Star Trek: Lower Decks – Buffer Time
From Modiphius, the publisher behind the Star Trek Adventures roleplaying game, comes Star Trek: Lower Decks – Buffer Time, a co-operative, push-your-luck card game for two to six players where scrappy underdog ensigns try to get work done on the okay-ist ship in the fleet, the USS Cerritos, working together to complete assignments but also squeezing in those fun side projects, all while dodging the watchful gaze of the senior officers.
In the bright cheery colours associated with Starfleet, even those who inhabit the lower decks, the box and artwork of the game are lovely and, with an anticipated game time of twenty to forty minutes each player has a reference card in the style of a PADD displaying an LCARS interface along with various assignment and ability cards referencing familiar things from the show from arguing about engine noises to cleaning out holodeck filters.
With love for Star Trek: Lower Decks (insanely cancelled despite massive popularity; do Paramount have brain parasites?) seemingly universal, Buffer Time was eagerly anticipated, but can it match the fun of the show? Played over five rounds of different assignments, winning is not done solely by work hard within regulations, most of the points coming from side projects, mediated through Shift Cards and special Alpha Shift Ability Cards.
While sufficient effort is needed to complete tasks, drawing officer cards such as Captain Freeman or Commander Ransom may alert them to those illicit side projects, causing the player to fail the assignment, any side projects and lose points; engaging in Side Projects is how the rules claim crewmembers may choose to push their luck, but when those points are vital there is little option but to keep drawing cards, risky when increasing effort magnifies the chance of discovery.
Designed to be a relatively quick game played between heavier undertakings or with more casual players, Doctor Migleemo might consider Buffer Time the amuse-bouche of a gaming buffet, but play can feel less than engaging; from Blackjack to the ever popular Zombie Dice players judge when to ‘hit’ and when to ‘stick,’ but here it is an obligation, and if players draw officer cards the only option is to use valuable Alpha Shift Ability Cards, each player starting with just two each.
Churning cards until the player is more than likely bust, Buffer Time plays better with more people as this allows what might be considered strategy in the deployment of Alpha Shift, though a single additional card per assignment means there are unlikely to be significant opportunities over the five rounds, but for some the likelihood that losing conditions are more likely to come up than a winning hand is not a deal breaker in itself, the tough odds in games like Pandemic being part of the thrill.
Similar to Modiphius’ Agatha Christie themed game, packaged in the same style of magnetic clasp box and at a matching price point, Death on the Cards is a more engaging experience where players have more agency in their actions and choices, Buffer Time exactly as the name suggests, a little light fun to fill the gap between more important endeavours and not a game many will often go back to, which is unfortunate for those who were hoping to carry on boldly going once the show leaves subspace.
Star Trek Lower Decks – Buffer Time is available now exclusively from Modiphius
