Lovecraftesque
Lovecraftesque is a horror storytelling game, written by Joshua Fox and Becky Annison and published by Black Armada.
By Aaron T. Huss
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Lovecraftesque is a card-powered, GM-less storytelling game where you cooperatively create a horror story akin to that of H.P. Lovecraft (although it doesn’t have to be Cthulhu Mythos). Each player takes turns taking on one of three roles, see below, switching roles upon starting the next turn. It does not generally create a role-playing game like Call of Cthulhu and instead creates a story where the main character might not survive, like what is frequently depicted by Lovecraft and Lovecraft-inspired stories. The game focuses on the players’ ability to creatively add details to the story based on prompts and then working together to determine what the source of the terror is as it prepares to present itself. The core game includes prompt-based story cards while written scenarios replace some of those cards with predetermined story details.
I had a difficult time wrapping my brain around Lovecraftesque as the presentation of the mechanics is not ideal for this style of game. I ended up reading through it three times with the third time reading through it backwards from section to section and then I finally understood. When you realize it is not a Cthulhu Mythos RPG and is rather a recreation of Cthulhu-inspired fiction, you start to piece together how the game works from one stage to another. Guiding you through this storytelling game is a series of cards of different types and a game mat that follows the game through from beginning to end. One of the card types identifies the rules in play during that turn. Other types of cards identify who the story is about and where it takes place. These are randomly chosen for each game, except for Scenarios when they are statically defined, allowing the gaming group to create the framework of the story in different ways. Plus, each one is more of a description than a definitive decision, meaning the same card can be used multiple times with different outcomes.
When the game starts, it is effectively moved along by using prompts. The prompts start with cards played from each player’s hand, providing high-level descriptions of what’s happening in that part of the story. Scenarios replace some random cards with predefined ones, but they are still creatively presented and not definitive decisions. However, they are designed to marry with how the scenario is designed. Once the card-based prompts are complete, the players go back and forth formulating the rest of the story, leading up to its climax. Being that it is a horror-based game, there is a very good possibility that the protagonist will not survive. But then, that’s pretty much how Cthulhu-inspired fiction works.
There are three roles in the game; the person telling the story (kind of like the GM), the person reacting in the eyes of the protagonist (kind of like a PC), and everyone else is background/environment (kind of like NPCs and other threats). On each turn, these roles switch from person to person, allowing everyone an opportunity to assume each role. The group works cooperatively (not in-game, but telling a cooperative story) to build the fiction and bring it to closure. It’s like writing a short story in real-time.
Lovecraftesque is not really conducive to casual gamers. You really need to know what you’re getting into and really need a desire to play a game like that. Those new to this type of game or not the best at thinking creatively on the spot should look to the pregenerated scenarios for gameplay. They take some of the guesswork out and provide more direction using the card prompts than the generic core set. However, gamers who are really good storytelling and creating descriptive fiction on the spot will likely shine and probably really enjoy this opportunity. It’s like creating an immersive Lovecraft-inspired story with nothing but a map; you and your friends connect the dots, define the terror, and narrate how the unlucky protagonist meets an untimely encounter with the unknown.
