Your Favorite Game of 2015

Your Favorite Game of 2015

Your Favorite Game of 2015

In preparation for an upcoming episode of The Gauntlet Podcast, we want to hear about your favorite RPG of 2015. Tell us the name of the game (if possible, tag the author!) and why you selected it. We will share these on the episode in question (Daniel Lewis Richard Rogers Steve Mains and Kristen D need not offer their picks here). 

Some notes:

1. It does not have to be a game released in 2015, just a game that was “giving you life” in 2015. So, maybe you played Pendragon for the first time this year and it knocked your socks off. Pendragon counts. 

2. Use whatever criteria you wish. Maybe you played the game, maybe you didn’t. It could just be a text that really inspired you. That’s acceptable. 

3. Please stick to RPG texts. Supplemental material like A Red & Pleasant Land is fine, too. 

4. One game only, please.

I will periodically re-pin this post until we record the episode. I may also chime-in occasionally to ask clarifying questions. 

Thanks!

110 thoughts on “Your Favorite Game of 2015”

  1. Ten Candles I think is my fan favorite for the year. Not only did the mechanic of having the only light source be the candles themselves create an excellent atmosphere, but the audio log sealed the deal by creating a weird feeling that stayed with you after the game was over.

    The only thing I can compare it to is the Society of Dreamers game we played last year with only candlelight. But maybe I just like candles.

  2. Ten Candles I think is my fan favorite for the year. Not only did the mechanic of having the only light source be the candles themselves create an excellent atmosphere, but the audio log sealed the deal by creating a weird feeling that stayed with you after the game was over.

    The only thing I can compare it to is the Society of Dreamers game we played last year with only candlelight. But maybe I just like candles.

  5. Das Schwarze Auge (The Dark Eye) by UlissesSpiele especially Alex Spohr Jens Ullrich  wins out here. It defined my roleplaying year 2015. The new 5th edition was released this year, as the first roleplaying book printed with my name in it. I spend the beginning of the year taking part in the last test run before the game was finalised. I was a test reader and avid giver of feedback for other products afterward.

    I also played the game a lot. Doing demogames for the new edition at conventions. Playing a last campaign for the old edition as kind of a good bye and finishing it. Which was enjoyable in a “glad I don’t have to bother with these rules again” way.

    Seeing that new edition come into it’s own and taking a small part shaping it, makes this my rather tradgamey choice over all the indie things I could pick. But I am sure others will mention a lot of those.

  6. Das Schwarze Auge (The Dark Eye) by UlissesSpiele especially Alex Spohr Jens Ullrich  wins out here. It defined my roleplaying year 2015. The new 5th edition was released this year, as the first roleplaying book printed with my name in it. I spend the beginning of the year taking part in the last test run before the game was finalised. I was a test reader and avid giver of feedback for other products afterward.

    I also played the game a lot. Doing demogames for the new edition at conventions. Playing a last campaign for the old edition as kind of a good bye and finishing it. Which was enjoyable in a “glad I don’t have to bother with these rules again” way.

    Seeing that new edition come into it’s own and taking a small part shaping it, makes this my rather tradgamey choice over all the indie things I could pick. But I am sure others will mention a lot of those.

  9. My favorite RPG of 2015 was Nathan Paoletta’s World Wide Wrestling. I was never really a wrestling fan but the book does such a great job of explaining what makes wrestling so exciting and really gives you a framework for understanding the matches and their ongoing stories. I had to stop reading to go watch old wrestling matches at least three times while reading the rules! It also succeeds as a Powered by the Apocalypse game by adapting existing mechanics and information structures in new and interesting ways!

  10. My favorite RPG of 2015 was Nathan Paoletta’s World Wide Wrestling. I was never really a wrestling fan but the book does such a great job of explaining what makes wrestling so exciting and really gives you a framework for understanding the matches and their ongoing stories. I had to stop reading to go watch old wrestling matches at least three times while reading the rules! It also succeeds as a Powered by the Apocalypse game by adapting existing mechanics and information structures in new and interesting ways!

