Solo tabletop RPGs are some of my favorite games as of late. Perhaps the nature of my perpetually busy schedule of writing about tabletop games makes the part about actually playing them tougher than I imagined. But regardless of my overflowing schedule, solo RPGs bring such powerful experiences through clever game design and rich narratives.
And this indie solo RPG touched my soul.
Grounded by wicked glitch games is a solo RPG where you play as the partner of a celebrity cosmonaut. The game explores themes of social obligation and the weight it carries upon normal people. There is no denying the importance of humanity’s quest to explore space. Yet at the same time, how does that ambition clash with the personal relationships of the explorers? Rather than the over-the-top space found in Warhammer 40k 11th edition, Grounded explores the human element in space narratives, ala Project Hail Mary or Apollo 13.
You need only a standard deck of playing cards and a way to journal the game’s events. Each card’s value and suit corresponds to an aspect of your lives, from obligations to updates on the journey. I went to record the game via audio logs, in true sci-fi game fashion. The simplicity of the card draw mechanic belies a surprising amount of diversity in how the game may unfold, even without DnD classes rolling to hit.
For example, you pull the update card, Queen of Clubs. You pull two obligation cards. Let’s say Jack of Spades, which represents a work accident of some kind, then two of hearts, which represents a party with close family. You roleplay both obligations in sequence, but Queen of Clubs means news about your wife’s status will suddenly arrive during the second obligation.
This provides the skeleton for a fascinating scene. Through journaling, you fill in the blanks about what that all means.In my case, a work accident in the morning means your thoughts during the party in the evening will be clouded. While your family mills about congratulating you about your wife, they may not notice how stressed you are beneath the stretched smile. Then, you receive an update from your wife, and your heart jumps into your chest.
Fortunately, this is the first update card, so your wife’s status is fine. She just wanted to check in on you, and you then vent about your day at work. Despite her busy schedule, she listens to your troubles, and you feel whole again. There’s more mechanics in the full ruleset that adds tension, of course, but even this one scene showcases the narrative depth this game is capable of.
You can check out Grounded on itch.io here.
Speaking of out-of-this-world social experiences, the Wargamer Discord is always open to more intrepid explorers in the tabletop community.
Source: Wargamer
