One of the best parts of this hobby is constantly being surprised by new and innovative game worlds that brilliant designers create!ย
Usually Iโm one to say that Iโm not a huge fan of the strictly 2-player gaming experience. Thatโs not to say that there arenโt some great 2-player games out there, but all in all, I find myself more interested by other games that typically seat more than two.ย
Enter Skulk Hollow: a 2-player combat game that has me bouncing with excitement to play.ย
Youโre definitely going to want to learn more about this one! Itโs not your garden variety two player game!
How do you play?
Two players will face off against each other. One player will take on the role of the towering, angry Guardian who is trying to eliminate the clan of foxes that have made the countryside their home. The other player will become the Foxen Heroes who must destroy the evil Guardian to reunite the four kingdoms of Bore.
Players will use action cards to move their character(s), summon, and use special abilities. The number of actions available to each player on their turn and the number of action cards they can hold in their hand is determined by what character they are using.
Play begins on the world map. To the side is the Guardian player board where the Foxen player must leap onto during the game in order to take down the Guardian.
If the Foxen eliminate the guardian, they win the game.
The Guardian wins by taking out the Foxen King or by fulfilling their unique win condition.
What do we think?
Wow! Just, WOW!
Skulk Hollow is fantastic.ย
I love everything about it. It is such a tight, tension filled game that plays out like a cinematic movie!
The asymmetrical nature of the game is really fun and offers players a great amount of replayability as you play all of fox characters against all the guardians, then switch roles and play all the guardians against the foxes.
For a tactical battle game, it is super easy to learn and get playing. Each turn plays quickly as you only have a couple of actions available to you. The turns also snap back and forth and keeps things interesting and well paced. Each game takes about 30 to 40 minutes to play which is perfect because you are going to want to play a couple games in a row. You can either reset your first game to switch allegiances, or you can easily get out another guardian for a new challenge!
This variety that comes standard in the box is wonderful. Itโs not the same skirmish each time. You and your opponent could play this game 32 times in a row without ever repeating the same match up! And youโll want to replay some of those match ups too! Youโll see what tactics worked, what didnโt, and how to refine your next plan of attack; thinking about the game long after youโve put it back on the shelf.
Theme
At its core, Skulk Hollow is a tactical battle game, but itโs wrapped up into this beautifully designed fantasy package that pulls you in. Iโm not drawn to a war or battle style game, but the art and fantasy world of Skulk Hollow hooked me immediately.
They went above and beyond here. Thereโs an included map of the world and some wonderful flavor text to provide back story to help set the scenes before each battle. This all gives the game a wonderful personality and helps it come alive on the table.
Iโm not kidding when I say itโs cinematic. They went the extra mile to really flush out this theme and it makes all the difference.
Components
Everything you hope for and more. This meets the gold standard of board game components.
The wooden pieces are all well made, intricate, and massive! I love the tuck boxes that come for all four guardians and the foxen heroes to help keep everything organized in the insert and ready to set up quickly for the next game.
Can Kids Play?
Skulk Hollow is a relatively simple game. If youโre going to play with younger kids, Iโd say that 8 or 9 could probably handle the game for the most part, though some of the tactical decisions might take some time to learn. Itโs a great starter for that though, so donโt shy away, especially if theyโre interested in it.
Iโd recommend that younger players start off by playing the Foxen Heroes first. Mainly because while there are four different leaders, the rest of the deck and how it functions against each guardian is the same. Each guardian however functions completely differently and some are more difficult than others to command. I think it would be easier for younger kids to play the foxes against each guardian first, then after seeing how they work switch spots. However, if theyโre more excited to play the guardian, by all means, let them give it a try!
Summary
Skulk Hollow is a completely fantastic game and easily one of the best two player gaming experiences available. It is certainly my favorite in our collection.
The setting, design, and feeling I get from playing the game makes me want to stay in this world and keeps me coming back for more.
I cannot recommend Skulk Hollow highly enough!
A special thank you to Pencil First Games for sending us a copy of Skulk Hollow to review. As always, our thoughts and opinions are our own.
Game Info:
Title: Skulk Hollow
2 players Ages 8+
Designer: Eduardo Baraf, Seth Johnson, Keith Matejka
Artist: Dustin Foust
Publisher: Pencil First Games
Published: 2019
