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Description
It is the 25th century. You are a member of an intergalactic expedition shipwrecked on a mysterious planet named Artemia. While waiting for the rescue ship, you begin to explore the planet but an alien entity picks up your scent and begins to hunt you. You are NOT ALONE! Will you survive the dangers of Artemia?
NOT ALONE is an asymmetrical card game, in which one player (the Creature) plays against the stranded explorers (the Hunted).
If you play as one of the Hunted, you will explore Artemia using Place cards. By playing these and Survival cards, you try to avoid, confuse or distract the Creature until help arrives.
If you play as the Creature, you will stalk and pursue the shipwrecked survivors. By playing your Hunt cards and using the mysterious powers of Artemia, you try to wear down the Hunted and assimilate them to the planet forever.
NOT ALONE is a immersive, thematic card game, where you use guessing, bluffing, hand management, and just a pinch of deck-building to achieve your goal, which is survival for the Hunted... or total assimilation for the Creature!
Year Published
2016
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 6
This page: 6
Sentiment:
pos 5 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–6 of 6
Video AC0OZsvhWXg
Foster the Meepolo top_10_list at 13:26 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 8303 · mention_pk 24372
Click to watch at 13:26
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Survival horror
- Hunted on island
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Hidden movement — Shipwrecked hunted tried to escape the island while eluding pursuit by the creature
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- We love trick taking games
- This game is so much freaking fun
- I adore GMT games, they are becoming one of my favorite game publishers
- If you remember Vast Crystal Caverns is in my top five games of all time
- We bloody love it
- We can't stop playing
- It's a blimp game not a train game
- That's just work
- I don't think I want to play it
- I'll get it eventually
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Ib0m5mEtGCY
No Rolls Bard playthrough at 0:55 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7577 · mention_pk 22486
Click to watch at 0:55
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed-to-positive
Pros
- Intense tension from asymmetric design and bluffing opportunities
- Rich table talk and lively player interaction during the hunt and escape phases
- Diverse location cards and evolving strategic options as the game progresses
Cons
- Rule clarity can be variable in live play; some tokens and effects (e.g., survival cards, emia) may be confusing without a thorough read of the rulebook
- Endgame can feel abrupt if the rescue track advances quickly or if the Beast capitalizes on early misplays
Thematic elements
- survival, escape, and hidden information in a high-stakes chase
- Planet Aria, a hostile world where a Beast hunts a group of explorers
- asymmetric pursuit with bluffing, deduction, and timer-like pressure through assimilation mechanics
Comparison games
- Delon (noted as a playful comparison in the discussion)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- asymmetric_roles — One player (the Beast) pursues the others, creating a clear hunter-vs-hunted dynamic that drives tension and interaction.
- emia_tokens_and_space_counters — Emia tokens disrupt or modify spaces on the board, potentially canceling or altering the effects of locations and turns.
- hidden_location_selection — Hunters privately choose a card representing a location; the choice is revealed and resolved in a turn-based sequence that can trigger location-specific effects.
- live_actions_and_reveal_resolution — All hunters reveal and resolve actions in order after the reveal phase, enabling bluffing, misdirection, and social negotiation.
- location_cards_and_supply — Locations grant powers, allow drawing or returning cards, and create strategic decisions about which spaces to visit or avoid.
- rescue_track_and_end_conditions — A rescue counter advances toward escape; the game ends when assimilation reaches the bottom or a hunter successfully teams up to escape.
- special_spaces_and_abilities — Spaces like the Rover, Beach, River, Lair, and Shelter provide unique powers, shaping routing and risk-reward calculations.
