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Description
Aliens allows players to recreate three key battle scenarios from the 1986 science fiction/horror film. The scenarios include "The Reactor Room" (nine marines vs. the aliens in their lair), "Operations and Air Ducts" (the surviving marines face an alien assault and pursuit), and "Ripley vs. The Queen" (Ripley uses a powerloader in her final battle with the Alien Queen). Includes a 17" x 34" game map, character cards, and counters, all featuring photos from the movie.
Marines can have very short life spans in this game, especially if they don't work together. Game play is fast and intense - does a good job of creating the sense of urgency felt when watching the movie. Missions can be made more brutal with optional rules - plus some rule variants add to some fun "what if" scenarios. Add the Aliens Expansion and you can virtually re-write the entire movie script!
Year Published
1989
Featured Videos
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 7
This page: 7
Sentiment:
pos 7 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–7 of 7
Video B9QhY3eF1Ps
Dice Tower game_review at 0:15 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10553 · mention_pk 110835
Click to watch at 0:15 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Unique abstract dice-driven strategy with accessible rules
- Strong production values and pleasant art
- Effective luck mitigation through directional choices and board geography
- Paced well for a ~30 minute play session
Cons
- Early luck can feel consequential, though mitigated by shared dice results
- Placing seven trees on a single hex can be fiddly and unwieldy
- Limited thematic depth beyond abstract forest competition
Thematic elements
- Two players vie for control of a growing forest by placing and branching trees to claim spaces
- Forest setting featuring aspen and fur trees forming a competitive battleground
- Abstract strategy with a naturalistic forest aesthetic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Closing off a section of the board automatically fills it with trees, forcing the opponent to adapt.
- area_control_and_territory_closure — Closing off a section of the board automatically fills it with trees, forcing the opponent to adapt.
- clump_building_for_reward — Forming larger tree clumps can lead to more trees being earned on subsequent rolls.
- Dice rolling — Players roll two dice each turn; one die determines how many trees are awarded based on clump sizes, the other influences placement directions.
- dice_rolling — Players roll two dice each turn; one die determines how many trees are awarded based on clump sizes, the other influences placement directions.
- placement_and_expansion — Players place trees adjacent to existing trees, choosing from forward or adjacent directions to expand their clumps.
- visual_and_theme_driven_components — Distinct tree pieces (aspens vs fur) and varied colors/sizes contribute to the game's aesthetic without altering core mechanics.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this game.
- It's an abstract game with dice.
- To win the game, you need to have more spots with trees at the end of the game than your opponent.
- If you manage to cut off a whole section of the board, you automatically fill that with trees because there's no way your opponent can do it.
- It's cozy on the box. I feel like that's a buzz word thrown around anymore. I don't know that it feels cozy because there's definitely stress and fighting for spots in the trees, but it looks cozy.
- Eight out of 10. That's Aspens.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Ik7KmgIZEX4
Meet at the Table top_10_list at 0:47 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10430 · mention_pk 30723
Click to watch at 0:47 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong thematic fidelity to the movie
- fast and fun play experience
- expansion options and replayability
Cons
- heavy on luck in some scenarios
- limited tactics due to luck and AI behavior
- availability challenges due to aging licenses
Thematic elements
- cinematic survival against xenomorph threats
- LV-426 / Aliens movie universe; Marines moving through a derelict environment
- cinematic adaptation of film moments
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Detent system and table-driven actions — simple detent with tables guiding Marine actions and weapon use
- Episode/scene recreation of key moments — reactor room, air ducts, and queen confrontation evoke iconic scenes
- Random alien placement — aliens are placed randomly to create tension and surprise
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this game is fast and fun
- the themed aliens is a wonderful sci-fi universe it's probably my favorite one of all time
- the living world of folklore said in the dark fantasy comes in at number 9
- it's such a unique game and has a really cool feel
- the continent is absolutely huge and the crafting system is unique
- fail forward is a huge bonus in my book
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bf2Rffp45FI
Meet Me at the Table playthrough at 8:18 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9659 · mention_pk 28532
Click to watch at 8:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Familiar sci-fi license adds flavor
Cons
- Discussed as a backdrop more than a deep-dive playthrough
Thematic elements
- survival horror, tactical coordination
- Aliens-themed sci-fi horror scenario adaptation for tabletop
- cinematic action
Comparison games
- Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Team-based survival — Players coordinate to survive waves or scenarios against aliens.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's going to be absolutely amazing and Meet Me at the Table will donate and match the first $50 through super chats per game.
