For the TTRPG world, Zine Month (or Zine Quest, or Tabletop Spotlight, etc. depending on the site) is maybe the most exciting month of the year. This is where new creators put their ideas out in the world and we see just how many boundaries can be pushed in tabletop design. With so much to choose from, I wanted to spotlight my favorite solo titles in their own article rather than have them share space with multiplayer games that will get their own coverage soon. I l particularly love solo TTRPG’s since they’re maybe the most experimental games you’ll find. Some are by experienced designers, some are people making their debut with a splash. But all need your support and if you ever needed an excuse to give solo roleplaying a shot…here’s your sign.
Pirouette A Ballet Horror TTRPG
Crowdfundr isn’t quite as prominent in the space as Kickstarter, but they’re doing a great job supporting indie TTRPG projects. Pirouette, created by Everyone Deserves Shelter designer Michael Sweeney aka Innocent Goblin, is just a a fun and creepy look at the dark side of the arts. The danger and sudden drama of dance is represented here by the use of a block tower (Jenga) that requires balance and smart decisions to avoid a total collapse. It’s a new but successful mechanic on the indie scene but the use of it here feels genius.
Underneath
Did you watch The Descent and say “boy, I wish I could do that?” I can’t endorse this impulse but I can recommend you check out Underneath, a game of cave exploration and the weird/creepy things that lurk within from Seb Pines (who, incidentally, is handling the layout for Pirouette. This isn’t a huge community). I’m a sucker for map making, though, and this is such a neat implementation of it that aims to capture the real mystery and terror that lies just under our feet.
Laika
I don’t know if there’s anything necessarily groundbreaking in Andrea Carbone’s Laika, but I think there’s something beautiful and poignant about the game’s premise. As you’d expect, you “play” as Laika the Dog, the first dog in space and first animal to orbit the earth. While her end is famously tragic, her place in the history of science and exploration is beautiful in its way. Laika might make you cry, but sometimes we need that.
Grimscar RPG
Grimscar is just a game that I’m almost guaranteed to give my money to. It’s got that classic dark fantasy aesthetic with a minimalist yet grotesque woodcut style drawn by hand by Jake Abington. You are an adventurer, or mercenary, going through the impenetrable shadows of the Dark Weald. You’ll battle horrible creatures and do your best to help the titular town of Grimscar, which…isn’t doing well considering the whole “dark evil forest” situation. Something to check out for fans of Mork Borg and Vaesen who want to try the experience the lonely oppressiveness of a creepy forest.
Chronicles of the Finite State Machine
Cyberpunk games are a staple of Zine Month because, after all, they’re not as fictional as we once hoped they’d be. Chronicles of the Finite State Machine isn’t a game about fighting the man, blowing up buildings, or cool computer hacks. Instead it’s a game simply about survival. Rather than giving you a cool and futuristic playground…you get a timer. 30 days. 30 days and the choices you need to make to get to the other end of it. All you’ve got is a d20 and your own judgement. Good luck!
O Patron Mine
While tarot-based games are incredibly common during Zine Month, it’s nice to see examples that work to properly engage with the tarot and its imagery. O Patron Mine is as much an exercise in occult meditation as it is a fun method of storytelling for wannabe warlocks.
The player will shuffle the Major Arcana and deal three cards face down in front of them, placing the remainder of the deck to the side. Then, one card at a time, the player will turn the cards over and respond to the associated prompts for each card – the first card determining WHO the patron is, the second determining WHERE they meet them, and the third determining WHAT they ask for in exchange for entering into a pact with them.
Like a proper tarot reading, every pull changes your experience and every time you play will be a completely different story. There’s also a two-player variant (meant to help create a story for a TTRPG campaign) and a single-card variant (for a more singular experience). While the mechanics are simple, it revels in the power of the imagination and fate while tying it together with an elegant, mystical aesthetic that really stands out from the pack.
Images via respective owners
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