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Board Games and TCGs

Star Trek: Star Realms is a fun Deck Builder, not just for Trekkies

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I was sent a free copy of Star Trek: Star Realms to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions of the game. This will be my honest review. Make sure you check out my review for Star Realms: Frontiers.

I am happy to announce my newest sponsor, Game Nerdz. If you’re looking to buy any card games, board games, miniatures, and more, get it over at Game Nerdz using my affiliate links. Game Nerdz offers some fantastic pricing on anything you need, and it really helps me out.

What is Star Trek: Star Realms?

Star Trek: Star Realms is the officially licenses reskin of the popular Wise Wizard Games. This is a 2-4 player deck building game where players build a powerful space fleet and reduce their opponents authority to zero. Players take turns buying ships, collecting resources, and attacking their opponents.

Whats in the box?

You get everything you need to play in a very neat and compact package. The game includes:

  • 130 game cards
  • Point counters
  • Playmat
  • Rulebook

How to play Star Realms

The included rulebook does a good job of teaching players the flow of the game, but here is a great tutorial by The Board Meeples for you visual learners.

Review

Star Trek: Star Realms is a high-quality board game with sturdy and well-printed cards. The packaging is fantastic. The box art is cool and iconic. The game pieces are packed neatly inside a cardboard insert with the schematics of the iconic Galaxy class ship. The box can fit all 130-sleeved cards and its contents without having to toss out the insert.

The playmat is nice glossy paper, but it won’t survive as long as the rest of the game. This isn’t a huge deal because it isn’t really needed once players learn the rules. It is a fantastic extra to have when learning the game, but it becomes less valuable the more you play. The damage counters are cool and well-made, but I would rather use an ap.

The card quality is fantastic. The card stock has a good thickness and weight, and the cards feel sturdy. I still advise sleeving since you will be shuffling a lot, but the cards can take a good enough beating before having to buy a new set. Unfortunately, the art is a bit disappointing. Fans of the series might appreciate the style, but the illustrations are too dark. Most of the time, I didn’t know what ship I was looking at. The art in the mainline games is a lot better.

That said, the mechanics and flavor are fantastic. Each faction feels unique, the game is easy to learn, and it is a lot of fun to play. Once I got a few games in, I didn’t mind the art because the flavor of faction made up for it. I am speaking as a casual Star Trek fan, and while I can recognize a few of the names, I can’t tell you how accurate of an adaptation this game is.

If you’re looking to start your journey into Star Realms, the Star Trek version is a fantastic place to start. The rulebook is clear, the game is easy to pick up and teach, and the game is a lot of fun. I do wish the game had solo options like Frontiers did, but nothing is stoping you from playing yourself. If you’re looking for a fun deck familiar deck builder to play with your friends, check out Star Trek: Star Realms.

You can pick up Star Trek Star Realms on Game Nerdz ($18.97 + shipping) or Amazon ($24.99) using my affiliate links.

Series Reviews

Series Review: Star Trek: Prodigy(2021)

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Star Trek: Prodigy is the modern Star Trek narrative I have been searching for. This animated series follows a group of misfits who find themselves on a stolen federation ship. With The Diviner after them, they must learn to fly the ship and work together as a functioning crew. Will they be able to overcome their own demons in time, or will they be captured, forced to spend their lives as another one of The Diviner’s undesirables?

If you are looking for an entry to the series, you can’t go wrong with Star Trek: Prodigy. The animation is beautiful, the voice acting is fantastic, and the characters are lovable. The story is incredibly fun and beginner friendly. You do not need to know anything about Star Trek to enjoy this series. This series is what I hope all modern Star Trek shows get to be. You have an interesting a capable villain with clear motivations chasing a crew of capable and lovable heroes operating a cool and powerful ship. What more can you ask for? 

The crew of the S.S. Protostar is filled with unique and flawed characters that will grow as the adventure unfolds. They mess up and fumble through each situation, but they learn and grow from each mistake. I love the attention to detail put into this show. There are small bits of dialogue or small subtle actions that show the audience that these are dynamic characters growing into something great. They might not be the cool collected crew of the Enterprise, but they are lovable just the same. This is a very much welcomed addition to the Star Trek universe, one that you should consider the next time you are looking for something to watch. 

It is available for streaming on Paramount Plus. Trust me when I say, it is well worth your time. 

Series Reviews

TV Series Review: Star Trek: Picard

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Picard is my introduction to Star Trek. I’ve seen the movies, but I wasn’t a fan of the movies. As someone who is unfamiliar with the show, this was a great place to start. While it is a little preachy at points, it did make me start watching some of the older shows. If you are a long-time fan, you might be disappointed by the series, but at least it is better than the movies.

I will say that the first season is the only one that is worth watching. The acting is fantastic, the action is fun, and the story is engaging enough. It isn’t perfect, it makes a lot of weird choices, and the ending is disappointing, but it got me interested in the series.

One issue that might arise is with the references made to the original show. I felt a bit alienated when they would introduce an old crew member or reference certain events, but it wasn’t bad enough that I couldn’t understand the story. They exist as nods to the fans of the show and add little to the plot. My biggest issue is how much it addresses social justice issues. While appreciated, these moments get tedious and overbearing. I love Patrick Stewart, but he doesn’t need a speech every time he is on screen. There are moments in this show where Picard is more white guilt personified than the great captain the show wants him to be. The first season isn’t perfect, but it is good enough for casuals.

However, do not waste your time on the second season. I have personally created my own ending to the first season to cope with the disappointment that comes with watching the second season. The second season discards everything that makes Star Trek unique and fun and turns into a generic social justice action thriller no one asked for. While I do appreciate the sentiment, the messaging should be a lot more subtle. I didn’t like how the crew kept getting thrown from social issue to social issue as if they were collecting hashtags in their desperate attempt to stay woke and relevant. It isn’t fun, it isn’t interesting, please skip it.

You can watch this show on Paramount+. Watch it if you are interested in sci-fi but don’t know where to start. This is science fiction for casuals. If you are in the mood for sci-fi that requires little investment, Picard is a good place to start. The only problem is, you might not want to stop.