  13. Over the whole year, probably one of the Game Chef winners. But the only specific game that jumps out, the one that gives me life right now, is Caitlynn Belle​’s A Real Game.

  14. Over the whole year, probably one of the Game Chef winners. But the only specific game that jumps out, the one that gives me life right now, is Caitlynn Belle​’s A Real Game.

  17. For me it’s a toss up between Night Witches, Call of Cthulhu and The Warren. Each of which I played once this year, but all are really awesome games. I think I am going to have to go with Night Witches by Jason Morningstar I am a lover of history and this theme really resonated with me. The game play was outstanding and I can see room for very diverse narratives.

  18. For me it’s a toss up between Night Witches, Call of Cthulhu and The Warren. Each of which I played once this year, but all are really awesome games. I think I am going to have to go with Night Witches by Jason Morningstar I am a lover of history and this theme really resonated with me. The game play was outstanding and I can see room for very diverse narratives.

  23. My favourite of 2015 isn’t a single game at all but gaming community; g+ and zines. I’ve played more games with more people this year than ever before by a very large margin and it’s been some of the most satisfying gaming of my life. Ironic that g+ seems to be threatening to take this away right now. I’m sorry if you can’t use my answer because it’s a bit of a tangent but this global community of gamers (including the gauntlet) all playing together has definitely been my standout gaming experiences of 2015. I know I’m a little late to the party but it’s still growing so I’m fine with that.

  24. My favourite of 2015 isn’t a single game at all but gaming community; g+ and zines. I’ve played more games with more people this year than ever before by a very large margin and it’s been some of the most satisfying gaming of my life. Ironic that g+ seems to be threatening to take this away right now. I’m sorry if you can’t use my answer because it’s a bit of a tangent but this global community of gamers (including the gauntlet) all playing together has definitely been my standout gaming experiences of 2015. I know I’m a little late to the party but it’s still growing so I’m fine with that.

  25. Easily Swords Without Master . I could see that being my answer for years to come. Why? Because of one day running that game at a small gaming convention in Washington DC this year. There’s this…pervasive creative energy that comes out of the game. I get excited about running the game as the game plays out because of the amazing vision that gets generated between the players. It’s magical, and the only other game I’ve ever felt that from has been Golden Sky Stories.

  26. Easily Swords Without Master . I could see that being my answer for years to come. Why? Because of one day running that game at a small gaming convention in Washington DC this year. There’s this…pervasive creative energy that comes out of the game. I get excited about running the game as the game plays out because of the amazing vision that gets generated between the players. It’s magical, and the only other game I’ve ever felt that from has been Golden Sky Stories.

  27. Liam Burke for my favorite game session of 2015, a hack of his dog eat dog. The hack was called chuck-eat-cheese, and was made by Jason Cordova. It was hands down the funniest game session I think I’ve been a part of. While dog-eat-dog is a more serious game about colonialism in the pacific islands, chuck-eat-cheese is game about corporate take over of a local pizza fun palace. The hack really demonstrated how you can take and use mechanics to enforce entirely different kinds atmosphere. That game session was one for the ages. A perfect example of the ephemeral nature of FTF games.

  28. Liam Burke for my favorite game session of 2015, a hack of his dog eat dog. The hack was called chuck-eat-cheese, and was made by Jason Cordova. It was hands down the funniest game session I think I’ve been a part of. While dog-eat-dog is a more serious game about colonialism in the pacific islands, chuck-eat-cheese is game about corporate take over of a local pizza fun palace. The hack really demonstrated how you can take and use mechanics to enforce entirely different kinds atmosphere. That game session was one for the ages. A perfect example of the ephemeral nature of FTF games.

  31. Okay, so I haven’t played it yet, but I started reading it it at Indiecon UK. The intro read “Welcome to Misspent Youth. This is fucking awesome game. You’re gonna have fun with it. So much fun you’ll wonder why it’s not illegal”. Need I say more. What an intro. I love this fucking game and I’m yet to play it. This is hands down my favourite for 2015.

  32. Okay, so I haven’t played it yet, but I started reading it it at Indiecon UK. The intro read “Welcome to Misspent Youth. This is fucking awesome game. You’re gonna have fun with it. So much fun you’ll wonder why it’s not illegal”. Need I say more. What an intro. I love this fucking game and I’m yet to play it. This is hands down my favourite for 2015.

