/pic3596584.jpg)
Collection Status
Your Rating
Description
The land of Kilforth is a perilous domain filled with nefarious monsters, mysterious Strangers and treacherous Locations, and dominated at its centre by The Sprawl, a huge city where intrepid Heroes begin their journey to fame and fortune. Throughout the land various factions vie for power over each other, such as the supposedly noble Order of the Rose or the terrifying Doom Guard. And presiding over the world outside Kilforth is the ever-present Overlord, Masklaw. Over the coming month, a deadly Gloom will descend upon Kilforth,which the Heroes must Battle through to prove their worth, defeat an Ancient evil, and save the land from darkness.
Gloom of Kilforth is a card game of high fantasy with a Gothic edge, playable in 1-3 hours, where 1-4 players, working individually or together, must take their humble adventurers on a journey through a dark world of magic and peril. They will visit strange places, stranger people and overcome powerful enemies in their mission to discover mysterious artefacts and mystical Spells. Players follow their Hero’s tale from modest beginnings through an epic story to an exciting climactic battle for the fate of the world. Gloom of Kilforth takes about 45 minutes per player to play.
Awards
Gloom of Kilforth was awarded one of the Top Ten Games of 2017 by Tabletop Gaming Magazine.
Gloom of Kilforth was awarded Best Solitaire Game of 2017 by the 1 Player Guild.
Year Published
2017
Featured Videos
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 6
This page: 6
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–6 of 6
Video QeCKLvz2tIM
Dungeon Dive Daniel game_review at 0:19 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61284 · mention_pk 153969
Click to watch at 0:19 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Excellent system for combining base game and expansion assets to create a large, varied game state
- Subquests feel meaningful; rewards often require additional steps and exploration
- Nice documentation and official variant rules; clear guides for using two-set or multi-variant play
Cons
- Fiddly complexity and a learning curve; many moving parts and rules exceptions
- Narrative can feel dry if players don't actively connect the dots; not fully pre-written
Thematic elements
- Heroic quest against ancient evils with mythic, gothic fantasy vibes.
- A dark fantasy overland adventure set in the land of Kilforth, represented by a map-like grid of regions.
- Player-driven, dots-based storytelling where keywords guide plot and events; not fully pre-written.
Comparison games
- Shadows of Kilforth
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Ancient evil and plot cards — Ancient evil bosses with abilities and a deck of plot cards that alter the game and add powers to the boss.
- Character creation by class and race with stats and skills — Combine a class and race to determine stats (fight, knowledge, sneaking, influence) and available skills.
- Dice pool and successes — Characters roll a pool of dice and count fives and sixes as successes to overcome challenges.
- Items, allies, and spells — Equipment, companions, and spells modify stats and provide abilities; allies add to dice and may enable special effects.
- Location grid and token-draw system when combining sets — 25 location cards per set arranged in a 5x5 grid; combining sets uses tokens to place effects on locations.
- Quest keywords and adventure cards — Adventure cards contain keywords that must be connected to quests; items and events reference keywords.
- Saga structure with chapters and totem — Each character has a Saga with four chapters; completing chapters yields a totem and advances the story toward an ancient evil.
- Time/turn limit via Knight deck — The game has a 25-turn limit tracked with a Knight deck; night cards and weather add variability.
- Track advancement — You can accumulate successes across actions within the same turn, rather than needing all at once.
- Turn-based progression with accumulated successes — You can accumulate successes across actions within the same turn, rather than needing all at once.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is a really cool aspect
- I love that system because each item that you discover is now kind of like a little mini side quest
- this game is fiddly
- while the art is very very good it is very beautiful it's also a little bit maybe too beautiful in some ways
- there are a lot of moving pieces there are a lot of keywords there are a lot of exceptions to a lot of rules
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tyKujGi2M28
Unknown game_review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 43009 · mention_pk 130837
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong focus on deep storytelling and character-driven narratives that feel like a personal saga for the player.
- episodic feel with chapters and events that connect across the journey, giving a sense of memory and consequence.
- relatively approachable play time for a rich, narrative experience (roughly an hour to an hour and a half depending on pacing).
- art direction and card flavor text in the original Kilforth contribute to a cohesive fantasy atmosphere that many players find appealing.
- modest overhead with the core rules, enabling a smooth entry into a story-driven experience without excessive bookkeeping.
Cons
- not a cozy or comforting adventure; some disturbing imagery is present, which can be off-putting for players seeking a lighter tone.
- the later Call of Kilforth expansion introduces more complex mechanics and a broader set of enemies and ships, which increases overhead and can disrupt the storytelling flow for some players.
- art direction in Call of Kilforth diverges from the original Kilforth aesthetic in ways that some players find less immersive or visually appealing, impacting immersion.
- deck mixing across Kilforth titles is discouraged because keyword-driven progression can feel incongruent when disparate card sets are combined.
Thematic elements
- Story-driven, memory-based exploration where each card and rumor contributes to a personal saga that unfolds over chapters and culminates in a climactic battle.
- A sprawling fantasy quest across a land where travelers chase rumors, uncover memories, and traverse mountains and plains toward a final confrontation with an ancient evil.
- Saga-like, episodic storytelling, with memories attached to items or locations and a focus on character progression through rumor-driven quests.
Comparison games
- Shadows of Kilforth
- Call of Kilforth
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- chapter_and_keyword_progression — Character advancement hinges on collecting keywords to unlock chapters; progression is tied to identifying and attaining the right keywords across the session.
- Dice rolling — Actions and attempts are resolved by rolling dice; outcomes drive progress but can be altered by cards and situational modifiers. Failures become part of the evolving personal story.
