Kickstarters I'm Digging This Week (10/8/2017)

As usual, Kickstarter has several interesting board game projects in progress, with more to come! Also as usual, several of them are solo friendly. Also, expensive AF. Here are the projects I've been watching this week: 

1. The 7th Continent
This game is getting huge buzz, and for good reason. It's an ambitious exploration game that makes use of 1000+ cards. It offers visual puzzles and crafting/hunting requirements that most board games do not. My attraction to it is that I love games that generate stories, and The 7th Continent seems ripe with possibility. It's also, however, a huge punch to the wallet—a reality that you'll have to face very soon if you want a copy. This Kickstarter campaign is billed as your "last chance" to get the game, which will not be going to retail. Normally I am immediately turned off by projects that have a "now or never" marketing campaign, but the reviews I have heard and read are very compelling. This is also a game that seems ideal for 1–2 players, which makes it perfect for my own at-home gaming needs. We'll see what happens with this one. 

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2. Gloom of Kilforth
This is another expensive project, but I'm absurdly excited about Gloom of Kilforth. Card-driven fantasy quest games with die rolls are right up my alley, Especially when the art is ridiculously beautiful—I can't wait to get my hands on this one just to spend time looking at all of the cards! Gloom of Kilforth is also a game rich in story, in which your character gains skill and experience in ways that look oh-so satisfying. And as unscientific is this is, I have a feeling about Gloom of Kilforth. I didn't back it the first time around, but I'm sold on it this time, and my instincts are telling me I am going to love it.

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3. Forest of Fate: A Storytelling Survival Adventure
This project is much smaller and less buzz-heavy, but I am very interested in what I'm seeing. I love games that let you experience new stories, either alone or with your friends, and Forest of Fate is compelling on that front. This game reminds me of Tales of the Arabian Nights, but with a twist. You get a storybook that tells you what happens next, but you have slightly more control over events in your story—you choose which characters undertake a challenge, and challenge requirements vary depending on the direction from which you approach each obstacle in your path. I'm very curious to play this one, both solo (running two characters) and with friends and students. Even if it doesn't turn out to be great, I think Forest of Fate has a lot of potential. 

4. Sunset Over Water
As much as I love heavy fantasy board games, I need a palate cleanser from time to time. I think that Sunset Over Water will meet that need for me. In this game, you are a painter looking for stunningly beautiful landscapes to paint. I love that theme, and given that this is the same team that did Herbaceous, I completely trust that the cards will be beautiful. Sunset Over Water is also being advertised as an accessible, easy-to-learn "coffee house" game. I need a few more of those in my life, especially since this game might be the type I can lure my boyfriend into playing with me. Also, at $19 ($39 if you want both this game and its predecessor, Herbaceous), the price is right. There is about a week left on this one, so have a look ASAP if this sounds like your sort of thing. ​​

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