Aerion

The games in the Oniverse series, by designer Shadi Torbey, are really something special. With enchanting aesthetics and whimsical characters, I have a soft spot for such original art without sacrificing enjoyable gameplay. His latest, Aerion, is no exception. Like the previous games, Aerion plays either as a solo game or co-operatively with 2 players. This is the fastest to play in the series, some games lasting as little as 15 minutes including the set-up and pack-down (which is especially appreciated when preparing a solo experience).

Aerion is a dice game that takes inspiration from the flow of Yahztee. You roll your dice and pick which ones to keep, or which ones to re-roll, up to 3 times. Meanwhile, you’re trying to accomplish a set with your finalised dice, such as pairs or runs, to buy 3 cards for each aircraft, each requiring a blueprint, material, and crew. It’s wonderfully intuitive to learn and play, and yet also delightfully tricky to succeed! This little puzzle is a satisfying one, and once you’ve had your fill of the base game there are additional rules to expand the game with variants as you progress and improve. Also be sure to check out Onirim, Sylvion, Castellion, or Nautellion if this one interests you... These are easy games to want to collect! Highly recommend.