Using Science in Multiuniversum to Save the World

May 1, 2021 | Sessions | 4 comments

Race against time to seal off portals to alternate realities and their dangerous denizens with Multiuniversum.

It was several years ago when I found Multiuniversum sitting on a shelf for sale all alone. My husband intended it as a gift to a friend, yet I was too intrigued! I pilfered it for myself and found another gift to give instead. This has never ranked high on my list, but it’s so different! The puzzle of sealing portals always makes for an interesting time.

Game Overview

Game Name: Multiuniversum
Publication Year:
2016
Designer:
Manuel Correia
Artists:
Paweł Niziołek and Piotr Uzdowski
Publisher: Grey Fox Games
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game

Cards represent both actions and tools, which must be used carefully to seal portals quickly and carefully. Every alternate reality has its own set of required tools, while the transformers act as unique locations. Actions depend on a scientist’s location, making each turn very strategic!

Admiring the Artwork and Box for Multiuniversum
R

First Play

April 26, 2019

Complexity

2

Latest Play

May 1, 2021

Expansions

0

Setup Time

5 Minutes

Lifetime Plays

12

Play Time

20 Minutes

:

High Score

44

1

Game Area

28" x 20"

;

Low Score

30

Changing History

Many games don’t require any sort of backstory to get into. I love narratives and stories, though, which is likely why I enjoy the prologue so much. It’s all in the story!

Little touches like this can go a long way. Aside from the tiny text, I’ve always enjoyed this opening. It sets up the world and gives more weight to every decision.

It features monsters, but there’s no fighting here. Scientists must seal the portals before it’s too late!

Could the game have gotten away without this? Maybe. Yet it would be a lot blander and devoid of any character.

Setting the Stage for an Interesting Play of Multiuniversum

Round and Round

The play area can technically be in any configuration, yet this recommended setup sets the stage very well.

Scientists move around the transformers. Each area has its own unique ability, along with a stack of alternate realities that are starting to send monsters through.

Going around in a circle isn’t required, save for the solo opponent! This works to simply seal portals at a faster rate, bringing about the end game sooner.

Don’t be mistaken: This is extremely difficult! It took me a long time to even remember the right sort of strategy.

The Unique Way to Play Multiuniversum

The Greatest Scientists

Take a good look at these excellent scientist meeples! Each is holding a beaker to make sure that SCIENCE is obvious. Ha! They’re really nice, though, and quite fun to move.

Although I will note that I now occasionally mistake the blue and white ones for a unique butler or footman. You know… From Obsession, which I can never get enough of!

The artwork is also superb, though some of the scenes might be a little on the terrifying side. Who knows?

I like to think that these monsters are simply different, and we don’t actually know all that much about them.

Some of the Very Best Sorts of Meeples from Multiuniversum

Scientific Decisions

Every card has the same layout. On the left are actions. Ah, but what’s the catch? A scientist can only be in one place at once so the action corresponds to the location.

For instance, at the red transformer (position 3) I could choose to use the recycle action. This card couldn’t do anything else at that same transformer, though.

On the right side is the type of tool. This can be saved for later to match symbols and seal a portal.

Figuring out where to move to and how to use the cards is quite challenging, though not overly complex.

Making the Best Choices with Every Card from Multiuniversum

Saving the World

During my first attempt, I was well on my way to victory. The solo opponent couldn’t draw a blue tool, so I claimed about 5 cards before there was any competition!

When sealed, these alternate realities are worth the number of victory points in the upper left corner.

Symbols can also create sets, which can be worth up to 9 extra victory points in the end. Choosing where to go and what to work on takes a lot of variables into account.

Alas, I lost by an embarrassing margin! Everything poured forth and my little scientist meeple failed this time.

Admiring the Lovely but Terrifying Alternate Realities in Multiuniversum

Sealing a Portal

How does a portal get sealed? First, the matching tools must be collected. Each card used in this manner takes up 1 action, but a turn only consists of 3 total actions.

If my scientist was on the white transformer (1), the partially tucked card would be used to seal the portal. Note the corresponding symbol for the matching transformer.

The 3-symbol cards are the trickiest, but also worth the most victory points! Sometimes it pays to go for them.

Besides, I wasn’t about to let hands and flying eyeballs out into the world! We’re simply not ready for that. Ha ha!

