Star Trek: Lower Decks – Buffer Time: The Card Game
Maker: Modiphius Entertainment
Price: $21.21
Players: 2-6 (Cool Scrappy Underdogs)
“You never admit the actual amount of time it takes to finish a job. If you did, your days would be packed. It’s creative estimating! When you get an assignment, you exaggerate how long it’s going to take, then you’re a hero when you’re done early.”
“It’s just a little buffer time. No biggie!”
“Star Trek: Lower Decks: Buffer Time: The Card Game” is a brand-new, light-strategy game from Modiphius Entertainment, the company that produces Star Trek Adventures, the officially-licensed role-playing game. Buffer Time is a fun, easy-to-learn, quick-to-play little cooperative game for 2-6 players that harnesses a “push-your-luck” game mechanic in a way that is both thematic and entertaining.
GAMEPLAY
The game takes place over five rounds, each with its own “Assignment.” Players must cooperate to complete the Assignment, but not until they’ve also gotten in a fair amount of leisure points from “Side Projects” that they have in their hands. Side Projects add effort to the main Assignment, but also come with “Buffer Time” that allows the players the ability to slack off. Players accomplish the work by flipping over cards from a common, shuffled “Shift Deck,” which contains cards representing a random amount of “Effort,” and also randomly-encountered “Officers.” They can also play special Abilities from their hand, that can help accomplish the Assignment, redirect Officers, or do a number of other fun things. If the players can complete the Assignment and Side Projects before enough Officers show up to narc on them, they can log their Assignment and move to the next round. Players must log enough Buffer Time over five rounds to meet the goal appropriate to the number of players. But if enough Officers show up, the round is ended before the assignment can be logged, and the burden of completing the desired amount of Buffer Time will be higher in succeeding rounds.
As in any “push-your-luck” style game, players are trying to push the odds as the round goes on, balancing the enticement of adding Side Projects with the fear of encountering Officers who can shut the whole thing down. There’s a mix of light strategy and a good deal of luck. This isn’t a game that will tax your strategic brain, but it will test your fortitude and willingness to press on despite the imminent threat of a reprimand.
Star Trek: Lower Decks – Buffer Time card game
COMPONENTS
The game consists of 92 cards, arranged in four different decks, plus six turn reference cards that explain your options for each turn. There is also a short rulebook, and the whole thing is packaged in a lovely little box with a nifty magnetic closure. The package is neat and tidy, well-designed, and would fit easily in your pocketbook, backpack, or even a large pocket, for easy transportation.
The Assignment, Side Project, and Ability cards all feature artwork from the Lower Decks series, including images of Mariner, Boimler, Tendi, Ruhterford, and T’Lyn, along with appearances from many other fun characters from the show. Also featured on each card is a little snippet of humorous flavor text, quoted from the scripts of the show, and themed according to the title and mechanic of the individual card. The “Shift” cards feature images of the four core main cast characters, and individual portraits of the Officers of the USS Cerritos.
Everything is well-made. The box is sturdy and attractive, the cards are on quality stock, and the printing of everything looks pristine. Modiphius knows what they are doing with this stuff, and the quality of the materials shows clearly in every component.
Buffer Time game components
FUN FACTOR
I test-played this game several times with 2 players and with 3 players, some of them Trek fans, and some of them not. Everyone enjoyed the game as a light, fun diversion. The Trekkies took extra enjoyment from the flavor text and artwork, but the game itself is fun enough for the non-Trekkers to have a good time just playing. With two players, the game played very quickly, and decisions were easier to make. Complexity increased along with the fun with the addition of a third player. I have not had the chance to play it with 4-6 players, but my guess is that the sweet spot for this game is 3-4 players.
My friends all enjoy medium-to-heavy strategy games, and “Buffer Time” is not that. It will not be one of the main games that we play on our game nights, but it will certainly show up as a quick, humorous palate-cleanser between heavier games. For folks who don’t enjoy medium-heavy strategy, Buffer Time may well be a game you go to as the heart of your game night activities.
THE VERDICT
I recommend Buffer Time for gamers of all types, and though Trek fans will get more enjoyment from the flavor text and setting than normies, the game itself is fun enough for any group to enjoy. The randomness that comes from four shuffled decks ensures that no two games unfold the same way, ensuring infinite replayability in infinite combinations. Modiphius has a winner on its hands with this entertaining light-strategy game!
Star Trek: Lower Decks – Buffer Time: The Card Game was released at the end of October. It is available directly from modiphius.net for $21.21. as well as from hobbyist and gaming stores and sites.
Star Trek: Lower Decks – Buffer Time card game
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