Call to Adventure

1-4 players, Competitive, Rune Tossing Set Collection Overview of Gameplay Call to Adventure has brave players creating an interesting and unique fantasy “life” for themselves. Players will create this legacy by completing certain tasks and card-based adventures and adding those teeny bits of stories to their own player boards. Which in turn not only creates an interesting storyline for your character but also makes them more powerful in the form of adding more runes that you can use to defeat later cards that can be added to your collection. Your character can also sway into the light or dark, kinda the good and evil aspect, and with that brings about other things. Certain cards can only be acquired if your character is a certain level of good or evil and of course said cards will give certain abilities based on those specs. Once you have acquired a certain number of cards to build up your first of three card sections on your player board you can move right along to part two of your story. This unlocks the second section of cards that you can try to acquire that are stronger. Phase three usually sees you challenging monsters and diabolical creatures as you have grown even more powerful but of course there are challenging adventures awaiting as well. Once players have achieved the allotted card assignment, they count up their respective destiny points and whoever has the most points wins! But of course, for me this game is ALL about the journey and not the destination. I personally don’t even bother counting up the end points unless I’m doing a solo game. Components/Game Board The components are pretty hit or miss here. The player boards are a pretty thin cardboard and are prone to warping. The cards are also pretty thin BUT the story cards are tarot sized which I prefer greatly in this case. There are some little red plastic destiny tokens that are borderline low quality. They are also hard to pick up when flipped over as the angles are super smooth. On the other hand, the rune tokens are amazing. They have a really nice polished feel to them and the symbols on them are each unique and interesting looking. They have a good weight to them as well and feel great when tossed on the table with their rounded edges. The “clink” sound they make when coming into contact with each other is mesmerizing. Box/Storage The box and insert is…ok. There is a plastic insert, which I do appreciate, HOWEVER it doesn’t keep the cards and tokens secure if stored on its side. I hate pulling out a game with an insert and seeing all the cards mixed up and the plastic tokens scattered all about. Visual Appeal /Theme Now this is where the game just knocks it out of the park. The artwork is STUNNING. Hats off to the artist here because this is some of the most eye-catching artistry I have come across in board gaming. Each card has a unique picture emblazoned across it. This is yet another reason why I like the tarot cards so much in this game, because you get more picture. I mean there is a title for each card basically summing up how your character is growing but the artwork EASILY tells the same story and more. If nothing else pick up this game just to appreciate the little miniature works of art. There are many pieces in here that I wish I could just blow up and make full sized posters they are that good. As far as the theme it is a pretty generic fantasy story you are living. That said, the WAY you are experiencing it makes it more worthwhile than a typical fantasy game theme. If you tossed in these stories into any other board game, it would be bland. But here, you actually decide HOW you want to evolve your character through these little stories. That makes them feel more personal and interesting. Rulebook I had such a hard time with this rule book. The layout is pretty shoddy and there are missed explanations all over the place. For such a simple game to play this rulebook has to be one of the worst I’ve encountered in explaining exactly HOW to play the game. Many a time did I visit the internet to find rules explanations. After I finally got it all down I sat back and was perplexed at how simple this game is and yet how hard it was to learn from those rules. Player Interaction/Fun Factor Not much here really in the form of player interaction. I mean yes other players can and will take cards that you were eyeing but really everything you do is going to affect your own character and nothing more. It’s more like who can do these things FIRST and get the points, almost like a random race game. That said, I had a bunch of fun playing this and creating characters and seeing them grow. Optimal Player Count/Replayability Personally 1 or 2 players would be ideal. The solo game is fun with you going up against a particular boss creature so you are trying to build up your character a certain way to more easily take them out at game end. At two players you have a bit of competition with the card selections and the end game scoring. Replayability is good since there are a plethora of different starting cards to choose from to start you on your journey. Not only that but you never see all the cards for each act so each time you play you’re bound to come across new cards that you haven’t seen before. Solo play is especially replayable as there are a bookoo of different solo bosses to go up against that are all completely different. Positive Final Thoughts Omg the artwork, *drools*, so amazing. That combined with the variety of different cards that can show up lends to some great and fun replayability. Not only that but the game is genuinely FUN as you adventure and make a name for yourself whether for good or evil. The rune casting is also really good! Negative Final Thoughts The rulebook is terrible and some of the component quality is questionable. Player interaction at higher player counts suffers as well since players will be focusing on their own characters more than paying any attention to what others might be doing.

