MN 578 Network and Route Building Games We Dont Own

Episode 579: Narrative Choice or Paragraph Games

Episode release date is May 21, 2025

Show Notes

Meeple Nation discusses several games that include the narrative or paragraph game mechanic. Come join us at the game table and find some new and amazing games.

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Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)

• Nathan
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Narrative Choice and Paragraph Games.

The Narrative Choice or Paragraph Games mechanic puts a strong emphasis on storytelling and player agency through making decisions that directly influence the narrative's progression. Instead of relying solely on traditional game mechanics like dice rolling or resource management to drive the plot, these games present players with textual descriptions, scenarios, and choices that lead to different outcomes and further narrative branches.

Think of it like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book integrated into a board game experience. Players often read paragraphs of text that describe a situation, and then they are presented with a set of choices. Each choice directs them to a different paragraph or section, unfolding the story in a unique way based on their decisions.

Here's how the mechanic typically works:

1. Narrative Presentation: The game presents story elements through text, often in the form of cards, books, or even app-based interfaces. These descriptions set the scene, introduce characters, and present challenges.
2. Choice Points: At key moments in the narrative, players are given distinct options on how to proceed. These choices can range from dialogue options and actions to strategic decisions that have narrative consequences.
3. Branching Narrative: Each choice leads to a different part of the story. This might involve reading a specific paragraph number, drawing a particular card, or triggering a new event within the app. The narrative unfolds non-linearly based on the collective decisions of the players.
4. Consequences: The choices players make often have consequences that affect the ongoing narrative. This could involve changes in character relationships, the availability of future options, the acquisition of items, or even the overall outcome of the game.
5. Emergent Storytelling: While the core narrative is pre-written, the combination of player choices leads to a unique emergent story for each playthrough. Different groups of players, or even the same group playing again, will likely experience the narrative in a different sequence and with different outcomes.

Narrative Choice or Paragraph Games

• Scythe
• Chronicles of Drunagor
• Stars of Akarios
• Above and Below
• Near and Far