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After Us Board Game Review

  • Reading time:5 mins read

Overview

After Us is a new card game from Catch Up Games and Pandasaurus Games for one to six players. The game is a race to 80 points and is played in rounds, each split into three stages:

Assembling The Tribe

In this first phase, players draw four cards from their decks and place them side by side in any order they like. Each card features open and closed frames, with only the closed ones offering benefits. The open frames are at the edges of the cards and can be closed off by open frames on other cards. The goal is to cleverly align cards to maximize benefits.

Attracting New Apes

Following the first phase, players have the option to add a card to their deck. Four card types exist, each varying in cost and the benefits they provide. To acquire a card, players secretly choose tokens indicating the type of card they want, revealing their choices simultaneously.

Resting

In this phase, players discard their cards and prepare for the next round.

Special Objects

Objects are an important piece of the gameplay. During setup, three random special object tiles (out of seven) are drawn and placed on the table. These objects introduce rule changes and can be used once per round. All of them cost energy, a resource in the game.

Review

After Us is primarily a multiplayer solitaire experience. There is no player interaction in the game and there are no player turns – everyone can take actions simultaneously, and these actions have no impact on others.

The rules are straightforward, but the gameplay offers some depth. Thoughtful management of resources, choosing the right cards to add to the deck, and card arrangement in the first phase are important. Additionally, the object tiles significantly impact strategy. They also introduce variety, as only three out of seven are present in a game. The game also incorporates a mechanism to remove cards from your deck. Besides eliminating weaker cards, discarding cards brings benefits. Occasionally, discarded cards can provide the one resource needed to acquire a desired card.

The standout feature of the game is its card mechanics. Each card features three rows of effects and powers, resolved from left to right and top to bottom. The challenge lies in arranging the cards to close the most frames and maximize resources and effects. The top rows generally yield resources, so arranging cards to gain the right resources for future spending is crucial. This aspect is enjoyable, though it might slow down players who are prone to analysis paralysis.

Purchasing cards is interesting in this game. Cards are drawn blindly from the decks, introducing a luck element. While I prefer face-up decks in games and having the option to choose the card I want, blind draws are the smart design choice in a game that might already be slowed down by analysis paralysis.

Theme and Production Quality

After Us is not a thematic game. In fact, I didn’t even bother explaining the theme while teaching the rules to my group. It’s a straightforward card game that can be completed in under an hour, so that’s not an issue for us.

The quality of the components is great. While the cards might not be top-notch, they do their job. Also, customized wooden tokens for resources, screen-printed tokens for players, and thick cardboard for the main board and player boards all contribute to a satisfying production quality. The artwork is also visually appealing with vibrant colors, as you can see in the pictures.

Final Thoughts

Overall, After Us is a quick and light game showcasing beautiful artwork and solid production quality. However, if you prefer more player interaction or a thematic game, it might not be the right fit for you.

Disclosure: We received a review copy of this game. Also, there may be an affiliate link in the links included at the end of this article.


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