The Search for Planet X Review - Clever Deduction In An Infinite Universe

BoardGameCo Patreon - / boardgameco
Exclusive Patreon Videos Every Monday!
At the edge of our solar system, a dark planet may lurk. In 2015, astronomers estimated a large distant planet could explain the unique orbits of dwarf planets and other objects. Since then, astronomers have been scanning the sky, hoping to find this planet.
In The Search for Planet X, players take on the role of astronomers who use observations and logical deductions to search for this hypothetical planet. Each game, the companion app randomly selects an arrangement of objects and a location for Planet X following predefined logic rules.
BGG Link - boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2...
TimeStamps:
0:00:00 - Overview
0:03:40 - Ease of Play
0:04:34 - Player Count
0:05:32 - What I Liked
0:07:49 - What I Don't Like
0:09:44 - What I Can See Others Not Liking
0:10:55 - Final Thoughts
0:12:54 - Awkward Guests
5.0 - My absolutely favorite games. You can pry them out of my cold dead hands.
4.5 - Love this game! At the same time missing something that would make it a 5. Could be hard to table, lacking variability, a little light, etc.
4.0 - Really great game, almost always keeping, although has meaningful complaints as to what takes away from the experience.
3.5 - Really enjoyed, don't love it, may lose out to better games but the idea of never playing again is a bit sad.
3.0 - A good game, would play and suggest with the right people, if I never played it again wouldn't lose any sleep.
2.5 - A game I'd play again , but will never suggest it myself
2.0 - A game I don't want to play again
1.5 - A game I can't find any reason to recommend
1.0 - A game that is just bad.
My Review Board - bit.ly/2Y9PFJF
Explanation of Review Board - • BoardGameCo Review Boa...
Upgrade Your Game At Top Shelf Gamer (Referral Link)
bit.ly/3siD0PL
My Game Table (Non Referral)
bit.ly/3aYUdpp
For media inquiries, please email me at [e-mail]

[@vwilliams9365]

All of your negatives remind me of playing Clue: Master Detective (best version of Clue for me-more rooms, weapons, suspects) which is a game we enjoyed greatly through the years. I sold it a few years ago because it wasn’t good for 2 player, which has been how we play mostly now. This sounds perfect for us since it will be good for 2. Thanks for the honest reviews you give.

[@BoardGameCo]

Glad to help :-) It's a solid game.

[@Nayr090]

This is my personal best logic deduction game to date, and the app integration definitely puts it many steps above others. I would argue that the multiplayer interaction is a tad bit more pronounced than you give it credit for. Correct theories give you points at the risk of giving information to other players. You can also take a gamble on a theory based on what others have been surveying/researching. I can agree it's not the most interactive, but it's a game I would still enjoy playing multiplayer. Either way, thanks for the review!

[@BoardGameCo]

Totally can understand people getting more out of the multiplayer than I do. I enjoy it, I just feel I'd rather more interaction.

[@mohammedharoon8453]

@@BoardGameCo hopefully someone builds on this while keeping the thrill. I think the theme helped it alot. Unlike in alchemist you actually did some tasks that made objective sense. I think deduction without some basis as to why we are unraveling this puzzle just feels flat.

[@TheRedPolyhedral]

A great review. Clear, concise and helpful. You've inspired me to move it up the waiting list!

[@BoardGameCo]

Thanks Andy :)

[@steveowen7508]

I was curious about this game - thanks for the review.

[@BoardGameCo]

Happy to help :)

[@AnonymousOtters]

Just got this for Christmas, very excited to play, especially working in planetary science myself. Looks like one of the better logic deduction games, even if the multiplayer sentiment is true.

[@zemo32]

Ayy love to see it!! Can’t wait to watch this. I love this game

[@zemo32]

Nice review! Really Glad you liked it. I don’t mind the Multiplayer solitaire but I also like to write the other players actions so I can further deduce and make assumptions on what the are writing research papers on. Love your stuff, especially the reviews! Keep it up!!

[@BoardGameCo]

Glad you enjoyed :)

[@brianb5145]

Donna here. Bought this for my daughter for Christmas. She's an engineer (a math/science girl) and I knew she'd love the deduction. I also know my husband (also an engineer) and I would also like it and...WE DO! We played it on Christmas day. My daughter won (as I expected), but I can in second! That was a surprise. My husband came in third, 6 points behind me. I was 2 points behind my daughter. Looking forward to playing it again.

[@BoardGameCo]

That's awesome :)

[@que-tangclan5856]

You know what I want for this game. Some expansion like Don’t Look Up. Where you find a planet killer and plot it destination to shoot at it with missiles.

