Publisher: Pandasaurus Games
Player Count: 1-5 Players
Game Length: 45 Minutes
Complexity 2/5
In this homage to the Planet-of-the-Apes, you are the leader of a future-set society of evolving apes seeking to learn the newfound technology from a long-lost human civilization. Manage your tribe of apes to grow your united knowledge in a race to rise above your competitors.
After Us is a quick-playing, simultaneous-action, deck-builder where you’re gathering resources, drawing more powerful ape cards and waiting for the right moments to cash in and tally your victory points. Make choices to maximize your resource income and set off on your own path to victory.
After Us has the potential to be a huge crowd pleaser with the right audience. It ticks a lot of boxes for me, but it might not be for everyone. I’ll break down the mechanics, describe my own experience and hopefully help you determine if After Us belongs in your game library.
ON YOUR TURN
Like most deck-builders, After Us equips each player with an identical set of 8 cards. Each player simultaneously draws 4 and attempts to line them up side-by-side to form complete boxes thus gaining the resources or executing the actions inside them. Some cards already feature completed boxes, but you’re typically going to have to connect boxes by aligning cards together. You’re not going to be able to connect them all, so evaluating your needs will help direct your path.
Each card has 3 rows and each one typically provides specific benefits and you’ll have to excuse these from left to right, top to bottom. The top produces resources, the second allows you to exchange resources for points and the 3rd provides a variety of things such as allowing you to cull cards. This isn’t always the case, but it gives you an idea what kind of decisions you might have to make since the choices you make in 1 row could have direct implications on another action.
From there, players reveal 1 of 4 medallions providing that player a benefit and allowing them to upgrade their deck with more powerful apes.
Each new ape “suit” gives you more powerful box actions. With 2 levels for each ape type, you can go big or you can go even bigger.
There are opportunities to cash in energy resources for bonuses that change each game or cull cards using your rage points to drop weak cards and gain additional points.
It is a race to the finish and you’ll have to decide when to stop building and when to start grabbing as many points as possible. It isn’t a true, definitive moment since you’ll always be building your deck and you’re always scraping for points, but there will come a point when you feel the shift and you need to go all in for the goal.
SOLO MODE
Solo mode has you competing against the King of Apes as he continually gains resources and builds up his deck. Minor victories are won by drawing your resources from HIS stash, but he primarily serves as a pacer to gauge your proficiency. It’s not too complicated to set up and manage – which is a huge plus. I can tell you solo mode is tough and it’ll definitely give you a challenge.
ARTWORK & COMPONENTS
Artwork from Vincent Dutrait, one of the best in the business, shines here with a semi-cyberpunk spin on his traditional, realistic style. The graphic design is ultra-vibrant and does a fantastic job placing you in this post-apocalyptic world. As typically the case with big-game publisher, Panadasaurus, the components are quality… the value is definitely there.
PROS & CONS
➕ Fast, simultaneous play makes the game zoom
➕ he resource exchange machine is in full swing loading you up with gobs of tokens and providing amply opportunity to frequently use them
➕ Powerful ape card upgrades make your deck feel strong
➕ Easy ruleset makes this quick to teach and fairly simple to play
➕ Quick game time flies by with almost no downtime
➕ Satisfying actions give you the feeling of accomplishment
➕ Great artwork and production add plenty of value to your experience
➖ Multiplayer solitaire isn’t going to be for everyone
➖ While there are multiple paths to victory, they’re not as distinguished as some would like
➖ Replay ability may feel a bit monotonous over time
WHY WOULD YOU LIKE THIS GAME?
Players looking for a good gateway game that’s fast paced with very little downtown will find a lot to like here. It is incredibly easy to set up and jump into and will likely see more table time because of it. Great or groups where limited player interaction isn’t an issue.
BEST THING ABOUT THIS GAME?
The best thing about the game is the card mechanics. Connecting the boxes on the cards has been done, but it seems much more accessible here. While the number of choices may be a bit of a mirage, the excitement you get from connecting the boxes and making actions happen isn’t. The simultaneous play and race atmosphere of the game only adds to the thrill of this wild resource exchange.
FINAL THOUGHTS
After Us has been a real sensation with my gaming group. Everything from the production to actions and game-length has been a huge hit with us. We’re coming off of a 5-game stretch where we’ve played it everyday and I don’t feel any fatigue. This is a gateway game full of energy and life that’s exciting and best of all… it’s fun.
The box-matching mechanic feels right. While it could have been AP-inducing, it never feels overwhelming and never slows down the game. I guess a cynic could ask if that means the choices aren’t that deep, but After Us isn’t a heavy game and it’s never intended to challenge you in that way. There is a puzzle here and it will require some application to maximize your actions, but it’s doing so in a way that is accessible to gateway gamers. For fans of the game Hadrian’s Wall from Garphill Games, the resource system here gives off a similar, yet restrained vibe.
Another major point to address is the multiplayer-solitaire angle. Interaction in this game is really limited to shouting out “I just scored 8 points” or ‘I’m trading this energy to exchange these cards”. You can snag your opponent medallion bonus by paying resources, but it’s mainly a put-your-head-down-and-play-
After Us offers a fast-paced encounter that more resembles a ride than a board game experience. The choices are fast and you feel the rush of the race. The card actions are satisfying and building up your deck feels empowering. It’s not the deepest experience and I can’t guarantee it has extensively long lasting legs, but it’s a solid gateway game that we’ve fully embraced. After Us is a lot of fun and I highly recommend it for the right crowd.