  41. Monsters & Magic by Sarah Newton. I’m enjoying it immensely. It gave new life to my old 1ST Edition D&D material and even some old Glorantha stuff. It gives an old school vibe to modern role-playing. Kind of like a D&D 1st edition meets Fate Core. Absolutely wonderful and in terms of crunchiness, it’s not oatmeal (Fate Core Accelerated) and not exactly Cap’NCrunch (Mathfinder/Pathfinder), more like Raisin Bran…lol.

  42. Monsters & Magic by Sarah Newton. I’m enjoying it immensely. It gave new life to my old 1ST Edition D&D material and even some old Glorantha stuff. It gives an old school vibe to modern role-playing. Kind of like a D&D 1st edition meets Fate Core. Absolutely wonderful and in terms of crunchiness, it’s not oatmeal (Fate Core Accelerated) and not exactly Cap’NCrunch (Mathfinder/Pathfinder), more like Raisin Bran…lol.

  47. Deluxe Tunnels and Trolls has made my partner and I lightheaded with glee.  T&T first entered my life when I was burned out on AD&D, Gurps, and Rolemaster, and I quickly latched onto the idea that we could play any kind of game we wanted without pages of charts and arcane formulas.  Griots, rodent masters, and sybaritic nobles wandered the epic campaign we played in high school, and the flexible rules gave players the opportunity to do things that were clever and inspiring without having to worry about double checking a book.  Tunnels and Trolls steered me in the direction of rules-light games and story games.

  48. Deluxe Tunnels and Trolls has made my partner and I lightheaded with glee.  T&T first entered my life when I was burned out on AD&D, Gurps, and Rolemaster, and I quickly latched onto the idea that we could play any kind of game we wanted without pages of charts and arcane formulas.  Griots, rodent masters, and sybaritic nobles wandered the epic campaign we played in high school, and the flexible rules gave players the opportunity to do things that were clever and inspiring without having to worry about double checking a book.  Tunnels and Trolls steered me in the direction of rules-light games and story games.

  51. Shae Davidson Dlx T&T is fairly awesome. Back in the day we used to call the fishbowl we used for all those six sided dice “the cauldron (of fate)”. Hehe…which was then later used for Shadowrun….

  52. Shae Davidson Dlx T&T is fairly awesome. Back in the day we used to call the fishbowl we used for all those six sided dice “the cauldron (of fate)”. Hehe…which was then later used for Shadowrun….

  53. Swords without Master! I think Andy Hauge​ explained it perfectly well 😀

    Playing a session with Eppy himself was a blast, but my favorite game by far was running it for some folks who were completely new to roleplaying. Just like Andy said, it was so exciting to just watch as the creativity exploded from the payers.

  54. Swords without Master! I think Andy Hauge​ explained it perfectly well 😀

    Playing a session with Eppy himself was a blast, but my favorite game by far was running it for some folks who were completely new to roleplaying. Just like Andy said, it was so exciting to just watch as the creativity exploded from the payers.

  55. So, I’ve been agonizing over this for a few days now. If I have to pick just 1, it’s going to be Apocalypse World 2E (by Vincent Baker  , of course), likely influenced by the fact that we’re playing in Richard Rogers  ‘s Pbp and that offers a unique opportunity to get inside the character’s head (helped along by Rich’s suggestion to write in 1st person).

     However, regardless of that, the setting and situation are heavily embedded into the game itself (scarcities, plus particular character specific situations encoded in the playbooks themselves), so that you immediately know who your character is, where they are coming from and where they are going. Plus the battle and road war moves look very interesting.

    It’s only the second PbtA game I’ve played, but I like how focused it is. DW feels less focused to me.

    It’s giving me life.

