In this piece on wargamer.com, author Alex Evans makes a bold claim: "Tabletop wargames tell better stories than most RPGs."
I'm a self-described narrative-first gamer – story comes above all other considerations for me – and I've devoured RPGs ever since I could get my hands on them, joyfully frittering away (at a conservative estimate) half my youth on Diablo II, The Elder Scrolls, Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age, Neverwinter Nights, Fallout, Mass Effect, and countless other, less remarkable titles. I happily poured thousands of irreplaceable life-hours into those games because the overall worlds they created, and the sweeping stories they told, captured my imagination like no shooty-bang-bang videogame thriller ever could.
But even the luxurious, sweeping escapism in these indispensable RPG videogames falls tragically, inescapably short – and perhaps always will – compared with the overwhelming narrative return on investment offered by tabletop wargames. It's all to do with the consistency with which these games can generate that most sought-after of gaming experiences: an organic, unscripted, and utterly true-feeling story 'moment' – a seemingly unique confluence of in-game events that's at once gripping, authentic and memorable.
Read the rest.
This personally tracks with my experience, too, but as in all such things, your mileage may vary. I'd love to hear in the BBS what others think.
Image: Jack B on Unsplash
