We trade in space. Merchant of Venus game review

 The space business is finally booming. The stars contain countless different races, all of which have one thing in common: everyone needs something. And it doesn't matter if it's bananas, snow, a pile of slime or electronics. This is the time to buy a spaceship with a large enough cargo space and set off.

 And you can count on it - you will have your own ship, as well as the desire for profit. All this awaits us in the board game Merchant of Venus , created in 1988 by Richard Hamblen and full of stars and adventures. But in 2012, a completely new version was created, adapted for modern players by Robert A. Kouba. As if the contents of the box weren't enough, the publishing company Fantasy Flight Games decided to combine both games (old and new) into one box and let players choose which one to play! All this with illustrations by Henning Ludwigsen.

 On the cover of this large and heavy box, we see a strange alien entity simply selecting something from some cosmic catalog. We actually find ourselves a little bit in his skin (well, is it skin after all?) because once you open the box, there are too many different impressions. The main and most important is clearly the field. This time it is double-sided precisely so that you can play both the original and the new version. The map in any case shows us a part of the galaxy with various planetary systems. They are all connected in different ways by lines of space routes and have many symbols used to quantify space travel.

 The game also includes a set of boxes for each player (made of hard paper). It has two indicators (laser and shields), as well as a place to lay out dice and various improvements. You'll probably be looking for miniature boats (and you'll find them with plastic stands) and then cards. They'll introduce us to the pilots as well as the actual races (first contact cards), but missions, encounters, and rewards are also part of this two-size pack. You should also not miss the flow of tokens, which are not only classic credits (currency), but also fame, passengers, spaceports, pirates or production (many of them related to racing). There is really a lot to look at and there is no point in listing. But it is clear that five dice are also part of it - four white speed dice and one purple effect.

 Each player can choose a ship. They get a board and matching colored tokens for missions and space bases. Each will also receive an initial destiny, a secret mission, and especially choose a pilot to control their ship through various systems. In each such unexplored planetary system, players randomly place one first encounter card, and all race tokens are placed along the left side of the game board in rows according to individual race numbers. All other cards and tokens create a reserve on the table and the game can begin.

 Each player's turn consists of up to four possible phases. First and foremost for every trader in the universe is movement. First, he must determine in which direction the ship will move in a vacuum, but without knowing in advance the speed of his ship. Only then can he roll three dice, and their sum determines the distance the player can travel in the current turn with his ship. The numbers in the cubes can also be used for navigation, which is similar to a crossroad on Earth. To make multiple moves, players need the corresponding value.

 Whenever a ship arrives in a system's orbit, the player can research its race by revealing (if not already discovered) the first contact card. Based on this, it takes the appropriate tokens from the reserve and places them in this system. He can then do business with the locals based on the active market. Everything is determined by a tile that constantly switches in sequence and thus determines which goods are in excess and which are in short supply. At this point, the player can also purchase improvements that will allow him, for example, to speed up the movement of sectors (for this, colored icons on the routes are used), make his ship invisible or equip it with lasers.

 All this can be done only after landing. Well, only until someone builds a space station of their own color. Once docked there, players can trade in the same way, but the owner of the orbital city gets a certain percentage. Later in the game this is unavoidable as the station is positioned for docking maneuvers and is a good investment, so they will mushroom in space after a summer rain.

 The player must place the purchased goods in their cargo bay, which can also be expanded for a fee. Individual materials have different space requirements. It also allows players to pick up a hitchhiker as the hitchhiker will receive a generous reward at the end of their journey.

 During their pilgrimages, space travelers may occasionally come across some sort of space gate or intersection mentioned, as well as hazards that force them to test their shields or pilot capabilities. There are even pirates who can rob it. For winning battles (a skill check with playing dice) comes an additional reward. When a player completes their task or builds a new spaceport, their turn ends and another space explorer can take up their task.

 This is a simplified perspective of everything that basically awaits players on the entire space map. After the end of the thirtieth round, the game ends. Players can now accumulate victory points for glory, which are awarded for upgrading ships, completing missions, as well as for combat and fast delivery of passengers. A small bonus even comes from cash balances. The winner is the one with the most points in their star journeys.

 And now it gets interesting. Merchants of Venus is a game that builds on the first experience very well. But you should not mind if you meet failure on your way. It is an integral part of this experience. As well as the fact that you can't really plan during your first turns because the races are hidden and can only be discovered by visiting this system.

 But it is this feeling of new, unexplored worlds in each game that makes you want to enjoy this game again and again. And despite the fact that the game itself is quite long, the waits between moves are not the shortest either. The standard game is still easily playable for several hours (and we're not talking two), but it can occasionally be completed in two hours with fewer players.

 The original game (hereafter the classic game) is significantly simpler, although again it has some additional features (such as ship levels). The rules are understandably improved and slightly changed so as not to confuse modern players with the style of the 80s. But in general, the classic game is faster in all directions, which is a little surprising. But that might be because it lacks a lot of things that are new in the 2012 version (glory mission, drilling). This makes the standard game overloaded with a lot of small rules.

 Each version plays quite differently, and they both remain compelling in their own ways. The original is surprisingly less random (for example, instead of dice you pay credits for overcoming hazards) and therefore more tactical. But it lacks many interesting details that make the new version an epic experience. These new details also result in monitoring secondary rules and token processing. The ambivalence of the entire box is quite palpable, and each player may enjoy a different version of the game. You just need to find the right group that will be happy on the same side of the board with you.

 Merchant of Venus offers several ways to earn victory points. You can do a bit of each or focus on a few options. In both cases, you have a full chance to grab the victory at the end. But in general, your success requires luck. Just one event where you're unprepared or poorly approached and all your efforts can be derailed.

 A big surprise for us was that even such a big game can be played with two players without any problems. Although you should anticipate that the plan is more empty, but the actual discovery and the free map is instead a reward for all those who like to explore. We really enjoyed the game even as it was, and the whole experience is even more dynamic when you don't have to wait for other opponents' turns. But more players, in turn, push life in the galaxy in a different direction and have their own charm.

 The gameplay is extraordinary. The game looks absolutely stunning and will probably impress most fans of the universe with the map itself. But even a bunch of alien cards (we remember you, Cosmic Encounter) makes for great things to look at, and it all looks really epic from start to finish, while still keeping the entire game functional.

 Merchant of Venus is a game that is making a huge comeback. The best solution was to keep both versions while re-releasing the updated box. So, players can decide for themselves which version suits them better according to their rules and style - a well-thought-out one with a greater level of control or a more difficult one with a greater share of luck? Try it yourself and decide, because this space adventure - to become a Venus Merchant - is definitely worth it!