After Us takes us far away 2083in an Earth where the last humans have long since disappeared, and this has made it so nature would thrive again stronger than before. Fruits, grains and various plants continued to flourish, supporting the evolution of the last remaining primates. There is little or nothing left of human technology but some rarities can still be made to work. Players take on the role of competing tribes of monkeys trying to assert themselves and establish their supremacy by trying to catch up first 80 points on the game board. But how? Let's find out in ours review by After Us.
Gameplay
After Us is primarily a deck building game. At the start of the game, each player tribe has a deck of eight tamarins, from which each player draws four cards and places them in a tableau in front of him. These cards can be moved and arranged in any order.
Each card has different “frames” above it (most of the time), these however are partial, which continue on the right or left side of the card. By aligning these open frames between the cards, players can “complete” themthus obtaining the benefits contained within the frames.
The funny thing is that this dynamic is applied simultaneously, thus keeping the game always active and not leaving players “hanging”. Once players have assembled their frames, they can begin reap the benefits listed on them from left to right, one line at a time. The top row of these cards generally provides resourcesthe middle row allows it exchange of some resources for victory points and the bottom line typically opens us up to the use of specific skills of monkeys.
Once the collection phase is finishedplayers will choose one of their four action discs to use for round e they will put it face down in front of them. After everyone has selected their action, their choices are revealed. This action disc has two features: it provides a one-time bonuses listed on the disk itself, to be used with caution because your neighbors can pay two resources to copy its effect, and it also allows you to recruit a new monkey in your tribe.
There are four types of monkeys that can be hired, each with different level one or two specialties:
- Orangutans they give you energy, which is a specific resource used to activate a series of randomly determined items at the start of the game, and provide you with extra actions to perform.
- Chimpanzees they allow you to reactivate frames in your tableau to gain more resources or victory points.
- The gorillas they generate rage, which is the resource that allows you to discard cards from your deck.
- The mandrills they give more victory points than other cards, but usually require a heavy toll of resources to obtain them.
The game turns therefore progress between collecting resources, acquiring new components for your tribe and gaining victory points. The phases alternate quickly and the game ends when one of the players manages to score 80 points.
Components and Materials
At the level of materials, After Us is a title that leaves nothing to be desired, on the contrary. Both the cardboard and the plastic used to assemble the entire title are from excellent workmanshippleasant to the touch and resistant to the many games that you will surely play once you understand the game.
The cardsbut also the tableaux and all the others artwork of the title, they are truly wonderful. The art of Vincent Dutrait permeates the table in an imposing way. There is exceptional attention to detail, every single element recalls a precise aesthetic and blends well with all the other components.
THE tableau of the players are of colors different, each studied down to the smallest detail, representing in an exemplary manner the landscape of the tribe they represent. Each artwork has been studied and prepared to transport players into a world “reborn” from the ashes of what we knew.
THE meeple made of wood they are pleasant to handle, resistant to shocks and the adversities of time and wear, and as we have already expressed everything is really well made and pleasant to use and look at, a factor that will certainly push you to use the game countless times. A few moles unfortunately there is: it is not clear why some illustrations are repeated, and some markers are made of cardboard. The budget probably took its toll.
Conclusions
After Us offers a unique experience of tableau construction, enriched by an evocative setting and engaging gameplay. While some shortcomings in the illustrations and components may be evident, the speed of the game and its ability to engage players more than make up for these shortcomings.
Overall, After Us looks like an intriguing addition to any board game collection, offering a mix of strategy and fun suitable for players of all ages and experience levels. The main challenge is to balance tableau optimization with a flexible and responsive strategy, in order to emerge as the dominant ape tribe in this post-humanity world.
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