In November 2022, Cosmoktopus by game designer Henry Audubon (Parks) with a slightly different approach to the Cthulhu universe, the players on KickstarterThe game was able to convince almost 3.000 supporters. At the beginning of 2024, the German game publisher Mirakulus successfully collected supporters for the German version via the game forgeWe were also very excited about the big ink thing and were able to test the game extensively for you. You can find out what we thought of the game in this review.
The Cosmoctopus casts its unearthly gaze upon us. As followers of the great inky one, we try to better understand the mystical galactic cephalopod. To do this, we use the power of bizarre objects and experiences to expand our knowledge of the Cosmoctopus and collect tentacles. Who will be able to summon the great inky one?
Everything for the Big Ink One
Kosmoktopus is a card-driven engine builder in which we try to collect the 8 tentacles of the eponymous Kosmoktopus and summon him with them. In doing so, we move the large inky creature through the Kosmos and collect resources and cards. The cards represent relics, writings, hallucinations and constellations, the effects of which we must cleverly combine in order to be the first to collect all the tentacles.
The game works quite simply: When it's our turn, we move the Cosmoctopus figure to an adjacent action tile within a 3x3 grid. Alternatively, we can spend as many resources as we want in order to be able to make another move for each resource spent. We then activate the action tile on which we end the move. We usually receive the resource indicated on the tile and/or cards from the display, which we take into our hand.
After we have carried out the action of the tile, we can play a card from our hand and activate its effect. To do this, we must pay the resources required. There are four types of cards in total: relics, writings, hallucinations and constellations. Each individual card type also represents a type of resource that we can discard instead of resources to pay the cost of the card.
Let's activate relics, we receive permanent advantages that are always activated when you collect certain resources. Writings we receive permanent resources that we can use to reduce resource costs. hallucinations usually cost the most resources, but have strong one-time effects that can give us a good boost in the fight for victory. Last but not least, Constellations the coveted tentacles as soon as they have been completed. To do this, we have to fill the fields of the constellation cards with certain resources in the correct order. We can do this as soon as we get the required resource in any way and then place it on the card.
Clever combination as core
With the cards we play, we try to get an ever better engine running. Clever combination of card effects is an important part of Kosmoktopus. For example, you can use fonts to permanently reduce the cost of more expensive cards and then buy a card that was too expensive beforehand at a lower price. If we have a relic that gives us an advantage when playing fonts, we activate it as well and receive additional resources, for example.
After playing the card, you must discard every single resource and your hand cards to 8 to end your turn. The game then continues until one person has collected 8 tentacles and summoned the large, eponymous Cosmoctopus.
High replay value
In addition to the classic game mode, Kosmoktopus has a few nice bonuses to enhance the gaming experience. For example, it has a cooperative game mode, which can also be played as a solo mode. In this mode, we compete against the private detective, who is also trying to collect 8 tentacles.
Alternatively, the arrangement of the action tiles over which the Kosmoktopus figure moves can be arranged as desired. This means that other grids can also be used to partially restrict the Kosmoktopus' freedom of movement. Here, much more advance planning is required, which is a great way for experienced followers to make the game more exciting.
Information about Kosmoktopus
| Number of players: 1 – 4 Age: from 12 years Playing time: 60 - 90 minutes Difficulty: Higher family game/connoisseur game Classification: Engine Builder, Hand/Resource Management Author: Henry Audubon Illustrations: George Doutsiopoulos Publisher: Miraculus, Paper Fort Games Official Website: Link Year of publication: 2024 Language: German Cost: 50 € |
Conclusion
Kosmoktopus is a game that doesn't reinvent the wheel, but is actually a lot of fun. The skillful navigation of the big inky creature over the action tiles, the collection of resources and cards, and the combination of their effects is pleasantly simple. Nevertheless, there is enough scope for tactics and you are not completely left to chance. The game material is high quality and in terms of themes, Kosmoktopus hits exactly the right note between humor and complexity. There is also a certain degree of replay value. Because the action tiles can be arranged in different formations again and again and even game boards with two "universes" between which the Kosmoktopus can jump back and forth can be created, there are no limits to creativity when it comes to game preparation. There is also a cooperatively playable (solo) mode, which takes the replay value up a notch and is definitely exciting.
However, Kosmoktopus has a big problem that somewhat reduces the fun of the game... It just feels far too long. Our test games only lasted about 1 - 1 ½ hours, but after half an hour to three quarters of an hour it was enough. It feels like an eternity until you can get hold of one of the eight tentacles. During this time you do the same thing over and over again: collect resources & buy cards. After about 10 rounds you finally have the first tentacle, only to realize that you will have to work about the same amount of time for the next one... Theoretically, a game can be shortened by collecting only 8 tentacles instead of 4. But that doesn't really feel right either. Nevertheless, we would prefer the shortened game to the standard version, because it really is over after 30 - 60 minutes.
All in all, Kosmoktopus is a very good game that we can confidently recommend, provided you can overlook the length of the game. However, we do see signs of wear and tear in Kosmoktopus over time. Despite all the customization options, the individual games are ultimately just too similar.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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CMON CMND0504 Game * |
101,87 EUR |
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