Disclosure: Meeple Mountain received a free copy of this product in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. This review is not intended to be an endorsement.
Seek No Further
Trading card games are one of the anchor pillars of the tabletop hobby. Whether it’s something mainstream like Magic: The Gathering, Lorcana, or Flesh and Blood, something a little more niche like One Piece Card Game or Final Fantasy Trading Card Game, or the crazy phenomenon that is still Pokémon, TCGs will always run parallel to board gaming.
The downside is that TCGs can require a heavy financial investment, and there’s always a risk surrounding the game’s longevity. Unlike staples like Magic and Pokémon, many TCGs fizzle out soon after release, becoming another name on the tombstone. Is anyone still playing Altered?
X: Seekers of Fortune is a card game that simulates the feeling of a TCG with no continued investment, no chase cards to pull, and no meta deck-building. That’s a huge draw for me since I love the playstyle of TCGs, but I’d rather have a self-contained experience like Compile or Mindbug.
The folks at Mega Moth Studios were nice enough to send over the deluxe version of the game, which includes crisp playmats and even a first edition booster pack to mix into the base game. Hmm…do I smell a system being built here?
Fortune and Glory, Kid. Fortune and Glory.
X: Seekers of Fortune is a straightforward game that mixes set collection, “take that,” and tableau building while pushing players into a race to the finish. Players draw Lead cards that match the symbols shown on Adventures. Completing an Adventure earns Action X cards, additional Leads, and other benefits.
Players can perform as many actions as they can afford on their turn, including playing Action X cards that provide ongoing abilities or powerful one-time effects. They can also use Heroic Feats to cycle cards, manipulate the game state, and search for the combinations needed to complete Adventures or pull off larger combos.
When a player completes their fourth Adventure, they only need one more to win. However, they must discard all the Leads in their hand, and another player selects their final Adventure for them. This gives the rest of the table a chance to slow them down before they cross the finish line.
A player can also win by having seven Action X cards in play and performing a Breakthrough action, offering another path for players who invest more heavily in building their tableau.
That Belongs in a Museum
This head-to-head experience is a junk-food kind of fun. It’s nothing innovative or nutritious, but you jump in knowing there are good times ahead. It’s simple enough to teach as a gateway game while still including concepts that add plenty of depth to strategic play.
Most of that depth comes from the Action X cards. There are a ton of them, offering effects that bend the rules, create combos, and give players new ways to approach each turn. I especially like the Relic cards, which can be played on their Noble side to give the owner a positive ongoing effect or on their Ruthless side to impose a negative effect on everyone else.
These cards also drive much of the game’s player interaction. Despite the amount of “take that” built into the system, players decide how aggressively they want to use it. You could theoretically win without ever going out of your way to disrupt someone else, although allowing a strong tableau to grow unchecked is usually asking for trouble.
That creates a moving target throughout the game. A player can jump from last place into the lead over the course of a single turn, forcing everyone else to reconsider their plans. By the time play comes back around to you, the board state may look completely different. Being able to pivot is far more valuable than trying to map out several turns in advance.
The Heroic Feats help support this tactical style of play by letting players cycle through cards and fish or removing opposing obstacles/opportunities. I also appreciate that several of these actions are only available to someone who is last, or tied for last, in completed Adventures. They function as natural catch-up mechanisms without simply handing the trailing player free progress.
Still, the strength of the Action X cards can lead to some uneven games. One player may draw cards that create an immediate and obvious engine, while another ends up with effects that feel much more situational. The Sabotage action offers some counterplay by allowing opponents to scrap powerful cards before their owner can squeeze too much value from them, but that also puts pressure on the table to recognize threats early.
Because these cards are so central to the experience, draw luck can occasionally have an outsized impact on success. More consistent ways to gain Action X cards, paired with slightly less dramatic individual effects, could create a more balanced experience without removing the chaotic fun.
The large number of ongoing abilities can also slow down the endgame. Players may need to stop and check their tableaus for multiple triggers, restrictions, or bonuses before completing an action. Player aids are provided, but they cram a lot of information into a small space, as do the foldable instructions. Between that and the iconography, it’ll probably take a game or two to understand everything you can do on a turn.
Fortunately, the introductory guide eases players into the game by removing certain cards and functions before gradually adding them back. It’s a smart approach, especially since the individual actions are simple even when their interactions become more complicated.
X Marks the Spot
X: Seekers of Fortune is also very much a race. Spending too much time carefully constructing an engine can leave you behind while everyone else completes Adventures. Most turns revolve around figuring out how to make progress using the cards already in front of you rather than patiently building toward a perfect combination.
That pace makes the fourth Adventure rule one of the game’s better ideas. The leader must discard all their Leads before attempting their final Adventure, essentially taking two steps back after making one giant leap forward. Another player also chooses that last Adventure for them, giving the table a chance to place one final obstacle in their path. It keeps the ending competitive and prevents the frontrunner from cruising too comfortably into victory.
The TCG feeling comes through most clearly in the tableau building. Playing cards that create advantages, finding combinations between effects, and tactically dismantling an opponent’s setup all capture the appeal of a customizable card game without requiring players to buy multiple decks or hunt down rare cards.
The set-collection loop used to complete Adventures isn’t quite as satisfying. It often feels like the necessary work that allows you to access the more exciting Action X cards rather than an engaging system on its own. I did find some BoardGameGeek comments that hint about future content enhancing this side.
The base box certainly feels like the foundation for something larger. Asymmetric powers, new card types, and more complex interactions could all fit naturally into the existing system. Mega Moth Studios appears interested in expanding the game, but until more content is formally announced, the base box should be judged on what it currently offers rather than what it may eventually become.
Thematically, it doesn’t feel much like treasure hunting. Sure, we’re fishing for cards, completing Adventures, playing Relics, and discovering Sites, but despite the fun artwork, I usually find myself focused on reading effects rather than becoming immersed in the world. The card formatting also feels a bit busy, and simplifying some of the wording could make the experience flow more smoothly.
Here Lies X
Even with those bumps, it’s still a fun time setting up combos and skunking your friends. The shifting game state creates plenty of memorable turns, and the self-contained format delivers some of the best parts of a TCG without the financial commitment.
This works best for those who enjoy tactical card games, engine building, and a healthy amount of direct interaction. Those who dislike “take that,” swingy card draws, or frequently checking board state effects may bounce off this treasure hunt. For the right group, however, X: Seekers of Fortune offers a chaotic and approachable race that leaves plenty of room for the system to grow.
I haven’t had my fill after only a few plays, and I’m eager to see what shiny new treasures X: Seekers of Fortune reveals next.
X: Seekers of Fortune details
- Designer: Daniel Ayoub, Joel Watts
- Artists: N/A
- Publishers: Mega Moth Studios
- Release Date: 2024
- Player count : 2 - 4
- Age range : 14+
- Time range : 20 - 40 minutes
- Mechanism(s): Hand Management, Matching, Multi-Use Cards, Take That
- BGG Geek Rating: 8.78387 - converted to Meeple Mountain scale: 4.5.
- More articles about X: Seekers of Fortune.
