Gen Con 2023 Recap: A Few of my Favorite Things
Greetings, New DMs! I have something a little different to write this week as I just returned from my three-day sojourn to Gen Con 2023 (which for me wasn’t much of a sojourn as I luckily live about 20 minutes away from the Indianapolis Convention Center), and I wanted to share a quick review of 2023’s Best Four Days in Gaming.
The Good:
Daggerheart: I was lucky to snag a ticket to play the much-anticipated TTRPG system from Darrington Press early on Friday morn. The system isn’t set for release until 2024, and the group I played with was part of the fourth set of players to ever play it. I’ll be posting a full breakdown and review of Daggerheart soon, but I will say here, the system didn’t disappoint.
In comparison to Dungeons & Dragons, character creation was a breeze and we were able to start our quest in 30 minutes or less (just in time for pizza to arrive *wink*). They had pre-made sheets with different classes to choose from. I lucked upon a class that I hadn’t heard of before called Guardian, and it played out in my head as a sort of non-religious Paladin, made to get up in the mix, take some hefty damage, and guard others in my party. For our characters’ species, known as ancestry in this system, we simply picked a card. I was a Galapa, which was adjacent to a Tortle and it gave me a bonus to my armor. We then drew cards for our community, which represented what part of society we came from, and gave each of us minor buffs in-game, like the ability to roll with advantage when being lied to or searching for places to hide. Finally, we were given cards on our foundations, which are class-specific cards, and pre-game you choose the ability on one side or the other and that is a specific boon you have throughout the game.
They also had a fun way of coming up with the one-shot quest, we passed a paper around that had mad-lib-style options for each person to choose from. We ended up on our way to Smut Con 2023 when there ended up being a raging fire, causing chaos in the city and sadly stopping the con. Oh, and also there were ghosts. We had to come up with quick connections for how we each knew at least one of the other PCs and we were up and running.
It was a relatively fun experience in a three-ish hour session of learning a new system and playing with complete strangers. We had a bit of a “murder hobo” at the table who quickly derailed the main storyline. Still, I enjoyed the system and can see adding it into a rotation when it comes out, especially if I’m trying to get someone new to understand and enjoy tabletop games. The hope and fear system seems like it would be nice as a GM to be able to be more thoughtful on PCs attempts to do things, because, unlike D&D it isn’t a straight failure or a straight success, there is some nuance which I liked.
I don’t see it overtaking D&D as the go-to campaign-length TTRPG system, but it will undoubtedly going to be a hit, and I can't wait to see how it evolves over the next year.
Illimat: Where to start with this game? Firstly, I have to thank the folks over at the One Shot Podcast Network and Campaign: Skyjacks for bringing this game to my attention. If you haven’t listened to that podcast, do, and check out the others on my list of favorite actual plays. But, they have integrated Illimat into their campaign, which is interesting, but I never quite understood what it was.
So, when I heard they were going to be demoing it at Gen Con this year, I figured I’d give it a shot. It was the best find and decision I made at Gen Con 2023, and I even found $8 all-day parking on Saturday. The game is simple and beautiful. Truly. As with any game I mention here, I’ll have a full review, but for now, the basics are it is a card game, in the most classic sense. Think of bridge. Or rummy. Or, being from Indiana, euchre. It feels like one of those games but with the added magic of tarot cards, a board that represents the changing of seasons, symbolic tokens called okuses, and a few other touches that make it feel older, witchier, mythical.
There were about 50 or so players in the demo at 8 p.m. on Friday evening, each table had 4 players, as that is how the game is meant to be played, though there are ways to play with more or less, there is even a solitaire version. The people running the game were a few of the actual folks behind Campaign: Skyjacks as well as the creators of the game, Keith Baker and Jen Ellis, of Twogether Studios. We ran through a single round with Keith and then they let us go. Never have I been more quickly drawn into a game, it is easy to understand, easy to play, and yet as we played it became obvious just how strategic and dynamic the game could get, especially amongst veteran players.
