The Inside Scoop on Gaming

In a world full of collectible card games running every gamut of interest, it's no suprise that every gamer that doesn't live under a rock has their own favorite. For those who don't collect for a living, it usually tends to be an intriguing game that never caught the public eye but somehow caught our fickle fancy.

Kult is mine. Combined with the fact it's been discontinued and can be found in some game stores for only $1/pack, I felt it would make a good addition to the Kult addict's library.

Based on the RPG by Target Games, the Kult CCG does a credible job of giving players the sensation of hopeful desperation that pervades the original. Unlike most other games, there is no "Hero" deck to build; only shades of grey.

The world of Kult is a bleak one, where reality as we know it is a lie created by the Demiurge; an all-powerful being who entrapped humanity to deny us our birthright of power. Centuries ago, the Demiurge disappeared and his "dark" twin, Astaroth, has gone to search for him. Now their servants wage war for control over Earth and mankind.

The cards used are supposed to be a lesser reproduction of the Tarotica, a long-lost artifact that granted great power over all of reality. The players represent one of the 20 Major Arcana: Archons of the Demiurge or Astaroth's Angels of Death. Each of these major characters has power over the five Lores of Magic represented by their suit: Skulls (Lore of Death), Roses (Lore of Passion), Hourglasses (Lore of Time & Space), Eyes (Lore of Madness), and Crescents (Lore of Dreams). Unlike other games, this power is not expended and is available at all times.

Game play is based on a variation of the Celtic Cross Tarot called the Mystic Cross. The Cross has a central card, called a Hub, surrounded by 4 Stations that represent the compass points. (North, South, East, West) An additional 4 cards are located to the side, which are the Stages. The player's Major Arcana is always located in the Hub position and only one Major Arcana can be played.

The remaining cards, called the Lesser Arcana, represent the beings, places, and powers of the universe. Each Lesser Arcana is marked to indicate which Stations or Stages it can be played in as well as the Lores needed to bring it into play. Some cards are also affiliated with either Astaroth or the Demiurge and can only be played with that group of Major Arcana. Some rare cards are unique, and only one can be in play at a time.

Between the players is a group of tokens (Pop Markers) that represent the entirety of humanity, called the Population Pool. The goal of the game is not to destroy your enemy, but to "sway" a majority of the Pop Markers to your cause. Naturally, destroying all of your enemy's forces means you can accomplish that goal without resistance, but won't win the game on it's own.

Each round a Pop Marker can be Swayed one level; from the Population Pool to a card in the Stages; from the Stages to one of the Stations, or from the Station to the Hub. The action of Swaying a marker causes the cards to be turned and unable to act that round. Pop Markers can also be Repelled, or moved out of the Cross, to gain additional power over a Lore or enhance a particular power.

Play is unusual because of the finite number of cards that can be in use. There is no mechanism to discard an active card so it is likely that a player will actually have to attack his own creatures! This is more difficult than it appears since other players are allowed to intervene during combat with spells or artifacts.

The Kult CCG shows a lot of potential for creating plots for the RPG. By creating a "player" deck and a "GM" deck, the GM can lay out a hand and use it as basis for a campaign or one-shot modules. Playing the game for a few rounds might even suggest a longer series of events and get the creatives juices going for a full story arc.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Kult Collectible Card Game
Author: Target Games, AB Category: CCG Company/Publisher: Metropolis, Ltd. Cost: varies Page count: n/a ISBN: n/a Playtest Review by James McPherson on 05/12/98. Genre tags: none	In a world full of collectible card games running every gamut of interest, it's no suprise that every gamer that doesn't live under a rock has their own favorite. For those who don't collect for a living, it usually tends to be an intriguing game that never caught the public eye but somehow caught our fickle fancy. Kult is mine. Combined with the fact it's been discontinued and can be found in some game stores for only $1/pack, I felt it would make a good addition to the Kult addict's library. Based on the RPG by Target Games, the Kult CCG does a credible job of giving players the sensation of hopeful desperation that pervades the original. Unlike most other games, there is no "Hero" deck to build; only shades of grey. The world of Kult is a bleak one, where reality as we know it is a lie created by the Demiurge; an all-powerful being who entrapped humanity to deny us our birthright of power. Centuries ago, the Demiurge disappeared and his "dark" twin, Astaroth, has gone to search for him. Now their servants wage war for control over Earth and mankind. The cards used are supposed to be a lesser reproduction of the Tarotica, a long-lost artifact that granted great power over all of reality. The players represent one of the 20 Major Arcana: Archons of the Demiurge or Astaroth's Angels of Death. Each of these major characters has power over the five Lores of Magic represented by their suit: Skulls (Lore of Death), Roses (Lore of Passion), Hourglasses (Lore of Time & Space), Eyes (Lore of Madness), and Crescents (Lore of Dreams). Unlike other games, this power is not expended and is available at all times. Game play is based on a variation of the Celtic Cross Tarot called the Mystic Cross. The Cross has a central card, called a Hub, surrounded by 4 Stations that represent the compass points. (North, South, East, West) An additional 4 cards are located to the side, which are the Stages. The player's Major Arcana is always located in the Hub position and only one Major Arcana can be played. The remaining cards, called the Lesser Arcana, represent the beings, places, and powers of the universe. Each Lesser Arcana is marked to indicate which Stations or Stages it can be played in as well as the Lores needed to bring it into play. Some cards are also affiliated with either Astaroth or the Demiurge and can only be played with that group of Major Arcana. Some rare cards are unique, and only one can be in play at a time. Between the players is a group of tokens (Pop Markers) that represent the entirety of humanity, called the Population Pool. The goal of the game is not to destroy your enemy, but to "sway" a majority of the Pop Markers to your cause. Naturally, destroying all of your enemy's forces means you can accomplish that goal without resistance, but won't win the game on it's own. Each round a Pop Marker can be Swayed one level; from the Population Pool to a card in the Stages; from the Stages to one of the Stations, or from the Station to the Hub. The action of Swaying a marker causes the cards to be turned and unable to act that round. Pop Markers can also be Repelled, or moved out of the Cross, to gain additional power over a Lore or enhance a particular power. Play is unusual because of the finite number of cards that can be in use. There is no mechanism to discard an active card so it is likely that a player will actually have to attack his own creatures! This is more difficult than it appears since other players are allowed to intervene during combat with spells or artifacts. The Kult CCG shows a lot of potential for creating plots for the RPG. By creating a "player" deck and a "GM" deck, the GM can lay out a hand and use it as basis for a campaign or one-shot modules. Playing the game for a few rounds might even suggest a longer series of events and get the creatives juices going for a full story arc. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Kult Collectible Card Game