Today we are going to be looking at a two-for-one Gamefound campaign as 25th Century Games brings us not one but two expansions for two of their titles. Let’s jump right in, take a look at what they offer and see if they are additions you should add to your game!
25th Century Games is adding expansions for two of their titles, and these are Prehistories: Evolutions and Space Explorers: Age of Ambition. Both expansions will be available with the original titles in the campaign. Let’s see what these expansions have to add to your gameplay!
Space Explorers: Age of Ambition
Space Explorers is a tile game that places you directly into the height of the Space Race giving you choices to score points and add tiles to your base collection. With the new expansion players are thrust into the Apollo project time of 1975 as the Soviets and US come together to move forward.
The Age of Ambition expansion add seven new modules, each of which can be added in any mix that you would like. They range from minimal to more complex detailed impact on the game. These modules include ones that add new powers and boards, new Leaders, Goals, Crisis and Project tiles. Each one added a change to the game that was just a little different then the next and all worked in fun ways together.
Personally I really liked the second module, Prominent Leaders that added 18 Leader cards that represent the powerful scientists, military and political figures of the day all working to improve the race to space together. These cards are placed into their own deck and added to the market of Specialist cards. This changes the 6 cards in the middle to 7 now with this mix. The Leaders follow the same rules as Specialists and you may add them to any Division in your Hub.
The 7th module added Directive Tokens that are new types of Research tokens. They duplicate an existing token and give you some flexibility in having another of one of the tokens you already have in play.
Should I Back This?
I really enjoy the base game of Space Explorers. For those that haven’t played it, the game has a similiar feel to Splendor in the way you gain Research tokens and use them to obtain cards. However it is a tighter race then Splendor, giving you decisions that require obtaining and using tokens in a much more calculated manner.
That said, I really enjoy when games add a variety of modules and additions to a base through expansion like Space Explorers is doing here. In giving us many small changes, the game stays fresh and lets you as the players decide which version you like most. Like module 2, 3 and 4 but not module 1? No problem, move it out of the mix and enjoy the ones you did like. So it gives us a small change 3 times that really mix it up for me as a gamer.
I would recommend this game straight up if you have never played it and definitely recommend the expansion for those who want to add some twists and turns to a game you already enjoy. Space Explorers is a real hidden gem of a game, and adding the Age of Ambition expansion is a great way to make it shine even more. This one is definitely going in with my base set as a way to mix it up in future plays.
Prehistories: Evolutions
Prehistories is an auction game with card plays that involves polyomino tile-laying that represents the spoils of the hunt. The game plays at a steady pace and has been a hit for both young and old in our home.
In Prehistories: Evolution, players are moving into the future as the tribes have reinvented themselves and progressed. But be careful, nature itself has also evolved and has found ways to adapt to the evolutions!
Evolutions comes with four separate envelopes that each add new content and surprises with components and rules. The content of each envelope can be added by itself or can be added all together-similar to Space Explorers it is a customizable experience. Each envelope is meant to be played in of itself.
The first envelope, without going into too much detail, involved five new Hunter cards, a new animal hunting zone and ten new animal tiles. Ayla is the new Hunter and she doesn’t have any value however she does give you initiative no matter what your value is. So she adds in some push however if others play her they cancel each other out. The new zone will allow you to get two animals with only one group of hunters, making it a valuable spot.
Should I Back This?
Although it feels like a legacy game, it isn’t in the nature we are used to. The game does not have anything destroyed and it is all replaceable so that makes it easier to play over and over and with multiple people. The envelopes each have extra content but I love that you can pick and choose what you want to add in to your game. We experimented with multiple combinations to find what we liked and used it. I really liked Ayla and want to use her in all versions personally!
If you have enjoyed Prehistories, this expansion is the perfect way to add bite-sized content to the base game without feeling like it is an overwhelming addition. I have family members who love to play games but when expansions or extra parts are introduced they often shy away from the idea of them. So when this came out and it introduces small additions it is an easy way to add to a game without feeling like you have to learn a bunch of new things to play. In that way, this expansion could be an easy win for your group.
Another thing I really liked here is the presentation of the story. Each envelope talks about the way the characters and the story grow, giving you a narrative you can follow along with through the expansion. Each piece adds a fun new wrinkle to the game and the story it is telling through the tribes you and your opponents take on.
I would recommend Prehistories as a fun tile laying and auction game that plays very well for younger or newer gamers. I would also recommend the expansion Evolutions as a way to vary up the gameplay and give you some fresh and new choices in the game!
The campaign is live on September 6th and can found at the following link for more information and to back the game:
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