The Captain Is Dead: Dangerous Planet (2019) Board Game

The Captain Is Dead: Dangerous Planet is a science fiction board game that was released in in 2019. Designed by Gaetano Leonardi and published by Alderac Entertainment Group, this cooperative game challenges players to work together to survive on a dangerous planet after their spaceship crash lands.

Game Components of The Captain Is Dead: Dangerous Planet

Small game board representing the shuttle

Lots of cards for skills, roles, relics, and alerts

Thick, sturdy, double-sided cardboard tiles for the tunnel system

Tokens for bugs, players, and artifacts

Clear plastic standees for characters

Various system and tool cards

Skill cards for bonuses and upgrades

How To Setup The Captain Is Dead: Dangerous Planet

Setting up the game involves each player choosing a unique role card, which defines their hand size, number of actions, and special abilities. The game board consists of a small shuttle board and a series of tunnel tiles that are randomly arranged to create the alien tunnel system. The players also set up the shuttle’s systems and prepare the event cards and bug tokens.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Cooperative Play: Players work together to achieve the game’s objective.

Action Management: Each player has a set number of actions to use per turn, which can include moving, attacking bugs, or activating systems.

Role Selection: Players choose roles with unique abilities and action limits.

Exploration: Players explore the tunnel system by flipping over tiles, which can reveal artifacts, bugs, or bonuses.

Bug Movement: Bugs activate and move forward on each player’s turn, dealing damage if they encounter players or devices.

Alert Cards: These cards introduce random challenges and spawn additional bugs.

Objective: Collect a specific number of artifacts while defending against the bug swarm and maintaining the shuttle’s systems.

Player Experience

The game offers a challenging and strategic experience, particularly with larger groups of players. Players must coordinate their actions carefully to manage the bug threat, explore the tunnels, and collect artifacts. The game’s design encourages long-term planning and creative problem-solving.

Pros

Strategic Choices: The game provides numerous opportunities for strategic thinking and planning.

Good with Larger Groups: It plays best with 4-5 players, promoting teamwork and coordination.

Role Variety: Each role offers unique abilities and challenges.

Thrilling Theme: The sci-fi theme of exploring an alien planet and fighting off bugs is engaging and thrilling.

Cons

Game Difficulty: The game can become too aggressive with only two players, limiting creative solutions.

Replay Value: The game suffers from limited replay value due to duplicate Alert cards and repetitive tile flips.

Component Issues: The tunnel tiles can be prone to falling apart or becoming crowded with multiple elements on a single space.

Personal Thoughts on The Captain Is Dead: Dangerous Planet

This game is ideal for groups of players who enjoy cooperative games, strategic thinking, and a challenging sci-fi theme. While it offers a fun and engaging experience, it may not be the best choice for those seeking high replay value or smooth component quality. It’s a great addition for game nights with a solid team, but it might not be a frequent favorite due to its limitations.

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