Monday Musings #63 🤬
Me in four games—grabby-style!
Good Monday, Gamer!
I’ve been holding back on grabbing the new Star Wars Outlaws video game. Skipping Forever Winter was easy—only because I’ve got a Mac and an Xbox, and neither makes that easy for me. But, hey, I’ve got my hands full anyway. Max and I just fired up a run of Mothership! He’s playing an android on a recovery crew, sent into the Kuiper Belt Anomaly to bring back some high-profile folks who’ve gotten themselves into deep trouble. We’re recording it for the Diceology Podcast—that’s after we shake off the cobwebs from the equipment, of course!
Tonight’s the Night: Dolmenwood!
And guess what? I get to play Dolmenwood tonight! Y’all know how much I love BX D&D and Dolmenwood scratches that same itch. This time, I get to be a player, and the group is awesome (I should probably get their permission before I start name-dropping, right?). It’s funny because I’m also prepping to run The Valley of Flowers IRL at my local game cafés, all open table like.
What Makes a Game "Grabby"?
I had an interesting conversation this week about "grabby" games—those that really pull you in and demand full engagement but also deliver some seriously memorable experiences. For me, it’s games like Burning Wheel, Legacy: Life Among the Ruins, Champions Now, and, of course, BX D&D. That’s my ‘Mad Jay in Four Games’ grabby list.
But we couldn’t quite nail down a definition for "grabby." I think it’s probably subjective, then, right? It’s probably not just the game itself. Maybe it’s the people at the table, too. Sure, some games do make heavy engagement easier—like Beliefs & Instincts in Burning Wheel, or Situations in Champions Now. But with BX D&D, you’re bringing like 80% of the magic yourself. Whatever it is, I know my list delivers those experiences for me.
What’s your “Four Games That Get Me” list?
ICYMI: TinyCon.events is Launching Soon on Kickstarter!
The countdown is on—so stay tuned!
P.S. Such a good game AW:BO L.O.E
Catch you next week!
Sept:
RPGKC Monthly @Mind Games & Magic. Twilight: 2000 - Heavy is the Crown (pt II)
Meeple-a-thon (Sept 27-29): Through Durin’s Doors (The One Ring)
Oct:
Burning Wheel Con (Lodging Acquired!!)
Nov:
Dec:
PAXU!! Lifted: Indomitable + Games on Demand
Hmmm... "grabby games" for me are ones that are fiction-forward and let you drop quickly into a co-created story but also have a good mechanical structure without a steep learning curve. Four that come immediately to mind are: Ironsworn/Starforged, Monster of the Week, Numenera, and Candela Obscura, which is better than I expected.