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Nestled in California, near the Mexican border, Salton Sea is renowned for its salty lake and dynamic geothermal activity. In the board game Salton Sea, you’ll tap into the earth’s heat to produce geothermal energy, drill for brine, and extract valuable lithium, all while driving towards a sustainable future.
👥 1-4 players, ages 14+
⌛ Playing time: 120 minutes
📝 Designer: David Bernal
🎨 Artwork: Amelia Sales
🏢 Publisher: Devir Games (review copy provided)
Gameplay Overview:
The game unfolds over an indefinite number of rounds until one of two possible end-game triggers is met. Players start with four workers, known as engineers, ready to tackle the challenges ahead. Each turn, players place one of their engineers on action spots on their board, action cards from their hand, or on research or contract cards acquired earlier. Action spots on the cards often offer greater rewards, such as discounts or bonuses.
By fulfilling contracts or gaining research, players can develop their business projects. Advancing along this track unlocks new workers and upgrades for warehouses. Actions are categorized into three main types: industrial, commercial, and management.
Industrial Actions:
These are the heart of the game. Players acquire drilling licenses (claim cards), drill shafts, and extract brimstone. In the factory, they process raw materials into lithium or geothermal energy. However, using machinery and drills can cause damage, which needs to be repaired to avoid penalties at the end of the game.
Commercial Actions:
Players can sell raw or processed resources, boosting their corporation’s financial assets, enter into contracts, or execute existing contracts. The asset marker’s position determines share prices and the company’s needs. When this marker reaches the end of the track, the company closes for selling purposes.
Management Actions:
Managing the factory involves researching new technologies and buying company shares.
Once all players have used their available workers, they retrieve them and start a new round after some cleanup activities. Rounds continue until one of two endgame triggers occurs: players push the asset marker to the top of the track for two companies, causing them to close, or the claim deck is empty and can’t be replenished.
Final scoring then takes place, considering players’ shares, products in warehouses, research cards, and public objectives. Points are also deducted for any neglected repairs on faulty drills or machinery in the factory.
Game Info:
Salton Sea, designed by David Bernal and published by Devir, is perfect for experienced board gamers seeking a challenge. With support for 1-4 players, recommended for ages 14 and up, and taking about 120 minutes to play, it’s a game that dives deep into strategy and decision-making. It’s not just fun; it’s a strategic brain workout.
Components, Production, and Artwork:
The production value of Salton Sea is impressive. Despite its compact format, it delivers a “big box” experience. The detailed rulebook offers fascinating background information on the real Salton Sea and its geothermal activities, setting the stage for the game. The components are sturdy and high-quality, enhancing the overall experience with well-crafted pieces.
Amelia Sales’ illustrations are a visual delight, effectively capturing the industrial and environmental themes. They immerse players in the setting of the Salton Sea and its renewable energy challenges. The game’s visuals and components work seamlessly with its mechanics to create a cohesive and engaging experience that perfectly reflects the environmental and industrial themes.
Gameplay Mechanics and Theme Integration:
Salton Sea brilliantly integrates real-world themes of renewable energy and resource management into its mechanics. The process of acquiring drilling licenses, extracting brine, and converting it into geothermal energy or lithium mirrors the actual activities in the Salton Sea region. This thematic integration adds both educational value and immersion to the game.
The challenge in Salton Sea lies in the clever usage of the cards. Action cards are more powerful than action spots but also serve as game currency. The backs of the cards have values of 1, 3, and 5 dollars, with higher values granting stronger actions. When a player needs to pay, they must decide whether to use several lower-value cards or one high-value card, knowing there’s no change for overpaying. This creates a tight and strategic gameplay experience, where players must constantly balance the use of their cards for actions versus spending them as money.
Share Market Dynamics:
On the share market, players constantly influence prices and, consequently, each other’s actions. Selling to the company pushes the asset marker up the track, allowing for more share purchases but also making shares more expensive. Extra bonuses along the share track are available for the first players to reach them, adding another layer of strategic depth.
Despite these interactions, the game can sometimes feel like a multiplayer solitaire experience, with players focusing more on their own boards than on directly impacting others. The abundance of decision space can lead to analysis paralysis, slowing down the game and reducing the feeling of interaction as players take longer to decide on their moves.
Final Thoughts:
We absolutely love playing Salton Sea and the rich decision space it offers. The innovative use of action cards as both currency and actions, combined with the well-integrated theme of geothermal energy and lithium extraction, makes for a compelling gameplay experience. While the game is tight and pushes decision-making to the next level, it also provides plenty of fun.
Salton Sea isn’t just another game; it’s a foray into sustainable energy. And who would have guessed brine extraction could be so fascinating?
📝 Disclaimer: We received a review copy of the game from the publisher, Devir.
