Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game QUICK Review

Is one of the fastest Star Wars games worth the pickup? The Rebel Alliance once again takes on the Galactic Empire, fighting for control of the galaxy in their own asymmetric ways. Deckbuild faction cards while managing 10 bases as health to utilize! You must balance the force with your opponent, choosing to play cards like Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker to get more benefits in the tug of war. The asymmetry feels a bit like Magic the Gathering’s distinction, where the empire is like blue control, and rebels are like red aggro (with characters from Disney+ shows and the recent trilogy).
Is the randomness the right fit with this length of game, and how does this compare to other kitchen duelers like Radlands, or deck builders like Star Realms and Dominion? Maybe you should spend more time and play Star Wars Rebellion instead?
Token Vessels: tokenvessels.com/discount/she...
Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
Token Vessels - (0:25)
How to Play - (1:08)
Pros - (2:20)
Cons - (7:28)
Nitpicks - (10:43)
Recommender Score - (11:05)
Ashton's Personal Score - (12:34)
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#boardgames #tabletop #review

[@Shelfside]

Check out Token vessels here! Also written review hopefully coming soon when I can get around to it! tokenvessels.com/discount/shelfside15

[@tokenvessels]

Thanks for letting us sponsor the video! This game definitely gives me star realms vibes.

[@bones983]

It’s terrible news for me personally to hear the Empire is more powerful. My 9yo always plays as the Rebels and routinely destroys me.

[@hugocruz2439]

"gud git" .- Yoda

[@jamestriplett5854]

"good you must get" @@hugocruz2439

[@julianprofas]

"The force is strong with this one"

[@linkypete]

My wife have played ttis dozens of times and adore it. I've found that the game feels most balanced at around 4-5 planet games instead of 3 (we've tried 10, and at that point the game becomes a massive snowball effect)

[@bossman4799]

I’ve wanted to pick this up for a bit now. Thanks for the review!

[@rafiweiss3915]

I’ve never played this game but in response to your comments about a stagnant market, possibly it could work to apply what Imperium did. At the end of each players turn, they add a resource cube to a card in the market. Cards with resources cannot be discarded or exiled from the market. Over time, unwanted cards build an amount of instant resources that are hard to pass up.

[@Zunidrap]

Thanks for the review! You confirmed my concerns. I will save my money and get Rebellion instead. 😉

[@misterArdito]

Thanks for the review. I like this game too. Please note that the market is 6 cards( plus pilot) not just 5.

[@matd2892]

My play groups put the purple damage markers on our units when we play them from hand to show they have not used their attack yet. It also helps because you can't use lost damage. Meaning if something is the center has 3 hp and you deal 2 damage to it with 2 units, you lose that 1 remaining damage.

[@Verisi1]

I agree with everything in this review except for the point about the Empire being stronger. It's a rush to hit base-killing breakpoints and Rebels often get there faster. The game is absurdly swingy, as some cards (especially low-cost rebel cards that force discard) are disgusting and expensive cards not being easily removable sets up the insta-buy bases as massive RNG factors. The more I play it, the more it feels like going through the motions and seeing if the deck essentially topdecks a win for one side. Some people like high variance, though, and it seems many just like Star Wars.

[@hugocruz2439]

i agree with you, but i don't mind the swinginess as it's a short game and must of the time we play two games in a row. Is a fun short basic deck builder that feels like a frankenstein of the good ideas of many other deck builders and it works wonders

[@truce11]

Nice ad for the Token Vessels. Never heard of them...but can the next ad copy bit for them include real steamy dumplings with close-ups for the food memes? Thanks. Dumplings are delicious. That is all.

[@ClippyTactical]

Since you've played lots of card games, id love to see you review the fan supported Android Netrunner packs from Null signal games and see your thoughts on that!

[@p0ck3tp3ar]

Very solid game. Lots of neat stuff going on.

[@caseyjones4431]

Played this quite a bit when it was new. From my games, prbly about 20 or so. It seemed pretty fifty maybe slightly favoring rebels. We also played many games with force starting in middle was shocked when found out force starts all way with rebels. 2v2 mode is janky with balance whack. Baze Malbus in 2v2 about destroyed a friendship because of a disagreement with how his ability would work.

[@NeatoZen]

Weirdly I bought this since I wanted to play it solo and there is an amazing Solo mode on BGG called Leaders and the game is so much better for it. Oh also, I'm pretty sure the card market has 6 cards. It may not fix the intermittent non-moving market row issue, but more options is always good. :)

[@jbrantz9554]

You said expansion coming a few times…. Do you have any info of when or what is included? I love this game. Great for travel and a staple for a “just one more game” table side filler.

[@qrayx]

"If this wasn't Star Wars...." wouldn't it be Star Realms? It looks like Star Realms with an IP.

[@Spoutnicks]

The game makes me think of Star Realms more than any other deckbuilder. With the added force track and locked in strategies...

[@bernan1]

I'm kinda surprised Star Realms wasn't mentioned.

[@SeanUCF]

Can you review the Power Rangers Deck Building game? Star Wars DBG took some of its mechanics (like attacking the market row) from that game and I'm really curious what you guys think of it and how it compares.

[@lystic9392]

I enjoy this game although deck building is not my jam. I love the base mechanic. That said... Soon there will be Star Wars Unlimited which I have played the starter decks of... And I think that's a better game... Though it's not a deck builder, but a TCG. (If you, like me, don't fancy the TCG model, don't discount them. Many of the TCG's are real fun to play with just the starter decks, no randomization/gambling.)

[@kevinsaenz7773]

Anyone find that the cost of the game is too high for what it gives? Retail price (without discount) is $40 and the cubes and cards are some of the cheapest quality I’ve seen for that price point.

[@IllusionaryHD]

It's bee nconsistently on sale from Target and Amazon for $12 to $20 luckily.

[@hugocruz2439]

is FFG, overpriced games. You are mostly paying for the brand and the SW ip.

[@patricksullivan6988]

I can tolerate this randomness in the center row of a short game like Star Realms, or even this one, it sounds like. But it bothers me in a (relatively) longer game, like Clank!

[@simonwilde4404]

Giving me 'High Command' Vibes, but not as complex combat.

[@halforange1]

FFG must have ordered too many copies because the price of this game went from over $40 USD to $38 to $31 to $19 in couple months. For less than $20, this is a fun thematic 2-player game, even if it is wonky at times.

[@j6724]

Where have you seen it at that price point? I’ve only seen it on Amazon for $30, been waiting for it to drop a bit before I pull the trigger.

[@mr.hufflebottom]

Jabba the Butt

[@scramsby]

Nitpick: Token vessels are made from *silicone* rubber, not *silicon* rubber. Keep up the great work!

[@evra91]

This video, for me anyways, confirms that Star realms is far superior: more balanced gameplay, more variability and more expandable with a bunch of expansions already. Also star realms is cheaper and doesn't need an overmarketed ip to justify its flaws...

[@WalkOnNick]

It hurts my head that the empire is blue and the rebels are red. It also makes it seem on the force tracker that the imperials are light side and the rebels dark side. WHY?

[@Tivizzz]

Rebels have always been associated to red and the Empire to blue / grey since the first movie came out in 1977. It's litteraly the color of their respective symbols.