Untold: Adventures Await (2017) Board Game

Untold: Adventures Await was released in 2017 by The Creativity Hub. Designed by John Fiore and Rory O’Connor, this cooperative storytelling game aimed to bring the fun and creativity of tabletop role-playing games to a wider audience. With its unique blend of dice rolling, role-playing, and storytelling mechanics, Untold promised players an immersive and engaging gaming experience.

Game Components of Untold: Adventures Await

Game Board: Features slots for five scene tiles.

Scene Tiles: Randomly dealt at the beginning of the game, each tile has recessed spaces for Story Cubes and icons indicating story elements like location, person, threat, or action.

Story Cubes: Powered by Rory’s Story Cubes, these cubes provide storytelling opportunities with various icons.

Reaction Cards: Reveal the outcomes of player actions.

Outcome Deck: Determines the success or failure of player actions.

Question and Action Tokens: Used for asking questions and taking actions during scenes.

Personal Tokens: Allow players to interject ideas, add flashbacks, or modify Story Cubes.

Player Mats: For each player, providing clear references for the game.

Notepads: For characters and episodes to track story and character advancements.

How To Setup Untold: Adventures Await

To set up the game, players start by dealing the scene tiles randomly onto the game board. Each tile has specific slots for the Story Cubes, which are rolled and placed according to the icons on the tile. For example, a tile might require a location, a person, and a threat, which players decide by placing the corresponding Story Cubes. The first tile sets up the main dilemma for the story, and the remaining tiles are used for subsequent scenes.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Scene-Based Gameplay: Each game is an episode of five distinct scenes, each featuring different locales, threats, and plot twists.

Story Cube Placement: Players roll and place Story Cubes on scene tiles to create the narrative.

Questioning and Acting: Players use tokens to ask questions (starting with Who, What, Why, When, Where, or How) and take actions, which are resolved using the Outcome deck and Reaction cards.

Personal Tokens: Allow for interjections, flashbacks, and modifications to the story.

Continuing Story Arcs: Players can craft multiple-episode story arcs, tracking character and world developments.

Player Experience

Untold: Adventures Await is designed for collaborative storytelling, making it highly dependent on the group’s creativity and interaction. The game encourages players to think on their toes, react to unexpected plot twists, and engage in roleplaying. It is particularly enjoyable for groups with outgoing members who can handle improvisation and the dynamic nature of the game. The game’s structure allows for a fun, unpredictable experience, but it may not be ideal for quieter players or those seeking a more structured game.

Pros

Customizable Storytelling: Allows players to create unique stories each time.

Continuable Story Arcs: Players can develop ongoing storylines across multiple episodes.

Accessible and Unpredictable: Suitable for players of all ages, with a unique game engine that is easy to understand and always surprising.

Expandable: Can be expanded with more Story Cube sets.

Flexible: Easily house-ruled to accommodate different group styles.

Cons

Group-Dependent Enjoyment: The game’s enjoyment is heavily reliant on the group’s dynamics and creativity.

No Traditional Winner or Strategy: Not suitable for those seeking competitive gameplay.

Rulebook Text: The text in the rulebook is small, which can be inconvenient.

Potential for Disjointed Stories: The system can lead to somewhat disjointed narratives if not managed carefully.

Personal Thoughts on Untold: Adventures Await

Untold: Adventures Await is perfect for groups who enjoy improvisational storytelling and collaborative roleplaying. It is an excellent introduction to light tabletop RPGs and can be used in a variety of settings. However, it is crucial to have a group that is comfortable with improvisation and can handle the game’s dynamic nature. For those seeking more structured storytelling or traditional RPG mechanics, other games might be more suitable. Nonetheless, for the right group, Untold: Adventures Await offers a unique and engaging storytelling experience that can be played in bite-sized episodes, making it an excellent addition to any gaming collection.

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