The new two-player Star Wars: Unlimited Starter Set tells an amazing, modern Star Wars story

The second set of cards for Star Wars: Unlimitedthe new collectible card game from Asmodee’s Fantasy Flight Games studio, is all about the iconic franchise’s modern expressions. Titled Shadows of the Milky WayIt’s a full-size release with over 250 cards featuring everyone from Cad Bane to Dr. Aphra. But the set’s two-player starter pack tells a much more intimate story. In motion, it’s a clever retelling of the first season of The Mandalorianand it brings some major changes to the growing metagame of the popular new TCG.

On one side of the table sits Din Djarin, the eponymous Mandalorian who’s backed up by a close-knit group of allies including The Armorer, Greef Karga, and Kuiil. On the other side sits Moff Gideon, commander of a well-equipped group of Imperial Remnants, represented by starships, stormtroopers, and the dreaded Phase III Dark Troopers. With all these disparate elements at play, it’s no wonder that the action feels a little asymmetrical. But what’s interesting is how that asymmetry plays out.

Players piloting Mando’s deck will be doing a lot of capturing, a new mechanic in which players reach across the table, pluck an active unit from their opponent’s spread, and place it face-down underneath their own guarding unit. The captured card is out of play, but not “defeated” in game terms. That puts it in a kind of limbo that can only be ended by removing the guarding unit from the table. It’s an effective way to lock down high-value cards your opponent has brought, often regardless of their numerical strength.

Players using Gideon’s deck have completely different goals. They will smuggle (another new mechanic), which allows them to play certain cards from their resource pile. In a game like Magic: The GatheringThat would mean casting one of your mana cards as if it were a creature or a spell. It’s a clever way to hide your true intentions, effectively burying cards in your resource pool with the intention of retrieving them when it’s most beneficial to you. The other big mechanic here, while it’s not new, is called overwhelm, and it lets extra damage blow past its intended target to deal extra damage to your opponent’s base. Set up a token force to protect your base, smuggle in enough units to set up a superior force, and then overwhelm Mando and his friends to win the day.

The two-player Starter Set has a lot of nice extras for its $34.99 price point, including two deck boxes, damage tokens, and a pair of paper playmats with themed posters on the back. There should be a lot to do here for fans and newcomers alike, and I’m curious to see how these new decks compare to the Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader from the original Starter Set released earlier this year.

Star Wars: Unlimited – Shadows of the Empire Two Player Starter was reviewed using retail copy provided by Fantasy Flight Games. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You may additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.