Today we’re diving into “The Crew: Mission Deep Sea.” This is a board game from KOSMOS that takes the cooperative trick-taking formula from its predecessor, The Crew, & plunges it deep underwater. So, let’s break it down – what it is, what’s good, what’s bad, & if you should pick it up. Let’s get into it.
What It Is
The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is a cooperative trick-taking game designed by Thomas Sing, where players take on the role of underwater explorers attempting to complete various missions. It builds on the success of the original The Crew while introducing new challenges & a dynamic task system. The game is designed for 2-5 players & offers a variety of missions that progressively increase in difficulty. Each mission has specific objectives that players must complete by winning tricks, but with a twist—communication between players is limited, making it a puzzle-like challenge.
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Gameplay Overview
The game features a deck of 40 cards, numbered 1-9 in four suits (pink, yellow, green, & blue), along with four special submarine cards numbered 1-4. Other components include a captain token, sonar tokens for communication, a distress signal token, & task cards. The submarine cards serve as trump cards, with the number 4 submarine card designating the captain for each round. The player holding this card must declare themselves as the captain at the start of the game.
Task cards determine the objectives players must achieve in each mission. The number of tasks varies based on the player count & the specific mission in play. These objectives could involve winning certain cards or avoiding specific tricks, adding layers of complexity to the game’s structure. A logbook guides the progression of the missions, starting with simpler tasks & gradually introducing more difficult scenarios, keeping players on their toes.
At the beginning of each mission, cards are dealt evenly to all players. In cases of uneven distribution, one player may have an additional card. Communication is a key element of the game, but it’s limited. Players can only use sonar tokens to share specific information about one card in their hand, such as whether it’s their highest, lowest, or only card of a particular color.
Gameplay revolves around a series of tricks, with the captain leading the first. Players must follow the lead suit if possible, & if not, they can play any card, including a submarine card. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick unless a submarine card is played, as submarine cards trump regular suit cards. The higher-numbered submarines always overpower lower-numbered ones, adding another layer of strategy.
Tasks are distributed among players, & teamwork is essential to ensure all tasks are completed. This requires careful coordination, especially given the limited communication. Some missions introduce special rules, like requiring all tasks to be completed by a single player or restricting the ability to lead with certain cards. These rules often increase the difficulty, testing both strategy & cooperation.
Success in The Crew: Mission Deep Sea depends on completing all tasks before the cards run out. If the team succeeds, they move on to the next mission in the logbook. However, if they fail, they can choose to retry the mission or attempt a different one. The difficulty ramps up with each new mission, as later tasks introduce more complex objectives & time limits, adding pressure to the gameplay.
Despite the deep-sea theme being more of a backdrop, it adds flavor to the experience. Each mission is accompanied by a short story about deep-sea exploration, although players can easily skip these narratives. The game’s high-quality components, including clear, easy-to-read cards, enhance the overall experience. The Crew: Mission Deep Sea stands out by blending cooperative play with trick-taking mechanics, creating a challenging, engaging game that thrives on strategy & teamwork.
The Components
The game comes with high-quality cards & a logbook detailing the various missions. Each suit is beautifully illustrated with vibrant colors & underwater-themed symbols, making the cards easy to distinguish. The submarine cards add a unique flair, & the task cards are durable enough to handle frequent use. While the deep-sea theme is present in the visuals, it doesn’t dominate the gameplay. The rulebook is straightforward, explaining the mechanics clearly while providing a handy reference guide for the task cards.
That said, some players might opt to sleeve the cards due to frequent shuffling & handling, ensuring they last through many games. While the game’s components are practical & well-designed, the theme might feel light, with the real focus being on the puzzle-like trick-taking mechanics.
The Good
One of the best aspects of The Crew: Mission Deep Sea is its balance between accessibility & depth. The trick-taking mechanics are easy to grasp for players familiar with the genre, but the cooperative element & limited communication create a unique challenge that sets the game apart. The gradual difficulty curve through the missions allows new players to develop their skills naturally, while veteran players will appreciate the increasingly intricate puzzles the later missions provide.
