SILOS Review: Alien Abduction Meets Area Control

Reiner Knizia is a designer I hold in very high regard. Even when some of his games feel a bit unfinished or overly complicated, I still appreciate his work. Now, with the help of publisher Bitewing Games, some of Knizia’s less polished titles are being reimagined and improved to reach the quality they deserve from the start.

Let’s take a look at SILOS, which is a new version of an older game called Municipium.

Gameplay Overview

The goal in SILOS is straightforward: collect five sets of four different human figures. You do this by controlling different areas on the board. The game has a unique twist on area control. During setup, each player places all of their alien figures onto the board. These figures cannot be removed during the game. Instead, on your turn, you can take up to two movement actions. You can move two different figures once each, or move one figure twice. After moving, the current player flips over a card from the Common Deck and does what the card says.

There are four different types of cards in the deck, and they appear in different amounts: UFO Advance, Marked Specimen, One Power, and All Power. All these cards are drawn randomly. They make the locations on the board worth fighting for. When a UFO Advance card is drawn, the UFO marker moves forward. The player with the most figures in that space gets a cow, which acts as a wild card for the human sets you need to win. A Marked Specimen card refills each location with more humans to collect. One Power and All Power cards activate one or all locations on the board. If you have the majority of figurines there, you can do special actions.

The game involves randomness, but the randomness of the action deck is tracked. Each card drawn is placed around the board, so everyone can see exactly which cards are left in the deck.

To win SILOS, you need to control power spaces, target the leader, and have some luck with the action cards.

Game Experience

I have enjoyed the basic structure of this game since it first appeared as Municipium. However, the original version suffered from one of my least favorite things in board game design: too many complicated names. Every single location and piece had a Roman-themed label, and these labels sometimes changed depending on where a piece was placed. Between the overused Roman theme and the single brown color used in the original art, it was impossible to get anyone to play it with me. But with SILOS’ theme of alien abduction and its deluxe components, it is finally possible to get this delightful game to the table.

The changes made to SILOS from Municipium are excellent. The game was always about counting cards, but having a card counting track on the outside of the board makes that aspect clear to everyone, not just experienced players. In addition, each player gets a Leader figure, which is worth an extra 0.5 control points. This means that if another player and I have two figures in a location, and I have a leader there, I have 2.5 control points to the other player’s 2 control points. Finally, the last addition to the game is optional location powers that replace the original ones to add variety.

So, we have discussed the new art and the design changes, but what about the game design itself?

I absolutely adore this design. I enjoy area-control games and Knizia designs, so it should not come as a surprise to anyone who has read my past reviews. But also, because I have played so many different area-control games, it is difficult for a game to impress me. The main factor that makes SILOS stand out is the lack of ebb and flow of the fullness of the map. From the very beginning of the game, the whole map is filled with each and every player. Each area’s majority space is busy and often won by a single figure. This tightness is unmatched by nearly every game out there, unless it is in the final round. Starting the game where most other games end really makes this game stand out in a crowded field.

The other factor I enjoy most about this game is that not every space is worth winning all the time. Unlike gems like El Grande, where giving up a space is inherently a loss of points, SILOS spaces may have an action attached that does not help you. This allows you to focus on other spaces. This really lifts up the social aspect of the game, forcing you to read the game state and predict what other players will do. But also, there are times where getting second in a majority contest may actually be better for you than winning the location, adding even more to the depth.

Final Thoughts

An intense, random, crowded area control game, SILOS shines at bringing some new twists to the area-control genre. While the board may be crowded from the start, each space does not always have value to everyone, brilliantly combining the randomness of the card draw with the uneven spaces. If you are looking for a short, fierce game that can be taught in a few minutes, look no further than SILOS.

Final Score: 4 Stars – Aliens are so much better than Romans.

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