Helionox: Reviving a Dying Solar System to Find a Great Game
Brave the journey around a failing solar system under the shadow of a nefarious organization in Helionox.
My upcoming posts are a little delayed after I spent the holiday weekend fitting in plenty of solo games! By sheer chance, I chose Helionox: Deluxe Edition exactly a year after I played it once and wrote it off. My first play was confusing and difficult… Yet if I’ve learned anything, it’s that poor experiences usually come down to my own doing!
Game Overview
Game Name: Helionox: Deluxe Edition
Publication Year: 2017
Designer: Taran Lewis Kratz
Artist: Luke Green
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Beautiful, haunting space. The edition I own has all of the previous expansion content. Since I still didn’t feel too confident in my understanding of the rules, I left out a lot of modules. Some games work for me right away, and others require more time and effort. That also means I have a lot to look forward to trying out in the future!
A Choice of Layout
Double-sided boards might not be anything new, yet it’s done very well here! Each side features different artwork and a unique layout for the cards. Very neat.
I chose to go with the other design this time around, even though this is the recommended side for beginners.
It didn’t matter too much since I left out so much content. Note that this was a temporary decision, though!
There are lofty plans to incorporate everything. But first, I wanted to actually like the game and try to get a win at the easiest difficulty level. Easier said than done…
Commodore Fontaine
Every character, known as an Architect, is unique. I shuffled the deck and found this serious fellow at the top.
On a quick side note, the font and lettering make his title look like all sorts of variations of the word “commodore” to me. Is it just me? Probably. But vital to note. Ha ha!
For whatever reason, I failed to capture a lot of the cards with my photos. The artwork is gorgeous and there is a great deal of variety, even with the starting cards.
It took me a little while to read through the entire rulebook again. Still, that’s usually a necessary step!
The Shadow Syndicate
The solo opponent is a nebulous organization called the Shadow Syndicate. It feels thematically correct, and the sequence to run it is very simple. Just a few steps!
Yet the strategies are important. Blocking high-value cards from being taken often requires a quick turnaround in a specific strategy. Headed to Mars? Hold on there!
What baffles me is how I failed to grasp this sequence during my first play. And why did I stop right there?!
The mysteries of the universe are great. Sadly, I didn’t think the failing solar system would give me any comfort.
Ye Olde World Station
At last, Commodore Fontaine started his journey from the place you would expect. Earth! Rather a nice ship, too.
In a nutshell, events appear across 5 locations that must be dealt with. Catastrophic events create system-wide issues, yet overcoming them takes a lot of planning.
Different locations provide unique bonuses. Spending the credits to build embassies can also be very lucrative!
Still, I wasn’t sure how I was going to move around and build up my deck of cards. Gameplay wasn’t overly complicated. I just needed to see it all in action.
Focusing on Embassies
My plan to earn extra bonuses with the embassies looked pretty good! Not only could I take the special location bonus, but moving into these locations cost fewer credits.
Nevertheless, the events kept me on my toes. They entered play inactive, thereby marking the problem locations.
Sometimes it’s possible to overcome multiple events in a single turn. This is particularly useful for blocking the Shadow Syndicate from picking up victory points.
Even with Commodore Fontaine’s special ability to move every few turns, I still couldn’t be everywhere at once.
Trying and Trying
My first play? I felt like I was still floundering and didn’t really understand the appeal. But I kept everything the same and minimized the variety in the setup.
Back at it again, I started to see the better moves. I cycled through the market not for my benefit, but to keep the Shadow Syndicate from picking up free victory points.
At last, everything started to make sense! And then I actually pulled off a victory and felt the joy of winning.
It’s hard to play every game dozens of times, yet I rarely part with games due to this experience. It really was me!
How to Spot a Bad Game After a Few Plays
I know some board game players know instinctively what won’t work after a short time. For better or worse, that’s not me. There are instances when I strongly dislike parts of a game, yet I don’t think I’ve had a board game that was awful in every department. Take this as a perfect example… My rating will change at 10 plays, but it’s at 61% now. Yikes!
Usually, I try to work in a few plays before assigning my initial rating. Once again, though, have you seen my backlog of unplayed and underplayed games? Ha ha! This is also why I recommend waiting things out with me. Feel free to bother me for plays of a certain game I don’t seem to like. There may very well be a new and improved rating in the future!
Session Overview
Play Number: 2-5
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Rookie Difficulty Level
Required Play Space: 24″ x 30″
Setup Time: 5 Minutes
Play Time: 20-30 Minutes per Play
Outcome: 33-47, 45-50, 44-39 & 36-46 (1 Win, 3 Losses)
Famine took over Earth during my final play, but even that didn’t change the outcome. At least I managed a single victory against the Shadow Syndicate! Also, I’m about ready to move on up to some of the other content soon.
