ISS Vanguard - ISS Vanguard, Awaken Realms, 2022 — front cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin
ISS Vanguard - ISS Vanguard, Awaken Realms, 2022 — back cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin
ISS Vanguard - ISS Vanguard, Awaken Realms, 2022 — front cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin
  1. ISS Vanguard - ISS Vanguard, Awaken Realms, 2022 — front cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin
  2. ISS Vanguard - ISS Vanguard, Awaken Realms, 2022 — back cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin
  3. ISS Vanguard - ISS Vanguard, Awaken Realms, 2022 — front cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin

ISS Vanguard Review

ISS Vanguard excels at strategic cooperative gameplay, offering a variety of asymmetrical roles and dynamic exploration, intertwined with a captivating narrative that entices players to dive deep into its universe.
  • Engaging cooperative gameplay
  • Variety in asymmetrical roles
  • Dynamic story-driven exploration
  • Mechanics and Replayability
4.5/5Overall Score

ISS Vanguard intertwines rich strategy, asymmetrical roles, and evocative exploration in a co-op board game experience.

Specs
  • Number of players: 1-4
  • Playing Time: 90-180 minutes
  • Recommended player age: 14+
  • Game type: Cooperative, Story-Driven
  • Mechanics: Dice Rolling, Hand Management, Modular Board
  • Theme: Space Exploration, Science Fiction
  • Publisher: Awaken Realms
Pros
  • Deep strategic gameplay
  • Immersive story experience
  • Variety in player roles
  • Dynamic cooperative interaction
Cons
  • Rules complexity overwhelming
  • Lengthy setup time
  • Can be luck-dependent
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Overview

Welcome to my review of ISS Vanguard, a game that promises to blast you off into the unknown with its board full of adventure and strategic depth. This masterly crafted sci-fi voyage not only impresses with its engaging cooperative gameplay but also dazzles with a vast tapestry of asymmetrical roles, ensuring that each play feels distinct and personal. Get ready to fasten your seatbelts, as we delve into a universe brimming with dynamic story-driven exploration that will test the mettle of you and your crew.

How It Plays

Setting Up

In ISS Vanguard, setting up involves selecting a planetary system to explore, assigning crew members to different sections of the ship based on their expertise, and preparing the decks for each section – which also dictate the roles players will take on. Equipment cards, dice, and exploration decks are sorted and placed within easy reach to streamline the gameplay.

Gameplay

During gameplay, players coordinate as a unified crew navigating through space. Decisions are made both on the bridge, plotting the voyage and responding to random events, and on distant planets where missions unfold through tactical movement, dice-rolling for actions, and events from the unique exploration decks for each area.

Winning the Game

To triumph in ISS Vanguard, players must successfully complete missions by achieving primary and secondary objectives on these uncharted planets. Strategic resource management, clever decision-making, and risk assessment will lead to a successful campaign and declare the team victorious in the expedition.

Want to know more? Read our extensive strategy guide for ISS Vanguard.

United We Stand, Divided We Conquer

Shared Goals, Personal Triumphs
During my countless tabletop campaigns, I’ve found that games like ISS Vanguard kindle a unique kinship among players. They demand a confluence of strategic direction and personal flair—oftentimes forging indelible gaming moments. I recall a session where unity turned imminent defeat into an unexpected win, leaving everyone around the table with a story to tell and a bond reinforced.

Strategic Symphony
ISS Vanguard exemplifies this cooperative symphony – strategize together yet play your part. This is apparent when the group’s decisions shape the game’s narrative arc, feeling truly ours. Smooth transitions from individual player turns to collaborative choices craft a gameplay narrative that’s engaging and multifaceted, provoking uproarious intermissions and earnest debate in equal measure among friends.

With each mission built upon the successes and failings of our collective choices, our journey became our own saga—a saga to be continued as we delve into the varieties of asymmetrical roles.

ISS Vanguard - ISS Vanguard, Awaken Realms, 2022 — back cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin

Asymmetric Allure: ISS Vanguard’s Ensemble

Spectrum of Skills

Diving into ISS Vanguard, it became immediately clear that role variety isn’t just a feature; it’s the crux of the experience. In one playthrough, as the ship’s Recon, I gauged alien environments, while my friend, the Science Officer, unlocked the secrets of cosmic flora and fauna. The diversity was thrilling, offering a bespoke playstyle tailored to our board game personas. Each role felt like peering through a different lens, coloring the narrative with unique perspectives.

Tailored Teamwork

Moreover, the asymmetry ensured our cooperation went beyond simple strategy. Our decisions, informed by our operative’s specialized toolkits, stitched a quilt of combined tactics as colorful as the cosmos itself. Ripples from shared victories to groans at setbacks, all were magnified by our distinct roles that brought verve to every session.

Stay tuned, as we delve next into ISS Vanguard’s Dynamic story-driven exploration, another corner of the universe just waiting to dazzle.

ISS Vanguard - ISS Vanguard, Awaken Realms, 2022 — front cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin

A Universe of Adventure Awaits

While delving into every nook of ‘ISS Vanguard,’ the dynamic story-driven exploration truly seized my attention. One night, my crew and I encountered a narrative decision point that had us on the edge of our seats, our choices echoing through the cosmos and draping our journey with personal significance and tension.

Every Choice Matters

Transitioning through the galaxy, ISS Vanguard orchestrates plot points that inspire genuine conversation amongst players. ‘How should we proceed?’ became a reflection of our collective character and shaped our expedition in unforeseen ways.

Your Story to Tell

Suddenly, each gameplay arc was crafting our unique tale. This participative approach to role-playing within board gaming leaves me with a sense of ownership over our fateful voyage—a sensation that Provokes return voyages.

In conclusion? For those craving a board game where decisions carry weight and narrative pivots on player interaction, I wholeheartedly endorse ISS Vanguard.

Conclusion

As our journey through the ISS Vanguard review concludes, we anchor back to our initial curiosity—can this game truly capture the essence of cooperative play while providing an engrossing narrative and diverse roles? Undoubtedly, the answer is a resounding affirmative. ISS Vanguard proves to be a triumphant expedition into the stars, marrying mechanics, story, and social interaction in an innovative tapestry that fully engages its spacefarers. It’s an exceptional game that welcomes players aboard its thrilling odyssey, and unequivocally, I find it worthy of its place in any gaming collection seeking deep space and deeper camaraderie.

4.5/5Overall Score
Jamie in his proper element: With all of his board games
Jamie Hopkins

With years of dice-rolling, card-flipping, and strategic planning under my belt, I've transformed my passion into expertise. I thrive on dissecting the mechanics and social dynamics of board games, sharing insights from countless game nights with friends. I dive deep into gameplay mechanics, while emphasizing the social joys of gaming. While I appreciate themes and visuals, it's the strategy and camaraderie that truly capture my heart.