Those whom often dislike dice games due to the random, or luck, element they add to the game do not instantly dismiss Star Wars: Destiny. There are ways such as discarding a card or upgrades that let players re-roll dice, or gain additional dice to roll. To re-roll, a trade off therefore takes place between getting rid of a card that could help you in the future for the chance of a better outcome of a rolled die. The choice is there though, so while randomness and luck play a part you can start to look at the probabilities of getting what you want. One ability even allows you to change a rolled die to any face you want, completely removing luck for the price of resources.
Players are treated to some wondrous artwork and card design in Star Wars: Destiny. Each and every card in the starter sets has some beautiful art, intensifying the theming of the game and generally being a visual treat while you play. While the art is brilliant it doesn’t disrupt the gameplay by dominating the cards. Plenty of room is left for card text so that players know exactly what the card does without any squinting, guesswork or constant returning to the rules. Symbols are also used to allow players to quickly glance at cards to determine their resource cost and the character cards even have what the sides of their dice show as a quick reference.
In the Star Wars: Destiny starter sets there isn’t a large number of cards to learn. Nevertheless, there is still a bit of a learning curve. I found it best to get new players to read the deck of cards through prior to play. A quick skim through enabled them to get a gist of what cards could do before playing their first game. At the same time, some won’t make complete sense until you have played due to them being situational. Generally, this is just to make the experience flow that bit more when in a game so the pausing to read what cards do each time doesn’t cause as much disruption.
A game of Star Wars: Destiny lasts for around the suggested 30-minute mark, though I have lost in less time. Rounds feel relatively fast with dice rolling, shoots firing and light sabres being equipped. If the game went on any longer the constant back and forth may start to drag for a player in a losing position, so it is the perfect length for the style of game it is. While there aren’t any major comeback mechanics even having a hero taken out doesn’t guarantee defeat, keeping both players engaged until the end.
Engagement is key in a 2-player game. Otherwise as soon as one player perceives that they are out of contention they often stop trying and the excitement seeps away. This can often have the knock-on effect of the player whom loses their first game not wanting to play again. Thankfully, the speed of the game combined with the Star Wars theming almost insures that players want to give the game a chance, even if they lose miserably the first time they play.
It might not be the simplest game to get someone into the hobby but the theme itself means it can appeal to non-gamers as much as to those whom play board games regularly. Star Wars: Destiny has a lot to offer as a game aside from all the incredible theming. At its core, it is a deck building game with dice rolling that offers most importantly a balanced, yet asymmetrical, experience. The theme speaks for itself, though it is interwoven into the game. Cards have uses that make sense to the individual items. This results in the game feeling like it has very much been designed as a Star Wars game and not a generic game that has the branding tacked on afterwards. As a Star Wars fan, the game ticks plenty of boxes and will regularly hit the gaming table when someone is round and up for a game!
[Editor’s Note: The Star Wars: Destiny Rey & Kylo Ren Starter Sets were provided to us by Esdevium Games for review purposes. Both sets are available for purchase at 365 Games: Rey & Kylo Ren]
