ship's AI having wiped out the original crew, attempting to kill off the players' rescue mission by suffocation or dumping the crew into space.

Players need to communicate movement options to efficiently use the limited space of the ship and work together to activate and complete missions. Meanwhile they must be constantly aware that with a limited shared oxygen supply and victory being available to each player individually, betrayal to extend limited supplies is a constant threat. The game is won by the challenge deck being exhausted and lost by players running out of crew. Although players need to work together in a co-operative fashion to complete missions and maintain the ship, they win or lose as individuals.

Although the game does not require players to work against each other via betrayal mechanics oxygen supplies are shared such that an individual players personal odds of success rise as other players' crew are eliminated thus offering a semi-co-op experience. The game can be played in an entirely co-op fashion however depending on players taste.

Expansions

SSO: First Captain

SSO: Parasites

SSO: The Rage of Montalbano

SSO: Temporal Anomaly

SSO: Wonder of Wubs

SSO: Classis Caetera

SSO: Travellers