I was hesitant about buying this as it looked complicated and I prefer simpler RPGs to play (like Tiny Dungeon, or Wrath of Ashardalon), but after buying and playing it I am very happy. This is such a fun game! I play it solo and have played it every day, sometimes multiple times a day, since my purchase. I'm a fantasy writer so I bought it more for the storytelling aspect it affords, though the game itself is really fun. The only drawback is that I've played it so much that drawing the same cards is starting to get a bit repetitive (I wish they had some expansion packs available to buy and add more cards to the game, but alas . . .). Thankfully I also bought Call to Adventure: Epic Origins with it so I'm going to transition soon to Epic Origins, which has an even more in-depth solo play rule set (I watched a ton of YouTube playthrough videos before my purchase as a precaution) though they otherwise play the same but with a tad more influence during the game with the Adversary (in the original, you fight the Adversary at the end of Act three with solo, but in Epic Origins you fight them at the end of Act two then turn their card over, which increases their stats, and you then confront the stronger version of them at the end of Act three). It might look complicated at first but it's really simple once you learn the rules, which only takes a couple of games. My first two games took me about 45 minutes to an hour while I was learning the rules and taking it slow, but now it takes me about 20 minutes to half an hour at most to solo play one game. Setting up the game and putting it away is a breeze and only takes a minute or two. The rune system instead of dice is original and fun, as well it adds many avenues as to how you are going to play: should you chase down more runes to help you during the end game fight first, or go for points and matching symbols then go for the runes? The artwork on the cards is fantastic, and it's fun piecing your story together as you play, which is the main reason why I bought it. *NOTE: There are multiple versions of this game, as it was updated several times over the years since its original release. I have the latest version which has a slight bit different rules for solo play than the original as well some different cards. Remember that if you watch YouTube videos before buying because you might get a different version than what was played in the video. I actually thought I was missing some cards until I Googled and discovered I had the most recently updated version, lol. The original and the updated versions have a bit different rules for solo play, too (the Adversary is easier to fight at endgame in the Original and in the updated version they are much harder). All in all I highly recommend this for the solo RPG'er (I haven't played it with anyone else and don't plan to; my schedule is too wonky for party plays of it). Just know that there are several repeat cards in Call to Adventure and Call to Adventure: Epic Origins and if you are conflicted as to only buying one then I recommend buying Epic Origins as it has a more in-depth solo play rule set, especially so how the Adversary affects your game (the Adversary affects your game throughout much more in Epic Origins). You really only need one of the two, but I bought them both together anyways. And yes, you can mix the two games together, though not all of the cards from both as again there are some repeat cards from the original that are in Epic Origins. One negative of Epic Origins is that the experience tokens are just cardboard chits whereas in the original Call to Adventure you get nice little plastic red chits. **Just a tip/reminder: During solo play you calculate your Destiny points BEFORE you confront the Adversary at endgame because if you come in under a certain total then the Adversary gains more experience tokens before the final fight, raising their hit point total and thus making them harder to beat. I mention this because I've watched a ton of playthrough videos and people seem to forget this part, and it's important during solo play especially.

Best game ever. One of the few games I play with my bf all the time. The story is always different. The card building is fun. The runes are fun to throw instead of the usual dice. Just love it. Thanks to the company for giving us what we've been looking for. Keep it up.

