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The intrepid crew escaped the alien prison in Lockdown. Now, having been assigned a third captain, they are on their first away mission! Taking their shuttlecraft to the surface of an abandoned alien planet, they are tasked with discovering alien relics that may point to why the alien empire detests our Spacefleet so much, and how we may one day forge peace.
Of course, your new captain was very diplomatic, and upon encountering giant bugs that may very well be the reason the aliens abandoned the planet, he chose to attempt to communicate. The bugs communicated by biting his head clean off. So now, once again without a captain, the crew must attempt to complete the mission by exploring tunnels and obtaining relics, all while fighting off a swarm of bugs!
The Captain Is Dead: Dangerous Planet uses the mechanisms of The Captain is Dead in a whole new way. Through exploration and area defense, you'll try to survive long enough to obtain the necessary relics — but should the bugs attack the shuttlecraft enough times, you won't be able to escape! The Dangerous Planet tunnel system is modular, for easier and harder challenges.
—description from the publisher
- More balanced and useful characters compared to the second game.
- Different enough from the other games in the series to feel unique.
- The modular system for setting up tunnels is neat.
- More control over the game state due to device activation timing.
- The characters are a lot more balanced and useful in their own way.
- The tile that says 'destroy the device' is disliked because devices are hard to get back once destroyed.
- Can feel samey with constantly adding bugs.
- The setup of the tunnels can be frustrating if not planned well.
- sci-fi survival
- Captain is Dead
- Captain is Dead: Lockdown
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- alien artifacts — Players can find alien artifacts, which provide rewards but can also advance enemy speed.
- Device Activation — Players can use devices to help defend their base, and these activate before enemy movement.
- Modular Board — The tunnels can be set up in various configurations, offering different gameplay experiences.
- tower defense — Players must defend a base against waves of incoming enemies.
- Wave-based Enemies — Enemies ('bugs') arrive in predictable waves.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a tower defense like that's really what it is like you though the bugs are gonna be coming at you in in certain waves and you have to put up your towers to defend defend the home base
- I absolutely despise how these tunnels are actually laid out now the fact that you can't lay them out but it's like okay let me just Oh God oh wait no oh no it's ruined
- the first one had the magic it definitely felt like all the cards reading
- with the second one it was just like a mob fest yeah character started feeling a little less balanced yeah and it was just kind of chaotic
- I hate the tile that says destroy the device mmm that's just having that exist is really really stupid because you put a lot of effort into having it and you can't get them back once they're destroyed
- it's like if you're buying this one you're buying the captain is dead again like they are all radically different
References (from this video)
- affordable cooperative game where tension constantly escalates
- lot of different characters with fantastic variety of powers and skill sets
- devices are really neat and feel powerful and useful
- lovingly plays on classic sci-fi tropes
- wider decision space and deeper tactics than the original game
- variable setup makes it difficult to figure out a good setup without many plays
- less easy to learn and in a less iconic setting than the original game
- ship crash-landing and escape from alien threat
- unknown planet
- players are the crew trying to repair the ship
- Nemesis
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card management — many actions in this game require cards and having the right ones is really important
- cooperative play — affordable cooperative game
- Set Collection — claim artifacts by spinning science cards for each one you claim
- Variable player powers — each member of the crew brings different strengths to the group