Valka

A quick simple game with great art. The only thing I think would improve it would be a quick reference card for the Attack Types and Events. The attack types isn't as complicated as it seems though, and there really aren't that many events either, so this is a pretty minor complaint. Edit: There is an Events quick reference, so really just a bit of confusion with the attack types (there are 4 and it can be tricky to keep them straight at first).

The art is amazing, but the solo play is virtually impossible to fail. The solo play has a cool mechanic of unlocking characters each time you finish a run. It's a solid 7 game but the art and packaging are soo good (and for a relatively low price) that it deserves an 8

[b]Kickstarter underbake rating:[/b] [I]Droopy taquito.[/i]

The art is amazeballs... but the game?

[b]After 1 play:[/b] (Lonequest) The rules are pretty shaggy, and it's not 100% clear how some things work. But I muddled through, squinted and handwaved, and had a fine time—even if I did get my ass handed to me.

I like the included incentive to play the solo game 10+ times—every time you win you get to add a powerful card to the full game. Of course, I've bumped into people who harrumphed and said they'd just dump all the cards into the deck regardless... but that's no fun.

(Besides, adding powerful cards one-by-one through play makes the solo game get harder the more you play it, which is cool.)

[b]After 5 plays:[/b] (Lonequest) A monument to unalloyed vision, what with the designer being the artist and the art being insanely good. An ouroboros of awesomeness that gives off very specific vibrations, and if you can dig it, it's pure gold.

That said, there are some lumpy spots under the chrome, and you're gonna have to Sharpie some stuff into the rulebook, player aids, and Lonequest board.

But so far each play has told a unique, entertaining story of small decisions. I like it more with each outing.

Includes: Dark Shadows Expansion

[imageid=8473680 small]

For now my review is in reference to the Lonequest and 2-player mode. I think the game has a lot of potential, but the rulebook needs work. For now I'm playing it as I interpret the rules, but I wish the designers would do a PDF update or something. See my post in the forums for more info.