I have a regular game night that I attend with friends (ages 27-35) and we have tried out a lot of different tabletop games. Problem is that we all have different preferences when it comes to games and it's hard to please us all at once. Call to Adventure was a hit with everyone! My friends often request that I bring it when I come over. Learning and Rulebook: Although the rules can be a bit difficult to explain because there are so many elements, once you learn this game it is actually super easy to understand and remember all the rules. The one negative with the first edition of this game is that the rule book has some misprinted sections and doesn't explain some of the rules too well. I had to do a little googling to find answers to some of the situations that would happen in-game. However, the issues have been acknowledged and apparently are in the process of being fixed. Components: All parts of this game are beautifully made. From the playmats, to the runes and experience pieces, to the cards themselves. Even the rulebook is full color. Cards are double-sided with a nice weight and thickness to them. And the illustrations are one of the best parts of this game. Each card has a unique illustration from a variety of artists and the details are just gorgeous. The plastic experience tokens are a nice touch where most games would opt for cardboard pieces. The runes, which are also plastic, are nice to hold and toss, and easy to read. Finally, the box is well made with sections for all the cards and pieces and a removable tray to hold the runes while you play. Gameplay: The game can be fairly long or short depending on how you play and how many players there are. It does take up a decent amount of space, even when you don't lay out all the cards from each section at once. It's also best when all players can sit on the same side of the table so the cards in the center are easier to read. Even though the game is competitive, and you have opportunities to mess with your fellow players, for the most part, it doesn't ever feel like we are truly against each other. There is almost never a runaway victory where one person's score is massively higher than everyone else. Even if a player doesn't manage to finish filling their story by the end of the game, they may have a chance to win if they planned ahead well enough. In the end, even the people who lost have enjoyed their time and have a fun story to tell the group. Co-Op and Solo Mode: I very rarely play Solo Mode, and have never played a co-op version of this game with my friends (both use the same mechanic). In this mode, you are playing the exact same way with the addition of a randomly drawn adversary that has skills of its own based on the actions you take in the base game. The goal is to fill your story and then defeat the adversary card by rolling your runes (just as you would defeat a normal adversary in the base game). The adversary wins if it collects a certain amount of experience before you can defeat it. This is definitely not as fun in solo mode as it is when you play competitively. My friends and I have never played co-op because it feels a little tacked on. Even in the rules, it says that after you defeat the adversary, you may still count up points and determine a winner as you would in competitive play. It just doesn't add much to the game in my opinion. Replayability: The game itself has a ton of replayability built-in. Even though you see the same cards over and over once you have played it enough, the final outcome is always different depending on what cards you collect. Our favorite part is telling the story at the end and laughing at how ridiculous the cards seem but then figuring out ways to make them blend together into a cohesive story. Summary: I would 100% buy this game again (as long as the rulebook is corrected). My friends and I have spent many hours playing this game and we have fun every time. It is well worth the money I spent on it and I am planning to buy the first expansion now that it has been released. Everyone we have introduced to this game loves it and I don't regret buying it for a second!

My husband and I played this with another couple and loved it so much we had to get it. We joked that it's "build your D&D character" the board game. It works well for 2 players (both PVE and PVP!) as well as 4 people. I'd argue it's better 2 player even. The PVE aspect is really great. You fight against a boss while playing the game and you also are fighting against the other player (though you don't need to keep track if you don't want to). We've heard from our friend that it can be too easy (we did fine but a couple close calls) and you can always do 2 bosses, which would be very difficult. Beyond that, the cards, runes and gems are all good quality, i only wish it had a dice roller cup because the runes are ackward to role. We have a homebrew rule that your story must be cohesive (sometimes there's a stretch, but you gotta make every card somehow build your character) that makes you not necessarily go for the "optimal" play, just so all your cards get counted. It also helps you build a character and a story in your mind which is great for RPG players and wanna be writers. One of the best games we have, highly recommend.

Call to Adventure relies on runes that inform exactly how your characters will develop. Their destiny unfolds as they gain traits and fail or succeed at challenges, until you have crafted a compelling narrative of life and destiny in Call to Adventure's rich fantasy world. Ultimately, I'm glad I bought this game, though some of the criticisms others levied did turn out to be true. Pros Beautiful artwork A rich, immersive world Fairly good replayability, especially with the expansion Easy to learn but difficultly complex Can be played solo Cons Can be largely silent, independent gameplay Can get stale after you get to the point you're playing similar character combinations The rulebook can be confusing/unclear (though some rules are clarified with the expansion) I would say that if you like storytelling, role-playing games, or fantasy worlds, to give it a shot. In my experience, most of the talking during the game comes in at the end when you're explaining your character's journey to the other player. Otherwise, you mainly clarify the moves you're making and your intentions during the challenges. With that in mind, I would aim to play this game with friends with rich personalities that can craft worthwhile stories! Ultimately, I feel I got my money's worth. I played a two player game or two most days for about three weeks before I began to get similar card combinations. I think this is reasonable for the price and look forward to the second game.