At my table we played through three rounds, learning the ins and outs of the game, what the various Luminaries do (that’s what the tarot cards are called), twisting and turning the seasons to block people from harvesting, sowing, or stockpiling in various fields. We even engaged the syzygy coin, a fateful touch that kept us on our toes. In the end, I was the (let’s be honest) lucky one to reach 17 points first. All of us were newbies, so it was mostly up to chance. But, I walked away winning the syzygy coin, a postcard of The King of Stars, a book of Variants & Apocrypha, and a special Luminary card called The Audience. Trust me, that's solid free swag for this year’s con.
That’s a whole lot of free swag from one game.
The next day, I was straight to their booth to purchase the game, two bonus packs of Luminaries, and an extra syzygy coin to morph into a necklace for my partner. Now, all that's left is to find some fellow gamers to share this treasure with.
Trash Talk: Sometimes a game comes out of nowhere and just completely surprises you. Trash Talk is that game for me. One of the players in my D&D group (Michael) said he’d stopped to play it on the show floor and recommended it, when he described it, it seemed a bit silly for my typical taste in games. But, Saturday, when I saw the booth, I had to give it a shot. And, yes, it is – as Michael’s Barbarian Aubrie would say – “indubitably” silly. And that's what makes it amazing; it is a masterpiece of simplicity and absurdity. Anyone can play it, but don't be fooled, it's not a walk in the park.
It's a party game for two or more players, but trust me, more than four or five might be a headache. One player is a raccoon, complete with a sort of DM screen. The other players are possums or opossums, I remember something about an o being there from elementary school and I don’t feel like Googling at the mome. But, just because you’re all trash-loving critters doesn’t mean you can speak the same language. So you have to try and understand one another by using, well, trash.
I'll dive deeper in my full review, but let me just say, it's fascinating to watch how people's (or critters') minds connect the dots between trash and words. During the demo, a guy in his 30s-40s and a tween girl synced up their brains to earn six cards, while my leaps of logic were way off track. If you're hunting for a quick, enjoyable game, Trash Talk is the answer. And don't forget to BYOT (Bring Your Own Trash) to mix up the fun with your friends.
Dragonbane: Okay, so let me spill the beans on how I stumbled into this gem during my Gen Con adventure. Truth be told, it was a bit of a happy accident. I was roaming around the convention center, and on a poster in a hallway, there was this art that just grabs me. It's got a Darkwing Duck vibe but with a dash of darkness and rogue energy. Naturally, I find myself at the Free League Publishing booth – couldn't resist. The classic art is like a magnet, but I didn't quite hit the "buy now" button. It's Friday, after all, and I wanted to curate my shopping list smartly.
Fast forward to Saturday, first game of the day done, and I bump into a couple I play 5e with. We chat, and they mention Dragonbane. They drop the golden nugget that there's a free quickstart guide at the booth, plus it might just vanish from the shelves soon. Ding ding! As soon as we part ways, I'm booking it to that booth, grabbing that guide like it's the last slice of pizza. Five minutes later, I'm clutching the full system – my first buy of the con. Good thing, because it's all gone when I swing by later.
With the little that I’ve dug into it, it seems like Dragonbane is a fantasy TTRPG for the ages, kinda like mixing 5e, Call of Cthulhu, and, surprisingly, Daggerheart into a magical brew. You roll the dice aiming for low numbers – a twist for a 5e devotee like me, but intriguing nonetheless. Think Call of Cthulhu style, where you can push your luck, making things juicier and riskier. The Daggerheart vibes continue with the promise of lightning-paced, no-fuss gameplay, with a focus on getting the game going.
I’m looking forward to digging further into the larger book when I get a moment to get a better understanding of the world of Misty Vale. It boasts eleven complete escapades, each standalone or ready to be woven into the epic Secret of the Dragon Emperor campaign. Another intriguing and unique option is it has a solo-play option called Deepfall Breach. Sometimes gathering the gang isn't a walk in the park, and having a solo option on hand is like having an extra dessert.
