Star Scrappers: Orbital

As a Fryx fan, and someone who considers him a designer with real craft, I approached Star Scrappers: Orbital eagerly — and, for what it is, it did not disappoint me. It is a very nice demi-filler card game, carrying a hint of the original Terraforming Mars and a reminder of an older project from a Greek studio. It does not reinvent the wheel, but it puts that wheel into orbit quite pleasantly.

Players begin with a little money, a basic module, and cards in hand, then gradually build their own station. We buy cards from the market and try to make our space as efficient as possible across five relaxed rounds, with intermediate scoring that keeps the game’s progress moving.

Interaction is not merely decorative: events and sabotage can ruin an opponent’s little setup, and especially in the two-player game, aggressive play felt almost unavoidable. Modules that hand out free damage can leave the other player noticeably behind, so it is not enough to watch only your own station; you also need to watch who is preparing to turn it into an orbital repair shop.

Overall, I found it cohesive and interesting, with replayability that reminded me of Furnace. At two players, the aggression can make it tighter and more punishing than I would prefer, but I was never expecting an ultra-deep or heavily involved game. I recommend it to anyone looking for another good game of this length for their collection.

Updated session

The repeat play with four players improved the experience even further. The game remained light and enjoyable, lasting under an hour, but it came together better at this count than it did head-to-head. We also tried the mini expansion, which adds a little more flavour without making things particularly complicated. My initial impression was therefore confirmed and strengthened: this is a cheerful game, just right for opening or closing a game night.