Vantage and the Captivating Land of Tabletop Discoveries
Venture forth into the unknown in a world where practically anything is possible and every card tells a little story in Vantage.
I suppose I took the theme of Vantage literally and put it into cryostasis while I planned my next visit to it… It’s been about a year?! Luckily, this one is easy to set up and doesn’t feature an ongoing campaign. In fact, leaving this long of a gap only made me more excited to discover what else might be out there. Finally, back to exploring this amazing, enormous world!
Spoiler Alert
Practically every card in this game is something new or unique, often adding to the surprise of discovery. It’s hard to avoid spoilers, although this post is vague in mentioning specific actions, consequences, or card sources. You may learn about what might be found in this world, but not necessarily how to encounter it. Just a fair warning if you haven’t played!
Game Overview
Game Name: Vantage
Publication Year: 2025
Designer: Jamey Stegmaier
Artists: Valentina Filic, Sören Meding, & Emilien Rotival
Publisher: Stonemaier Games
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Gameplay is very open-ended with a focus on exploration and discovery. Actions provide ways to interact with the world, both on locations and cards. There are strategic choices in terms of mitigating risks… Or just going for the right moment in a story! Such a wonderful experience.
First Play
July 22, 2025
Complexity
2
Latest Play
July 30, 2026
Expansions
0
Setup Time
10 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
12
Play Time
1 Hour & 45 Minutes
High Score
N/A
Game Area
36" x 20"
Low Score
N/A
The Thrill of the Art
My anticipation for randomizing my crash site kept me flying through setup, which was quick enough as it was!
I had my adventure before me, full of the unknown. And then the view from the sky ended at the starting location.
This card art kept me mesmerized for a few minutes, even before I decided what I wanted to do. What are the lights? Are they floating down this river? And who is this sentient?
Playing this game feels like it captures those eye-popping moments in some video games, where the landscape or story is fully captivating. This is what I love to experience!
Ariel and the Start
A grid holds a limited number of cards, each of which can be picked up in different ways. There are practically endless options, and only a fraction are ever seen during a play.
These provide new ways to mitigate problems and interact with the world, but I see them as little memories. There is usually a story attached to each one from an experience.
My character, Ariel, started off looking like she was very in tune with magic and technology. A very neat combination!
Yet this is a game where the story evolves, usually in an unexpected direction. That’s exactly what happened here!
Loyal Frost Mammoth
The starting mission often provides some guidance on how to proceed at first, although it’s easy enough to ignore it and play out whatever story comes along. For me, it matched!
Ariel was out here to collect a bunch of animals. My past plays hadn’t led to a lot of encounters, so I was excited.
Imagine my surprise when an egg hatched into a new friend, and then this absolutely amazing Frost Mammoth managed to work its way into Ariel’s grid. So cool! Literally!
My story pivoted into one more about animals, and I could incorporate their talents into a lot of actions in the world.
Gilt, the Detective
One of the most unexpected chapters of Ariel’s adventure came from Gilt, the Gambler. This sentient joined her and provided a lesson in Skirm and dueling. So much gambling!
Ariel actually ended up owning a casino in a bustling city, and she was a formidable opponent. All thanks to Gilt.
But later on, she explored beyond the city and it felt like her friend wasn’t all that important to her anymore.
Yet when a murder mystery showed up, I used the last boost on Gilt to aid in the interrogation. That’s right: The guilty party was outed by Gilt, and I delighted in the pun. Ha ha!
In Plain Sight: Where the Best Games Often Hide
I can’t say how many times I saw this game box over the last year and passed over it. It’s one of my favorites, and I’m nowhere close to getting tired of it! Part of me delayed due to having to apply errata stickers to the books. That took me maybe 20 minutes in total, and only one of those stickers slightly covered the other text. An easy task, finally done!
It’s interesting how I sometimes focus so much on playing new arrivals or spending my time on games I think haven’t had enough plays. Ironically, this is why my favorites often get pushed down in my priority play order. Not that I need to make any major changes, although this might mean I’ll spend more time on older favorites in the future. This one is just so good!
A Lasting Journey
This play took several hours, and I kept wanting to keep on going. Look at all of those animals! Ariel really managed to befriend practically every living creature she found.
But I was looking for a good point to stop after she finished the mission and several destinies. It was hard to end it all!
Yet this is a beautiful game designed for single plays where stories twist and twirl into surprises. And like the best tales, each one must end. Ariel settled on this lovely beach.
I imagined her living out her days, surrounded by animals, and possibly teaching them how to play Skirm. Ha!
Things Left Unfinished
Another part of the game that I actually enjoy is that sense of never finishing everything. I had a few quests and other elements that never wrapped up… And that was OK.
It left me wanting to explore the world some more. It left me realizing each play will have its own unique focus. And it left me content with the story I had a chance to tell.
Where is the Amulet of Vitality?! Ariel actually picked up a few clues and I felt like I was on the right track. Next time!
The unexpected discoveries in this one are charming, and I found myself mesmerized with every small paragraph.
Session Overview
Play Number: 12
Accessory 1: Vantage: Metal Coins
Accessory 2: Vantage: Playmats
Accessory 3: Vantage: Wooden Skill Tokens
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Outcome: Complete Play
I loved how the start of this adventure could have gone in any direction. Definitely didn’t expect Ariel to own a casino, excel in duels, befriend tons of amazing animals, and solve a mystery using… Gilt. Ha ha! Whether I play this constantly or once a year, it’s one of my favorite solo game experiences.
%
10 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
7
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
10
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
10
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
10
+ Pros (Positives)
- Setup is very quick for the length of the game with limited components to worry about arranging, aside from in piles.
- The story possibilities are amazing with a world that feels like it contains everything, most of which are surprises.
- Collecting cards to place in a grid feels like an arrangement of memories, with a little tale tied to each one’s source.
- Different art styles help differentiate the cards in a way that’s helpful at a glance, yet very cohesive overall.
- Each play is its own standalone adventure, allowing for some knowledge to carry over, but each play is very unique.
- Reading the paragraphs is a lot of fun and doesn’t take up a lot of time, often leading to unexpected outcomes.
– Cons (Negatives)
- Resorting the cards during cleanup takes a little bit of time, particularly if there were many destinies or quests.
- Some actions, such as moving between locations, can feel a little repetitive when traversing the same region.
- There is a lot of reading, and if optimizing every turn is desired, it takes a little effort to check every card’s abilities.
- Guidance is limited so deciding what to pursue or when to end a play can feel open-ended without a clear goal.
Victory Conditions
Reach a Natural End Point to the Story
- Overall Goal Progress 100%
Goals and Milestones
Complete at least 1 game with a fulfilled destiny.
Complete at least 1 game with a fulfilled mission.
Complete at least 1 game with a full card grid.
Continue the Conversation
Have you played Vantage recently? Without giving away any spoilers, do you have a favorite card or moment you encountered? I can’t explain how much I love this one, or the sense of wonder that seems to descend on my solo table. This is an experience I never thought would be possible in a tabletop game, and it simply amazes me with every new play!
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