%
1 Play
Affordability
Price & Value
4
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
9
Originality
Design & Theme
6
Quality
Components & Rules
8
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
4
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
4
+ Pros (Positives)
- The component quality is excellent with wooden player pieces, thick card stock, and a double-sided board.
- A random setup allows for many different combinations, thereby making nearly every play unique in some way.
- The included expansion content opens up new opportunities for taking actions and earning victory points.
- Each turn follows a simple sequence that’s detailed on the player board, thereby making it easy to follow.
- Crafting a useful deck takes practice and is a lot of fun to try to master while battling the Shadow Syndicate.
- Various difficulty levels and expansion modules allow the challenge to be customized for an ideal experience.
– Cons (Negatives)
- At least with the base game components, the theme doesn’t always come through during the course of play.
- The rulebook is laid out in a way that requires reading through many different sections for the full solo rules.
- Managing movement and deckbuilding requires strategic thought that isn’t always intuitive from the start.
- Some of the text and icons are small and can be difficult to read from a distance, especially with tired eyes.
Continue the Conversation
What are your thoughts about Helionox: Deluxe Edition? I’m glad I gave it another chance, although I have so many games that it may not get back to the table for a little while. Are there any games that didn’t click with you at first, then turned out to be great? This hobby always has something new to discover… Even with previously written-off games!
I got Helionox on a whim based on the art and it has ruined all other solo deck builders out there for me because it’s so good and scratches my crisis management/combo itch. I prefer playing the base game solo, as I think the expansion makes it a little more fiddly that’s not worth the hassle. This is the only solo game I can play in under 45 min consistently that has enough “meat”. Got any other games in your collection with a similar level of thinkiness and play time?
Wow! That’s a pretty awesome assessment. Interesting about the expansion adding the fiddly aspects. I’ll have to keep that in mind! But I’m actually enjoying the base game at last, so it’s good to know I can always fall back on that for a still-excellent experience.
Play time is important for me, too. There are some games that pack a lot of strategy and fun into a short span of time. It’s hard to explain, but my internal clock usually feels like I spent around 45-60 minutes playing when my clock puts it closer to 30 minutes. Those moments are great!
I think some of these games do something similar with short (or at least perceived short) play time and plenty of strategy:
Although there are a variety of game weights and themes, each one plays relatively quickly in under 45 minutes and provides a full experience. I hope that helps… And maybe there are enough in there that seem like odd choices so no wallets can be damaged. Ha ha!
I’ve only played Aeon’s End, Millennium Blades, and Roll Player. I tried to like Aeon’s End but my games seemed to take 90+ minutes (solo two handed), and I wasn’t a fan of the set up for each enemy nor the randomizing of the market. (I was spoiled by having Helionox’s 4 separate market decks of mostly unique cards and easy event deck setup). Maybe crisis management comes more naturally to me and I just take longer to make a decision for other types of games.
I didn’t realize Millennium Blades could be played solo until I read your posts, and it’s definitely on the list now 🙂 (though I am still slightly concerned about setup time based on my past experience)
Aeon’s End seems to be a little hit or miss. My plays were relatively quick and I enjoyed the random market, but it’s not for everyone. I can understand why it might not have worked for you!
Oh no… There I go with the potential wallet breaking again. Ha! Setup time can take a little time, but good organization will save you. I’ve also found that I enjoy playing with the same market deck for many plays at a time since there’s so much variety built into it.
The base game plus expansion can run a little high, yet if you like the mechanics and system, you have an enormous amount of reusability. Your tournament deck will only use a handful of total cards, and finding the useful combinations is a real challenge! Plus, the quirky humor and parodies are second to none. I always find a reason to laugh while I’m playing!
If I don’t enjoy a game on first play, I might be missing a gem… but there are many, many other games out there which I haven’t tried yet, and they might be gems too. So should I have another play of a game I know I didn’t like, or try something new which I might?
(Of course, if I’ve already bought it, that’s another matter…)
Great point, Roger! I have a bad habit of buying before playing in almost every instance. It’s a balancing act between giving a game another chance and deciding to move it along. I’ve parted with some games in my time… But I still like to keep most of them around. I suppose I’m a collector in many ways!
In the case of an unpurchased game, I would almost certainly move on to try something else, except in rare instances. Some multiplayer experiences have gone poorly, so I make a note to still consider the game for solo. But that’s only if I actually like the underlying game… They all have their merits, but we can’t love them all!
I suspect we’re all collectors at heart! I just have a set space to collect in, and it’s kind of full. 🙂
Totally understandable! A set space has its limitations, yet it’s a good way to challenge yourself to find the games you absolutely love.