Black Hole Council (2018) Board Game

Black Hole Council is a board game released in 2018 by designer Bobby Reichle. It is a party game that combines elements of bluffing, deduction, negotiation, and science fiction. The game is designed for 4 to 8 players, with a runtime of around 60 minutes. Players take on the roles of aliens on a council trying to achieve their own hidden agendas while working together to save their planet from a black hole.

Game Components of Black Hole Council

Agenda cards

Planet cards (5 types/colors)

Influence track

Coins for bribes

Council leader token

Vote tokens (pass/fail)

How To Setup Black Hole Council

To set up the game, each player receives an agenda card that outlines their secret preferences for how different colored planets should be managed (settled, taxed, mined, conquered, or thrown into black holes). The planet cards are shuffled and prepared for the negotiation rounds. The influence track and coins are also distributed. The council leader token is assigned to a player to start the first round.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Negotiation Rounds: The council leader arranges 5 planet cards into a proposal (one for each category: settle, tax, mine, conquer, and black hole). Other players can suggest rearrangements, but only the leader can touch the cards. After two minutes, players vote pass/fail on the proposal.

Deduction Rounds: Between negotiation rounds, players try to guess their neighbors’ agenda preferences to gain coins.

Bribe System: Players can use coins to bribe others to vote in their favor.

Influence Track: Players gain influence by seeing their agenda preferences fulfilled in the approved proposals.

Final Scoring: After 10 rounds, a bonus scoring phase allows players to make a final push up the influence track.

Objective: The player with the most influence at the end of the game wins.

Player Experience

Playing **Black Hole Council** feels dynamic and engaging, with a unique theme of galactic politicians debating the fate of planets. The game is characterized by its free-form negotiation system, which can be likened to an auction where everyone is actively negotiating. The moments of swapping cards and gauging votes create tense and exciting interactions. The abstract art and clean design add to the game’s appeal, making it stand out from typical space-themed games.

Pros

Unique theme and gameplay mechanics

High player engagement with no downtime

Exciting negotiation and deduction elements

Clean and abstract art design

Quick game duration

Bribe system adds an interesting layer of strategy

Cons

Limited information available on potential drawbacks, but the quirky bribe system might be off-putting to some players

Personal Thoughts on Black Hole Council

**Black Hole Council** is ideal for players who enjoy social deduction and negotiation games with a twist. It’s perfect for groups of 4-8 players looking for a game that keeps everyone involved and tense until the end. The game’s unique mechanics and fast-paced gameplay make it a great addition to any board game collection, especially for those who appreciate strategic negotiation and deduction. However, it may not be the best fit for players seeking a more straightforward or cooperative gameplay experience.

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