All Ready to Seal a Particularly Nasty Portal in Multiuniversum

Session Overview

Play Number: 11 and 12
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Here
Outcome: 34-42 and 31-57 (2 Losses)

I was a lousy scientist this time! Perhaps what threw me off so much was the absolutely minuscule text in the rulebook and lack of overview cards. My semi-silly splurge from Stonemaier Games the other day actually worked out. Ta-da! Instant magnification. I still might make my own large-print summary cards, though. Maybe my eyes are living in an alternate reality, as I simply can’t see this!

A Stonemaier Solution to the Tiny Text in Multiuniversum

%

10 Plays

Affordability

Price & Value

7

Functionality

Challenges & Mechanics

10

Originality

Design & Theme

7

Quality

Components & Rules

8

Reusability

Achievement & Enjoyment

7

Variability

Distinctness & Randomness

2

+ Pros (Positives)

  • The opening backstory and theme are extremely unique and set the stage for a different kind of game experience.
  • Every card must be used, yet the decisions are important and can help shape future turns in meaningful ways.
  • To seal a portal takes some planning and must be done carefully to make the most of final victory points.
  • Each piece of unique artwork depicts an alternate reality that describes an entire world concept in an image.
  • Play time is reasonable and may seem a little lengthy for the number of components, but it’s very challenging.
  • Travel between the transformers is vital, yet it’s often hard to choose exactly what path to take each turn.

– Cons (Negatives)

  • The text size in the rulebook is exceptionally difficult to read without looking closely or using a magnifier.
  • Although some strategy exists, the success of the solo opponent often comes down to the luck of the draw.
  • It can be hard to keep track of the 3 allowed actions per turn without carefully focusing and remembering.
  • All of the cards are used during play, so the artwork often feels repetitive after just a handful of sessions.

More Multiuniversum

Explore related posts about Multiuniversum!

Victory Conditions

Score the Most Points

  • Overall Goal Progress 67% 67%

Goals and Milestones

R

Score at least 40 points.

R

Win at least 1 game.

Q

Score at least 50 points.

Continue the Conversation

Have you played the solo mode of Multiuniversum? What is your favorite alternate reality? This is certainly a very unique game in my collection. I love how victory comes from using science! Well, maybe it’s more like using strategic thinking over battling, yet it still works very well. Let’s hope I can do better next time and save the world!

4 Comments

  1. Let me begin with: Nice writeup and againg amazing pictures.
    I do have two questions:
    1) Your write in the Cons-section, that ‘All of the cards are used during play’ but the second picure ‘Round and Round’ shows five location and the fith picure ‘Saving the world’ shows at least nine locations. Do you use all locations?
    2) Variability’ 2 is it because of the ‘All of the cards are used during play’ or is there more? Asking, because a two ist very low.

    Reply
    • Thank you, and great questions!

      1. There are actually stacks of cards shown in the section you mentioned, although it’s hard to see. The game ends when 3 of 5 stacks are completely empty, so although you might not see 1-3 cards each time, they all get very repetitive after a short time. None are left out of setup.

      2. I might have been a little harsh here! Part of the low variability comes from all of the cards being used, but I also find that overall gameplay follows a similar path each time. There aren’t any surprises and you can plan out your turns in a similar manner. Some variability still exists with the way the action cards are used, yet beyond my first play, I never felt like I had a unique experience.

      I hope that answers your questions and provides some clarity. Feel free to ask anything else, though! I’m always happy to go into more detail to explain some of my thoughts. Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Beakers? With mysterious coloured fluids? That must mean there’s science going on here! (Stolen from Lyz Kingsley of the film-review site And You Call Yourself A Scientist.)

    Speaking as a part floating eyeball (on my mother’s side) I find your comments insensitive and racist… 🙂

    I think when a theme is something like this, basically unrelated to reality, it’s easier for me to play a relatively abstract game without saying “hang on, this doesn’t work like that”.

    Reply
    • Ha ha! I do apologize for any offense. Come to think of it, one of my favorite characters from The Dark Crystal has a detachable eyeball, so maybe this is her kind of world. Not so scary after all!

      Good point about abstract games and not being based entirely on reality. You’re right: I think I might have questioned more of this if it were about farming or something real. Just another reason why I like to bring it to the table every now and then!

      Reply

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