Gram Burch's Tonics 'n Charms by brother spider is a solo game inspired by Ozark folklore. You play as Gram Burch, an Ozark granny who can perform folk magic, getting through her day. Neighbours would ask for Gram Burch’s help to deal with their problems, and she may end up as a fearful witch or a revered healer. The game is beautifully laid out, with photos of traditional Ozark objects. I love how the text speaks to the player and teaches them about Ozark traditions.

good

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Long Meg & Her Daughters by Becca May is a solo journaling game inspired by the folklore surrounding England’s third widest stone circle. The player takes on the role of Long Meg, the matron of a coven of witches who battle against a powerful wizard that will turn the witches into stone. The theme and mechanics of the game are cleverly tied together, with Long Meg’s magical protection being playing cards laid out in a circle, which aesthetically resembles a stone circle. The art of this game is gorgeous and the layout of an example game is very useful. The writing is evocative and tells the story of a defiant struggle against a superior foe and fate itself. It’s also very cool to learn about the history of the stone circle and the folklore that inspired the game. I can’t recommend this game enough!

A Broken Man on a Halifax Pier by Morgan Eilish is a solo journaling game inspired by a Canadian folk song about a perilous privateering journey. The player takes on the role of a seventeen year old who signed up to be a privateer on a decrepit sloop. To survive, the player has to repair the sloop, deal with the limited supplies, uplift the crew’s morale, and overcome enemy boats in naval combat. The mechanics is based on that of The Wretched, in which the player draws cards from a deck to see which problem they encounter, and pulls blocks from a Jenga tower to resolve them. The system suits very well to the perilous naval journey of the narrative, and I love the use of coins to represent the plundered American gold as a means to track progress. The writing is great and it really gives the reader/player a feeling of running a privateering boat that is falling apart. The layout design and use of public domain art are incredible. I would recommend this game to anyone who wants to read/play a thematic solo journaling game.

A Broken Man on a Halifax Pier by Morgan Eilish is a solo journaling game inspired by a Canadian folk song about a perilous privateering journey. The player takes on the role of a seventeen year old who signed up to be a privateer on a decrepit sloop. To survive, the player has to repair the sloop, deal with the limited supplies, uplift the crew’s morale, and overcome enemy boats in naval combat. The mechanics is based on that of The Wretched, in which the player draws cards from a deck to see which problem they encounter, and pulls blocks from a Jenga tower to resolve them. The system suits very well to the perilous naval journey of the narrative, and I love the use of coins to represent the plundered American gold as a means to track progress. The writing is great and it really gives the reader/player a feeling of running a privateering boat that is falling apart. The layout design and use of public domain art are incredible. I would recommend this game to anyone who wants to read/play a thematic solo journaling game.