- will_tokens_and_assimilation — Hunters start with Will tokens representing life points; if caught, tokens are lost and an assimilation marker advances toward the planet’s core.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- What a weird game what a weird game
- Despair and I’m going to place that on the wreck no survival cards may be played or drawn for the remainder of the turn
- This is how you play the game you’ve been sat on that for a while
- Despair and I’m going to place that on the wreck no survival cards may be played or drawn for the remainder of the turn
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video LfwtgRi5YyE
Jits Games game_review at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5610 · mention_pk 16671
Click to watch at 0:02
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Asymmetrical play with two distinct roles (hunters vs survivors) creates strong tension
- High thematic immersion and cinematic feel
- Scales well from 2 to 7 players, maintaining tension with more hunted and expanded board
- Rich interaction via Survivor and Hunt cards keeps decisions consequential
- Clear pacing with rescue and assimilation tracks leading to a dramatic finale
- Potential for expansions and new content to increase variability
- Supports intense bluffing, misdirection, and strategic positioning across the table
Cons
- Artifact/location options are relatively weak in base game reducing long-term variability
- Overall variability is limited without expansions, leading to repeated setups
- Creature can suffer from analysis paralysis at higher player counts
- Two-player games are less tense, potentially less satisfying
- Base box pacing can feel constrained if players cling to the same top locations
Thematic elements
- Survival under threat, stealth, and asymmetrical hunt
- A hostile planet where survivors are hunted by an alien creature
- cinematic, tense
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Artifact and location cards — Locations and artifacts grant special effects; limited spots and strategic choice affect pacing and tension
- Four-phase turn structure — Each round has phases where survivors act, the creature hunts, results are resolved, and new cards and progress occur
- Rescue track vs assimilation track — Two progress tracks determine victory: the Rescue ship advances toward the planet, while the Creature seeks assimilation; reaching the end on either track ends the game
- Simultaneous location selection — All hunted players secretly choose a location and place it face down; top row is accessible, bottom row is not
- Survivor and Hunt cards — Survivors can play Survival cards to affect the game; the Creature can play Hunt cards to manipulate locations, block cards, or reconfigure paths
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- oh my gosh this game is so cool
- tense interactive thematic and super fun for me
- you really feel like you're not alone on this planet
- this is a very weak spot
- the variability for Not Alone is definitely below average
- it's been a super fun time and I'm surprised by how much I enjoy it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video EIiUSBj15xE
Jungles Games general_discussion at 3:41 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5382 · mention_pk 16001
Click to watch at 3:41
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging deduction without heavy social deduction fatigue
Cons
- Not a traditional Euro; pacing depends on group
Thematic elements
- Survival, deduction, social interaction
- Alien planet with one vs many deduction dynamics
- Mind-game / deduction
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Non-euro traits — More theme-driven deduction rather than strict Euro mechanics
- One vs many deduction — Single hunter tries to locate others while the group hides
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a euro style game that plays up to six
- it's fully simultaneous
- Concordia Venus ... brings in team play and that lets you play two on two which is a four player game and it also lets you play two versus two which is a six player game
- not a euro game really it's more of a deduction style game where it's one versus many
- I started to work on that video and I'm hoping to make it happen
- Miniatures don't do anything for me
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video sKc3kCWFzDA
Lenny (Cardboard Rhino) game_review at 0:14 sentiment: positive
video_pk 3151 · mention_pk 9276
Click to watch at 0:14
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- highly thematic
- simple and tight mechanics
- hand management and bluffing
- deduction and meaningful player choices
- great player interaction and tense atmosphere
- replayability due to new location options and rover mechanic
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- survival, stealth, deduction under pressure
- An alien planet where a crew is stranded and hunted by an alien creature.
- asymmetric, hidden information with direct tension between hunter and hunted
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- asymmetric_roles — one player is the alien hunter, others are the hunted with different objectives.
- bluffing — players attempt to mislead the hunter about their true location without revealing it.
- deduction — the hunter deduces locations based on observed choices and tries to guess where players are.
- hand_management — players manage a hand of location cards and limited resources (will cubes) to influence their moves.
- hidden_movement — players reveal location choices hiddenly to avoid giving away positions while the hunter listens for clues.
- player_interaction — high tension and feedback when the hunter reveals location or when diversions are attempted.
- replayability_and_progression — locations are consumed and the rover introduces new options to mix the strategy across rounds.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this game is fantastic because it's highly thematic but yet very simple and tight in his mechanics
- components and it's good at all it has hand management bluffing deduction and most of all meaningful choices it's just the right amount of time to make you want to play again and again and again
- it's the right amount of time to make you want to play again and again and again
- the game ends when either the creature or the hunted first reach the victory point
- the rover unlocks a new location cards adding some new options
- you feel the creepy presence of the creature
- you're gonna be super tense when the creature is about to reveal its location
- you're not alone
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video DcOFXQqivME
Junkets Games top_10_list at 1:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2849 · mention_pk 8321
Click to watch at 1:00
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong integration of theme into mechanics and tension
- Emotional strain and dread from the creature-human dynamic
- Cooperative set-up that folds in risk and reward
Cons
- Creature perspective can be frustrating for some players
- Session length and setup can be non-trivial
Thematic elements
- Cooperation under threat of assimilation; survival emotions under time pressure.
- Planet teeming with life; crash-landed spaceship; humans and a single alien creature sharing a fragile balance.
- Asymmetric roles with hidden knowledge and dynamic region-based tension
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action cards with thematic effects — Cards provide thematic effects like force fields or other situational advantages.
- asymmetric player roles — Humans cooperate to survive while one player embodies the alien creature aiming to assimilate humans.
- region-based decision making — Humans choose regions to move to each turn; the alien selects a region to attack and assimilate.
- restricted/partial communication — Humans can talk, but the creature may hear or infer their intentions, influencing play.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- not alone is a great overall thematic game and that's why it's number 10 on the list
- season one is like 95% identical to the original pandemic
- it's like watching a Netflix show as you are playing these games
- Spirit Island is the most thematic out of all of these
- genuinely I felt like I was in this cramped pressure-filled crazy stressful submarine duking it out to the death
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–6 of 6