Review: Strategize Your Way To The Spatial Glory In MOONRAKERS
Deck-building games have grown in popularity a lot in the past few years. What is most amazing about deck building is the variety of games in which it has been implemented. From battle games like Ascension and Star Realms to more unique deck-building concepts in The Quest For El Dorado or dice building in Dice Forge, there seems to be no end in how deck building can be integrated into games. Moonrakers is another unique spin on deck building where players make a ship and hire crew members to fulfill contracts to gain the most prestige.
Moonraker’s main objective is to use the cards/deck to complete bigger and bigger contracts until a player can reach ten prestige points (which are awarded when completing most contracts). The contracts will require certain amounts of energy, speed, crew members, attack, and shields. Contracts come in a variety of sizes, and lots of them will require help from your ship parts, other players, and luck in what cards you draw. This breaks the game into three major parts: collecting new cards for your deck (primarily crew members), collecting parts for your ship, and negotiating with other players to help complete contacts.
The crew cards that players can buy are all pretty great. Because only one can be purchased a turn, if you have the money, your deck might possibly be half crew members by the end makes them terribly precious. This means that the crew members should feel powerful, impactful, and exciting when drawn, and they are. I found them all to be pretty well balanced and strong enough to merit the money spent. Some might have more flexibility and practical usage than others, but they all have their strengths.
Collecting ship parts is the next major aspect of the game. I loved these the most. They tied in well with game objectives which can also get you prestige points. The ship parts were great as passives and had some unique and strategy-changing abilities. My only complaint is that I always wanted more money to buy more crew cards and ship parts. Money management is a well-balanced part of the game, I personally would have liked a bit more to use throughout the game.
The last major gameplay element is negotiating. Contracts get to be really big, and many of them are impossible without lots of luck or help from others. Players, after selecting a contract and locking themselves into attempting it, can ask for help in exchange for some of the rewards from the contract. This negotiating can go on as long as necessary and involve any number of other players. Players then attempt to complete the contract as they would on their own, but just take turns fulfilling the contract’s requirements. Allies can even sabotage the contract, making all players involved fail, which may be more beneficial in the long run. In a two-player game, this concept is altered a bit and is fine, but this game really thrives with three, four, or five players.
As another note about the game in general, Moonraker’s quality is immaculate. The metal coins are beautiful, the card finish, quality, and art is perfect and the boards feel durable and sleek. Opening the box and seeing all the pieces and the perfectly made box insert is a real joy, I couldn’t ask for better quality in a board game.
There were only a few issues with the game. The slight imbalance of cards and bad luck in drawing can cost players a few turns. It isn’t common to have such bad luck in Moonrakers, but at times it can feel a little bit frustrating when one player seems to easily finish contracts with the luck of their draws and others just not get what they need turn after turn. Another minor issue we found was that the contracts were a bit too strong (primarily in two-player games), and if there are no smaller contracts available, then the game slows down for a few rounds while players are just passing, accumulating new objectives, cards and gaining money. While it was never game-breaking, a contract refresh rule, another way to gain coins by selling cards or a small, easy to complete constant contract that would be available to all players at all times could add a lot to the game as bad luck protection. If players started with a little bit more money or there was another way to receive more coins, then the pace of the game could be a bit more consistent and entertaining. This in no way ruins the game or has soiled any previous playthrough, but I think the enjoyment of the game would be heightened if there was a bit more money in circulation.
Moonrakers is a really, really great game. The quality of the physical pieces and cards, the almost perfect balance of crew cards and ship parts, and negotiating all accumulate to a fun experience. Some tweaks to the money system and contracts would be nice but aren’t at all necessary for a fantastic experience. For fans of negotiation games, deck builders, or science fiction in general, this is an easily recommended game.
IV Studio is also working on a new game that just wrapped up its incredibly successful Kickstarter, Veiled Fate. Check out Moonrakers here and let us know what board games you’ve been enjoying this year!
