Race for the Galaxy: Gathering Storm

Gathering Storm is the best, and I would even say, an essential DLC for RftG. After you've played the base game a few times, and are familiar with the core rules, adding GS into the mix gives you the complete package. I consider it as RftG as it was meant to be played; the true experience.

The most significant feature it adds is goals, which gives you something else to 'race' for, other than simply filling your tableau as fast as possible. There are several random goals available per match, and are worth three to five VPs each. Earning them is either by being the first to achieve something, e.g. "first to have four production worlds", or having the most of of something at the end of the match, e.g. "have the most military power". It broadens out the game just enough to make it more interesting, but without adding any complexity. I love it.

In fact there are no other major rule changes, which is why this expansion is the icing on the cake. A session still plays as it always does, but now with more content. Any expansion after this starts adding complexity, and is mostly only for the RftG addicts that desperately need more content.

Cards

The added cards are all great, and for the most part, are variations on the same theme of the base game. I don't even have a favorite card to highlight because they are all rather balanced ("as all things should be", ha). Nothing too weird nor confusing is in the mix (that comes in the next two expansions).

Verdict

Buy this with the base game. After you've played the base game two or three times, add in Gathering Storm for all future matches and never look back.

See my reviews on the base game and other expansions here:

Race for the Galaxy
https://steamcommunity.com/id/odog502/recommended/579940/

Rebel vs Imperium
https://steamcommunity.com/id/odog502/recommended/647071/

Brink of War
https://steamcommunity.com/id/odog502/recommended/762070/


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If I had to choose only 1 expansion, this would be it. It's the most "non-invasive" expansion, adding oraganic goals that favor planning. It also adds "Chromosome" icons that favor gathering them, since the base game had only 1 that suspiciously had a chromosome-gather power. It also adds 4 new starting words so this is always nice. All in all, this expansion is a must buy, even if you don't want to purchase any of the rest.

Verdict: If you feel like starting to expand your game or if you just had to choose 1 expansion, you can certainly pick this one!

The base game favors the produce/consume engine. This DLC introduces goals that let you earn victory points (VPs) in new ways and potentially compete with p/c engines of other players. It also let's you switch strategies easier during an ongoing game. Each game will select 6 goals from a pool of goals. Take a look at the screenshots on the steam page above. You can see a column with symbols (column including the red 6+ symbol) between the played cards area and the draw pile & OK button section. These are filled up to 6 in total. Here are some examples of goals:

Be the first to play 3 alien cards: 3 VP
Be the first to discard cards by a full hand: 3 VP
Be the first to play a development 6 card: 3VP
Be the first player to own 5 VP chips: 3 VP
Be the first to own every type of production world: 3VP
Be the first to own a bonus for every action: 3VP
Highest military count at the end of the game with at least 6 military: 5 VP
Most production worlds at the end of the game: 5 VP
Most development cards at the end of the game with at least 4 dev cards: 5 VP

Playing with goals is optional though, if you don't like it you can switch it off and play with the new cards.

Pros:
+ I get the impression that the AI is better than the base game AI and it's very competent at making use of the new DLC features.
+ Goals
+ Goals can be switched off
+ There is a little more reason to go for alien cards due to the alien goal
+ New starting (home) worlds, New cards
+ Military strategy is a bit more viable due to the military goal

Cons:
- Most of the green cards are still worthless

Final verdict: Recommended but only when you have experience with the base game. The DLC is not suitable for first-time players.

Great expansion. The goals are OK if this is the only expansion you have, but once I had all 3, I turned them off and left them off. The game is complicated enough for my taste without the goal which feel somewhat arbitrary and even distracting when you are facing 200 cards, prestige points, and take overs.

A new way to earn VP and some great new cards expanding on possible strategies. Definitely worth it if you enjoy the base game.