You don’t need to worry yourself too much about the storyline here. It’s got all the suns across the universe dying, which leads to a battle between species for survival. No stress for us in the here and now, as that’s way, way in the future, millions of years. We’re fine, you and me. Just the day-to-day to get through. Idiots strip-mining the world while telling us that somehow climate change doesn’t exist. Billionaires paying no tax, water companies paying shareholders instead of fixing the pipes, MPs giving themselves pay rises while we blame the disabled, the immigrants and those on benefits for our woes.
Come to think of it, the far future seems rosy.
Suriya from Hexa House is a competitive deck-building board game for 2-4 players, set in a distant galaxy where civilizations battle for dominance over a resource-rich planet. Players assume the roles of four unique factions, each with distinct abilities and playstyles, vying to control the planet Suriya and its rare minerals that hold the key to ultimate power.
You can choose a faction from: the resourceful Humans (resourceful might be the only positive adjective to use about us), the territorial Scarab, the calculating Syntron, or the vengeful Crytaas (I like the sound of these dudes, love me a bit of righteous vengeance). Each faction comes with its own deck of cards, unique generals, and abilities that define its strategy. Players customize their playstyle by building their decks and adapting to their chosen faction’s strengths. This appeals to me. It is all well and good giving each player the same cards to start with and use, but I do love me some asymmetrical deck building. It means you have to put some effort in to learn the character you’ve chosen, leaning into its strengths and learning to mask its weaknesses. It almost gives some variety and replayability from the off. Also, play a different character next game and find yourself having a different experience.
Suriya’s Core Box includes the four distinct factions, represented by highly detailed miniatures. There’s 76 minis in total. Yep. That many. And there’ll be more to come with future expansions. How does it play? Well, on their turn, players use their deck to perform actions such as deploying units, claiming territories, gathering resources, or upgrading their faction’s abilities. The planet Suriya is divided into contested zones where battles and resource management take place. Controlling these zones is critical, as they contain the rare minerals needed to fuel your faction’s objectives.
Victory is achieved by dominating key regions, amassing rare resources, and outmanoeuvring your opponents through clever deck-building and tactical decisions. With high asymmetry and multiple strategies for each faction, Suriya: The Last Horizon offers endless replayability as players explore new tactics and forge their path to victory. Will you seize the horizon, or be lost in the depths of the galactic conflict?
If any of this has caught your attention, head on over to their Kickstarter for a closer look at the awesome miniatures and the excellent card art. Go on, go here.
