SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

The game lasts five rounds, with players taking turns performing actions or passing. You launch probes, land on celestial bodies, or remain in orbit to collect data, while using telescopes to discover exoplanets and signals. On Earth, you invest in upgrades to process data more efficiently and expand your capabilities. More than 200 unique cards influence your strategy and provide additional effects and points; after round five, the player with the most points wins.

SETI is ambitious, yet remarkably clear for a game with so much theme and content. The choices feel meaningful: you're constantly weighing short-term gains against long-term research. What truly makes the game strong is how mechanics and theme converge – you don't feel like you're optimizing points, but conducting research. It is widely considered one of the most impressive Eurogames about science and exploration in recent years.