I have played a loooot of board games, and I have to say this is one of the best designed games that I have ever had the pleasure to play. Some specific things that stood out to me. I love that the core game is just as fun as the variant rules. You have options to play competitive, solo, or co-op, each with the option of an expansion for more experienced players. The mechanics are easy to understand even if you are brand new to board games. I love that it is very replayable due to a large amount of cards and variable styles of play. And honestly it’s a very pretty game. The pieces are well designed, the artwork is wonderful making for a very polished game. And the box is the MOST ORGANIZED of any game I have ever seen. This game designer has known the tragedy of a dropped box. They know the horrors of all the teeny pieces jumbling in a black hole of entropy. And they. Have. Overcome.

Learning this game takes ~5 minutes. Fun simple game full of fantasy. The art really brings the narrative to life. I like the world this is set in. Will i take a dark path and be a prick to other players while diving into a tragic story or take a light path and give my character a happy story and not bother anybody? Sometimes you'll want a certain card to fit your story, or it'll gain you bonus points at the end, but then you fail the challenge and that card is gone.. or a prick taking a dark path forces you to roll again or forces you to choose a different card.. tons of fun! Count out your points after one player reaches an end to get a winner. After the tally everyone tells their story. My only improvement would be, I wish the icons for the runes made more sense to what they are named. A shield is "constitution"? A mace "intelligence"? Arrow head is "dexterity"? We kept going back into the rules to remind ourselves what the icons meant because they aren't intuitive.

La satisfacción que te deja este juego al terminarlo es indescriptible. Te metes tanto en la historia de tu personaje que al final no te importa si ganaste o perdiste, sólo te importa lo genial que quedó la trama de tu "héroe". Arte: Todas las cartas tienen un arte precioso, de verdad digno de ser colgado en la pared y un detalle muy bonito es el hecho de que en cada carta viene el nombre de cada artista que la hizo. Componentes: Las cartas tienen un excelente tamaño como para poder leer a la perfección el texto y los símbolos y su material es muy bueno. Las runas son increíblemente satisfactorias al tacto e igual de material resistente. Jugabilidad: La jugabilidad es lo suficientemente sencilla como para ser un juego "introductorio" pero lo suficientemente atrapante como para entretener a jugadores veteranos. Rejugabilidad: ALTA. Tienes una cantidad ENORME de cartas para ser el Origen, Motivación y Destino de tu personaje, lo que hace que tengas que jugar múltiples veces para que te vuelva a tocar al menos 1 carta que ya te había tocado en partidas anteriores pero aún así, es increíble. Pensamientos Finales: HERMOSO. Instantáneamente se volvió uno de mis Top 5 de todos los juegos de mesa que he jugado (número que pasa los 100 juegos de mesa diferentes) porque si bien no es un juego ultra complejo y difícil, es el juego más inmersivo que he jugado en toda mi vida. No se van a arrepentir de comprarlo!

I had not heard of this game before I bought it. I was searching Amazon's list og board games and came across it. Intrigued, I looked into it. Loved the sound of it, read some reviews and knew I needed to get it. So glad I did! It's almost like Dungeons and Dragons... with out the dungeon delving. Essentially, you are creating the origin of your character through 3 acts. So while there is no dice rolling (though there is rune tossing) or any sort of battles per se, it is exciting to play. I absolutely love that the instructions heavily suggests that once the game is complete and the winner decided, that all players go around the table and tell the story of their character, using the cards they gained throughout the game to weave said story. So well done and the art is fabulous! What I've taken to doing as well, is actually fleshing out the story of my character in full. It's great if you are a fantasy writer who is looking for characters to put into your story, or if you are a Dungeon Master, looking for NPC characters to put in your game. I will definitely be getting the expansions to this great game.

A really good game for fantasy lovers, fun game-play, amazing artwork, and great expansions.

Nice images, can be played solo, coop or versus

Brilliant game for either alone or with a group of friends