In recent years the tabletop hobby has seen the explosive rise of games as a storytelling medium. From the re-release of the classic Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective to the immersive fantasy adventure of Legacy of Dragonholt and the innovative episodic drama of Pandemic Legacy. But while more and more games are putting narrative experience at their core, others give players themselves a chance to flex their creative muscles.
First published in 1993, card game Once Upon A Time sees players working together to weave a story in the classic fairy tale tradition. A typical game might feature heroic knights, enchanted swords, perilous quests and priceless treasures – all the typical trappings of a tale from the Brothers Grimm. Using a randomly dealt set of cards bearing different characters, items and events, players pieced together a story in a process of collective improvisation.