tabletopgaming.co.uk 11STUFFED FABLES
A spiritual successor to the wonderful Mice &
Mystics (which could just as easily belong on this list),
playing Stuffed Fables is like jumping into a children’s
storybook. Set in a dream world of living toys and
nightmares made real, the game lets players explore
its universe and guide their own story through pivotal decisions.
Whether you’re a kid or a grown-up kid, it’s a magical experience.Best for stories of: Childhood imagination, brave toys, growing up5
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TALES OF THE
ARABIAN
NIGHTS
Inspired by the timeless 1001 Nights, Arabian Nights lets players
weave their own stories in the magical lands, discovering the
consequences of their actions by rolling a die and flicking to one
of the many paragraphs of text that make its world come alive.
Whether they end up as a wealthy ruler or a penniless beggar – or
worse – players get the chance to take
their own path through the
world. Just disregard
the unfortunate
remnants of
its decades-old
origins in the
more ignorant
details of its rules.Best for stories of: Fate and destiny, luck
and misfortune, wisdom and foolishness7
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SHERLOCK HOLMES:
CONSULTING DETECTIVE
Not quite as old as Conan Doyle’s original mysteries but a classic in its own
right, Consulting Detective hands players the world’s greatest detective’s
deerstalker and pipe and sets them loose in Victorian London in pursuit of
clues, suspects and – ultimately – the solution to several different cases.
The combination of a book stuffed with paragraphs that capture the
atmosphere of the setting – as well as some evidence here and there – with
newspapers and a map used to determine where to investigate makes for a
brainteasing few hours that fly by.Best for stories of: Whodunit twists, murder most foul, Victorian lifeT.I.M.E STORIES
A choose-your-own-adventure board game, T.I.M.E Stories
sees players racing against the ticking clock to explore different time
periods and worlds. Full of puzzles and different corners of each of its
worlds to explore, the game has been expanded with a number of inventive
scenarios that take players from sailing the Caribbean with pirates in
the 17th century to surviving the frozen wastes of Antarctica in 1914.
Brilliantly thematic and with simple gameplay supporting its storytelling, it’s
an old school adventure in a modern form.Best for stories of: Time travel, puzzles, historyTHIS WAR OF MINE:
THE BOARD GAME
Based on the equally hard-going and acclaimed video game, This War
of Mine captures the struggle of surviving in a war-torn city. As they
take shelter in a crumbling building and search for the scraps required
to eke out a living, the characters must make the tough decisions
needed to make it through to the end of the conflict. What makes the
characters and their plight feel so real is the game’s Book of Scripts, a
tome of over 1,000 potential passages read when cards are revealed
or events happen during each playthrough. The impossible choices and
branching outcomes of the passages create a sense of living alongside
the characters, in one of the most genuinely emotional and affecting
achievements board gaming has to offer.Best for stories of: Impossible choices, hard-won survival, real suffering10
NEAR
AND FAR
A sequel to Above and Below,
which combined the challenge
of building a town with the story-
driven exploration of the depths
below it, Near and Far places a
greater focus on players’ tales. Players are adventurers searching for a
lost city, exploring maps and recruiting fellow travellers. The world emerges
from paragraphs of text read from the book of stories, with players’
decisions and reactions changing what happens. The main story takes place
over ten separate sessions, each set in a new location and featuring new
things to experience.Best for stories of: Travel, exploration, discoverySHERLOCK HOLMES: