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Once, the afterlife was a realm of harmony, guided by the Queen of All Souls and held together by five powerful forces known as the Pillars. That all collapsed when civil war tore the Queen apart and scattered the Pillars across the realm. Now, five factions are fighting to shape what comes next. In Realm of Reckoning, you’ll take command of one of these groups, all trying to carve out influence in the chaos. Through careful planning, tense bidding, and strategic monument building, players aren’t just chasing points. They’re deciding how points are earned in the first place.
👥 2-5 players, ages 14+
⌛ Playing time: 90 minutes
📝 Designers: Max Anderson, Zac Dixon & Austin Harrison
🎨 Artwork: Reece Parker
🏢 Publisher: IV Studio (review copy provided)
Check out the Kickstarter campaign by clicking here
Gameplay Overview
The game unfolds over three ages, each made up of several rounds. Each round, players draft action cards, take turns resolving them, and prepare for reckonings that might completely shift the state of play. What makes Realm of Reckoning a bit different is that players help define the victory conditions as the game progresses. By placing monuments during reckonings, you’re shaping how scoring works from that moment on.
At the start of each age, players receive five action cards. You pick one to play face-down, then everyone reveals and resolves their chosen card in turn. Most cards allow for core actions like placing acolytes into regions, collecting coins, hiring wardens or mercenaries, or increasing your influence along one of the five Pillars: Guidance, Radiance, Understanding, Equity, and Dominion. After the action, you tuck the card under your player board, choosing one of the two Pillars shown on it. This gives you influence on that track, and also provides icons used in monument scoring. The way you tuck the card determines what you get, so it’s not just about the action on the card, but also about planning for future scoring.
Twice per age, a reckoning will occur when someone plays a Reckoning card. This triggers a competitive bid in a specific region. Before the reckoning begins, the active player moves a claim token to that region, which matters because it influences what resources can be used to bid. Players then secretly set their bids using their dials and spend a mix of resources. That could be acolytes in that region, coins, matching mercenary cards or wardens, or even Pillar influence if it matches the token. After everyone reveals their bids, rewards are selected in order from highest to lowest. The top bidder often gets to place a monument, which sets a new scoring rule. Every player must choose a reward, and the last one is always a penalty, so even if you lose the bid, you’re still in it, just not always in a pleasant way.
Once all action cards for the age have been played, the player with the fewest points triggers a final reckoning. The player who wins this reckoning tucks the final reckoning card and takes the first player token for the next age.
After the reckoning, players score all placed monuments. Monuments score not just once, but at the end of every age remaining in the game. So if you manage to place one early in age one, it’ll score three times. A monument placed in the final age will only score once. Each one comes with a fixed scoring rule, like controlling certain regions, having the most coins or mercenary cards, or collecting specific combinations of icons. Because of that, your scoring engine can grow in very different directions depending on what you build and when.
Every card you tuck also increases your influence on a specific Pillar. If you’re alone in the lead and at level three or higher on that track, you gain that Pillar’s artifact. These give powerful passive effects that match the theme of the Pillar. One might give you more coins when gaining wealth, another lets you draw extra mercenaries, and so on. They add some asymmetry and give players another reason to fight for influence. And if another player catches up or ties your position, you lose the artifact right away, so you’re constantly pushing to keep control.
Once the third age ends, there’s one final scoring of all the monuments. After that, the player with the most victory points wins and becomes the new architect of the afterlife. The realm is reshaped in their image, for better or worse.
The Review
Game Info
Realm of Reckoning is a strategic board game by IV Studio, the same team behind Moonrakers, Veiled Fate, and Fractured Sky. It was designed by Zac Dixon, Austin Harrison, and Max Anderson, with artwork by Reece Parker. The game plays with two to five players, runs around 90 minutes once you’re familiar with it, and is recommended for ages 14 and up.
IV Games kindly provided us with a prototype copy ahead of their Kickstarter campaign, which launches on 24 June. That gave us the chance to dive into the world of shifting souls and pillars, and share our experience with you, so you can decide if it’s something you’d want to explore yourself.
First Impressions and Components
Before getting into the details, keep in mind that the version we played is still a preview copy. Some parts may still change before release. That said, even at this stage, the production already feels solid and well thought out.
Visually, the game manages to balance mood and clarity. The art style feels cohesive and thematic without becoming too dark or dramatic. The board has a textured, painterly look that fits the game’s world without pulling your attention away from what’s important. Each faction has a distinct look, and the matching wooden pieces are easy to recognise.
The box includes quite a few different elements, but it never feels overwhelming. You get individual player boards, colour-coded tokens, bidding dials, and a variety of cards and icons to keep track of your progress. The monuments, which are a central part of the scoring system, stand out in white and are easy to spot once they hit the board. Even with everything laid out, the table stays readable, which definitely helps once things get more tactical.
Design That Works With You
What stood out for us was how much the visual layout helps you actually play the game. The board is divided in a clear way, regions are easy to identify, and colour accents link directly to the mechanics, like the claim tokens used during reckonings. These small things make it easier to follow what’s going on.
Action cards are colour-coded to show which Pillars they connect to, and the dual-layered player boards make tucking cards feel tidy instead of fiddly. After a few rounds, we found that the flow started to make sense naturally. You’re not constantly flipping back to the rulebook, which is always a good sign.
