No doubt like many Onirim enjoyers, I was tempted to check out other select games in its series and keep an eye out for offers in the future before I gave into temptation and bought the whole damned lot, courtesy of a reasonably priced eBay bundle. My preconceptions about which ones looked the most worthwhile weren't always accurate, but sometimes I could tell.
Do any of them live up to the original? Are they all too different, or not different enough? Shouldn't I have waited until Ultimion was out to do this? Yes.
Tile Tetris has a tactile advantage, but it didn't worm its way into my mind or heart like most of the others did, as well as having the measliest serving of expansion (singular) in the whole series. I enjoyed the learning curve, as always (hang on... this 'bad' tile is just what I need!), and my five-year-old took a particular shine to it, so it's sticking around.
Preferred setup: Custom mish-mash for a child
After so many diverse and inventive variations on stock games, basically combining Onirim and Aerion was a bit disappointing (even considering how highly I rank those), making this the first game to feel a little superfluous in the line since Urbion. The add-ons are more essential than ever for expanding the limited universe of the base game, though the decks still feel a bit too tight, and with less randomness than some of the other titles, it can feel more like going through the celestial motions than having fun.
Preferred setup: Everything
This OCD balancing act was a step lower when I'd only played the more limited first edition, but extra expansions and other small but substantial tweaks enhanced what was already an addictive challenge. It's still one of the less distinctive and immersive titles, but the quick setup means I feel like playing and losing to it more often than some of those higher up.
Preferred setup: All but the last two expansions
Another ingenious challenge with adorable characters and perhaps the most impeccable design of the series with all the different layouts, but I was disappointed that I didn't love this twist on the traditional board game more, having hyped it up in my mind the most. It almost got there once the expansions rounded it out, added the essential battle scene and saw all crew members pulling double shifts, but it's all a bit too fiddly to bother with often.
Preferred setup: Level 2 or 3 sub with three or four expansions
I was surprised at how much I loved this one, which seems to show up in auctions the most frequently and I'd hesitated over buying due to it looking a bit limited and repetitive. It is, but the theme's so well done that I'm fully involved in the struggle with my woodland comrades (and whales, for some reason) and don't mind doing the same thing most of the time. It's not the most replayable title though, and they could have piled more expansions on and not made us buy Below Ground separately.
Preferred setup: Everything
The race to the top is a close one from here. This weird dice game quickly proved to be one of the most addictive in the series, with a smorgasbord of modular expansions bringing back the adventurous exploration of Onirim and creating a megagame that's similarly satisfying to beat. It's just a shame those expansions don't have more varied art. I'm reaching for superficial quibbles at this point.
Preferred setup: Everything
Not the most welcoming theme, but the first glimpse of the mechanical minions turned that around, even before the delights of the Babybots and Gigantobots. This feels like a late series entry in the best way, taking cues from its predecessors (the many decisions of Aerion, the battles from Nautilion, the cuddly critters from Sylvion after Doctor Robotnik's had his way with them) and putting them through its own rusty grinder. It's just a shame that some random permutations make it literally unplayable from the start.
Preferred setup: Everything except The Microbots, which are too annoying
It was hyped as a modern classic solo card game before I even played it, but I was sold on the theme and artwork even before that, so the game being incredibly satisfying was a nice bonus. Working through all of the expansions and promos and mixing them together, it became cumulatively spectacular. Returning after playing all of its spin-offs, it still reigns supreme, though how much that's primacy bias, I can't say.
Preferred setup: Everything, though Happy Dreams and Dark Premonitions is a bitch
Now for the wait to discover whether the mysterious finale lives up to its arrogant title:
