While I have always been a die hard Star Wars fan, there is still plenty of room in my life for other SciFi franchises. Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and, yes, even Star Trek. So when it comes to tabletop gaming in the Star Trek universe, there are actually quite a few options for gamers to choose from. While some are epic, thematic experiences, others clearly just use the Stat Trek theme as a crutch in an otherwise forgettable game. Fortunately, our newest Game of the Week trends towards the first half of that spectrum.

Star Trek: Panic

Star Trek: Panic isn’t the first game to come out in the *Panic franchise. That honor goes to Castle Panic. However, of all the Panic game’s I’ve played, Star Trek: Panic is easily my favorite. The goal of this cooperative game is to take the crew of the Enterprise on a 5 year mission (of course). Players will have to fend of a steady stream of attacks from classic enemies, all while trying to complete 5 missions.

The gameplay is not only challenging and engaging, but Star Trek: Panic also did a great job with its components. The center of the game board is dominated by a 3D Model of the USS Enterprise (Which fits back in the box fully assembled), and has 6 transparent shields that surrounded it. When the ship get’s damaged, appropriate battle damage markers are placed on the ship.

However none of that glamour would matter if the game wasn’t fun. But it is! It can be a struggle sometimes to keep the ship running, but that’s half of the charm in the game. Players each control a crew member with their own special ability. Each turn you’ll not only have to deal with threats to your ship, but you will also need to try and constantly be on top of crucial repairs.

If you are fan of the Star Trek universe, and enjoy cooperative board games, than Star Trek: Panic should definitely be in your game collection.

2-4 PLAYERS • AGES 6+ • 20 MINUTES • $20