Microverse is a fast-playing card-driven space 4x game. The game features lightning fast turns (sub 5 seconds most of the time) and a short playtime (15 minutes per player) while packing in all the hallmarks of a full 4x game. Players will guide their civilizations from humble beginnings on a single planet to galaxy spanning empires fighting over choice planets.
Each player has a hand of cards which are tied to one of the game’s four actions: Build, Colonize, Explore, and Mobilize. On a player’s turn, they play one or more of these cards of the same action type to generate resource points that they will later use to perform those actions. These resource points are then increased by the number of worlds they have colonized that contain the matching action icon. Finally, the player performs the action and draws back up to their hand size.
The core game of Microverse boasts 21 playable factions (with many more coming) that radically vary the gameplay. Each faction has their own unique strength, weakness, and research ability. This research ability is tied to a special icon found on worlds as the players explore. Players can choose to colonize these worlds to make their faction even more unique and powerful.
Players compete to be the first to complete one of four victory conditions:
Expanse Victory: the player must occupy 10 or more sectors as the start of their turn.
Empire Victory: the player must have all 6 of their colonies on planets at the start of their turn.
Conquest Victory: an immediate win when the player destroys another player’s starting colony.
Transcendence. As players explore they will uncover monoliths - evidence of the lost precursor civilization. After a number of these worlds (equal to twice the number of players) are found, the game clock starts and players have only 3 turns left. If no player wins by another victory condition before the clock elapses, the player who controls the most monoliths transcends.
Microverse also contains quick and streamlined combat and political rounds. Every hallmark of 4x gaming is present here, but in a fraction of the time.
—description from the publisher
Civilization, Economic, Exploration, Political, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Wargame · Action Points, Area-Impulse, Campaign / Battle Card Driven, Card Play Conflict Resolution, Hand Management, Hexagon Grid, Modular Board, Negotiation, Push Your Luck, Race, Tech Trees / Tech Tracks, Trading, Variable Player Powers, Variable Set-up, Voting
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