[@Luke_L]

This might be my new favorite logical deduction game, although I only have 2 plays. I love the theme - as a Planetary Society member, I got a cool coin with the Kickstarter. I did get lucky my first game where my initial clues allowed me to find the asteroids on turn 2. I’m perfectly fine with multiplayer solo, so that doesn’t bother me. I would say that there is a race for theories and finding Planet X, altho maybe that is more “soft” player interaction. I got rid of my copy of Awkward Guests due to the interaction because I really disliked how people could choose to withhold cards or pass the same ones repeatedly. But others might enjoy that. Anyway, great game and review!

[@BoardGameCo]

Interesting points on akward guests, I need to play that one and see how it goes.

[@Luke_L]

@@BoardGameCo Ah, I guess I should clarify that I did like Awkward Guests overall. But I backed ScandalOh, so I decided I wouldn't need Awkward Guests. Apparently the card issue isn't as significant in ScandalOh. Also, if you like player interaction, you might enjoy how that card passing mechanism works.

[@wojciechgizynski1486]

I wanted to like Awkward Guests so much, but the aspect of discarding good cards, passing bad ones and seeing repeats was too much for me and ruined the otherwise very clever puzzle. Also setup and teardown is a pain.

[@honigtatzefell-brettspiele3976]

You are such a likeable dude. OK, you talk a bit fast, but otherwise, I like watching your videos, especially because you criticise!

[@uplift-yourdailypickup6424]

Glad there's other gamers out there that aren't fans of multiplayer solitaire. I find myself gravitating to older games because there tends to be a lot more player interaction. My theory is new games are being designed from the ground up with solo play in mind and that's why we are seeing so many new games with low interaction (seems to me at least). I've tried Planet X solo once and enjoyed it but haven't tried it with others yet. If multiplayer is lackluster I might sell this one off and stick with Cryptid.

[@tymoore253]

I got this one for Xmas and am excited to give it a try! And it’s interesting how tastes differ. Every time you said multiplayer solitaire, I saw that as a huge plus instead of a negative 🤣

[@BoardGameCo]

Multiplayer solitaire doesn't bother me in and of itself, it does depend on the game. I just find in this game it's three people staring at their phone barely caring what everyone else is doing

[@Mmtruempy]

@@BoardGameCo I feel like once everyone is more familiar with the game that bluffing becomes much more prominent. Searching for only 1 thing and then placing some of ur extra theory tokens on a spot where that item is not can be very useful for confusing others

[@GameBrigade]

Literally just played this game last night finally.

[@BoardGameCo]

Nice, how was it?

[@GameBrigade]

@@BoardGameCo really enjoyed it. Excited to try again, what difficulty do you play at?

[@que-tangclan5856]

Hey, my daughter loves this game. Myself and my son also like it. We enjoy tracking other peoples moves as it can give hints what’s bodies are in which sector when it’s publishing time. At the same time, you can publish false findings to toy with your opponents with little penalty. I wanted more variety in this genre so I just ordered cryptid. I look forward to checking out your recommendation of awkward guests and I have been watching your Mind MGMT videos which look like a cool alternative

[@Mmtruempy]

Omg I haven’t watched the review just yet, but I’m hoping you enjoyed this game because it is one of my favorites! I love playing this game solo and with others. The app makes this so simple to play :D watching the review now :)

[@BoardGameCo]

Enjoy :) Solid game that I have nitpicks on

[@wojciechgizynski1486]

My current favourite deduction game. I would be very interested to hear your top10 logical deduction games Alex.

[@BoardGameCo]

That would be a fun list :) This would likely still make that cut, there aren't a ton. Assuming we rule out hidden role and hidden movement.

[@wojciechgizynski1486]

@@BoardGameCo I think hidden movement, 1vsMany is still fair in the context of such list, while Social Deduction is a completely different beast (though Beast is fine ;)). Would gladly see your take on this, I know you like Hidden Movement and Deduction in general, so I'd be curious how you rank them in comparison to each other.

[@chrismiller4863]

I would think Alchemists would address the multiplayer solitaire feelings since there is a worker placement component as well. I am hoping to play Planet X with my son this week so I can finally compare and it still might have a place of I want to teach a deduction game without teaching worker placement at the same time. It does look like this could be a little more thinky on the deduction part though.

[@SuperWilliamW]

The luck factor in Awkward guest is much bigger than in Search for Planet X. And I don’t mind that it is a bit multiplayer solitaire because it still feels like a bit of a race of who figures more things out faster when playing with other people and the competitiveness in me likes to know when I’ve beat others in that sense.

[@BoardGameCo]

For me the luck factor is far less of an issue than the multiplayer solitaire.

[@mohammedharoon8453]

That board tho is gorgeous. This video does not do it justice. Seeing it in person is something else.

