I’ve played quite a few games now with varying numbers of players and I can safely say that the game feels very well balanced, though I do think that a 2-player game can perhaps tip the scale in favour of certain characters on occasion. Polygon sat down with the Ravensburger production team to discuss the history of the franchise, and the bold step it’s taking into a galaxy far, far away. Though she is still writing for Android Authority, she went on to start writing for MakeUseOf, KOINO IT Solutions, and, of course, Review Geek. Every time it's your turn, you repeat the process of taking one Ambition token, relocating your Mover piece to a new location, carrying out any actions you want to, and drawing new cards, if necessary.

Two major additions that sets Star Wars Villainous apart from its predecessors are the introduction of Ambition and Vehicles. The former acts as a second currency alongside Credit Tokens and is collected in a variety of ways including one token at the beginning of every turn. Some cards require Credits to play, while others require Ambition. The currency can also be used to activate card abilities and in some cases win the game –once other criteria are met.If you enjoy the Star Wars licence there are lots of other games to consider but they’re all very different from Villainous and most are as much, if not more, complicated. Perhaps the most accessible is Star Wars: X-Wing, where you fly ready-painted models of iconic ships in deep space dogfights. It looks great and plays great but be aware that it’s the thin end of a wedge, with eye-popping numbers of additional ships available if you want them. Star Wars Villainous will be the first in what is now the franchise’s third game system, the first two being Disney Villainous and Marvel Villainous. Characters aren’t compatible between the three systems, so no putting Thanos up against Hades or Darth Vader for instance. But that means Star Wars Villainous’ new mechanics are also unique and distinct. Choosing villains from the Star Wars universe for this introductory game must have been by no means an easy feat. There are just so many wonderfully evil bad guys to choose from! Thankfully, Ravensburger did a great job with their choices. I've heard of the Villainous line of board games, but this was my first time actually playing one. To someone who's not familiar with board games at all, Star Wars Villainous might be a bit frustrating. But to someone who's familiar with common board game mechanics, like me, it was pretty easy to understand the rules within 30 minutes to an hour. I definitely had to reference the instructional booklet during the first game, but after one game, I had the rules memorized.

When she’s not writing, you can usually find Sarah baking something delicious, hiking up a mountain, or playing video games. The Star Wars Villainous movers are some of the best this series has ever seen (Image credit: Future) In much the same way, some Fate cards are brutal. If deployed correctly, these can really level the playing field and have opponents cursing your name. In one of my test-sessions, Vader was served with an effect that stops him using Ambition abilities (and thus winning the game) unless he discarded his whole hand of cards… which contained the very cards he needed to win. It was a delicious Catch 22. Similarly, another saw Kylo Ren hit with a well-timed Rey that reset a lot of the player's hard work. Basically, they add real spice to proceedings and give you some much-needed breathing room if you're falling behind. If you like the concept of this game but are put off by the learning curve, the obvious alternative is the original Disney Villanous game. It’s similar but simpler, and still a lot of fun. And maybe your family and friends will prefer the idea of playing Maleficent or Captain Hook over characters from Star Wars. There’s a Marvel Villainous too if that strikes your fancy.In addition, most advertising networks offer you a way to opt out of targeted advertising. If you would like to find out more information, please visit http://www.aboutads.info/choices/or http://www.youronlinechoices.com. Star Wars Villainous is a strategic tabletop game where you take the role of an iconic Star Wars franchise Villain. Your goal is to fulfill the evil scheme your Villain was trying to accomplish in the movie or series they are from - whoever completes this first, wins!

It's true that the game isn't perfect. For instance, I'd recommend the original Villainous instead if you're unfamiliar with the series (Power of the Dark Side is slightly more complicated than its predecessors). However, that isn't to say newcomers should avoid it - it just requires a little patience. Indeed, perseverance will reward you with one of the better strategy board games for adults you can get right now. A lot of this comes down to how unique each villain feels. Like so many of the Disney Villainous expansions, the characters here provide an experience we've not seen from the game before. Clone Wars staple Asajj Ventress has to complete mission cards inspired by the show, for instance, and these usually involve hunting down specific heroes for a reward. Taken as a whole, this makes Star Wars Villainous one of the best additions to the franchise in years It's clear that each character's cards were crafted with their specific lore and timeline in mind, and I was blown away by the amount of detail that went into the artwork and descriptions of the Fate and Villain cards. As a small example of timeline differences, there's a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi on one of Asajj Ventress' Fate cards, while Darth Vader's Fate card displayed an older Obi-Wan Kenobi.In 1980, Darth Vader, in his attempt to turn Luke Skywalker, uttered the words that would leave many wishing they could have a taste of the Dark Side. Wondering if they too could become as powerful as Lord Vader himself, if only they had the means…well now they can in Star Wars Villainous: Power of The Dark Side.