Game summary
đź‘Ą A game for 1 to 4 players
⏳ Play time is around 60 – 120 minutes
🏢 Publisher is Perro Loko Games
Introduction
The ashes of a shattered world give rise to a bold new beginning. Set in the aftermath of a cataclysmic nuclear fallout, this strategic board game invites players to lead a team of resilient commandos as humanity claws its way back to the Earth’s surface. Through the ambitious Phoenix Project, players will construct regenerators, harness lost technologies, and forge new colonies in a world still haunted by radiation and ruin. Yet this is not a story of despair, Phoenix: New Horizon is a celebration of resilience, cooperation, and the indomitable will to rebuild. With rich thematic depth and layered mechanics, the game offers a compelling vision of hope forged through strategy, sacrifice, and daring leadership.
Let’s get it on the table
Place the gameboard and task panel in the centre of the table, using the correct side depending on the number of players. For games with one or two players, the side marked with the Phoenix Project seal is used. In games with two or three players, part of the board, the yellow region is closed off using nuclear hazard tapes and radiation warning signs.
Next, players set up the general components. The round counter is placed on the first position of the round track. Connection tapes are shuffled and laid out yellow side up across the designated areas on the board.
Technology cards, mission cards, blueprints, and tasks are all divided by level, with the appropriate ones selected according to the number of players and placed in their designated spots around the gameboard and task panel.
Some components such as level IV technologies or specific mission cards are removed entirely in games with fewer players. Population bonus tokens are also separated by color and randomly placed on the matching spaces along the population track on the right side of the gameboard.
Three initial white regenerators are placed on the board in spaces marked depending on the player count.
Following that, players prepare the starting mission pool by drawing a number of level I mission cards equal to the number of players plus one, each of which is paired with a unique initial program. These combinations are laid out face up in the centre for players to select during their setup.
A general fuel reserve is created using the 1- and 5-unit fuel tokens and placed within reach of all players.
Each player then sets up their personal play area by taking all components of their chosen color. This includes a command console, which acts as a personal dashboard, along with buildings, regenerators in bronze, silver, and gold, settlers, development markers, energy counters, scoring and turn order markers, insignias, and their team of commandos including the leader.
The buildings and regenerators are organized onto the console in designated positions, and settlers are placed both on the console and on the initial spaces of the population track. Commandos are placed in the lower rest area on the task panel, ready for deployment. Insignias are positioned at the start of the scoring tracks, and energy and development markers begin at the lowest positions of their respective tracks.
Finally, the turn order is determined randomly, and in reverse order, players choose one of the mission and program combinations prepared earlier. Each player keeps their selected mission card in hand and receives the bonus granted by their chosen program. Once these selections are complete, the leftover combination is discarded, and the game is ready to begin.
With the board prepared, objectives selected, and commandos deployed, the Phoenix Project is officially underway.
The journey to rebuild the Earth’s surface can now begin.
Let’s play
Phoenix: New Horizon is a game of timing, resource optimization, and long-term planning. Every action is a piece of a larger strategy: reclaiming the Earth and ensuring your command unit earns its place in history.
On a player’s turn, they must carry out one main action: either performing a task, promoting a commando, or passing.
At the start or end of a turn, a player may also complete a mission and/or claim a blueprint, provided they meet the requirements.
Most of the gameplay revolves around assigning commandos to tasks. A player selects one of their commandos from a rest area and places it on an available task space. Each commando can only be placed on tasks connected to its rest area or via special links, which may require extra fuel. Tasks allow players to build regenerators or buildings, increase population, gain new technology, take mission cards, move insignias on scoring tracks, and more. Some tasks also provide powerful bonuses, particularly those at higher levels.
To access more advanced tasks, players must promote their commandos to higher rest areas. Promotion requires spending fuel and following the directional paths on the console. If a commando is promoted but the player wants to act in the same turn, they must pay an additional “quick ascent” fuel cost, unless the commando is their leader, who can act immediately for free.
As players complete tasks, they build regenerators and buildings on the board. Regenerators clear radiation and generate energy, unlocking more advanced structures and income. Buildings are essential for completing missions and unlocking bonuses. Both structures are tied to a player’s energy level, so increasing energy through various actions is a key part of progression.
Another critical path is development and population growth. Advancing on these tracks unlocks ongoing rewards, releases more settlers, and contributes to end-game scoring. Settlers can also be placed on special intercoms, key scoring areas that reward efficient planning.
As players complete missions, they gain points and resources, and each round offers new missions to pursue. Players can also obtain technology cards that provide ongoing benefits or end-game points, based on their strategy.
Each round continues until all players have either used all their commandos or chosen to pass.
At that point, the round ends, and the following steps are carried out:
-If it’s the end of round three, level III mission cards replace the old ones.
-Fuel income is generated based on energy and development levels.
-New missions are revealed.
-Commandos return to their rest areas.
-Players choose new positions on the turn order track in reverse order.
The game ends
After four rounds, the game ends. Players then proceed to final scoring, which is layered and strategic.
They score based on:
-The positions of their settlers on intercoms
-Completed missions
-Built regenerators, including specific types or regions
-Technology cards, especially level IV
-Types and quantities of buildings constructed, boosted by insignia positions
-Their energy and development track progress
The player with the highest score is declared the victor. If there’s a tie, the winner is determined by who has released the most settlers, followed by highest energy level, and then remaining fuel. If a tie still remains, the players share the victory.
Final Conclusion & rating
Weight: 1.83/ 5
Replayability:Â 8
Our rating:Â 7,5 out of 10 dices
This was our first experience with a game from Perro Loko Games, we hadn’t noticed them until just before Spiel 2024. Phoenix: New Horizon caught my eye in the days leading up to the event, and reached out to Perro Loko Games. They were incredibly open and generous, and kindly provided us with a review copy. We’re really glad they did.
We went into Phoenix: New Horizon expecting a heavy, crunchy Eurogame and we were genuinely surprised. While the rulebook hints at a deep post-apocalyptic strategy game, it’s actually very approachable once you get into your first turn.
The game is easy to learn, especially thanks to the clear iconography and structured player boards. Everything makes sense as you play, and that makes it easy to teach and get to the table more often.
Now, let’s talk about the insert. Phoenix: New Horizon is one of those games that would shine even more if everything were beautifully arranged in a custom insert. A well-designed insert isn’t just functional, it elevates the entire experience. Setup becomes smoother, cleanup is faster, and the game gains that extra touch of polish. So if anyone’s thinking about designing an insert for Phoenix, it’s time to get it into production. The game deserves it.
As for gameplay, there’s a lot going on, but it never feels overwhelming. What I really appreciated was how dynamic the board becomes. With regenerators, buildings, missions, technologies, settlers, and more gradually entering the game, the board genuinely evolves with each round. It’s one of those games where you can physically see the progress being made, and that makes every turn feel impactful.
There’s no downtime here. Every round brings something new to respond to, whether it’s a fresh mission, a strategic opportunity to promote a commando, or a tight spot you’re racing another player to claim. It’s engaging from start to finish.
Phoenix: New Horizon might look complex at first glance, but it plays smoothly, rewards thoughtful decisions, and looks better every round. With excellent component quality and strong replay value, especially with the solo mode, it’s a game that I can confidently say adds both flavor and function to any collection.
We want to thank Perro Loko Games for this review copy and the opportunity to write about this game.
