Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Explore the rifts of Storm Hollow, build an array of amazing powers, and trigger burst of magical energy to score big in this strategy card game for 2-4 players that plays in 30-45 minutes.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Pattern Building
Place elements to create arrangements that satisfy scoring or action patterns.
Hand Management
Time and sequence a limited hand of cards to preserve future options.
Take That
Direct negative effects at selected opponents.
Variable Player Powers
Each player has different abilities, restrictions, or strategic advantages.
Read the full game description
Explore the rifts of Storm Hollow, build an array of amazing powers, and trigger burst of magical energy to score big in this strategy card game for 2-4 players that plays in 30-45 minutes. In Riftwalker, players use a central grid of elements composed of earth, wind, fire, water, storm, and life to play rift cards from their hand or shift rifts they already have in play. Shifting a Rift is a Riftwalker's magical ability to change the nature of a place by calling on and altering the elements. Shifting turns a card sideways and increases its point value. Every time a rift card is played or shifted, it activates a special power that alters a player's cards or the central grid in a useful way. As the game progresses, players will build up a unique set of abilities. Earth rifts empower shifted rifts while fire burns them down for points. Water rifts spread more rifts across the land and life rifts grow them to great value. Storm rifts control the element grid and wind rifts play all kinds of tricks. However, a rift can only be shifted twice, so no power lasts forever. Eventually, players must create lines of elements on the grid to score their rifts. Some cards give bonus points for scoring the right kind of rifts. In the end, the player with the greatest rifts and the most points wins the game!