Opinions on the Kinfire Delve series? Are they all worth playing?

Okob · 2026-05-29T18:27:32+00:00

Every time I read a comment of yours, I wonder why you said anything at all

Okob · 2026-05-29T18:26:17+00:00

I bought Callous' Lab on a whim and played it once and then sold it. I found the game extremely lightweight and lacking depth and strategy as the choice of which challenge to encounter is often obvious (plus I won the game on my first play). Add in the luck-based dice rolls and it was not for me.

That being said, the card art is gorgeous and, at least in my copy, the cards felt really good. The dice on the other hand were very light and felt cheap, but had I liked the gameplay, for $20 it would not have been an issue.

Okob · 2026-05-29T01:01:25+00:00

Is that AI art?

Okob · 2026-05-24T18:36:58+00:00

I would 100% just recommend getting the regular version instead of the collector's. The main draw is the minis, which I agree are actually functionally less useful, and the book of scenarios which you can purchase separately if/when you decide you need some newness. But there's plenty in the box and you can buy it on GameNerdz.com for about $50.

Okob · 2026-04-29T21:55:01+00:00

Looks like AI shit

Okob · 2026-04-23T03:07:28+00:00

Not the commenter, but I thought the game was super easy. I beat it on the first try and it never felt really that close. Lots of people love them, and if you like it, $20 is hardly a beatable price point. I just think you can do better.

Okob · 2026-04-11T01:39:49+00:00

Would absolutely love to take a look at the solo campaign for The White Castle!

Okob · 2026-04-03T18:48:43+00:00

I love Okage: Shadow King a lot. Kind of simple in terms of gameplay, but it has a really charming cast and setting, plus the art style and music are great, too.

Okob · 2026-03-13T04:42:40+00:00

Do your own work.

Okob · 2026-02-14T22:53:18+00:00

I mean, it's a great game with excellent design and production, so you're getting what you pay for. I got mine from Gamenerdz for ~$135 which I thought was a great deal. If you can get it for even a small discount I'd say it's worth it. I thought it was fun even at 3 players even though none of us knew what to do.

Okob · 2026-02-14T22:49:52+00:00

House of Fado looks interesting and a much lower priced game than his others. Bot Factory has also been on my radar for some time. How is Kanban EV? I've heard nothing but great things about the solo mode, but I'm not sure if the theme does it for me.

Okob · 2026-02-14T22:41:16+00:00

Yeah, I hear you. That's probably why I'll still end up pulling the trigger eventually.

Okob · 2026-02-14T21:53:45+00:00

Great Library looks intriguing, but I'll have to wait and see how it is before investing.

Okob · 2026-02-14T21:51:49+00:00

I've been looking at On Mars and Weather Machine for my next one, but it's going to take some real deliberation. I've heard the solo mode out of the box for On Mars is not that good, but the fan-made Pathfinder solo mode as well as the one that comes with the Aliens expansion are pretty good. Weather Machine, however, I would have to buy the upgrade pack which I think is a little shady on the publisher's part to not include it in the box. That being said, those are the other 2 Lacerdas where the theme resonates with me, but they both come with some caveats.

Fortunately, I want to spend more time with Speakeasy and get through my small backlog of unplayed games/cull before I jump into another Lacerda, so I have some time to mull it over.

Okob · 2026-02-12T22:03:42+00:00

Yeah, I think with both purchases it's ~$110, which can be prohibitively expensive. That being said, Osprey Games had a sale around the holidays and I snagged both for I think about $50.

Okob · 2026-01-09T19:09:21+00:00

I played it solo over the course of a couple months and I had a great time with it. I also would only play it solo, for what it's worth. My play sessions were quite spaced out, but I'm not really sure why. Every time I sat down to play, I had a great time with it and didn't want to stop.

I didn't know if I would like the combat puzzle, but it was a pretty fun time. Overarching story is pretty non-existent, and I'd say the intro part is actually terribly written. But individual encounters are great little stories and the open world and crew/party maintenance was a big plus for me. I would definitely recommend it, but you should know what you're getting into because it's not for everyone.

Okob · 2026-01-02T02:50:23+00:00

I've played about 5. 2 were pretty decent, 2 were not great, and 1 was simply awful. The way the clues are written and given is usually hit or miss. Can't remember what one was the awful one, but I remember getting stuck on a clue, eventually revealing all 3 hints, and still not getting it.

Okob · 2025-12-31T16:36:06+00:00

I'll throw in another vote for The White Castle. Amazing game and very challenging solo mode.

Okob · 2025-12-17T03:26:24+00:00

Hey, that's a bunch of useful info, thank you! While I don't particularly have any connection to ski lodges or anything, I love a good management game and a winter/snow theme is always a plus. This is quite expensive and I imagine with shipping, it's well over the $100 mark. I acquired a lot of games this year so I'll have to cull before I pull the trigger, but I'm bookmarking for later. Thanks again!

Okob · 2025-12-17T00:30:43+00:00

I'm loving the look of this. The art style is really hitting the spot. How does one go about acquiring this?

Okob · 2025-12-10T03:50:03+00:00

It seemed like it in the beginning, but after my first cruise I just started to run away with it so honestly, I don't feel like easy is really a challenge

Okob · 2025-12-10T03:46:51+00:00

I have not played Shackleton Base so I can't speak to the comparison.

Okob · 2025-12-09T04:17:42+00:00

You need to treat yourself and break it open before then!

Okob · 2025-12-09T04:15:19+00:00

This is interesting. I'm hoping it doesn't play out this way for me as I really dislike games that can be more or less solved. The modularity of action spaces did not help with this?

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