    Honorable mention goes to Swords Without Master , by Epidiah Ravachol , as that has provided an excellent guide and scaffolding to generate a nice swords and sorcery tale… 

  56. So, I’ve been agonizing over this for a few days now. If I have to pick just 1, it’s going to be Apocalypse World 2E (by Vincent Baker  , of course), likely influenced by the fact that we’re playing in Richard Rogers  ‘s Pbp and that offers a unique opportunity to get inside the character’s head (helped along by Rich’s suggestion to write in 1st person).

     However, regardless of that, the setting and situation are heavily embedded into the game itself (scarcities, plus particular character specific situations encoded in the playbooks themselves), so that you immediately know who your character is, where they are coming from and where they are going. Plus the battle and road war moves look very interesting.

    It’s only the second PbtA game I’ve played, but I like how focused it is. DW feels less focused to me.

    It’s giving me life.

    Honorable mention goes to Swords Without Master , by Epidiah Ravachol , as that has provided an excellent guide and scaffolding to generate a nice swords and sorcery tale… 

  57. I would love to hear from some of the designer guests we’ve had on the show this year: Paul Czege Grant Howitt Joshua Fox Becky Annison Emily Care Boss Epidiah Ravachol Robert Bohl  and Jason Morningstar. 

  58. I would love to hear from some of the designer guests we’ve had on the show this year: Paul Czege Grant Howitt Joshua Fox Becky Annison Emily Care Boss Epidiah Ravachol Robert Bohl  and Jason Morningstar. 

  61. If you hadn’t said “RPG texts”, Jason Cordova, I would have said the College of Wizardry event I just returned from. But since you did I’ll say playing Fall of Magic for the first time with Ross Cowman and new friends at Gamestorm. It was inspired and gentle and full of beauty and great play.

  62. If you hadn’t said “RPG texts”, Jason Cordova, I would have said the College of Wizardry event I just returned from. But since you did I’ll say playing Fall of Magic for the first time with Ross Cowman and new friends at Gamestorm. It was inspired and gentle and full of beauty and great play.

  63. Isa Wills, I’m so glad that worked for you. It came out of me being frustrated with myself for not actually writing the game. I was literally, consciously, writing that in part to myself. Like, “You’ve run this game so many times, you know it works, get off your ass, asshole!” And that tone wound up sticking through the rest of the text.

  64. Isa Wills, I’m so glad that worked for you. It came out of me being frustrated with myself for not actually writing the game. I was literally, consciously, writing that in part to myself. Like, “You’ve run this game so many times, you know it works, get off your ass, asshole!” And that tone wound up sticking through the rest of the text.

  67. I’m super excited about Meguey Baker’s Playing Nature’s Year. I love that it’s a thematic set of games that focus on the changing seasons of the land and our lives. And such lovely casually accessible mechanics. A really brilliant addition to our repertoire as gamers. 

  68. I’m super excited about Meguey Baker’s Playing Nature’s Year. I love that it’s a thematic set of games that focus on the changing seasons of the land and our lives. And such lovely casually accessible mechanics. A really brilliant addition to our repertoire as gamers. 

  71. Probably Itras By by Ole Peder Giæver I’ve played it a bit this year.  But mostly I’ve really loved the GMing advice section and the way it helps you develop a loose framework in order to incorporate as much improvised material by the players as seamlessly as possible.

  72. Probably Itras By by Ole Peder Giæver I’ve played it a bit this year.  But mostly I’ve really loved the GMing advice section and the way it helps you develop a loose framework in order to incorporate as much improvised material by the players as seamlessly as possible.

  75. I’m going to say Dream Askew. I didn’t get to play it much, but the design has caught and held my attention, and the play is some of the best I’ve had. I really want to play it again, soon. The thing that really sings to me is the way that everyone gets to be both GM and player, at all times, gaining the best of both worlds but in a structured way that I find more helpful than a more freeform GMless approach.

  76. I’m going to say Dream Askew. I didn’t get to play it much, but the design has caught and held my attention, and the play is some of the best I’ve had. I really want to play it again, soon. The thing that really sings to me is the way that everyone gets to be both GM and player, at all times, gaining the best of both worlds but in a structured way that I find more helpful than a more freeform GMless approach.