Bottom line: I'm pretty stoked to whip this out when we want to take a breather from our marathon 5e campaign. Plus, the art alone is like eye candy. Stay tuned, because down the road, I'll serve up a full review of this baby. Just give me a bit to marinate in the Dragonbane universe.
Caper: Europe: A sleek two-player game that's not just easy on the eyes but promises a thrilling heist experience. Color me intrigued. I have to admit, it was the box and the art that reeled me in like a fish on a hook. Between Caper and Dragonbane, I'm starting to think I'm a bona fide art sucker – a real "judge a book by its cover" kinda guy. The demo made it seem like a breeze to get into, perfect for a casual gaming session. So, I nabbed a copy as soon as the demo ended. Oh, and hold onto your hats, folks. Guess who got the last box of Caper: Europe Mastermind Edition at Gen Con? Yep, that was me. I pulled off my own caper of sorts. My partner and I haven't had the chance to dive into it just yet (fingers crossed for this weekend!). But, I’m guessing, either there's a whole squad of art enthusiasts like me out there, or this game is seriously good. Time will tell and so will I once we run our first game.
Mysterium: You mean the game that released in 2015? Yes, that one. I admit this is a bit silly to add here, but I had to. I’ve seen Mysterium on the shelf at my local game shop for years and every time I look at it I’m drawn to it. I love a good mystery. I love co-op games. And, I love the art of this game. But, our board game closet is chock-a-block full of games we rarely are able to play as is and so I’ve never bit the bullet and bought it. But, I saw it being demoed this year in a time slot where I was free, alas, I gave it a shot. I’m glad I did.
Mysterium plays out like a better version of Clue. Imagine a ghost DM using gorgeously illustrated cards to guide you, the investigators, through a whodunit to solve their own murder. In my group, we had ages ranging from ten-ish to sixty-something, and our host, Stess, was a game enthusiast who brought the game to life. We made our way through the mysteries and in the end we nabbed our killer.
I know here in a few months when I run to The Game Preserve after wearing out some of my Gen Con purchases I'll be snagging Mysterium for my collection. It's the perfect go-to for a 45-minute mystery fix.
Miscellaneous:
Walking through the Kingdom Death booth was like stepping into a mini-monster wonderland! Those meticulously crafted monster minis were hands down some of the coolest sights at the con.
The cosplay parade this year? Mind-blowing. Seriously, it was like stepping into a universe of creativity. Countless costumes that were jaw-droppingly well-made.
So, truth be told, I wandered around solo for most of the con, and guess what? Quick chats with random strangers made the whole experience top-notch. As always, the Gen Con crowd is like a friendly breath of fresh air.
Had an absolute blast with my crew during a Kobold Press D&D game called Tales from the Wastes: The Sanctum. This was my first group game at 10 a.m. Thursday morning and it was like an instant camaraderie party – a bunch of strangers turned into adventure buddies. Not gonna lie, it set the perfect tone for the whole con.
I gotta admit, the food trucks got a serious upgrade this year. More trucks and a tad more elbow room. Even though the lines were still kinda nuts, the setup was on point. Sure, Georgia Street is a bit closer, but IMHO it didn’t come close to comparing. I hope they stick with it next year.
Just the convention as a whole was great. There were so many people every day and it was wonderful to see downtown Indy bustling and vibrant after a few years of hard hits from the pandemic. Hats off to the entire team behind Gen Con. I can’t imagine how difficult it is to pull off such a massive event every year and this year was one of the best. Thank you for all you do for the gaming community and my hometown. Also, huge shout out to all of the volunteers who run the games. I had nothing but great interactions with everyone who worked the convention.
Finally got some hang time with my D&D gang. We've clocked in countless hours in 5e campaigns, but this time it was all about kicking back, playing games, and tossing back a cold one. Big shoutout to Gen Con for giving us the perfect excuse to unwind and enjoy each other's company. Oh, and you know what? It was so busy that planning a session went out the window. Instead, we did a game night the next week – a fresh twist with all those new Gen Con games we snagged.