Game Info
Year
2021
Players
1-4
Age
10+
Playtime
30 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Description
The Rifts changed our world. Villages were torn apart, Riftforce emerged from it and spread across the land. What seemed lifeless before started to rise and wake. Flames left campfires and waves poured out of their riverbeds. Even the sun and moon leave their footprints in the ground.
We learned how to control those living elementals and formed guilds to perfect this knowledge. While competing for Riftforce the guilds forged temporary alliances to share their unique abilities and guard the access to the Rifts.
Now it is your time! Choose your guilds, combine their powers and rush into battle. Gain Riftforce from the land you control and all the elementals you destroy until you have enough to ascend into a higher state of power.
•••
In Riftforce, the two-player duel card game, each player starts by drafting four of the ten different guilds, each with a unique power, to forge their own asymmetrical alliance. Every game of Riftforce gives you a chance to discover new synergies between guilds which will greatly influence your overall strategy and strengths. Can you combine the flexible and mobile water guild with the all-consuming fire elementals who even harm their allies and unleash their full potential?
The guilds’ elementals are the lifeblood of the game - they are your troops and at the same time the resource necessary to attack. Soon you will find yourself wondering how to use them best. Each turn you are torn, choosing one of three possible actions. Do you want to strengthen your position at the Rift, sacrifice elementals for powerful combo attacks or gather support for your next turn?
Gain Riftforce by destroying the elements of your opponent and by controlling locations along the Rift. Only then will you ascend and win the game.
Discovering new synergies between the different guilds, clever gameplay combos and the deeper layers of strategy will keep you coming back to enjoy the game again and again.
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 8
This page: 8
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–8 of 8
Video RMPqdTKVrrA
Getting Games Top 29 List at 30:31 sentiment: positive
video_pk 90400 · mention_pk 241538
Click to watch at 30:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- interacting elemental effects and decks
- two-player duel with elementals
Comparison games
- One More Time Games' prior Rift Force
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- play/discard to activate cards — Use cards on your side or discard to activate others
- two-player duel with elementals — Each player builds a deck with four of ten elementals and battles
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the roman republic is coming to an end but not before a power struggle between caesar and pompeii
- this expansion has several modules and scenarios
- this is a cooperative deck construction dice rolling game
- this is going to be their big essence spiel release later on in the game
- Sleeping Gods is the latest game from Red Raven Games
- Terra Futura is an engine building card game in which you build your land of tomorrow
- the big thing ... if you connect a port early you increase the stock value
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 100uIPQylR0
kovray Review at 21:40 sentiment: positive
video_pk 89542 · mention_pk 238021
Click to watch at 21:40 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Tight races, often decided on the last play
- High replayability due to combinations
- Strategic depth increases with plays
- Each faction has unique abilities for customization
- Expansion with more factions is anticipated
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- contesting power over the Rift Force
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — There's 10 actions you can play from.
- Area Control — Trying to duke it out through this control of area via the cards that you're playing in those areas.
- Drafting — You end up like drafting between each other what decks you want to play.
- Variable player powers — Each of the factions have a different ability so that really allows you to kind of mix and match.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's very asymmetrical the miniatures in this is stunning the art in this is stunning it's a very clever game
- it's so clever it's so thematic
- the games tend to be like super close down to the last play
- i love that it's gonna be cross-compatible because it's just it's such a like it's a great experience to kind of elevate to four players
- it is one of my favorite two-player games
- the waze design is just extremely skillfully it's one of the most elegant and beautiful games in the two-player variety
- i think the theme really shines out too because basically it's like technology versus nature industrialization yeah
- i think one of the most underrated two-player games in my opinion
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tFmyhBesT_4
Board Game Critique Top List at 13:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80332 · mention_pk 195385
Click to watch at 13:01 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Pulls in a different direction than Gou X
- Open and tactical gameplay
- Restriction of playing matching guild cards is core to the experience
- Clean tactics that are easy to read on the board
- Short, mean, and punches above its weight
Cons
- Hand management can be restrictive
- You do not need both Gou X and Rift Force unless you want both.