  77. Robert Bohl​ It was Saturday when I bought the book and also my 40th birthday. I was at the Con with friends I’ve know since we were teens and we spent a fair amount of time reminiscing over our youth and the ‘shit’ we used to get up to. The game just tapped into that vibe. Really can’t wait to play, though I suspect I’ll have to be the authority this time round.

  78. Robert Bohl​ It was Saturday when I bought the book and also my 40th birthday. I was at the Con with friends I’ve know since we were teens and we spent a fair amount of time reminiscing over our youth and the ‘shit’ we used to get up to. The game just tapped into that vibe. Really can’t wait to play, though I suspect I’ll have to be the authority this time round.

  79. Ole Peder Giæver Could you let me know how your name is pronounced? I don’t want to fuck it up. “Rhymes with…” for your first and last name would be fantastic. 

  80. Ole Peder Giæver Could you let me know how your name is pronounced? I don’t want to fuck it up. “Rhymes with…” for your first and last name would be fantastic. 

  89. Hmm,

    A pronunciation guide for folks and terms in the Nordic Larp and rpg world is a good idea. And we’ll take what we can get. Which means if you feel like it, great. If not, too bad for us.

  90. Hmm,

    A pronunciation guide for folks and terms in the Nordic Larp and rpg world is a good idea. And we’ll take what we can get. Which means if you feel like it, great. If not, too bad for us.

  93. Fall of Magic for me. It is just so frickin’ evocative in every way. The physical artifact of it, the way the physical artifact informs play and reflects the themes of the game.

    It is just beautiful and invites play so well.

  94. Fall of Magic for me. It is just so frickin’ evocative in every way. The physical artifact of it, the way the physical artifact informs play and reflects the themes of the game.

    It is just beautiful and invites play so well.

  97. Okay, now I’m looking for contributions from some of the members in my player circles: Russell Benner Daniel Fowler Yoshi Creelman steven watkins. Also, where is Eadwin Tomlinson??

  98. Okay, now I’m looking for contributions from some of the members in my player circles: Russell Benner Daniel Fowler Yoshi Creelman steven watkins. Also, where is Eadwin Tomlinson??

  99. I think many RPGs in gneral have been “giving me life in 2015”. So many, but if I had to pick one, I’d pick “Masks” by Brendan Conway.

    I got to play itwith some awesome people at Big Bad Con (Marissa Kelly, Mark Diaz Truman, Jenn Martin, and one other), but that is not the only reason I liked it so much. It got me thinking about what I like in fiction and role playing games in general.

    1. I value stories with characters which are likable and inspiring. I like gritty and dark too, but I need to see optimism and hope at least some of the time.

    2. I like stories with dynamic characters, where change and growth is integral to the narrative.

    3. I like rpgs where interesting narrative decisions are the bread and butter of the game.

    Masks hits all of these for me.

    1. It’s a game super heroes, if you are not trying to save the world and make it a better place, you might want to think about the “super hero” label.

    2. The whole stat block is about HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF, and the basic moves constantly change these values. If there is a way to make a game MORE explicitly about dynamic character growth, I’d like to see it.

    3. Relieving conditions is all about making interesting narrative decisions. Sure sometimes it might not be the smart decision to destroy the maguffin, but when you’re an angry teen with super strength, sometimes things get broken. Sure if you wanted an optimized shortest path, it might be the “wrong” decision, but it doing so will just generate and churn out more interesting story. I mean, now what? Fix it? Ask for help? Pretend it’s not actually broken? Find another solution? These are all great leads which aren’t typically investigated when you just have the magical maguffin.

    Additionally, it got me interested in some great media, which wasn’t on my radar before. 

  100. I think many RPGs in gneral have been “giving me life in 2015”. So many, but if I had to pick one, I’d pick “Masks” by Brendan Conway.

    I got to play itwith some awesome people at Big Bad Con (Marissa Kelly, Mark Diaz Truman, Jenn Martin, and one other), but that is not the only reason I liked it so much. It got me thinking about what I like in fiction and role playing games in general.

    1. I value stories with characters which are likable and inspiring. I like gritty and dark too, but I need to see optimism and hope at least some of the time.