- We are here for Extra Life and the Children's Hospital fund. It's a super exciting thing.
- The goal is to disrupt the ritual and take down Hastur.
- Season one scenario 5: Small Town, Small Politics, Big Trouble.
- We're giving away King of Monster Island.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video A6HUSCRRFvE
Board Game Hangovers top_10_list at 6:59 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9505 · mention_pk 28114
Click to watch at 6:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- thematic
- minis look amazing
- strong mechanics and survival tension
Cons
- minis require assembly by players (gluing)
- campaign can introduce ambiguities and complexity
Thematic elements
- survival and tactical operations against aliens
- space station under attack
- cinematic, sci-fi horror
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- campaign with deck management — Campaign progression uses a deck of weapons and events; you exhaust cards for actions, influencing survival.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's simple, it's fast and it looks gorgeous
- one of the biggest surprises of the year
- the most unique and original game of the year
- it's really good
- a big surprise and a great game on all fronts
- game of the year for board game hangover
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video W8Nbfnkv1Ug
Meet Me at the Table top_10_list at 1:15 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7357 · mention_pk 21743
Click to watch at 1:15 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Iconic license with recognizable IP
- Multiple paths and expansions
- Strong co-op appeal
Cons
- Older components and production values
- Rules can be dated for modern audiences
Thematic elements
- Survival horror in an Alien invasion setting
- Marines on a space colony
- Cooperative scenarios with alternate paths
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — Players work together against the game
- Dice-based resolution — Simple d10 system for actions
- Standees and modular board — Physical components with reusable layout
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- you'll never leave my collection
- it's not a forever game this game is a lifestyle game
- the world is your oyster in the world of shadows of brimstone
- it's the only party game you're gonna see on my forever list
- madara unintentional malam act 1
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video D4rbYwNtJi0
Unknown Channel game_review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5984 · mention_pk 122861
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Pleasant, smooth game that plays quickly (~20 minutes)
- Easy to learn and teach
- Compact and aesthetically pleasing as a filler game
- Engaging scoring decisions with meaningful choices
Cons
- Aesthetics may not stand out among nature-themed games
- Can get lost among other spatial puzzle games in the market
Thematic elements
- Animal habitat/building puzzle
- Shared 5x5 grid where players place animal cards to form scoring structures
- Abstract puzzle with a light thematic veneer
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Adjacency/attachment scoring — Scoring can depend on rows, adjacent connections, or attachments to cards.
- Card-based scoring — Animal cards specify scoring rules that trigger when explorers/builders are placed on or near them.
- Compound Scoring — Animal cards specify scoring rules that trigger when explorers/builders are placed on or near them.
- grid placement — Players place animal cards on a shared 5x5 grid to build scoring opportunities.
- Piggyback scoring — Explorers can piggyback off existing structures and even opponents' actions to boost scoring.
- worker placement — One worker per turn; players assign either a Builder or an Explorer to activate scoring on a card.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Alpena this is a small little card game
- is a very pleasant game very smooth
- easy to play easy to teach
- worth taking a look at Alpena
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 6d8yGEzfVRU
Board Game Buys general_discussion at 8:10 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5827 · mention_pk 125743
Click to watch at 8:10 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- rich spatial puzzle
- clear rules with depth
- great for puzzle lovers
Cons
- steeper learning curve for new players
Thematic elements
- spatial puzzle
- Grid-based movement with animals
- puzzle-focused with clear goals
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — place animals to meet scoring conditions
- Compound Scoring — score based on patterns and conditions
- grid movement — move pieces on a large grid
- pattern/sequence scoring — score based on patterns and conditions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is the newest board and dice game at least one of the newest
- a very straightforward Euro definitely on the lighter end of the medium
- I'm glad I did
- these are the kind of Euros I tend to really get along with
- the old ones are normally the best ones
- this is a stripped back Euro
- no bloat to the rules or anything like that
- it's so easy to table
- two to four players 40 minutes just sounds like it's taking all those boxes for me
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–7 of 7