Theseus: The Dark Orbit

Marines, aliens, scientists and Greys fight for survival on a space station with room abilities and mancala-style movement.

Designer: Michał Oracz
Published by: Portal Games
Editions by: IELLO, Pegasus Spiele

Theseus: The Dark Orbit (2013) drops five factions onto a deep-space station where only one can survive. Marines set traps and mines in the corridors, aliens strike from vents and secret passages and grow smaller aliens to take over the station, scientists use computers to gather data on everyone else, and the Greys bend minds to control the enemy. The fifth faction is a mystery, and that is exactly why you came. You move your pawns through the station and trigger the abilities of different rooms, using a mancala-style movement trick. Team-based, with each side playing quite differently, it supports two to four people, and it works best as a duel.

Four distinct factions, a fifth is a mysteryRoom abilities on a space stationMancala-style movement through the corridors

Who it's for

You like asymmetric sci-fi skirmishes where each side has its own tricks, and you want a duel with traps, ambushes and surprises.

Not for you if…

You want a symmetrical, rules-light game or you dislike learning several different factions before the first match.

Vibe's take

Tense and asymmetric. Every faction hunts differently, so you spend as much time studying your opponent's toolkit as your own.