You Say It’s Your Birthday? Starfinder 2E Playtest Adventure: A Cosmic Birthday Reviewed

Title: Starfinder 2E Playtest Adventure – A Cosmic Birthday

Publisher: Paizo Inc

Author: Jenny Jarzabski

Artists: Ignacio Bazán Lazcano, Hazem Ameen, Alexey Chernik, Sol Devia, Anna Duma-Baranowska, Ivan Koritarev, Ksenia Kozhevnikova, Denis Medri,Guilherme Olivieri, Mirco Paganessi, Pixoloid Studios (Mark Molnar, David Metzger, Gaspar Gombos, Zsolt “Mike” Szabados, Janos Gardos, Laszlo Hackl, Peter Lerner, Orsolya Villanyi), Riccardo Rullo, Tadas Sidlauskas, and Veto Zomer

Year: 2024

Genre: Standalone Starfinder rolepalying adventure designed for the second edition playtest

Pages: 62 pages

MSRP: Softcover $24.99 or $19.99 in PDF

It’s a birthday party for a newborn god! Now, the players just have to keep things from getting too out of hand in A Cosmic Birthday, a Starfinder Playtest for level one characters.

A Cosmic Birthday runs as a fairly typical tabletop adventure. It’s enjoyable and straightforward — just as it needs to be. There’s a lovely balance of exploration, combat, and NPC interaction, encapsulating the Starfinder experience in three acts. NPCs are lovable, locations are memorable, and players will no doubt be thrilled to save the day.

It’s clear that, for the second edition rollout, Paizo wants feedback from across the gaming spectrum; this means the more in-depth roleplay and complex situations many have come to expect from Starfinder Adventure Path modules are omitted in favor of giving players and GMs a tour of the new system and calling out areas where the development team is particularly interested in community input.

In other words: A Cosmic Birthday rolls out the welcome mat for those who are new to tabletop gaming, those who are new to Starfinder, and those who are eagerly awaiting the second edition. Feedback prompts are structured so as to allow everyone from the newbie to the old-timer to contribute in a meaningful way. There is enough support for GMs to make this an excellent choice for those running their first ever game, but not so much that it will frustrate veterans.

The Ghost Levels are a delightful concept and the decision to not send the players on a mass rescue mission is a solid one, keeping the tension at an appropriate level without spooking those who are new to roleplaying and afraid to make a mistake. The rails are certainly on the narrative here, but it’s all in good fun.

Visually, the module takes a very different direction in some of its art. While the full- and half-page splash pieces are in the typical Starfinder style, the cover and certain NPC portraits take more of a comic book bent. Both styles are beautiful and have been handled with care; however, they don’t always feel cohesive when in close proximity. Whether Paizo is experimenting or signaling a visual shift remains to be seen; either way, the future of Starfinder art looks as bright as ever.

A Cosmic Birthday isn’t Starfinder’s most groundbreaking or innovative adventure, but it’s important to remember it’s not meant to be. Playtests are an opportunity for fans to connect with developers and for developers to solicit feedback. They’re a ready-made moment to bring newcomers into the fold and to help existing fans make the leap from player to GM. Most importantly: they’re a chance to show off what makes a system shine. A Cosmic Birthday also holds more than enough charm to revisit after the playtest period as an introductory module to a longer campaign or as a charming one-shot after a larger campaign wraps up. Whether as a back-pocket adventure or as inspiration for a custom game, A Cosmic Birthday has plenty for fans to unwrap.