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Seven Wonders- A Story Game Anthology
Different times call for different games
Have you ever wondered…
* How the children from Narnia coped back in the real world?
* What it’s like to voyage into a black hole?
* How dystopias are created, and destroyed?
* What you would sacrifice to protect your family?
* What heroes talk about on the eve of a life-altering battle?
* How to defend your village, when your heroes are away?
* Who protects your home when you’re not looking?
Seven Wonders has the answers!
Seven Wonders is a collection of stand-alone story games from UK-based games designers, which focus on characterization and inter-character drama, and use improvisational techniques to tell innovative, compelling tales.
Have you ever wondered…
* How the children from Narnia coped back in the real world?
* What it’s like to voyage into a black hole?
* How dystopias are created, and destroyed?
* What you would sacrifice to protect your family?
* What heroes talk about on the eve of a life-altering battle?
* How to defend your village, when your heroes are away?
* Who protects your home when you’re not looking?
Seven Wonders has the answers!
Seven Wonders is a collection of stand-alone story games from UK-based games designers, which focus on characterization and inter-character drama, and use improvisational techniques to tell innovative, compelling tales.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 23, 2022
When reading the book I felt like looking at a suit advertisement for men or a dress ad for women.
Sure, if my body looks that sexy to begin with, the clothing could only contribute to it. Similarly, if I had friends who are this creative, this open to new experiences and this mature to not have any conflicts when things get personal, I would have a lot of fun.
I even don't have the necessary numbers to play the games included, except the first game. And my imaginary friends are less social than my real ones.
Onto the game content. Except When The Dark is Gone and Small Things, all the games can be reduced to a mix and match of Archipelago by Matthijs Holter (especially Acceptable Losses) or Microscope by Ben Robbins (especially Rise and Fall), while only the theme varies to a small degree. Since the games share so much in common, there is quite bit of a repetition, in the form of how to be a gamemaster for a freeform improvisation, how to guide the discussion away from the sensitive topics and so on. Similarly some games were really methodical on giving detailed explanations for the steps for each phase of the game, which felt really boring when so many of those steps are the same.
If I were to play one of them it would be When the Dark is Gone, which is about adulthood of people that had visited somewhere like Narnia, but it is impossible for them to return to.
And the other outlier, Small Things which is about small house spirits, like door handles and such is my least favourite, since I can't imagine roleplaying as a cup holder. Am I getting too old for this hobby, before being able to start in earnest?
In general, so many of the games glosses over so many practical details that I even can't imagine how to have a meaningful experience based on these, let alone teaching these games to others, as the resident "nerd" of my circles. As an example, in Nemesis 382, there is a card, that reads as: "Time seems to move unusually slow, fast, or not at all." You are supposed to roleplay this, to eliminate its affects from the spaceship you reside. While the game knows that Phenomena are different than crises so you can't actually solve them, it does not say how do we thematically "decrease" their effects in this case.
I am only giving this a 3 star, because I feel old. Maybe I am just not imaginative enough, or maybe I ventured too deep into this new hobby that I did not have experience. I should not punish others for my inability to have fun, but I also should not pretend that I know what I am doing.
Sure, if my body looks that sexy to begin with, the clothing could only contribute to it. Similarly, if I had friends who are this creative, this open to new experiences and this mature to not have any conflicts when things get personal, I would have a lot of fun.
I even don't have the necessary numbers to play the games included, except the first game. And my imaginary friends are less social than my real ones.
Onto the game content. Except When The Dark is Gone and Small Things, all the games can be reduced to a mix and match of Archipelago by Matthijs Holter (especially Acceptable Losses) or Microscope by Ben Robbins (especially Rise and Fall), while only the theme varies to a small degree. Since the games share so much in common, there is quite bit of a repetition, in the form of how to be a gamemaster for a freeform improvisation, how to guide the discussion away from the sensitive topics and so on. Similarly some games were really methodical on giving detailed explanations for the steps for each phase of the game, which felt really boring when so many of those steps are the same.
If I were to play one of them it would be When the Dark is Gone, which is about adulthood of people that had visited somewhere like Narnia, but it is impossible for them to return to.
And the other outlier, Small Things which is about small house spirits, like door handles and such is my least favourite, since I can't imagine roleplaying as a cup holder. Am I getting too old for this hobby, before being able to start in earnest?
In general, so many of the games glosses over so many practical details that I even can't imagine how to have a meaningful experience based on these, let alone teaching these games to others, as the resident "nerd" of my circles. As an example, in Nemesis 382, there is a card, that reads as: "Time seems to move unusually slow, fast, or not at all." You are supposed to roleplay this, to eliminate its affects from the spaceship you reside. While the game knows that Phenomena are different than crises so you can't actually solve them, it does not say how do we thematically "decrease" their effects in this case.
I am only giving this a 3 star, because I feel old. Maybe I am just not imaginative enough, or maybe I ventured too deep into this new hobby that I did not have experience. I should not punish others for my inability to have fun, but I also should not pretend that I know what I am doing.
December 23, 2024
A wonderful anthology of a large variety of story games by a diverse group of game designers. There isn't a single one among the seven which I'm not interested in bringing to the table, and every time I finish one of them, I'm immediately eager to try them out with a group of friends. Most of them tackle potentially serious or heavy themes, and therefore I'd recommend you to get a group of players for them that are able to handle those sensibly. There's a good balance between GM-ed and GM-less games here, and most of them require little in physical materials - be prepared to print and cut out several handouts, though.
June 2, 2026
Disclaimer: Pure storytelling games are really not my cup of tea.
Of the book’s seven games there were only two, that I would consider running. One game I didn’t get at all and two of the games were so dark, that I would X-card the whole games. 🫣
If I want to play a storytelling game, I think I’ll just use some thematic story telling dice. 😁
Of the book’s seven games there were only two, that I would consider running. One game I didn’t get at all and two of the games were so dark, that I would X-card the whole games. 🫣
If I want to play a storytelling game, I think I’ll just use some thematic story telling dice. 😁
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews