Francesca Viganò
Before we get into the actual review of The Kingdom Beyond the Hill, I want to thank the author Christopher Bünte for sending us a physical copy of his intriguing fantasy gamebook which recalls the atmospheres of the folklore of the Nordic countries.
If after reading this review you want to purchase the product, you can contact the author directly on Woohoo Mania’s official website or Facebook. Prices are those indicated in the Kickstarter campaign; from 10 euros for the PDF only up to 40 euros for the complete physical box set (including digital version).
A Box Full of Materials
I admit that when I received The Kingdom Beyond the Hill I was pleasantly surprised by the product. The materials are contained in a personalized cardboard box as if it were a casket; once inserted into the library it has all the appearance of a real book, but with the certainty of not losing any of the materials included; a simple but very effective idea.
However, to make a more accurate analysis it is necessary to examine all the materials present, which appear to be many and all of high quality.
To begin with, we find something very useful and probably unexpected: the pencil. Well yes, the box of The Kingdom Beyond the Hill also contains an HB2 pencil from a famous stationery manufacturer. Then, in addition to the actual gamebook, there are also two small 6-sided dice, three maps, a block of cards for character creation, the card for the village of Brinthal (where the game begins), the card of the pre-generated character (Rutha Gorninger), three cards with the game locations and a wooden base to support them.
If you don’t even want to risk ruining the book by playing it, there are excellent alternatives on the author’s website to avoid having to “consume” what is provided in the package.
The Kingdom Beyond the Hill Aesthetics Review
The format of the book is A5, which is practical to manage since it is designed for an audience aged 12 and over (remaining intriguing for adults). Its font is decidedly legible and maintains in the shapes of the letters and numbers that vague reference to fairy tale books, a characteristic accentuated by the decoration that marks the number of pages positioned at the bottom, centrally.
The story, divided into 260 paragraphs, takes up approximately 140 pages. Its distribution is well thought out and the language is simple and easily understandable (even by those who are not native English speakers). All the text is accompanied by a discreet number of illustrations, all decidedly evocative and which effectively convey the tones suitable for the narrative. Although these are works of mixed origin (as explained by the author), the whole is not at all heterogeneous.
If I really have to make a note it is related to the binding of the volume; it is solid but does not allow for complete opening if you don’t want to ruin the text.
The Kingdom Beyond the Hill, a Story for Adults and Children
Normally all the inhabitants of Brinthal, in the kingdom of Te Arras, anxiously await the great festival held on the winter solstice. But this year they are in for a huge scare! Albin, the cheesemakers’ little son, disappeared during the celebrations. It seems that the Silent People have kidnapped him. Are the spirits upset about something? Or is it a mean joke? It will be our task to find the boy after exploring the forest and reaching the hill beneath which a secret world is hidden.
This is the premise of The Kingdom Beyond the Hill, about which I won’t reveal much more so as not to incur annoying spoilers and ruin the gaming experience. Christopher Bünte has considerable experience in writing children’s books and has already set three other gamebooks (The Secrets of Candarlin, The Temple of Shadows and Shadow over Brintal) in the imaginary world of Te Arras in which this story takes place. However, there is no need to fear, it is not mandatory to know the other texts or have played them to fully appreciate this adventure.
The plot is logical and coherent and, although at several points there is the possibility that our character’s story will not reach the objective of saving little Albin, if we are lucky and careful at the end the child will return to his mother’s arms and the village will regain its peace.
The themes are very fairytale-like and, rather than horror, I can define the text as a dark fantasy very focused on Northern European folklore; It is perfect for the winter period, to be played with a cup of hot chocolate and some fragrant biscuits.
The Rules of the Game and Character Creation
As for other gamebooks, The Kingdom Beyond the Hill is also structured in paragraphs. At the end of each one, you are asked to choose between two or more options that will allow you to proceed with the story. In some cases, there will be the need to pass a test whose outcome will determine the path to follow.
When this happens it will therefore be necessary to roll one or both of the six-sided dice, add the result and compare it with what is indicated in the paragraph to find out which direction to take. In other cases, it will be necessary to overcome a difficulty level for a test linked to the characteristics of our character. Also in this case we will use the six-sided dice to try to overcome the obstacle without bad consequences.
The Kingdom Beyond the Hill offers two possible approaches to the game; we can use the pre-generated character Rutha Gorninger or create one according to the rules presented at the beginning of the volume.
If we were to decide to approach the story from Rutha’s point of view, we find a beautiful introduction dedicated to this character. The young woman is the eldest daughter of the dairyman, and therefore the sister of little Albin who she should have looked after instead of going to the party.
If, however, we decided to generate a completely new character, the creation rules are really simple. After choosing a name, you need to distribute 4 points in characteristics and 6 in skills. Our character’s hit points at the beginning of the adventure are 25 and we will have a dagger which guarantees us a small bonus to attack. We will also have at our disposal 20 gold coins and 2 food rations.
The Gaming Experience
As we said previously, The Kingdom Beyond the Hill can be approached in different ways. I started by creating an original character with whom I followed the entire unfolding of the story. I admit that I was intrigued from the beginning by the possibility of following the story from the point of view of the pre-generated character; However, I decided to keep it as a second chance to play. Well, I wasn’t disappointed because the implications of the close relationship between the protagonist and the missing boy are worth a second play.
The plot is fluid and well structured, and the support of maps of the locations, on which to gradually trace the progress and main events, is certainly an added value. The abundance of supporting materials reinforces the impression of a complete and practical product.
Depending on which character you choose to play, the plot has its own natural and coherent ending, which is to save little Albin from the fairy world. This is not a predictable ending, however; the difficulties are numerous and not all of them can be resolved with pure luck in throwing the dice. Wise choices and the solution of some enigmas (not very difficult but imaginative) are essential to bring our character to the longed-for ending in one piece.
Conclusions of the Review of The Kingdom Beyond the Hill
In conclusion, I can honestly say that The Kingdom Beyond the Hill is a decidedly versatile gamebook suitable for audiences of all ages.
You have the possibility of tackling the plot in different ways; the one that resembles an advent calendar is original and can offer different possibilities of use. The text is in fact managed in chapters (or objectives) linked to the various locations of the plot. At specific points, it is possible, following the suggestion in the paragraph, to stop and decide to continue at a later time. In this way, starting on December 1st and stopping every time the text suggests it, it is possible to experience the adventure of The Kingdom Beyond the Hill in 24 days, as if it were an Advent calendar.
If you love the fantastic stories and folklore of the Nordic countries, The Kingdom Beyond the Hill is the product for you, even if you have never approached a gamebook!
