The Wretched Horror; Dark; Psychological; Solo Play; Narrative-Driven; Survival

The Wretched is a solo tabletop roleplaying game by Chris Bissette, inspired by the film Alien, focusing on themes of isolation, resilience, and impending doom. Played with a deck of cards, a Jenga tower, and optional voice recording, it offers a unique narrative-driven experience. The game emphasizes the psychological horror and the struggle for survival against overwhelming odds, differing from traditional RPGs by focusing on a predetermined tragic outcome rather than victory. This report analyzes the game's themes, mechanics, unique aspects, and target audience based on several sources.

Theme and Setting

The Wretched plunges the player into a dark, psychological horror setting reminiscent of Alien. The player embodies the last surviving crew member of the salvage ship 'The Wretched,' adrift in space after a catastrophic engine failure and alien attack. The setting emphasizes isolation and despair, forcing the player to confront the brutality and incomprehensibility of their situation. Unlike games where survival is the primary goal, The Wretched frames the struggle against a backdrop of almost certain death. The game explores the human condition when faced with insurmountable odds, focusing on resilience, fear, and perseverance. The inspiration from John Carpenter and Nine Inch Nails underscores the dark, atmospheric nature of the game.

Core Mechanics and Rules

The core mechanics of The Wretched revolve around a unique combination of elements: a standard deck of playing cards, a six-sided die, and a tumbling block tower (similar to Jenga). Each card suit represents a different aspect of the survivor's predicament: Hearts for ship systems, Clubs for the crew, Diamonds for the ship's physical structure, and Spades for the alien creature.

Each 'day' in the game, the player rolls the d6, drawing that many cards and interpreting the prompts associated with each card. These prompts drive journal entries, detailing the survivor's actions and mental state. The Jenga tower represents the structural integrity of the ship; certain cards and actions require removing blocks, increasing the risk of collapse and signaling the inevitable end.

Kings signify the creature's victory (drawing all four ends the game), while the Ace of Hearts represents the distress beacon, with tokens representing the attempts to get it online. The game is not about winning but about telling a compelling story, steeped in dread and despair.

What Makes it Unique

The Wretched distinguishes itself through its solo play focus and narrative-driven gameplay. The game's central mechanic of a collapsing Jenga tower adds a physical element of tension, visually representing the ship's deteriorating state. The prompts provided by the playing cards create unpredictable scenarios and push players to explore the psychological impact of isolation and terror. Unlike many RPGs, The Wretched embraces a predetermined tragic ending, shifting the focus from achieving victory to crafting a meaningful narrative in the face of certain doom. The option of recording daily logs enhances immersion, adding an emotional layer often absent in tabletop games. Bissette designed the game to lie, giving the player the illusion that survival is possible, however, the player is doomed from the start.

Target Audience and Player Experience

The target audience for The Wretched includes players interested in solo roleplaying, narrative-driven experiences, and psychological horror. The game appeals to those who enjoy exploring themes of isolation, despair, and resilience. Player experience is characterized by a sense of dread, tension, and emotional vulnerability. The act of creating journal entries, whether written or recorded, allows players to delve into the character's psyche and grapple with the dire circumstances. The game creates a sense of connection to something or someone; the need to survive regardless of circumstance. While The Wretched is inspired by Alien, players who enjoy dark science fiction and survival themes will find the game engaging. The framework has inspired many other games using the system, which span all varieties of genres.