Replayability is another major highlight. With over 90 task cards & a variety of missions, no two games feel the same. The random distribution of tasks means that even when replaying the same mission, the game offers a fresh experience. This ensures that the game stays engaging over multiple playthroughs, with each session presenting new challenges & opportunities for strategic collaboration. The ability to customize difficulty also makes this game appealing for players looking to tailor their experience based on group dynamics.
The Bad
One potential downside is the steep learning curve for players unfamiliar with trick-taking games. While the game offers excellent cooperative mechanics, complete newcomers might struggle with some of the intricacies of card play. It can take a few rounds for new players to fully understand the game’s rhythm & the importance of subtle communication strategies.
Another minor issue is the game’s limited thematic depth. While the underwater setting adds a nice visual layer, it doesn’t heavily impact the gameplay. Players looking for an immersive narrative might find the theme to be more of a backdrop than an integral part of the experience. Additionally, the tension of limited communication might not appeal to all gaming groups, particularly those who prefer more open discussions & free-flowing strategy sessions.
The Verdict
So, should you pick up The Crew: Mission Deep Sea? If you enjoy cooperative games with a strong puzzle element & love trick-taking mechanics, then absolutely. The game is a brilliant evolution of the original Crew, with added replayability & a refined task system that ensures every game feels different. The cooperative nature of the game creates a shared experience that can lead to intense moments of triumph or amusing failures, making it perfect for groups that love a good challenge.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a heavily thematic game or something with a more straightforward, open communication structure, this might not be the game for you. The limited communication & the trick-taking mechanics require players to be sharp & deliberate with their moves, which might not suit everyone’s taste. The game shines when players fully embrace its strategic depth, but it can be a bit daunting for newcomers to the genre.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve played the original Crew, you’ll feel right at home, but this one brings some fresh tweaks that make it even better. The task system, for example, adds a ton of variety to the gameplay, & no two sessions ever feel quite the same. It’s one of those games where just when you think you’ve figured out a strategy, a new challenge throws you for a loop, & you’re back to the drawing board. I love that constant push & pull; it keeps the game exciting every time.
Now, the cooperative aspect is really where it shines for me. Trick-taking games are usually about beating each other, but here, you’ve got to work as a team—and that’s where the fun (and frustration) kicks in. You only get to communicate once per round, & that limited info makes every move feel critical. There’s always this moment where you’re just staring at your teammate, silently hoping they pick up on what you’re trying to hint at without actually saying it. It’s intense but in the best way possible. & when it all clicks? There’s nothing better than that shared “aha!” moment.
I’ll admit, though, this game can be a bit tricky if you’re new to trick-taking games. I’ve played plenty, so it felt familiar, but I’ve had some friends who struggled a bit at first. Thankfully, the missions start off simple, so you get a nice ramp-up before things get tough. & when it does get tough, you really feel it. We’ve had missions where we just had to stop & laugh because it felt like everything went sideways in an instant.
One thing I’ve really appreciated is how easy it is to pull this game out again & again. With over 90 different tasks & a bunch of missions to choose from, it never feels repetitive. You can go back to the same mission & get a totally different experience just because of the way the cards fall. It’s that kind of unpredictability that keeps us coming back. Plus, it scales really well with different group sizes, so whether I’m playing with two people or a full table, it still works.
If I had to nitpick, I’d say the deep-sea theme is more of a backdrop than anything. The artwork’s nice & all, but honestly, the game is all about the mechanics. That said, the puzzles are so engaging that I never felt like it needed more story or theme to make it work. It’s all about those tense moments & working together to figure things out.
All in all, Mission Deep Sea has been a hit with my group. It’s challenging, clever, & constantly throws something new at you. Whether you’re a fan of the original or just love a good co-op game, this one’s worth checking out. We’ve had so many memorable moments playing it, & I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.
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