So the long, hot Summer days are rapidly moving towards cool Autumn days. This of course got me thinking about tabletop roleplaying games, for some reason.
Basically, when I think of hot Summer days, I reminisce about vacations past. Visits to the beach, and feeling the hot sand between my toes. Hiking in the woods, smelling the pine trees and listening to the forest critters scurry about. That sort of thing.
In short, “Good Vibes”.
Now then, when you think about TTRPGs, which ones give off a similar Good Vibe like those of relaxing Summer vacations? I know that there are “cozy” games that are specifically designed for such things, and if they work fine for you, that’s great. But for me, I really had to delve deep into my collection to come up with something that hits that particular vibe.
Finally I came up with just one game: “Threadbare“
Now this game is a rather twisted little TTRPG, involving broken toys in a post-apocalyptic world. How these toys came to life is a mystery, as is how all of the people who once populated this land disappeared. But like in any post-apocalyptic game, you still have to struggle to survive, fighting not only fellow toys for resources, but the world itself.
It’s awesome. But it doesn’t really sound very cozy, does it?
No. But as for sand-between-my-toes, pine-scents-and-bird-calls kind of Summer vibe, it hits that way perfectly for me. I really couldn’t say how, but it does, and I absolutely love it!
But these hot Summer days aren’t all about good vibes, are they? These end-of-August days also bring up the dread of the return of School for me. I graduated high school 40 years ago, and nonetheless, when August reaches its end, I find myself loathing the “Back to School” sales and constant talk of school being just around the corner. It doesn’t ruin my summer good vibes, but it does color it some with a tinge of dread, so…
Another game I would have to say fits with my late Summer vibe is “D13 RPG“. It is a fun little horror TTRPG that just hits that perfect bit of dread, without being overwhelming. Summer fun, with enough of an Autumn vibe to really fit this time of year.
Finally, I have but one more TTRPG that hits the sweet spot of a late August vibe for me, and that is “Spirit of ’77“. This is an action-packed, intensely funny TTRPG that is limited only by your imagination. While the game is built around the concept of late 1970’s blacksploitation films, that genre was really rather unlimited in itself, and often spilled over into Hong Kong action films, Hammer-style horror, and so on. So in my childhood my siblings and I ran around like crazy this time of year, trying to drag out every ounce of fun we could before we had to go back to the regimented Autumn days of school, homework, and so on. “Spirit of ’77” is that last gasp of crazed Summer days.
So now I ask all of you: What tabletop roleplaying game(s) fit this vibe for you, if any?