Don't be fooled by the cover

Before getting into 🚀 Space Bureau, let me start by pointing out that this is not a family game - even though the cover art kind of makes it look like one - but actually a euro game. ☝️ That said, it’s a pretty light-weight one, so it could serve as a solid gateway for folks coming from family games and looking to dip their toes into the euro genre.

Space Bureau is about exploring space 🌌, using your agents in the most optimal way to earn as many credits as possible.

The best idea here is the action selection system. You’ve got a grid of actions in front of you, and on your turn you place an Agent tile to trigger one of them. You start from the bottom row and work your way up. Each Agent tile has 2–3 connectors that determine where you can place the next one, meaning every placement limits and shapes your future options. It’s a clever little puzzle that adds some strategic depth.

Actions themselves are pretty straightforward: 👉 You can move around the map by using fuel, visiting planets or exploring new hexes in the tiny universe. There are 3 types of planets that correspond to 3 types of agents - whenever you stop at a planet you get to flip an agent tile of the same color on your board for bonus credits. This is an important piece of the puzzle to score higher. 

You can also gather 3 types of samples from planets, which take storage space away from your fuel tank, but score you extra credit when flipping agents tiles.

On top of that, you can establish offices on planets and climb the Bureau track for extra bonuses and credits. 

💬 I really like the idea of this tile-laying action selection, but ultimately the game offers a bit too little for us. There is just not enough to keep us engaged long term, though you can throw in asymmetric abilities into the mix for some additional spice. I do think it could be fun with kids though, or for players looking for a simpler game experience.