Haiku Elvis
Knuckle-dusters, glass jaws and wooden hearts.
So I made an impulse purchase of Through the Hedgerow by Osprey Games as it popped up in a flash sale on Amazon.
I'd seen a little about it when it came out then completely forgot about it's existence.
I'm glad I got it it's just so on the money in terms of conveying it's setting and themes (think ongoing struggle between light and dark, fey 'claws and all' folk fantasy meets nostalgic, parochial little Britain that was (or maybe never was really), old fashioned children's fantasy literature, mythic timetravel vibes - it name checks Narnia, Alan Garner, Children of the Stones. If anyone remembers Box of Delights or Hounds of the Morrigan (if you wanted to transpose it to Ireland) you'll get the idea.) it is a bit involved though - lots of game jargon and I will need to read it again to make sure I know the difference between burning and shrinking dice and Hexes Vs Dweomers and the different virtues (and humours and traits) and exactly how I advance the doom dice and when it becomes unlimited and why that's a good thing, unless maybe it isn't. But it seems a fascinating mix of quite trad in some ways and narrative in others that really dials in the flavour. If I can just figure out how it works.
Anyway that's not necessarily the point of the thread. The point is Osprey games knock out a couple of these really interesting games a year that seem to go under the radar. Just looking through the list on their website there are some really interesting sounding games (Crescendo of Violence anyone) but maybe as they are mostly one and done games without a house theme or system to build up a fan base, I don't see them get discussed anywhere. They seem good quality and not bad priced at all.
Anyone's played any of these games? What do you think? Any you are eyeing up or would recommend? Found a gem and want to give it a bump?
I'd seen a little about it when it came out then completely forgot about it's existence.
I'm glad I got it it's just so on the money in terms of conveying it's setting and themes (think ongoing struggle between light and dark, fey 'claws and all' folk fantasy meets nostalgic, parochial little Britain that was (or maybe never was really), old fashioned children's fantasy literature, mythic timetravel vibes - it name checks Narnia, Alan Garner, Children of the Stones. If anyone remembers Box of Delights or Hounds of the Morrigan (if you wanted to transpose it to Ireland) you'll get the idea.) it is a bit involved though - lots of game jargon and I will need to read it again to make sure I know the difference between burning and shrinking dice and Hexes Vs Dweomers and the different virtues (and humours and traits) and exactly how I advance the doom dice and when it becomes unlimited and why that's a good thing, unless maybe it isn't. But it seems a fascinating mix of quite trad in some ways and narrative in others that really dials in the flavour. If I can just figure out how it works.
Anyway that's not necessarily the point of the thread. The point is Osprey games knock out a couple of these really interesting games a year that seem to go under the radar. Just looking through the list on their website there are some really interesting sounding games (Crescendo of Violence anyone) but maybe as they are mostly one and done games without a house theme or system to build up a fan base, I don't see them get discussed anywhere. They seem good quality and not bad priced at all.
Anyone's played any of these games? What do you think? Any you are eyeing up or would recommend? Found a gem and want to give it a bump?
