Wouter & Ymke 
Captain Jessica Kowalski is on a mission. She leads her crew to recover a missing spacecraft. Initially, it’s all about finding the ship and ensuring its cargo returns to Earth. But things take a turn for the perilous when they find out the ship’s AI has detected alien lifeforms on board.
👥 1-4 players, ages 14+
⌛ Playing time: 60-90 minutes
📝 Designers: Jakub Caban & Bartosz Idzikowski
🎨 Artwork: Magdalena Klepacz
🏢 Publisher: Board&Dice (review copy provided)
SideQuest invites players to join forces to assist Jessica in accomplishing her mission. Upon reaching the spacecraft, the players find that the crew is still in hibernation. Waking them up is crucial, but first, there are puzzles to be solved in the chambers that block access to the hibernation room.
👩🚀 The game challenges players to piece together four elements – these could be symbols, colors, or numbers. Each element corresponds to a token of different lengths used on a control panel. This mechanism allows players to advance in the game by moving to the next card with the correct solution, using just the game board and tokens.
📦 The game’s 3D ship is constructed using the game box itself. The changing screens and cards that slide in can modify the walls, altering the information available to players.
🌌 While SideQuest Nemesis shares its universe with the board game Nemesis, prior experience with Nemesis isn’t necessary. Both games feature the theme of alien threats, but each stands alone in its storytelling.
🤔 The puzzles strike a balance – they are straightforward yet challenging enough to require thoughtful problem-solving. Success in SideQuest leans heavily on teamwork and communication. Sharing thoughts and ideas is crucial, as a single player’s insight might unlock a puzzle that seemed impossible moments earlier.
🔄 Unlike many games in this genre where materials are often destroyed, SideQuest can be reset, allowing new groups to experience the adventure.
💭 As enthusiasts of puzzle games, we found SideQuest: Nemesis quite engaging. It introduces an innovative way to verify answers to riddles. Although sci-fi isn’t our preferred theme, it doesn’t overpower the puzzle-solving experience. If you’re a fan of games that involve searching, connecting the dots, and solving puzzles, this game is certainly worth trying.
📝 Disclaimer: We received a review copy of SideQuest: Nemesis from Board&Dice.