Rulebook and Learning Curve
We played using a prototype rulebook, which was clearly marked as still in development. There were a few small hiccups, but nothing that broke the game. The core ideas were explained clearly, and terminology was used consistently throughout, which definitely helped. There are diagrams included, though we did feel that a few extra visual examples could be helpful in some trickier parts, especially around reckoning bids or monument scoring.
Still, once we played through a round or two, everything started to fall into place. It’s a game where the first teach might feel like a bit of a hill, but it levels out quickly. Having the option to scan a QR code and watch a how-to-play video is a nice touch, especially if you’re introducing the game to new players.
How It Plays
Realm of Reckoning falls somewhere between medium and heavy in terms of weight. The rules aren’t overly complicated on paper, but the way systems connect and overlap takes a little time to absorb. It’s not a game you’ll teach and finish within an hour, but that’s not a bad thing if you’re looking for something with a bit more bite.
Each turn, you’re balancing immediate benefits with long-term influence and monument scoring. There’s a satisfying back-and-forth between tactical decisions and broader planning. The reckonings break up the flow in a good way, bringing tension without derailing everything.
What really gives the game its identity is how players influence not just their own score, but the whole scoring structure. By placing monuments, you’re deciding what matters for the rest of the game. That might sound abstract, but in practice it means you can try to shape the game around your strengths, while also watching for others trying to do the same. It creates a constant push and pull between playing your game and messing with everyone else’s.
Scoring Through Monuments
Monuments are a big part of the game, and they’re not just about scoring points. They’re about setting the terms. Once a monument is placed, its scoring rule stays for the rest of the game and triggers again at the end of every age. If you get one down early that fits your strategy, it can give you steady returns. But it’s not without risk. Other players can start investing in the same condition, or drop their own monuments that shift the balance.
The variety in monument effects means you can’t just pick one path and stick to it. Some reward region control, others go after resources or icons you’ve tucked under your board. One even gives points to the player with the least points at the time, which can create some interesting swings. Because of this variety, flexibility and timing are key. Knowing when to commit to a monument and when to adapt is a big part of what makes the game feel different each time.
The Bidding System and Control
Reckonings are one of the more interactive parts of the game. It’s not just about winning rewards. You’re shaping the board while you’re at it. When you play a Reckoning card, it triggers a reckoning in a specific region, as shown on the card. You then move a claim token into that region, which determines which resources can be used for bidding. It’s a subtle form of control that lets you tilt things in your favour or throw off a rival’s plan.
The bidding itself is flexible. You can use different combinations of acolytes, coins, influence, mercenaries, and wardens. That means even if you’re low on one thing, you often have other ways to stay competitive. It’s not just about having the most money. It’s about using what you have creatively, and knowing when to push your luck.
Artifacts and Strategic Edges
The artifacts tied to the influence tracks offer another thing to consider. Each one gives a passive effect that improves certain actions. Some help you gather more resources, others let you react just before reckonings. They’re not flashy, but they can make a real difference over time.
You can only hold an artifact if you’re leading on the associated influence track, and there’s a minimum level required before you can claim it. This makes it feel like a tug of war, with players constantly trying to time their moves to grab or hold onto these bonuses. We quickly learned not to let anyone hold onto the red artifact for too long, especially since it lets you trigger an effect right before bidding begins. In the right hands, it can shift a round entirely.
A Touch of Hidden Information
Even though most of the game is open information, the simultaneous card selection keeps things slightly unpredictable. You’re never quite sure if someone is about to trigger a reckoning, contest a region, or play it safe. It’s not bluffing in the traditional sense, but there’s a definite advantage in reading the table well.
There’s also the pressure of the reckonings themselves. If you come in last, you’re stuck with a penalty, and those can sting. So even if you’re behind on resources, you can’t just ignore them. There’s no player elimination, but you do feel the consequences of falling behind if you’re not careful.
Pacing-wise, the game is structured around a clear three-act flow. That helps guide new players, but the first game will likely take a bit longer, especially with teaching. With a table of experienced players, things speed up and the reckonings become the heartbeat of the game.
Final Thoughts
Realm of Reckoning is a game that rewards adaptability. It’s not about locking in a strategy and watching it unfold. You need to read the board, adjust to shifting scoring conditions, and pay attention to what other players are working toward. If you enjoy games with a bit of back and forth, where long-term planning meets small tactical moves, there’s a lot here to dig into.
It plays best with people who enjoy a bit of table talk, rivalry over monuments, and the occasional tug-of-war over influence tracks. There’s interaction, but it’s not mean-spirited. You’re not knocking each other out, just competing over space, timing, and control. That kind of competition can be really satisfying if everyone leans into it.
If we had to point out something to watch for, it would be the learning curve. The first couple of rounds might feel a bit overwhelming. Also, if someone gets hold of the right artifact combo early and nobody challenges them, things can start to snowball. Keeping each other in check is part of the game.
But once things click, it’s a rewarding system with a lot to explore. You’re not just playing in the game, you’re helping shape what it becomes. And that’s a pretty neat thing to do over the course of a game night.
📝 We received a preview copy of the game from the publisher, IV Games.
