Battlestar Galactica
After the Cylon attack on the Colonies, the battered remnants of the human race are on the run, constantly searching for the next signpost on the road to Earth. They face the threat of Cylon attack from without, and treachery and crisis from within. Humanity must work together if they are to have any hope of survival. But how can they, when any of them may, in fact, be a Cylon agent? Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game is an exciting game of mistrust, intrigue, and the struggle for survival. Based on the epic and acclaimed Sci-Fi Channel series, the game puts players in the role of one of ten of their favorite characters from the show. Each playable character has abilities and weaknesses, and must work with others in order for humanity to have any hope of survival. However, one or more players in every game secretly side with the Cylons! Players must attempt to expose the traitor while fuel shortages, food contaminations, and political unrest threatens to tear the fleet apart. The game includes 10 character cards, 32 highly-detailed plastic ships, high-quality card board tokens, hundreds of cards and a game board with resource counters.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Great game, but be prepared for a long game session
This game is a great game for those that like co-op games but want a bit of a twist. The strategies involved in playing together, yet trying to find out which player is silently working against the group, can become quite complex.
My only negatives for the game would be:
- large number of small pieces
- learning ‘ramp-up’ time can be a bit daunting
- takes a long time to play
5 Stars A complex and intelligent game for complex and intelligent players
Battlestar Galactica is the board game that put me firmly in the camp of the “board game gamer.”
When I got this game for myself last Xmas, I was daunted by the long rulebook and the many cards, parts and pieces. It all seemed like too much effort…crisis cards…super crisis cards…Raiders…Heavy Raiders…etcetera. There are many small ships to keep track of and many cardboard pieces which don’t always hold up so well after multiple games.
But don’t let that stop you. This game is worth the effort.
Since I am a big fan of the “Battlestar Galactica” TV show, I didn’t give up on the game and I played the it at a local gaming convention. And I had a blast!
The Battlestar Galactica board game is complex and time consuming and deals with some adult themes, so I wouldn’t recommend it for kids (especially those with short attention spans).
The goal of the game is for the Human fleet to reach the planet Kobol by making FTL (faster than light) “jumps” through hazardous territory. The Cylons want to prevent this from happening by destroying the Battlestar Galactica or running the Humans out of their four main resources (food, fuel, morale and population) through military attacks and exploiting the mandatory crisis posed to the fleet each turn.
Yes, you’ll need at least three hours (give or take) for a game of BSG, but the time spent is worth it, if you ask me.
Yes, making the switch to this kind of complex, adult oriented game isn’t easy at first for people who play Parker Brothers board games regularly.
Yes, you will have more fun playing BSG with three or more people. But there are two player and solo rules on the game’s web site. I’ve had fun playing by myself, which (to me) is the sign of a good board game.
Yes, you may get the chance to play as a Cylon and attempt to destroy humanity. Any character being played can be a Cylon, not just the ones who turned out to be such in the TV show. The element of paranoia between the players is a significant element of the game–one which increases with the number of players in the game.
No, everything in the game does not follow the logic set down by the TV show. For example, no character can fly Raptors in the game (Raptors are risked in various card based situations, they don’t enter into combat), not even Boomer and Helo who are characters in the TV show who only fly Raptors.
No, it’s not easy to be the Humans once a Cylon player is revealed. But that’s the point. Human players have to work together to find out which player is a hidden Cylon–while resolving a new crisis every turn, plus Cylon fleet attacks–and then work even harder to fight off the revealed Cylon’s determined efforts to destroy humanity.
Yes, each of the main Human (and one Cylon) characters from the first season of the TV show is represented in the game. My favorites are Baltar and Tigh, though Adama and Roslin are great in larger games. And the allure of jumping into a Viper and blasting Cylon Raiders as Apollo or Starbuck is strong.
Yes, Fantasy Flight Games is due to release the Pegasus expansion (in Fall 2009) to the Battlestar Galactica board game, which carries the game through the beginning of season 3 of the TV series.
Whether you like the TV show or hate it, I hope you try and enjoy the Battlestar Galactica board game if what I’ve written above sounds at all interesting to you.
3 Stars Great parts, boring game play
First off I am not a fan of the show, I’ve never seen it and don’t plan too, so that colors my review.
The production value of the game itself is very nice. The dials on the board are a very nice touch. The 3d ships are nice. My only gripe with the parts is that the skill cards are too small.
I do not like the way the game plays. With four players, it quickly became very repetitive with each player either giving their turn to another player with the Executive Order card or doing the same thing they did last time. There maybe a lot of characters to choose from in the beginning, but once you have chosen, there’s only a few actions that do any good. In a shorter game, repetitive actions aren’t such a problem, but this isn’t a short game. The game I played took 3+ hours.
Also, the game is billed as a cooperative but the moment the Cylon player(s) is revealed, the rest of the table immediately becomes hostile. If you are into the show, this might be fun, if you are not, it isn’t.
Overall, there are many other games I’d rather play for 3 hours. Please be nice to your non-BSG friend and don’t force them to play this game.
5 Stars Engrossing, clever board game (everything the show wanted to be…)
I’ll be honest - I don’t like the show (eek!).
But this cut-throat semi-cooperative game is a blast, and I’ll happily tolerate the thin layer of BSG ‘fluff’ if that’s what it takes to have a play.
Everyone plays an officer on television’s most emo starship - and like the show, some of the players may actually be Cylons (AND might not even know it). Against this backdrop of total paranoia, everyone must constantly battle (or secretly aid) disasters - resource shortages, political uprisings and romantic entanglements (not really).
The game takes only a few minutes to learn (at least, the core rules), but can be played over and over again. The mechanic makes sure that everyone is involved - there’s no role for passive observers. The tension and the action keep everyone at the edge of their seats - although good strategy goes a long way, the game’s unpredictable nature means that everything can change in a heartbeat.
5 Stars Great game!
I am by no means a board game afficianado, and the first time I played this particulair game I’d never seen a single episode of the show. I was assured this wouldn’t detract from my enjoyment and proceded to play.
After a few rounds to figure out the rules (they can be a little daunting at first but with an experienced player or having someone who has at least read the rule book before the other players arrive- the game is quite managable) we were off and flying and having a great time. The game has a good deal of strategy, risk, and lucky die rolls to keep most people happy. This was also one of the first co-operative board games I’ve played and the team-work aspects and the secrecy and suspicion really keep things exciting. The game in itself is very interesting and in fact, got me into the show which I now enjoy as well.
After playing it I sought it out and have played it a few times since (whenever I’m able really) and always enjoy it. The game is tough, interesting, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. An all around fun way to spend a few hours!
Filed under: Classic Board Game Reviews