1 - 2 - 3 Sessions Games

[Vildara]

In these tumultuous times, gaming has changed. And we have changed with it. Right now we are still playing weekly games, in person, out doors, spaced out appropriately. Most of our group are teachers and are currently inconsistent. Add in the fact that in another two months it will probably be to cold and we have complexities.

The point here is that we need some great RPG games that we can play over 1-3 sessions. What are the current much hyped suggestions out there?

 

[Nytmare]

The Quiet Year
Girl Underground
Band of Blades
[EDIT]
Alice is Missing
Dialect
Sign
Microscope
The King is Dead
They Came to Play Ball

 

[practicalm]

Paranoia
Toon
Ghostbusters

 

[Tun Kai Poh]

BLACKOUT from Newstand Games is great - you play women in Civil Defence during the London Blitz in WW2. I ran it a little while back. I think 2 sessions for a full playthrough (including epilogue) is best.

Session report here: Besides D&D, what are you playing?

 

[pemerton]

The point here is that we need some great RPG games that we can play over 1-3 sessions. What are the current much hyped suggestions out there?

I've played enjoyable one-shots of Cthulhu Dark (session reports here and here]) and Wuthering Heights (session report here).

Both are very quick to learn and Cthulhu Dark is especially quick to set up. And both are free to read/download (links above).

We've also been playing a Prince Valiant campaign. We're about 12 sessions in, but it can be played much more episodically than were are. And set up is also very quick. But it's not free.

 

[aramis erak]

The point here is that we need some great RPG games that we can play over 1-3 sessions. What are the current much hyped suggestions out there?

Cinematic Mode adventures in Alien (Free Legion/Fria Ligan) are a great option. There's one in the corebook, even.

If you're a fan, MLP: Tails of Equestria is a fun, strongly themed, game with excellent 1-session adventures where combat is a suboptimal choice.

 

[payn]

1-2-3 sessions are my favorite way to play Call of Cthulhu!

 

[hawkeyefan]

I would second the suggestion of the Alien RPG in cinematic mode. It’s an easy to grasp game and cinematic mode is designed specifically for one to three sessions.

Other than that, I think you can do a pretty quality scenario in Tales From the Loop in just a few sessions. Another game that’s pretty easy to grasp and which uses tropes and ideas with which most folks are familiar.

 

[aramis erak]

Another few games good for one-shots off the cuff...

Two intentionally humorous:
Og: Unearthed. (It's hilarious fun. Extreme silliness. Easy mechanics.)
Kobolds Ate My Baby. (Requires players be willing to do silly. All Hail King Torg!)

Two more that can be serious or silly:
Tunnels and Trolls - Any edition. Grab any module to hand from some dungeon-oriented fantasy rpgs, or sci fi ones with good maps, replace the locals (If you want to use D&D modules, Monster Rating equals HD*10... and (ascending) AC-10 is armor rating.
Starships and Spacemen 1E: literally a case of "We couldn't afford the Star Trek license, so we filed the serials off and published it anyway". If you have access to it, you can use the companion game, Star Explorer, as a mission generator.

 

[Campbell]

For GMed games I reccomend

• Lady Blackbird
• Dogs in the Vineyard
• My Life With Master
• Tales From The Loop / Things From The Flood
• Agon
• Cthulhu Dark
• Electric Bastionland
• Into The Dark
• Quietus

For GMless

• Fiasco
• For The Queen
• Dream Askew
• Dream Apart