Gaia Project

2017 · Science Fiction

Gaia Project

Players take one of fourteen alien factions and expand across a modular galactic map by colonizing and terraforming different planet types to suit their home environment. Factions upgrade along six technology tracks—Terraforming, Navigation, Artificial Intelligence, Gaiaforming, Economy, and Research—to unlock abilities, buildings, and bonuses. Gaia planets serve as shared colonization targets, and Transdimensional planets can be converted into Gaia planets to open new options. Gameplay emphasizes area control, engine building, and asymmetric faction powers as players develop infrastructure, research technologies, and compete for resources and strategic positions across variable sector layouts.

Players
1–4 best 3
Playing time
60–150 min
Age
12+
Complexity
4.4 / 5
8.3 on LudoyaSpace ExplorationEconomicSolo / Solitaire GameTech Trees / Tech TracksNetwork and Route Building

On Ludoya's tables

Full stats in Ludoya
1,712
Plays logged
880
Players
2h 9m
Average play
283
In collections
62
On wishlists
2
Pre-ordered

8.3/10

from 162 Ludoya reviews

  • zim zhang9.0

    10 with expansion

    No plays logged

  • Mestremuten9.0

    Rating: 5/5 Production value: 3/4 Is the game in my collection/Love to have?: 1/1

    Played it 4 times

  • Carlos9.0

    Very deep brain burner game. Need to play more.

    First impressions · 2 plays

Read the reviews and rate it

Rules questions

Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.

Do I have to discard leftover power at the end of a round, or can I keep it?

You keep power between rounds; power tokens remain on your faction board and continue to cycle—tokens are discarded only when an effect tells you to discard them (see the power cycle explanation) (p.9). Phase IV clean-up does not remove power from players' power cycles (p.17).

What's the difference between charging power and spending power — where can I spend power from?

Charging moves tokens toward area III of your power cycle and you can only spend power tokens that are in area III; when you spend them you move them from area III back to area I (p.9).

If I start a Gaia Project, does the planet become a Gaia Planet immediately or later?

A Gaia Project is started when you place a Gaiaformer, but the Transdim Planet becomes a Gaia Planet during the Gaia phase of the following round, so the transformation is completed later (pp.12, 10).

How far can I build a mine — does Navigation level and Q.I.C. matter?

Your basic build range comes from your Navigation level (level 0–1 = range 1, level 2–3 = range 2, level 4 = range 3, level 5 = range 4), and you may spend Q.I.C. to extend range by +2 spaces per Q.I.C. spent (p.11).

What counts toward the federation 'power value' and how do I connect planets?

Structures contribute power values (mine=1, trading station/research lab=2, planetary institute/academy=3) and the connected structures you choose must total at least 7 power; to connect non-adjacent planets you build satellites by discarding one power each and place them adjacent to your planets or other satellites (p.14).

Can I take the power or Q.I.C. actions on the research board multiple times in a round?

No — each specific power or Q.I.C. action space on the research board can be taken only once per round (place an action token after you take it), though you may take different action spaces in the same round if available; free actions and some special actions follow their own limits (pp.15, 23, 16).

Score sheet by Ludoya

Gaia Project score sheet

Every scoring category, from the Ludoya kit. On your phone the totals add up by themselves.

Opens Ludoya's rules assistant, which reads this game's rulebook.

Score sheets and play helpers

  • Full Game Kit
  • CAT ✶ Gaia Project
  • Score Sheet
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Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.