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A podcast about topics in game design featuring the many people who come together to make games possible.

Jan 6, 2015

Venus Needs Men is an action selection game where players take the roles of one of five aliens races invading Earth to abduct or destroy the human population. One player has the option to play as the Earthlings defending its population. Players may build new ships, move through space, attack other players, abduct or transport population, or research new technologies in their quest to win the game. Each race has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. For example, the Venutians (from Venus) gain abduct population at a rate of +1 per action. These elements are highly thematic. Players also have a hand of Zap cards that can be played on others or themselves, or discarded to boost an action by one. This hand is limited and once discaded these cards are gone. Venus Needs Men sports some incredible 50s-styled sci-fi artwork from artist Jeff Durham. We played two versions of this game prior to the interview: the game as it was originally designed, and a variant that included a hand of action cards that have to be refreshed before refilling the hand.

Our discussion focused on John's science fiction influences for the game as well as the differences between the original and variant. We talked about how John approached a variant that adds depth and spices up the original's take on action selection. Finally, at the end we decided to talk about our favorite science fiction media together.

To learn more about or purchase a copy of the game, please visit John's website at VenusNeedsMen.com