Katie

MotW is a really accessible game for new players! It is a story-driven game that will be narratively intuitive to fans of the genre it is named for. With a straightforward 2d6 system and just a handful of basic moves, it is fast to learn, but has enough crunch to keep players invested in unlocking more advancements over the course of a campaign. If you are a player coming from a more combat-focused system like D&D, it may be an adjustment that the heroes in MotW are more successful when they do their research ahead of time; just "fighting" the monsters head-on with brute force can very quickly become deadly for unprepared hunters!

Alice is Missing is a unique, self-contained experience. The core gameplay is in two major sections: setup & worldbuilding, then a timed 90-minute period of only communicating via text messages, followed by a short epilogue & debrief. My group finished our first (in-person) game in a little over 3 hours. The game does not have a traditional game master, but more of a facilitator - you'll have more success playing with a table full of creative people who like to drive the story by jumping into the narrative head-first! The rulebook makes being a facilitator very straightforward, including walking the group through some really helpful conversations and safety tools so that everyone is on the same page regarding topic and themes! The biggest downside is that I would consider the game to have limited replayability. While any ttrpg is replayable if you are imaginative enough, and you'll create a unique vibe with every group, there are only a handful of major events (that are supplied by the game mechanics) and ending states. That being said, even partaking in a limited number of great games from this system is worth it!

Sam is a master of lush and vivid settings, colorful and distinct characters, and terrifying (but in a fun way!) creatures. His enthusiasm and kindness were evident from the first moments of our session zero. He expertly balances the enjoyment of all players at the table alongside the enforcement of game mechanics & consequences of player actions. He has also gone above and beyond to provide the players with written recaps/notes between sessions of our campaign. Highly recommend!