Thematic elements
- card duel
Comparison games
- Gou X
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — You fight over five spots. You win by claiming locations or wiping out their guardians.
- card combat — two-player card duels about lining up your forces and smashing the other person.
- Hand Management — The catch is you can only act by playing matching guild cards. So your hand handcuffs you as much as the board does.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- We're telling you which ones to buy and which ones to leave on the shelf. No filler, no mercy.
- And we don't agree on all of them, which is the fun part.
- If it made the cut, what you do messes with what everyone else is doing.
- No quiet point salads where you barely look up from your own board.
- Long enough to sink into and feel like a real game. Short enough that you lose, hate it, and demand a rematch on the spot.
- This is the one I'd grab off a burning shelf.
- Every character plays like a different game.
- Learning a new fighter is learning a new game from scratch.
- The cards do double duty, too.
- It's my top pick on this entire list, and I'm not sorry about it.
- One of you is the Nixon White House burying a scandal. The other is the press trying to expose it.
- Every single card hurts a little to spend.
- It takes those huge heavy political card games and crushes all that tension into 30 minutes.
- The asymmetry is the heart of it.
- The cards are loaded with photos and history. It feels like the era it's about.
- Skip it if history as a theme leaves you cold. Or if you wanted something breezy, because this one bites hard.
- So, you're walking a tight rope every round.
- It's the rare party game that rewards being smart.
- Buy it if your group likes word games with a real edge.
- Adam would walk straight past Sky Team to grab Unmatched. I'd do the exact opposite and never look back.
- Short games are not lesser games.
- 30 minutes is plenty. Plenty for tension, plenty for a real decision, plenty to feel like a hero or an idiot.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video j9e_B5MyymM
kovray Playthrough
video_pk 68886 · mention_pk 165180
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this game is designed by carlo bortellini and the illustrations are done by miguel combra
- you take the role of a wizard that is capable of summoning four different elements
- the first to 12 rift force and whoever does that the fastest wins
- activate is to use your elements' special abilities
- it's a two-player game
- rift force is available down here
- i love the icicle humans the elements the ice elementals because it's so hard to get it
- this is a tense force battle
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video j9e_B5MyymM
kovray Playthrough at 27:39 sentiment: positive
video_pk 68886 · mention_pk 240682
Click to watch at 27:39 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Intense two-player duel with strategic card play
- Close, engaging finish keeps interest high
- Clear thematic flavor with elemental visuals
Cons
- Complex, with many options and requirements that can be overwhelming
- Limited to three actions per turn which can constrain decision-making
Thematic elements
- elemental power and control of resources (Rift Force)
- two-player wizard duel using four elements to control a Rift
- card-driven tactical duel with location control
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — On a turn you choose one of three actions: play, activate, or check and draw.
- activate_abilities — Activating up to three elements by discarding a card of the corresponding element or value to trigger a color or number ability.
- Area Control — Control of different locations on the board grants Rift Force points.
- card_playing — Players may play cards: three of the same number or three of the same type, and may place them adjacent or all in one location.
- check_and_draw — Check the board to see controlled areas; if you control an unoccupied area you gain Rift Force; you can only check if you have fewer than seven cards.
- combat_and_movement — Elements deal damage, move between locations, and can destroy opposing elements; positioning matters for impact and Rift Force gain.
- draw — When checking and drawing, you draw up to seven cards; you gain Rift Force by controlling areas or by destroying enemy elements.
- Drawing — When checking and drawing, you draw up to seven cards; you gain Rift Force by controlling areas or by destroying enemy elements.
- healing_and_support — Some abilities heal allies, and certain actions affect multiple elements or locations.
