Kinfire Delve: Scorns Stockade is a game that surprised me the most this year. It is a small package with quick set up and simple rules and mechanics. It looks like a simple card game but it feels more than this. Whether it is the beautiful artwork, varied powered cards or the tension created from rolling dice or revealing enemies, Kinfire Delve feels big and exciting.
Gameplay is very simple. Four challenge cards are placed in the centre of the table. On your turn you chose a card to play that matches the colour of one of the challenges. Your partner can play one of their cards to boost your card. You then roll the dice in the hope of getting symbols of the matching colour. You then compare the total from your card, boosts and dice with the number on the challenge card. If your total is the same or higher, the challenge is discarded and you gain a reward. If it is lower, you fail and suffer a consequence.
Kinfire Delve: Scorns Stockade is a game that surprised me the most this year. It is a small package with quick set up and simple rules and mechanics. It looks like a simple card game but it feels more than this. Whether it is the beautiful artwork, varied powered cards or the tension created from rolling dice or revealing enemies, Kinfire Delve feels big and exciting.
Gameplay is very simple. Four challenge cards are placed in the centre of the table. On your turn you chose a card to play that matches the colour of one of the challenges. Your partner can play one of their cards to boost your card. You then roll the dice in the hope of getting symbols of the matching colour. You then compare the total from your card, boosts and dice with the number on the challenge card. If your total is the same or higher, the challenge is discarded and you gain a reward. If it is lower, you fail and suffer a consequence.
Rewards usually result in removing cards from the challenge draw pile or ‘well deck’. Consequences are usually a reduction of your shared health. The aim is to get to the bottom of the well deck in order to face and defeat the Master of the Well.
What makes this game special is the variety of the cards and how balanced it feels. Sure it is tough, but it never feels impossible. Abilities on cards and the extra powered lantern card encourage tactical play and careful thought. You can quickly run out of cards which forces you to make careful decisions as to when to play a card, when to boost and when to put your trust in the dice. The dice adds just enough luck to create those moments of elation or despair.
This feels like an adventure every time you play. Each play creates a different challenge. It can be combined with Kinfire Delve: Vainglory’s Grotto for up to four players which adds to the variety and replayability. It plays just as well solo as it does multiplayer. Kinfire Delve is something special. A small box that creates exciting and memorable gaming moments.
