Image taken from https://boardgamegeek.com/image/7570975/kinfire-delve-vainglorys-grotto

Designer: Kevin Wilson
Publishers: Incredible Dream Studios
Artists: Katarzyna Bekus, Sandra Chlewinska, Weronika Kozyra, Kate “vesner” Redesiuk

Kinfire Delve is a tactical and cooperative card game for 1-2 players where players are Seekers using unique, asymmetric decks of cards to delve down a well of challenges and events to ultimately try to defeat the Master.

The game plays out over a series of rounds and ends when you either run out of health or win by successfully defeating the Master. As a Seeker, you have a hand of cards and play one (and only one) of those cards each turn to attempt a challenge. While one player is attempting a challenge, the other can choose to use one of their cards to boost the attack. Each challenge has an associated color, so the card(s) selected have to match that color of the challenge (or be white as white is basically wild). If you beat a challenge, there is typically a benefit you receive, but there are also punishments for failing, which creates an interesting press your luck element.

Each Seeker has a unique deck of cards and has a different core ability that can be used throughout the game. Both also have a “lantern” that has a powerful ability. The lantern starts the game unavailable, but overcoming certain challenges allows you to charge it and use it when needed. However, once it’s been used, you will have to recharge it before it can be used again.

After you use a card to take on a challenge, you can also choose to roll dice to potentially get extra hits. Interestingly, if you don’t want to use a card (see next paragraph why this could be a strategy), you also have the option of only attacking with the die.

The last caveat (and likely most important) in this game is the hand management. As you play cards, they get discarded, and you can’t draw any new cards unless an ability or action indicates otherwise. When you run out of cards and need to draw back up, you must take an exhaustion card. These have a variety of effects, but they’re usually not good. This genuinely makes the game so much more interesting, and there’s so much more to consider! Ideally, you’d love to boost your partner every time so you can fly through the well deck, but realistically, that’s not sustainable. The balance needed is crucial and makes for thought-provoking decision making.

The fiancée and I first played this as a two-player game and we got crushed, but we had a great time! The second time, very early in the game, we were convinced we were going to lose, and then we somehow survived! Honestly, we felt even more accomplished since we seemed to overcome so many obstacles to emerge victorious. But this game is not easy to win!

The solo game is played exactly the same as two player except there’s only one Seeker in the game, and you get one extra card in your hand at the start. After playing multiplayer and then solo, I’m not saying it’s not a good solo experience, but the player interaction and the ability to use both Seekers in the multiplayer game was more enjoyable for me. I think the intricacies of each Seeker working together made the strategy and decision making crunchier and the game more exciting. That said, if you enjoy solo gaming, especially for the price, this game is a solid choice. I’ll assuredly play it solo again at some point.

Overall, this game offers a nice twist on a cooperative game. I appreciate that it doesn’t take up too much table or shelf space. The turns are quick and there’s not a lot of downtime for either player. The game has a nice amount of natural variability and replayability, especially since there are three different Masters to defeat. The play time can get a little long, but honestly, it doesn’t feel long when playing because you get sucked in to the story and experience so easily.

While being straightforward, there are a lot of cleverly designed details and mechanics that make this a fun and engaging game. If you enjoy cooperative or solo games that have a good amount of strategy, a little luck, and provide a fun and immersive experience, I suggest giving Kinfire Delve a try. We haven’t played either of the other iterations yet, but I do look forward to trying another version soon!