Get out of the ninth dimension. Gravwell: Escape from the 9th Dimension reviewі
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GRAVWELL REVIEW
In Gravwell: Escape from the 9th Dimension , every player piloting a spaceship is somehow trapped in the Singularity. You will make one last desperate attempt to escape through the Warp Gate before time runs out and you will forever be left adrift, another abandoned spaceship. Gravwell has a unique card selection mechanic, unique turn order choices, and it's a lot of fun.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE GAME?
Gravwell is easy to make because it has very few components. Lay out the field on the table and place the white token on the circular track. Give each player a spaceship and the corresponding emergency stop card. Shuffle the fuel cards and then deal them as follows. For each player, put 3 cards face down (4 players equals 9 cards face down). Then place 1 face-up card on each face-down card.
Choose the first player, then have them choose 1 pile of cards. In clockwise order, all other players choose 1 pile of cards. The last player will then select an additional pile of cards, and the selection of cards is reversed. Thus, the choice of cards for a 3-player game is decided as follows:
P1 -> P2 -> P3 -> P3 -> P2 -> P1 -> P1 -> P2 -> P3
A round can be started after each player has 6 cards.
GAME PROCESS
Each player chooses one card and places it face down on the table. When all players have chosen their cards, all players will turn over their cards and turn order will be determined alphabetically by the element on the face of the card. So the player who chose Jo (Jodium) will take their turn before the player who chose Kr (Krypton) and the player who chose Si (Silicon).
Movement in Gravwell is gravity-based, meaning you will be affected by other players' ships, as well as the 2 existing abandoned ships already on the field. Your ship will always base its movement on the nearest source of gravity (other ships).
There are 3 types of fuel cards (an expansion is being developed that will add additional types of cards):
- Standard Movement (Green Cards): Moves your ship to the nearest gravity source
- Repulsor Movement: (purple cards): Moves your ship away from the nearest gravity source
- Attraction Beam (Blue Cards): Pulls all ships towards you
In the example above (Iodine, Krypton, and Silicon), the first player will pull all other players 2 spaces closer to him (a tractor move). The second player will move 2 cells away from the nearest gravity source (repulsor movement), while the last player will advance 9 cells to the nearest gravity source. If at any time a player moves in an unwanted direction, they can choose their emergency stop card. This will cancel their movement and the game will continue clockwise.
The game will continue until all players have played all 6 of their fuel cards. The circular marker is then moved up, all the fuel cards are shuffled and dealt again as before, but this time the player in last place will choose first. The game ends immediately when the first player exits the warp gate or if no player exits the warp gate by the end of the 6th round. In the latter case, all players lose.
PROS OF THE GAME
Gravwell's design is top-notch, with eye-popping bright colors and fantastic artwork. This is definitely a game that will stand out on your shelf. The box is strong, well assembled and should withstand transportation. The ship models are very nice to look at with the tilt upwards on the bases which looks quite lively. The cards are sturdy and well made, and should last quite a few games. The text of the card is easy to read, which will make it easier to determine the turn order for everyone.
The game is quite random due to the cards and the fact that you can never be quite sure about the turn order. Choosing a card that moves you forward by 10, only to find out that you're moving backwards because of another player's choice. Fair warning: if you don't like random games, this game might not be for you. But because the game is so short, it's easy to get through.
CONS OF THE GAME
I have purchased 3 separate copies of Gravwell and each one has quality issues. The ships consist of a plain vessel on a transparent leg. While this looks impressive, it means that the ships are 2 pieces. In each of the 3 copies I bought, one of the ships separated. Although annoying, it is fixed with one drop of super glue. After reconnecting I never had any further problems.
The only issue I have is the size of the box. It's a standard 10" square box, but it's tall enough for the contents. Especially since the insert takes up about 75% of the space. It's a small issue and I'm sure it's due to retail issues, but it affects storage.
EXPERIENCE FROM THE GAME
I like the strategy in this game. If you know the people you're playing against, there's an extra level of outplaying your friends or loved ones. I play this with my daughter and she makes almost the same choices as me. This means that she and I often make the same decisions, which means that we can never be sure who will go first. This may be frustrating for some, but we always laugh hysterically when another person "steals" your turn order, forcing you to backtrack.
Gravwell is a unique and special game that is fun to play. The pending expansion will likely add 2 additional card types and special asynchronous ship abilities. But even without them, this game is just a thrill. Check out Gravwell: Escape from the 9th Dimension!
USEFUL LINKS
Gravwell: Escape from the 9th Dimension! on the BGG portal
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/142992/gravwell-escape-9th-dimension
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