BoardGame Verdict
83

Avalon: The Riven Veil is a deeply thematic Arthurian-based area-control and exploration game for 2-4 players. Players lead mighty factions through a misty veil to discover what awaits on the mystical isle of Avalon, wielding artifacts of legend.

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83

The Verdict

based on 17 reviews

Positive 0%
Mixed 0%
Engaging area control gameplay that is often described as a highlight.
High production quality, including impressive artwork and miniatures.
Strategic hand management and multi-use cards leading to fun decisions.
Meaningful asymmetric factions, particularly in advanced play, which many consider a strong feature.
A non-punishing combat system that allows players to remain competitive even after losing battles.
Can be overly complex with a significant amount of card text, potentially leading to analysis paralysis.
The combat system incorporates luck-based elements, sometimes referred to as a "blackjack" style mechanic, which may not appeal to all players.
The board can become crowded, especially at higher player counts, making unit placement and movement challenging.
Some card draws can be situational or unhelpful in early rounds, impacting strategic planning.
100
SideGame LLC, Alex RadcliffeVideo

The reviewer praises 'Avalon: The Riven Veil' as an incredible area control game that quickly became one of their favorites.

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95
BoardGameCo, BoardGameCoVideo

The reviewer highly praised Avalon: The Riven Veil as an absolute blast of an area-control game with excellent asymmetric factions and satisfying gameplay, though they noted the extensive card text could be a minor drawback and hoped for a more impactful endgame.

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90
The Broken Meeple, The Broken MeepleVideo

The reviewer highly recommends "Avalon: The Riven Veil" as a compelling area control game with unique multi-use cards and high replayability, noting its streamlined experience and strong conflict, which they believe fans of games like Blood Rage will appreciate.

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90
Board Game TipsArticle

“Players use a deck of cards consisting of knights and sorceresses, represented by landscape cards that create the game board. The goal is to control 15 crowns by the end of your turn, with special landscape abilities providing strategic advantages.”

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90
Man vs Meeple, DavidVideo

The reviewer enthusiastically recommends "Avalon: The Riven Veil" to fans of area control games, especially those who enjoy titles like Blood Rage, praising its unique card play and interesting asymmetric factions.

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90
Quackalope, JesseVideo

The reviewer from Quackalope found "Avalon: The Riven Veil" to be an absolute gem in the area control genre, praising its fresh combat system, enjoyable gameplay, and the high quality of its artwork, production, and miniatures.

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90
The Discriminating Gamer, The King of AverageVideo

The reviewer finds "Avalon: The Riven Veil" to be a visually appealing and generally "cool" game, particularly when playing with its more advanced rules, though they note a potential for "swinginess" in the endgame and that it's not ideal for new board gamers.

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85
Gaming Rules!, Gaming Rules!Video

The reviewer found 'Avalon: The Riven Veil' to be a strategically deep game with challenging card management that makes decisions even harder but ultimately more rewarding with repeated plays.

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85
Before You Play, Before You PlayVideo

The reviewer highlights 'Avalon: The Riven Veil' as a compelling asymmetric area control game, praising its innovative faction abilities and overall design, though noting potential concerns with its press-your-luck combat mechanics.

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80
ThinkerThemer, Amy & Maggie (ThinkerThemer)Video

The reviewers found 'Avalon: The Riven Veil' to be a beautiful and accessible area-control game with engaging card play and good scalability, particularly at higher player counts. While one reviewer appreciated its more forgiving nature compared to similar titles, the other desired a bit more strategic tension and felt some mechanics were too reliant on luck.

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80
ProZD, LiegeOfGamesVideo

The reviewer finds 'Avalon: The Riven Veil' to be a generally enjoyable area control game, appreciating its escalating mechanics and the feeling that players always have a chance. However, they note that the game can be prone to analysis paralysis and is best played at higher player counts (3-4) due to some luck elements and a crowded board.

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80
Tim Chuon, Tim ChuonVideo

The game offers enjoyable card play and decision-making, though some aspects like the forgiving nature and luck-based combat may not appeal to all players.

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80
Roll For Crit, Mon'nique (Before You Play)Video

The video presents an engaging and detailed overview of Avalon: The Riven Veil, highlighting its area control and hand management mechanics as players explore the misty isle and compete for artifacts and mythical beasts during its Kickstarter campaign.

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80
The Cardboard Herald, LiegeOfGamesVideo

The reviewer found 'Avalon: The Riven Veil' to be a compelling asymmetric area control game, particularly praising the diverse factions and their unique abilities. However, they noted that the game can be prone to analysis paralysis, felt crowded at higher player counts, and was not highly recommended for two players.

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80
Polyhedron Collider, Amy & Maggie (ThinkerThemer)Video

The reviewer found Avalon: The Riven Veil to offer fun decisions through its card play and appreciated elements like prophecy cards and legendary items, noting it scales well but is better with more players. However, they felt the game could be overly forgiving and that luck significantly influenced both combat and exploration.

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75
Liege of Games, C. MeeusenVideo

The reviewer highlights the game's appealing asymmetric factions and area control mechanics, suggesting it is best experienced with 3 or 4 players, although acknowledging potential for a crowded board. However, concerns were raised regarding the 'press-your-luck' mechanic in the war phase and the game's susceptibility to analysis paralysis.

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50
Bower's Game Corner, BowerVideo

Bower's Game Corner expresses skepticism regarding the marketing quotes used for "Avalon: The Riven Veil," finding them concerning and personally stating that the game, as presented, does not align with his preferences.

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