What this particular Star Wars game has going in its favor is that everyone sort of knows its story, just like everyone sort of knows the rules of poker. As it’s been described to me, it feels like Grace’s clever design reinforces that story almost perfectly. The rules of the game are the rules of the Star Wars universe, and that should lead to both a satisfying time at the table and a minimum of fuss. Image: Fantasy Flight Games Each faction also includes 10 Base cards spanning a number of iconic locations from throughout the Star Wars universe including Tatooine, Endor, Hoth, Alderaan, Coruscant, Mustafar, Yavin 4, and the Death Star. Aside from their mandatory starting location, each player can choose which bases they want to use during the game, depending on their overall strategy. These additional bases are kept secret from the opponent, often leading to a bit of surprise in the latter parts of the game. First, each player must decide which faction they are playing with. While mechanically playing as the Rebels or the Empire has very little impact, the faction you play with determines the cards you can buy during the game from the galaxy row, so take this into consideration in case you would like to play using some of your favorite characters.

On the Empire side of the table, the mechanic is called “bounty hunting.” What else is so Star Wars? You choose to fight as either the Empire or Rebellion, and both players use the same 152 cards that are included in the box. I was a bit worried they were returning to this well-trod period of time, but they include enough characters/vehicles from the other movies and even animated series, that it feels far more fleshed out. Fantasy Flight ceased design on Star Wars: The Card Game in 2018, and many of its Star Wars titles have been shuffled to other Asmodee-owned studios since the giant company bought Fantasy Flight in 2014. The studio has more recently dedicated itself to “more thoughtful releases,” as it told Dicebreaker in 2021, spinning down some games into an indefinite hiatus and adopting a more measured release schedule for the rest of its portfolio. Gamer Network Limited, Gateway House, 28 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1DN, United Kingdom, registered under company number 03882481. If you're looking to scratch the two-player tabletop itch in the meantime, Wheels has a list of excellent entries.Perhaps you are looking at this game and wondering how rule heavy it is. Well, the good news is that it’s really not. That’s not to say that it’s a light game. There is enough strategy and depth to sink an X-Wing in (ala the swamps of Dagobah!). What Fantasy Flight have done though is to produce a game that feels like a true love letter to the Star Wars universe which is great fun for veteran gamers and yet welcoming to new players. Wheels, Matt and Meehan play Star Wars: Dark Side Rising toegther. Player count, game length and overview For all that, however, I feel like something has been missing. Nothing has quite scratched the same itch as the older Star Wars Collectible and Trading Card Games. The thrill of “duking it out” merely with the strength of your cards and strategy. Some of have gotten really close to that feel, but whether it’s more complicated—or too simplistic—mechanics, or incorporated to much other stuff (dice, boards, etc)…they weren’t exactly what I was wanting. Director Krennic has a target value of 5. If the Rebel player manages to sabotage him, they claim his reward of 3 resources and 2 Force (we’ll explain the Force mechanic later in this article). The Rebel Alliance fights valiantly against the tyranny of the Galactic Empire. Each new victory brings the Rebels hope, and each heroic sacrifice strengthens their resolve. Still, the Empire’s resources are vast, and the firepower of its Empire Navy is unmatched. With neither side willing to accept defeat, their war rages across the galaxy…

The game features a variety of different modes, including a solo mode and a cooperative mode where players work together to defeat a common enemy. There is also a competitive mode where players face off against each other in intense Star Wars battles. Your opponent has access to the same pile and can see exactly what you see. If there’s a great card in the Row that could provide a distinct advantage, it might be worth your time and resources to “sabotage” (for the Rebellion) or “bounty hunt” (for the Empire) those cards within the Galaxy Row. For instance, during one of my playthroughs as a Rebel, a major vehicle card for the Empire came up on the Row…one that would certainly tip the balance if my opponent was able to get it. Of course, the bases themselves are also a factor in your strategy. The Rebels always start with Dantooine Lothal Use the ForceThroughout the game, a Force meter records the balance in The Force, which may alter the effect of cards in favour of a particular faction. [1] Reception [ edit ] L'immersion prends le pas sur la mécanique procurant la plaisante sensation d'être effectivement l'empereur ou diriger la destinée des rebelles.

It’s just cool to see that kind of risk/reward strategy in a card game. It’s an aspect of the gameplay that makes each match feel different, with no battle playing out the same way…even though you’re using the same cards every time.While the game has more base cards than the five listed, they are only going to be used once you have become more familiar with the game. Including them helps to extend the match’s duration or to have more options when making plays. For your first time playing the game, you don’t need to worry about the advanced options. Once you have all components, it’s time to work on the setup. In addition to units, players can also find capital ships in the galaxy row, such as the or the . These are special cards for a couple of reasons; first, unlike unit cards, capital ships stay in play and are not discarded at the end of the round. Second, before your opponent can deal damage to your base, they must destroy each capital ship you have in play. With abilities that help you on your turn and some protection for your base on your opponent’s turn, capital ships are always worth the investment! The Force begins the game all the way on the Rebels’ side, but the Empire gets to take the first turn. Regardless of which faction you play as, what you choose to do in those opening moves can have a lasting impact on the rest of the game. Read more The Rebel Alliance fights valiantly against the tyranny of the Galactic Empire. Each new victory brings the Rebels hope, and each heroic sacrifice strengthens their resolve. Still, the Empire's resources are vast, and the firepower of its Empire Navy is unmatched. With neither side willing to accept defeat, their war rages across the galaxy... Shuffle the 90 galaxy cards and place the pile in the middle of the table. Then, draw six cards from the top of this pile, creating a row in between the players. The cards must be placed facing the player who represents the faction they are part of. Neutral cards are placed horizontally.

The Rebel Alliance fights valiantly against the tyranny of the Galactic Empire. Each new victory brings hope to the Rebels, and each heroic sacrifice strengthens their resolve. Yet the Empire's resources are vast and the firepower of its fleet is unmatched. With neither side willing to accept defeat, war rages across the galaxy... In this example, the Force is currently with the Rebel player because it is on one of the three light side spaces.

Every Rebel card, every Empire card has a bottom section, that is actually upside-down to the owner and it faces their opponent,” Grace said. “So while it’s out there in the row — let’s say Grand Moff Tarkin is in the row and I’m the rebel player — I can’t buy Grand Moff Tarkin, but he has a target value on him.