Review: 6x6 Tales

Scrolling through my list of blog posts, published and otherwise, I realized that there's a very enjoyable game I have yet to write something up for. Now:

Do you like rolling dice? Do you like mapmaking? Do you like following a hero along on their adventure? Do you like free stuff? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then do I have a deal for you!

I browse Wargamevault and DrivethruRPG quite a lot now, looking for deals on things I'm interested in. Some of the things I've purchased have been sitting in my library, unused but waiting for the day the print button comes for them. Not so for 6x6 Tales!

6x6 tales has been played often enough that I cannot label this write-up as a First Play. Heck, just thinking of writing about it, I've printed another to play again (though truthfully, it's been a few weeks since the last time).

What You Need to Play

- The PDF downloaded from DrivethruRPG (maybe available elsewhere?)

- Pencil

- Eraser

- 2 d6 that are distinguishable from each other (different colours; one with pips, the other numerals; whatever)

The Downloaded Package

The download provides three game sheets that can be printed differently depending on your preferences, standard and "pocketmod". I elected to print the pocketmod version. Maybe a reader is familiar with this layout, but I was not. The pocketmod essentially results in three tiny booklets that could fit in most pockets, making this is a very portable game. Both print options have tiny print, so if that's a problem, add "magnifying glass" to the list of necessities.

The first booklet is the Rules. Pretty straightforward, written in a way that you can just follow the steps as you play.

Second booklet is called the Events Booklet. This contains bits and pieces of the story all mixed up so you can't quite read ahead. Also, the there are multiple paths with multiple endings, so it's unlikely that you play the same story twice.

Third booklet is called the Journal Booklet. This is where you keep track of your hero and the story. there's the hero's stats, a map, quest log, day tracker, spells, fight tracker, dungeon tracker, and game-end scoring. This is the booklet where all of your writing goes as the story plays out.

All you need to play!

The Hook and Playing the Game

The hook is very simple. From the front page of the Rules Booklet: The King approaches you, "Welcome to our small island. We need your help, hero. Our island is terrorized by monsters, please help us..." 

I mean, what more do you need? You're gonna play the game, right?

First you build your character. Four peoples are available with a special, innate quality about them. You might be a human and start with extra gold. A dwarf or elf to start with stronger hits or more accuracy, respectively. Or be a hobbit and start with a pie. Give your character a name, draw their portrait, and fill in their stats. 

Then you roll the dice to randomly place the castle (your start point) and draw it on the map. You are now ready to adventure! 

Following the same roll and write process, you move from square to square to reveal the roads and terrain of the map. As you go along you'll discover villages, meet monsters to fight (or run from), take on side quests, level up your abilities, make a name for yourself, and find clues to progress in the main quest: learning the secret of the great evil that holds the island in its grasp and halting its terrible work.

Maps at the end of these games. Top is the one my son drew as I helped him play. Bottom left: my lesser decorated map. Bottom right: a more detailed map of the island (and completed too).

When you fulfill your destiny, whatever your fate, you add up your score and discover your ranking. Points are earned for quest completion (main and side quests), gold collected, fame earned during your travels. The total dictates your hero status; does your name take its place with the heroes of legend or will it join the legions of the forgotten. Either way, there is a space to write in the Title of your hero's journey.

Some more details from Journal Booklets.

My Take

Whether it was The Incredibly Underwhelming Adventure and Death of Jankah, a Dwarf or the famous Elfis, Slayer of the Bone Dragon, I have had a blast with this little game. Honestly, drawing up the map and coming up with a fun title at the end are my favourite parts. But all the parts work really well together for a simple, fast-paced story-telling adventure. Well, it's fast if you don't spend time illustrating extra detail into the map.

My first three character journals.

I can see the results of 6x6 Tales being some good material for an RPG game master, play the game a few times and you now have some legends with which to spice up your world-building or base a side quest on, heck one might even build a whole campaign on one of these (how about The Disappearance of Luke into the Unknown). Even something like Clara the Mango Delivery Girl is Killed by a Giant Rat, my most recent adventure, can be imagined into something to add flavour; perhaps it is a tale of warning told to children to dissuade them from venturing into the woods alone.

I've kept each Journal Booklet in a drawer, it's how I've had these titles to bring up as I write. Reading the titles brings back memories and maybe I will incorporate them into some future gaming endeavor as an inside joke for myself. As for right now, perhaps I can enlist Clara's twin sister Sara to take on the adventure and perhaps drive the evils scourge from this island! Because who's completely satisfied by only having played two turns before dying?