Algae, Inc. (2024)

Overview

Algae, Inc. is a company that produces and processes different kinds of algae into cosmetics, bioplastics, and biodiesel. You manage one of these sectors of the company, trying to create an efficient assembly line; manage your team of operators, engineers, and scientists; and help expand the company to several locations all over Europe. As the company becomes more and more successful, you try to achieve certain milestones before other departments may do so because as much as you like to see the whole company perform well, you would like to get that extra bit of credit compared to your peers.

Algae, Inc. is a medium-heavy strategy game that combines resource management, tableau building, and multi-processing. Each player has a unique player board and must adapt their strategy to the department they've chosen to manage. As the game progresses, you have to hire more staff, optimize your processing line, and keep a close eye on what your colleagues are doing. You also have to make crucial decisions as you decide to free up space on your science board by either unlocking engineer tiles (that will improve your factory) or science tiles (that will allow you to improve your actions). It's a meticulous game that reveals its true depth the more you play it as every decision you make will affect the next one.

—description from the publisher

Note: the First standard edition of the game was originally produced with some misprinted and miscut tiles and punchboards. The publisher reprinted these and provided them to backers in a large reclosable plastic bag.

Expansions

Algae, Inc.: The Network Expansion