Afternova

About this board game

Afternova is a strategic negotiation game for 3–6 players, played in about 60 minutes. Set in a nearby solar system destroyed by a supernova, it challenges players to extract valuable resources from unstable planets and turn them into ship upgrades.

Victory comes from collecting the fragments shown on your Blueprints. Complete six Blueprints to trigger the end of the game, then compare victory points to determine the winner. Blueprints are more than scoring goals: they also grant special abilities.

On each turn, choose between taking cards from the market or extracting fragments from a planet. A Market action lets you take any combination of Blueprint and Hired Paw cards. Blueprints provide the plans you need, while Hired Paws bring different skill sets to your crew.

The central challenge arrives during an Extract action. Planets have requirements that you may not be able to meet with your own Hired Paws, making cooperation essential. Negotiate with other players, form uneasy truces, and decide how to split the work and the rewards.

• Players: 3–6
• Play time: about 60 minutes
• Core mechanics: card selection, blueprint collection, extraction, and negotiation
• Goal: complete six Blueprints and earn the most victory points

Released in 2020, Afternova combines resource collection with shifting alliances. Every extraction can become a negotiation, as rivals may be the key to gathering the Hired Paws needed for the most valuable opportunities.