- region_control — Control of different locations on the board grants Rift Force points.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this game is designed by carlo bortellini and the illustrations are done by miguel combra
- you take the role of a wizard that is capable of summoning four different elements
- the first to 12 rift force and whoever does that the fastest wins
- activate is to use your elements' special abilities
- it's a two-player game
- rift force is available down here
- i love the icicle humans the elements the ice elementals because it's so hard to get it
- this is a tense force battle
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video iIliAkamSDw
Other at 21:12 sentiment: other
video_pk 65877 · mention_pk 159988
Click to watch at 21:12 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
own it
Pros
- High replayability due to variable guild combinations
- Compelling gameplay with interesting choices and lack of information
- Momentum swings create exciting gameplay
- Plays quickly (around 30 minutes)
Cons
- The physical implementation of the lane system can be clumsy.
Thematic elements
- Card battling with guilds
Comparison games
- Arboretum
- Corrosion
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck Building — Players draft guilds, each with unique abilities, which form their personal deck for the game.
- Drafting — Players draft guilds at the start of the game to build their unique decks.
- Hand Management — The reviewer mentions "there's a lot of hand management too because the cards you keep determine what you're gonna play to activate the stuff that's out there."
- Lane System — The game uses a lane system where cards battle in specific lanes, with potential impact on adjacent lanes.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's just not something that i think like is a must own for everyone
- but for me uh the games i've played so far just kind of felt a little bit flat
- i do like it quite a bit i think it's a really good design especially as this kind of like family weight game that plays within an hour
- The biggest and I mean I should say the only criticism I can come up with and I mentioned with you is personally I don't I I would have found a different way to differentiate the lanes and then just laying down the cards I find that the a little bit clumsy sometimes the cards are moving
- it's always a fairly quick game and it does quite a bit of like unique and novel novel stuff
- this is an asynchronous game in the sense that one person is going to be the creature and everyone else is going to be basically trying to survive
- i'm going to give it a play but and i i'm not going to give an asterisk because i feel like every time we're doing these on my own risk on this one i'm going to give it a play but i will say that as you play it consider how often you think you'll get this to the table with four plus
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 3z3_Yj9q9k8
Board Game Coffee Playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12321 · mention_pk 102804
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- fast game with quick rounds and clear scoring
- good variety due to draft setup and multiple factions
- balanced asymmetry offers interesting choices
- potential for expansions with new summoners and elementals
Cons
- learning curve with interactions can be steep for first-timers
- some factions feel stronger or weaker depending on combination
- setup and shuffle can be fiddly or clunky in live play
- no built-in first-time-player setup in the base game (discussion of a potential set would help)
Thematic elements
- Elemental factions vying for control and points through region dominance
- Two-player head-to-head battle across elemental islands using summoned elementals
- abstract, strategic with light thematic framing
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players place elementals to gain presence and score control of board regions.
- Card play with numbers/symbols — On a turn, you may play up to three cards that share a numeric value or an elemental symbol.
- Check and draw — Check control of areas to gain points, then draw up to seven cards (if you have space).
- Drafting — Each player selects four factions to form their starting deck via a draft sequence.
- Movement and drag mechanics — Certain elementals pull or push opponents’ units, affecting placement and damage.
- Summoners and elemental abilities — Each elemental card has an associated summoner ability that triggers when played or activated.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a two-player game where we're going head to head
- it's very simple game, it's very quick
- I really enjoy Rift Force
- I would recommend giving it a go
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video G1WMKP-i0j4
Board Game Coffee Discussion at 11:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7743 · mention_pk 85332
Click to watch at 11:09 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engaging thematic vibe and accessible rules
- playful competitive tension
Cons
- May require multiple plays to grasp deeper strategy
Thematic elements
- alliances of four elemental teams
- elemental battleground
- theme-forward homage to elemental power
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- team-building / deck integration — players assemble a four-element team with unique decks
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we're giving away 50 games
- it's worldwide
- remember you can enter in every video
- the box is really heavy
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–8 of 8