In the Outer Rim of a Galaxy Far Far Away, mercenaries, smugglers and pirates can be found in abundance. Take on the role of a renowned bounty hunter like Boba Fett or a Smuggler like Han Solo and forge your way in the outer rim to become the most famous (or infamous) outlaw around. Complete personal goals, carry out dangerous jobs and collect bounties to earn fame whilst keeping an eye out for those sides that you lack favour with and be careful who you run into. Star Wars Outer Rim takes a deep dive into the less favourable parts of the galaxy and pegs players against each other in a bid to be the best.
Star Wars is one of those universes that just kind of sucks you in. I'd never even seen Star Wars before I started dating my husband and after he got over the initial shock, he got me straight into watching the films (in timeline order). Before I'd even got halfway through the first film, I was hooked on the IP. So, when we came across Star Wars Outer Rim a few years later, it felt like a no-brainer to pick up a copy and give it a try!
First Impressions
When Alex first told me of the price, I was a little shocked; it seemed like a lot of money for a board game but I assumed it was at least in part due to the IP. The outside of the box screams Star Wars at you and when you open it up, the theme clearly continues inside. Once we started thumbing through all the components you get and the complexity of the rules, it started to become clear why the game has a slightly higher price tag than your standard board game. There's a lot to this game, both component wise and rules wise, and I was very pleased that it was Alex reading the rules and not me! It took a while to set up the game but looks very impressive once done!
Game Play Overview
Fortunately, Star Wars Outer Rim comes with a 'Learn to Play Guide' which broke down the rules into an easier to grasp format and talks you through playing the game. It doesn't tell you how to take your turns but it does explain your options well, so we weren't left wondering what we needed to do. It gives you the winning conditions upfront before breaking down the turns so you can jump straight into playing it whilst you learn. Despite being themed around scoundrels and mercenaries, this game actually plays in quite a civilised manner in the sense that players take it in turns to plan, act and encounter their way around the outer rim. Each turn is broken down into 3 phases Planning, Actions and Encounters which each player will fully carry out before the next players turn. The planning phase allows players to heal, move or earn money, the Action phase gets players bartering goods and jobs, delivering cargo and bounties and making exchanges with other players; whilst the Encounter phase has players carrying out a story based adventure and engaging in combats. Once a player has reached 10 Fame, the game ends. To make the game easier or harder, simply adjust the amount of Fame you need to reach.
Pros and Cons
Star Wars Outer Rim is a heavy weight game, if you've only ever played Monopoly, Cluedo or similar, you will likely struggle to pick this game up, however after a few plays you should start to get your head around it as the rules are really well written. If you love Star Wars and the nitty gritty of the outlaws in the universe, you'll love this game. Playing it, I really felt as though I was immersed into the outer rim of the galaxy and that I was battling to build up my reputation and keep my head above water. There is a fair amount of excess space in the box once everything is punched out if you remove the cardboard insert (which blocks off half the box) however, if you keep the insert in it fits really nicely (there is also space for the expansion to fit in this box as well). Lastly, as it is a heavier weight game, it also comes with a play time to match, make sure you block off a good couple of hours to fit this game in!
Final Verdict
Overall, we really enjoy this game. The theme is on point and the mechanics are nice and complex whilst being explained really well. The artwork is lovely and the components are a good quality, although for the price point, I would expect the tokens to be made from either wood or acrylic, however this doesn't really take away from the gameplay. If you're relatively new to gaming, I would recommend you work your way up to this game before giving it a try but if you're well versed in the gaming industry and love star wars, this game is perfect for you.
In conclusion, we would rate this game an 8/10
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