PUBLISHER: WIZKIDS | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Paizo’s Starfinder franchise is a fabulous blend of space opera and high fantasy. It’s the game where android super-soldiers rub shoulders with elves to fight space dragons and swarms of insect-like alien invaders, blending tropes from the Lord of the Rings to Starship Troopers. Though primarily a table-top RPG, it continues to inspire a chunk of spin-off media because it’s such a fun idea.
Being an RPG means that Wizkids can bring the world of Starfinder into a 3D form thanks to its range of collectable models and booster boxes. The Starfinder Battles Planets Of Peril Booster. We can sum up how much fun this range is very simply; on the models is a bear in power armour carrying a sci-fi hammer.
Being a sci-fi franchise, some of the models in this range are spaceships – obviously these are at a different scale to the other models. They come with flying bases and are intended for Starship battles and the like. With starship combat games being so popular, gamers have been spoilt for choice when it comes to detailed spaceship models recently – these aren’t as exciting as they could be; the scale is such that a lot of detail is lost. Still, they are pretty useful pieces for certain games and RPG campaigns.
The models come pre-painted and are presented in the standard blind boxes, with three models per box. It’s a very eclectic mix of models; everything from alien swarm horrors to the Nihil, essentially a zombie in a space-suit. Other creatures are less obvious; the Shobhad is a many armed alien-samurai thing, for example. We also get a Dragonkin carrying a heavy laser rifle; it’s that sort of a set.
On the one hand, this is a great and diverse collection of models; many spindly looking aliens and monsters and a welcome mix of fantasy and sci-fi tropes. On the other hand, it’s tricky to know what games you could use these in apart from Starfinder. Still, if you need troupe of pre-painted alien mercenaries for your favourite sci-fi wargame, this is a quick and easy way of building your forces.
