Call of Kilforth: From Crashing Waves to the Kraken Depths
Discover what lies across the roiling waves and calm waters of the colorful sea aboard a brave galleon in Call of Kilforth.
Maybe there was a successful adventure in the land of Call of Kilforth: A Fantasy Quest Game, but I wasn’t quite ready to pack it up yet! The ocean called to me, apparently literally. Ha ha! So I reset and randomized everything to see what else I might be able to see from this exciting archipelago. Just needed to avoid something like releasing the kraken!
Game Overview
Game Name: Call of Kilforth: A Fantasy Quest Game
Publication Year: 2023
Designer: Tristan Hall
Artist: Uncredited
Publisher: Hall or Nothing Productions
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Days pass by, during which the world may be explored. In this entry in the game series, ships and resources provide more options… Along with adding to the theme! The system does a wonderful job of building memorable stories, leading up to a final showdown with an Ancient.
First Play
July 29, 2024
Complexity
3
Latest Play
July 30, 2024
Expansions
1
Setup Time
15 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
2
Play Time
2 Hours & 30 Minutes
High Score
50
Game Area
44" x 28"
Low Score
0
A Privateer’s Public Life
During setup, my character choice turned out to be a paylorn privateer. I loved the abilities and possibilities, but the race class card artwork was my last favorite.
Still, there was an excellent character standee to use! This journey began in Rimeshore Port and was all about besting a bitter rival from childhood. Quite an intriguing prospect!
The play area does get chaotic at times, although this sort of ties into the story. Something is always in motion!
I had no idea how this tale would unfold, which is the other major benefit of the game… So many possibilities.
Heading Into the Deep
There was definitely a sense of subterfuge. There are factions to side with that have a major bearing on events.
The Blue Drakes are similar to a lawful good group, patrolling the seas for trouble. Meanwhile, the Sea Dogs are like pirates with their own code of honor.
My character was on the side of the Blue Drakes, yet her adventures saw her infiltrate the Sea Dogs.
This undercover persona was very interesting. Paired with the standard dangers of the seas, her tale was one of constant struggle and strife. And that rival was out there!
Double-Crossed
As with all of the sagas, the chapters unfold in surprising ways. I won’t spoil anything here, except to say that this chapter saw a fair share of most interesting cards!
Dinosaurs exist among these islands, along with aquatic enemies of the deep. But the most dangerous of all was a human called Benezer Goode. He was most corrupt!
I won’t go into the details of the unfolding saga, but I was certain he turned the tables, likely working with the rival.
See? Just so awesome to come up with these stories! I was having a wonderful time. But time was running out.
Release the Kraken!
When I decided to speed things up, that meant exploring without being hidden. This is crucial during the early game when encounters can be absolutely deadly.
Oh, no! When I took a chance without having the ability to scout ahead, this is what happened. Need I explain why this was the end of this privateer’s story? Ha ha!
Despite the devastating loss, it tied into the storyline in a way that was pretty interesting, at least to me!
Lesson learned. The ocean is no place to go out on a lazy sailing day. Expect the worst from beneath the waves!
Getting Past Artwork That Doesn’t Work
I’ll preface this with another reminder that art is extremely subjective, and I don’t mean to disparage any of the work that went into these pieces. There is just a very stark difference in the look of the characters that doesn’t always align with how I’m building the world’s story in my mind. But… I clearly love this game system, so how to get past this?
First, I know I won’t use any of the race standees. Yet I have tons of available standees, and playing solo means I can use anyone I want to. No problem! Second, I’m trying to remove any of the problematic art from my line of sight. I managed to ignore the paylorn card most of the time. It might be worth partially covering these cards in the future, too.
Lastly, I now know that I may flip over a card and be met with a little disappointment. It’s not a surprise anymore, so I’m hoping that will prevent me from getting taken out of the narrative. Or I’ll have my character shake her head. Ha! Removing that negative surprise should help a lot, as there are some stunning pieces of artwork in this game!
Session Overview
Play Number: 2
Expansion: Ventures Expansion Pack
Accessory: Call of Kilforth: Deluxe Upgrades
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Warrior Difficulty Level
Outcome: 0 (Loss)
Well, I had to hand this over to the Minister of Strife. Pretty sure it was behind all of the trouble in the oceans! I still enjoyed myself despite the loss and my continued issues with the stark differences in artwork. Gameplay is simply too much fun with the stories this one tells!
%
1 Play
Affordability
Price & Value
7
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
8
Originality
Design & Theme
7
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
7
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
8
+ Pros (Positives)
- Loot tokens are fun to draw, as there are a number of interesting bonuses that can feel very thematic or narrative.
- The core style of art is simply amazing, both in the beautiful locations and terrifying enemies.
- Working up to defeating the Ancient is a lot of fun with memorable chapters that provide unique sorts of rewards.
- Play time can be very long, although it’s easy to take breaks or speed up gameplay without narrating each turn.
- A galleon is a small addition, but it adds a lot of options and helps gather additional bonuses from sunk ships.
- Short pieces of flavor text on each card help create a foundation to bring the world to life through storytelling.
– Cons (Negatives)
- It can be very difficult to not get distracted by the different art styles, especially on the race cards and standees.
- Keeping the play area reasonably organized is a challenge, particularly when there is a lot going on in the world.
- Collecting keywords can fall to chance a lot of the time in a way that might not feel like it follows a storyline.
- Dice rolls can be very unforgiving, although the fated doubloon can be very helpful in some situations.
Victory Conditions
Defeat the Ancient
- Overall Goal Progress 50%
Goals and Milestones
Win at least 1 game against the Pontiff of Dread.
Win at least 1 game against the Minister of Strife.
Continue the Conversation
What are some of your favorite elements about Call of Kilforth: A Fantasy Quest Game? Have you combined any of the games in the series? I’m tempted to customize the experience next time, possibly replacing some of my least favorite cards so I won’t worry about looking away. Such a lovely game, though! I’ll just need to watch out for the kraken!
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