It's been discussed before: It is over powered but it can be beat. And that's all I'll say about that.
The real problem is it's no fun!
I'm in a game with five remaining players. Three of us have the talisman. I have the talisman, my partner does not. My two strongest opponents have the talisman, the third does not. My ship designs are simplicity itself: basics + talisman + shields + guns. No sensors, no stealth armor, no training, they are pointless.
When a battle occurs, there are few surprises. We count up the firepower on each side and the one with the most wins. Whoopee!
No, it's not the power of the talisman that is the problem, it's the certainty!
**For the record, the game still is fun despite the talisman because of the quality of the players. The chess game Cyclop and I have going on makes it all worthwhile!
**