On Mars: Alien Invasion is the much-anticipated Somewhat Cooperative Expansion to Vital Lacerda’s best-selling and highly-rated On Mars base game. Though this expansion was originally going to be named Surviving Mars, Eagle-Gryphon Games made the decision to change the name to On Mars: Alien Invasion to better reflect the theme and content of this expansion.
The game narrative is contained in four chapters of a story written by Nathan Morse. Gameplay contains four new and different ways to expand upon and play the base game. You will play one versus many; completely cooperatively; and even solo if you wish, depending on the chapter. Included are four fresh and completely replayable ways to establish colonies On Mars!
For instance, here is the narrative that opens the first chapter and sets the stage for all of the following action:
Alert! Sensors indicate that aliens are invading the famous red planet! Long have the conspiracy theorists predicted this. The threat to your mission is too great; you must take action. Will you be able to prevent the infectious spread of these beings bent on expanding to every habitable planet in the galaxy? Or will you play for the other side, a species trying to establish a colony on Mars, blithely oblivious to the danger their expansion represents, unaware that there are others out there eager to keep humans “where they belong” on Earth.
On Mars: Alien Invasion is a short story expansion to On Mars made in 4 chapters with 4 different modes of play.
The short story is called Alien Invasion and contemplates the following Chapters and modes of play:
Chapter 1 – Invasion – 1 vs All – 3 to 5 players
Chapter 2 – Outbreak – Co-Op – 2 to 4 players
Chapter 3 – Blackout – Co-Op – 2 to 4 players
Chapter 4 – Monolith – Solo – 1 player
Chapter 1 Invasion is a One vs Many scenario that pits an Alien player against 2-4 Human players working cooperatively. The Alien player has their own new Alien player board, Alien Techs, Alien Blueprints, as well as a horde of Alien Troopers to wreak havoc against the Human players’ colony.
Chapter 2 Outbreak is a cooperative scenario for 2-4 players that focuses on an unknown disease outbreak which the players will need to overcome together while still working toward their objectives of building a colony on the surface of Mars.
Chapter 3 Blackout is a cooperative scenario for 2-4 players that focuses on suspicious power failures and building vandalism from the Alien resistance. Players need to repair the shut down buildings and complete their objectives before the whole colony goes dark!
Chapter 4 Monolith is a new mode for solo / group co-op that requires you to complete 4 out of 5 unique goals in just 15 rounds. Sounds simple, but the Aliens will be interfering with your plans by sabotaging buildings, bots, rovers and more!
