I've heard of the Villainous line of board games, but this was my first time actually playing one. To someone who's not familiar with board games at all, Star Wars Villainous might be a bit frustrating. But to someone who's familiar with common board game mechanics, like me, it was pretty easy to understand the rules within 30 minutes to an hour. I definitely had to reference the instructional booklet during the first game, but after one game, I had the rules memorized. At the start of your turn, before moving your Villain Mover, you must gain one Ambition token from the general Supply (referred to as The Chamber.) I’ve played quite a few games now with varying numbers of players and I can safely say that the game feels very well balanced, though I do think that a 2-player game can perhaps tip the scale in favour of certain characters on occasion.

Regarding the new design for the figures, it is in no way a game changer (excuse the pun). The gameplay is not affected by the character designs, it is purely cosmetic, and I would not let that stop me from recommending this game to any Star Wars or Villainous fan. It should sit proudly on everyone’s shelf. What are they from? Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: A New Hope (at least one version of it), Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi The first Hero that he vanquished as General Grievous was Ahsoka Tano, which gave him two lightsabers instead of one, staying accurate with the lore. Then, there was a Fate card that required me to look through his discard pile and resurrect a Hero, but Ahsoka Tano was the only Hero in his discard pile! So when he vanquished her for a second time, he was already halfway to completing his mission while I had just uncovered the Grogu card.

Star Wars Villainous’ refined mechanics are enough to turn even the most virtuous of Jedi Knights to the Dark Side – sometimes it’s good to be bad .

It's true that the game isn't perfect. For instance, I'd recommend the original Villainous instead if you're unfamiliar with the series (Power of the Dark Side is slightly more complicated than its predecessors). However, that isn't to say newcomers should avoid it - it just requires a little patience. Indeed, perseverance will reward you with one of the better strategy board games for adults you can get right now. Villainous, the award-winning board game series published by Ravensburger, is finally getting the expansion that fans have been clamoring for. Star Wars Villainous: Power of the Dark Side arrives this August, and will include Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, Asajj Ventress, General Grievous, and Moff Gideon as playable characters. Corsair Virtuoso Pro review: 'an incredibly natural experience I'm yet to see replicated in another gaming headset'

We also had the chance to review Marvel Villainous: Mischief & Malice, a special edition that features villains from the Marvel universe. For strategy game fans, Star Wars Villainous is a definite step up from the original Disney Villainous game. The new resources and board space create a lot more strategic options to work with, adding to the fun and replay value. It’s a shame the price we have to pay for this is shutting out some younger or less patient fans of the franchise. But if you’re up for the challenge, this is a compelling addition to the Star Wars tabletop line-up. Star Wars Villainous: Power of The Dark Side review: Also consider Certain cards have a Cost showing an Ambition symbol in the lower left of the card art image, indicating that the card can only be played using an Ambition action, and by spending that amount of Ambition.In Villainous, you’ll play as an iconic Star Wars™ Villain. Choose Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, General Grievous, Asajj Ventress, or Moff Gideon. Each Villain has a unique objective and abilities. Meddle with your opponents by forcing them to face off against Jedi and heroes like Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and The Mandalorian.