    2. I like stories with dynamic characters, where change and growth is integral to the narrative.

    3. I like rpgs where interesting narrative decisions are the bread and butter of the game.

    Masks hits all of these for me.

    1. It’s a game super heroes, if you are not trying to save the world and make it a better place, you might want to think about the “super hero” label.

    2. The whole stat block is about HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF, and the basic moves constantly change these values. If there is a way to make a game MORE explicitly about dynamic character growth, I’d like to see it.

    3. Relieving conditions is all about making interesting narrative decisions. Sure sometimes it might not be the smart decision to destroy the maguffin, but when you’re an angry teen with super strength, sometimes things get broken. Sure if you wanted an optimized shortest path, it might be the “wrong” decision, but it doing so will just generate and churn out more interesting story. I mean, now what? Fix it? Ask for help? Pretend it’s not actually broken? Find another solution? These are all great leads which aren’t typically investigated when you just have the magical maguffin.

    Additionally, it got me interested in some great media, which wasn’t on my radar before. 

  101. To be honest, I’ve played such a number of great games this year that I’m not certain how to narrow it down.

    I’d say that one that has stuck with me throughout this year has been Joel Sparks Call of Catthulhu.  

    I first played it at Owlcon in Houston, and the GM, Zoey Boles, was fantastic.  She really helped the game to come to life, and handled the players very well.

    The other players in the game were great, and we discussed our pets throughout the game.  The game was tense and dark (or dark enough), and one cat gave the ultimate sacrifice to save the day.

    The cat roleplay was fantastic, and the rules are light enough (cats don’t know math!) that it was easy to get into.

    I got to play it again (and introduce it to some friends) at Gen Con in August, and, again, the cat roleplay was fantastic.  One player spent the game silently licking his paws and being dismissive (as cats do).

  102. To be honest, I’ve played such a number of great games this year that I’m not certain how to narrow it down.

    I’d say that one that has stuck with me throughout this year has been Joel Sparks Call of Catthulhu.  

    I first played it at Owlcon in Houston, and the GM, Zoey Boles, was fantastic.  She really helped the game to come to life, and handled the players very well.

    The other players in the game were great, and we discussed our pets throughout the game.  The game was tense and dark (or dark enough), and one cat gave the ultimate sacrifice to save the day.

    The cat roleplay was fantastic, and the rules are light enough (cats don’t know math!) that it was easy to get into.

    I got to play it again (and introduce it to some friends) at Gen Con in August, and, again, the cat roleplay was fantastic.  One player spent the game silently licking his paws and being dismissive (as cats do).

  103. It won’t surprise anyone that my favorite rpg this year is Dungeon World. I’ve played a lot of DW and run a few games. DW is fast and easy to get started and consistently allows me to play exactly how I want to play. Most of the time when I have been playing other traditional style rpgs, I’ve been quietly lamenting every over complication, limitation and osr style “right answer”

  104. It won’t surprise anyone that my favorite rpg this year is Dungeon World. I’ve played a lot of DW and run a few games. DW is fast and easy to get started and consistently allows me to play exactly how I want to play. Most of the time when I have been playing other traditional style rpgs, I’ve been quietly lamenting every over complication, limitation and osr style “right answer”

  107. Right, I’m going to say Michael Curtis​​’ Chained coffin (Shudder Mountains) campaign setting for DCC. It’s blummen great.

    Edit: The reason for this choice is that it uses a less well known appendix N author Manly Wade Wellman as its inspiration. Summoning images of simple Appelachian Mountain folk and double dealing devils/witches/conjure men.

    Honourable mention goes to Psi-run because it was the game where it all clicked for my ‘never roleplayed’ game group after a few other, less successful, attempts. 

  108. Right, I’m going to say Michael Curtis​​’ Chained coffin (Shudder Mountains) campaign setting for DCC. It’s blummen great.

    Edit: The reason for this choice is that it uses a less well known appendix N author Manly Wade Wellman as its inspiration. Summoning images of simple Appelachian Mountain folk and double dealing devils/witches/conjure men.

    Honourable mention goes to Psi-run because it was the game where it all clicked for my ‘never roleplayed’ game group after a few other, less successful, attempts. 

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