I like Gloom of Kilforth quite a bit, though I don’t disagree with anything Tom mentions about it. I feel like it gives me just enough space between the detail on the art and the keywords to craft the story as I play (for what it’s worth, I can untangle cognitive dissonance in the underground submarine bases of Kansas in Fortune and Glory too, so sneaking past volcanoes in Kilforth doesn’t even register for me).
One thing I really like about Kilforth is the reward mechanism, and the choices it gives you upon defeating an encounter. Between the gold/loot choice and the rumor/reward cards that make you get up off your butt and actually go get that Sword of Badassery +3 in the proper location, I feel like it’s one of the few games that actually presents a meaningful decision upon succeeding instead of just dropping gold or items in your lap and moving on.
I think we’re saying “CMON,” as in “see-mon,” which is as annoying to say as it is to hear. But no one want to say “Cool Mini Or Not” in fear of being punched.
If it helps, AFAIK you can’t get it at the moment.
They just Kickstarted a standalone (but compatible) game set in their version of fantasy Asia called Shadows of Kilforth (or something like that), and when the pledge manager for that hits you will probably be able to late back and they talked about letting people pledge for another reprint of Gloom of Kilforth on that, but they already sold out of the latest print run pretty much as fulfillment was ending from what they were saying.
In regards to HoLAS,
“Imagine if they took a 4x fantasy game and turned it into a board game…” They did. It’s called Rune Wars.
Heads up, the expansion has way better races than the base game. Still in the end HoLAS was a miss for our group. It’s passable, but other 4x games do things so much better.
Exactly! And it puts it squarely in the midst of whatever emergent geography puzzles you’ve setting up on the map. By the time a game is over, I’ve got a half dozen places I can go to make interesting things happen, and another several places I can to make the final encounter easier, but only time to reach two of them, three if I push it. I love how much different bits of the map matter in different ways as a game unfolds, all tied into the economy of cause (places, strangers, monsters, and quests) and effect (titles, allies, magic items, and spells).
Still, those monster killing earthquakes and stealth volcano escapes and gently rolling hill-cliffs keep this game from being the real gem it should have been. Great as a puzzle, and two out of every three narrative beats are great. But then it stumbles over it’s own narrative shoes and now it’s just a puzzle again. :(
I did not like Rune Wars at all. I tried it once (original edition) and now it collects dust. Real HoLAS to be played next weekend. I’m adding the extra races to the selection because you’re right. The original 4 are pretty boring.
I’m not sure how I feel about peer pressuring you into buying Gloom of Kilforth, Hornbostel. I mean, I guess from the video you get a sense of what you’re in for. But there are way better games of its ilk you could be playing. I probably should have made a video of one of those. But Gloom of Kilforth was already set up and I was still high on adrenaline from my rant on the podcast. I figured I’d use Kilforth as a testbed before recording games I like more.
Do weigh in once you’ve had a chance to try it.
It only arrived recently. I didn’t sit down and sort it until today. Also, I need to put @david2 on ignore so he doesn’t cost me any more money!
