Empty Your Wallet: Games to Watch
Happy Friday!
Whatever. I don't really get days off, but everyone else on Facebook and social media seems so damn excited Friday comes around ONCE A WEEK that they post shit and I'm bitter about it. So here's my revenge.
There are totally some great games and game like things coming in the next few months. There are things on Kickstarter you absolutely should go throw some money at, some things that have already funded, and some things that I'm keeping an eye on because it looks really really great.
I can't possibly tell you about all the things you should be watching, but I will list the top three things I want you to check out this week.
Noirlandia
Brought to you by the epic Hannah Shaffer of Make Big Things, Noirlandia is a great game about making a city, making a crime, and then solving that crime. Unlike most the games I back, this game is designed to be a one-shot. You sit down with some friends, create a city together, and collaboratively tell the story and unravel the twisted mystery before you. The game description emphasizes that it isn't about winning, it's about finding out how much you're willing to give up. And that's something that sucks me in.
My love of Veronica Mars and pulpy style mystery games like Gumshoe, along with an undying pledge to constantly support any female game designer (mostly), brought me to Noirlandia. That, and the hours I spend mourning my credit card by retail therapy via Kickstarter. The art is fantastic, the game is compelling, and for even more money, you can back it for enough you get cool little mystery packs, like blank polaroids and fun things to make it look like you're actually solving a crime. Check it out. It closes out on May 19th.
Threadbare
This great little game is powered by the Apocalypse and inspired by 9. Y'know, that dieselpunk movie? In this game you play stitched together dolls, with more focus on putting pieces of yourselves together than combat, which is apparently done without dice. I haven't had a chance to check out the playtest, but I'm hoping to next week. Who doesn't want to play a teddy bear with sewn on doll bits and a bad attitude?
The game is brought to you by Stephanie Bryant of Baby Bestiary Vol 2, Night's Black Agents Edom Files, and Epyllion fame. For $40 you can get a hardcover copy of the book, which is the backer level I came in at. But for more you can get epic things like hand knit wool socks (Knitters are the best rpgers...) and a signed hardcover as well as a custom move and other cool things. I'm excited to see this game in action and I'm really excited to see how your character changes each time you sew on a new piece to yourself. That's something I haven't seen in any other PbtA games. Can't wait! It ends it's Kickstarter on June 8th.
Tiny Frontiers
Gallant Knight Games, using the game Tiny Dungeon, is now releasing Tiny Frontiers, a rules-light science fiction RPG. The game is all about creating those epic things that we love about science fiction, from unknown frontiers to endless cosmos. Everything you've seen in a Sci-fi film is something you can do with this game without needing more than your dice bag. All you need to know about your character fits onto an index card and off you go.
The game is designed by Alan and Erin Bahr. Gallant Knight Games is shiny and new and this tiny game is their first game out. The stretch goals include mini settings, because everything in this game is wee, and for a bit more money you can get cute space dice (which I did) and a handcrafted dice bag (which I didn't and I'm now regretting). The beautiful, tiny game is sure to get people playing with narrative based games and quick mechanics, two of my favourite things. Their kickstarter closes out on May 17th.
Whatever. I don't really get days off, but everyone else on Facebook and social media seems so damn excited Friday comes around ONCE A WEEK that they post shit and I'm bitter about it. So here's my revenge.
There are totally some great games and game like things coming in the next few months. There are things on Kickstarter you absolutely should go throw some money at, some things that have already funded, and some things that I'm keeping an eye on because it looks really really great.
I can't possibly tell you about all the things you should be watching, but I will list the top three things I want you to check out this week.
Noirlandia
My love of Veronica Mars and pulpy style mystery games like Gumshoe, along with an undying pledge to constantly support any female game designer (mostly), brought me to Noirlandia. That, and the hours I spend mourning my credit card by retail therapy via Kickstarter. The art is fantastic, the game is compelling, and for even more money, you can back it for enough you get cool little mystery packs, like blank polaroids and fun things to make it look like you're actually solving a crime. Check it out. It closes out on May 19th.
Threadbare
The game is brought to you by Stephanie Bryant of Baby Bestiary Vol 2, Night's Black Agents Edom Files, and Epyllion fame. For $40 you can get a hardcover copy of the book, which is the backer level I came in at. But for more you can get epic things like hand knit wool socks (Knitters are the best rpgers...) and a signed hardcover as well as a custom move and other cool things. I'm excited to see this game in action and I'm really excited to see how your character changes each time you sew on a new piece to yourself. That's something I haven't seen in any other PbtA games. Can't wait! It ends it's Kickstarter on June 8th.
Tiny Frontiers
The game is designed by Alan and Erin Bahr. Gallant Knight Games is shiny and new and this tiny game is their first game out. The stretch goals include mini settings, because everything in this game is wee, and for a bit more money you can get cute space dice (which I did) and a handcrafted dice bag (which I didn't and I'm now regretting). The beautiful, tiny game is sure to get people playing with narrative based games and quick mechanics, two of my favourite things. Their kickstarter closes out on May 17th.