- dice_resolution — Actions and attempts are resolved by rolling dice; outcomes drive progress but can be altered by cards and situational modifiers. Failures become part of the evolving personal story.
- flavor_text_and_story_flourish — Many cards include flavor text that enriches the world and lore, offering optional hooks to revisit places or people mentioned for future narrative payoffs.
- location_tokens_and_board_interaction — Card effects are anchored to board locations, sometimes via tokens that determine where a quest or encounter originates, adding a physical geography layer to the narrative.
- rumor_card_deck — Rumors are drawn and used to obtain items, quests, or narrative hooks; rather than simply building a traditional deck, rumors seed the journey and shape the path you take.
- set_and_keyword_coherence — Original Kilforth favors a cohesive keyword set per saga; mixing base game with certain expansions can produce mixed coherence due to keyword alignment and thematic variance.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is not a cozy sort of adventure
- the depth of storytelling that comes with it
- I have these big sweeping tales and I get to remember what happened with each of my characters
- Gloom of Kilforth is the simplest one in the series in terms of mechanics
- I love the adventures along the way and that whole idea of traveling through a character's personal saga
- I continued to enjoy Gloom of Kilforth. And I will say I actually thought that I was done with the Kilforth series after I stuck with the newer ones for a while because those were not really working for me
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video mQIczU8inZY
Unknown Channel game_review at 0:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13541 · mention_pk 110975
Click to watch at 0:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Gorgeous, atmospheric artwork
- Extremely high replayability due to map and deck variability
- Satisfying character progression and sense of growth
- Beautiful playmats and components when included
- Strong thematic immersion and mood
Cons
- Rules are difficult to learn; not intuitive
- Pacing can be punishing due to health-to-action coupling
- Keyword-hunt mechanic may feel somewhat mechanical to some
- Need to keep up with latest rulebook updates for clarity
Thematic elements
- Dark fantasy exploration, questing, and peril
- Fantasy adventure in a Gothic-inspired world with procedurally generated exploration
- Story-driven with keyword-based progression and episodic encounters
Comparison games
- Call of Kilforth
- Runebound
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Timer — A Knight deck acts as a timer; flipping a card can gloom a land area and pressure the player
- card-driven exploration — No fixed board; the map is generated as you explore using cards and tiles
- Character progression — Choose a race and class, gain abilities and health as you level up
- dice-based skill tests — Tests resolve with dice; successes typically come from rolling 5s and 6s
- Keyword hunting — Progress through a saga by finding and collecting keywords via quests and encounters
- Procedural variability — Randomized map and deck contents create unique playthroughs each game
- Resource management — Health, gold, and items influence actions and survival in encounters
- Timer mechanism — A Knight deck acts as a timer; flipping a card can gloom a land area and pressure the player
- Track advancement — Choose a race and class, gain abilities and health as you level up
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- gorgeous artwork and atmosphere
- replayability is insane
- this playmat is a godsend
- the rules are tough to learn; it isn't easy to table
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 5xEyl_pc9X4
Robert's Board Gaming Channel general_discussion at 6:31 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8022 · mention_pk 109700
Click to watch at 6:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- huge variability across modules
- fun thematic variety
Cons
- box organization can be unwieldy
- expansion creep possible
Thematic elements
- high-variability, modular campaign potential
- fantasy/horror mix with variable monster settings
- campaign/box-in-box variability
Comparison games
- Shadows of Brimstone
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- modular campaigns — three boxes with thematic settings and encounters
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's not plug and play, it just works like a switch
- five possible tables just cuz one isn't enough
- you own your board games, you own them; video games are a lease
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Klkjjlkndi4
Unknown Channel game_review at 0:19 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6954 · mention_pk 100695
Click to watch at 0:19 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Classic, cohesive system with strong theme
- Accessible core mechanics; a satisfying experience after learning
- Potential for rich narrative with table dynamics
Cons
- Can be heavy for new players due to rules and interactions
- May feel less depth compared to newer editions if not expanded
Thematic elements
- Mythic fantasy with occult elements and episodic quests
- Dark fantasy city Kilforth; quest-driven adventuring
- Campaign-driven with saga-like progression
Comparison games
- Call of Kilforth
- Shadows of Kilforth
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Character progression via Saga chapters — Leveling up to defeat the Ancient; use of different classes
- Endgame: facing Ancient — Finalize by defeating Ancient before the Knight deck runs out
- Map generation and exploration — Generated map with a timer via Knight deck; move to complete Saga chapters
- Resource and loot economy — Role of resources and loot to drive progression
- Resource management — Role of resources and loot to drive progression
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This does really shake up the formula tremendously
- I do recommend this but only if you are already familiar with the Gloom of Kilforth system
- Pure gaming Bliss once you get past the rules
- Not the best way to introduce it to a new player
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video sj7xmv9m4yc
Unknown unboxing_and_review at 1:32 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5396 · mention_pk 108589
Click to watch at 1:32 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong atmosphere and art
- Card-driven system that supports story flow
- Recognized as a favorite in the speaker's collection
Cons
- Some perceived complexity requiring careful rulekeeping
Thematic elements
- Adventure, myth, fate
- Dark fantasy city with mythic undertones
- Story-driven with card-based encounters
Comparison games
- Call of Kill Forth
- Tiny Epic Pirates
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card-driven adventure — Story events and encounters resolved with cards.
- hand management — Players manage a hand to influence outcomes.
- Resource management — Fate and resources influence progress.
- resource/timing management — Fate and resources influence progress.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- absolutely gorgeous art
- the playmat is gorgeous
- pirate theme... breath of fresh air
- it's card driven
- I think Tristan has polished the rules a lot
- eye candy for me
- Gloom of Kilforth... I love that it's card driven
- Tiny Epic Pirates... that's really it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–6 of 6