[@BoardGameCo]

Yep :)

[@aba824]

I don't agree with that nobody bothers to track information what other players are doing - we always do that! it is crucial to end game quickly or have more clues where are objects that will give you more points. Of course you can play without tracking other players moves but then it is more family friendly game. The same with Clue - (beside all bad mechanics in that game) you can just ask questions considering only cards in your hands, but thanks to tracking what happens in other players turns you can get a lot of informations before your next turn starts. Here during submitting a theory you can have a clue where other objects are according to what thesis other players announce - of course they could be wrong and you won't know till peer review but still those are very important information that can help you solve all galaxy mysteries before other players

[@Felipe.curiel]

I really love how simple it is. But I'll only play it solo or 2-player. And, I refuse to play it with AP-gamers, I don't know if it's only me but sometimes the turns are really slow because you're really burning your mind trying to make conclusions. I love it, it's my "relaxing/stressing mental-exercise" game.

[@BoardGameCo]

Completely agreed on the AP

[@Indra_P]

For experienced players, other player action and negative information really does help you. For casuals/ first timer, not really.

[@BoardGameCo]

I won't disagree, meaning a specifically did allow for that possibility, but I will say I'm far from casual. I'm over 10 games deep in this and it hasn't been something that I use. Negative information of course helps, that's a different conversation. When I say you can get good and bad information, I don't mean negative information, I mean that some pieces of information will at the end of the day give you a more firm answer that you can jump off of.

[@Indra_P]

@@BoardGameCo ah , I get it now what you are talking about. Yea sometimes bad info does happen, but most of the time if In later round that bad info sometimes help. As for the info from other player, it is usually also comes into play on later rounds too. For example on last game I am missing a comet and there is 2 sectors possible, but based on my opponent scans in early game I am able to narrow down the option to 1 because of his scan range and only a few spaces that can contain comet. The thing is you have to record not just the action, but also the object and the sectors opponent scanned. I still late in finding planet X but I win in point from theories. Hope this example can help

[@EfrainRiveraJunior]

Pachamama!

[@BoardGameCo]

Yep :)

[@FallenB1ade]

Out of curiosity, have you played Human Punishment: the Beginning, or Battlestar Galactica? (I know you typically don't like long social deduction games, but you liked that piratey kraken ship one)

[@BoardGameCo]

Yes on BSG, no on Human Punishment

[@FallenB1ade]

@@BoardGameCo how did you like BSG?

[@Warchoon]

Solo experience with a bot is nowhere near the multiplayer experience. The bot doesn't really have any connection between their scans and theories, so it's random; also, its theories are ALWAYS correct, taking away from both uncertainty and estimations. Multiplayer, while mostly "solitaire", emulates (on a very high and abstract level, of course) the work of a scientist, who builds their own theories, but seeing the theories of others can sometimes mean nothing, but sometimes lead to breakthroughs. And the most information you get from others is during the theory phase, where they can bank on something (for instance, if they targeted a sector in the previous turn and DIDN'T place a theory token on that sector, there's high probability that it was a blank sector - or if all they did was searching for comets and then place a theory on a different sector with a comet, probably they got a 0 on their initial search) and checking what they start to seek after they research topics - hinting you whether you should waste your turn researching topics. While, certainly, the game is not interactive, it is highly thematic. Even the fact that you can lose despite locating Planet X first (if the others posted more correct theories before), emulates the scientific world pretty accurately - a single breakthrough is rarely as important as large amount of works published. It's a very nice way to get some second-hand clues without helping out your rivals too much. A very nice and unique game, and very thematic at that.

[@OriginalNuckChorris]

I really want this one.

[@BoardGameCo]

It's a great game :)

[@brentboyer79]

I've only played this solo. Can't get my family to play.

[@BoardGameCo]

Personally I prefer solo :-)

[@brentboyer79]

@@BoardGameCo on that game versus the robot, definitely.

[@Mmtruempy]

I always pitch this toward my family members that like sudoku as very like sudoku and that often helps them be more willing to dip their toes into the game. I hope this helps you find a family member or friend who is familiar with sudoku and who will try this with you, but as stated above solo with the robot is pretty good :) sometimes I even prefer solo for this game.

[@bperez1172]

Disagree with "Multiplayer Solitaire". Our games are so competitive when our group of 3-4 sit down to play the first thing one of us says is "I know where planet X is". Lot of bluffing in this because once you know someone has almost solved it (Or even if they are bluffing), then you're tempted to take a guess because the person who does, typically wins. With experience comes a lot of table talk, bluffing and banter.

[@MattWGAllan]

You need more trash talk in your Search for Planet X.

[@BoardGameCo]

Lol, we're too distracted :)

[@MattWGAllan]

@@BoardGameCo I feel ya.

[@mohammedharoon8453]

I hate to be a bit of a grammar nazi(nopunswhatsoever) here, but. The search for the Planet X is going on in the Solar System and not our galaxy as a whole. Its for the 10th(11th plz give pluto another chance) planet beyond neptune.