So, I was trying out Google Blog Search, and I came across, of all things, a review of my 24 Hour RPG, Hikikomori, in Hungarian (here). I was very curious, but I couldn’t find an online translator thingy that would actually work, but as it turns out I have an acquaintance who’s Hungarian, and he was kind enough to translate. The review is surprisingly thorough, and probably more generous than I would’ve been.

Things Long Dead

I present another new 24 hour roleplaying (game) in its place. (Must refer to another article/subject or game)

It is no problem if you don’t know the game, as I at first thought that it was some kind of link to Japanese porn (for example Bukake); but from the game’s intro, I became enlightened.

(the link) http://www.1km1kt.net/rpg/hikikomori.php)

Hikikomori is a entirely Japanese phenomenon; but according to the author, Hikikomori has already apparead in most Western societies. What should I call it? A lifestyle? A illness? A phenomenon?

The word itself covers the stigma where a youth, mostly male, but there are female Hikikomori, shuts himself out of society; breaks all contact with people; and for the most part vegetates in his room.

Here’s a link on this phenomenon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori. These aren’t even the most interesting aspects about it, although I admit that these are bizarre; instead Hikikomori is a roleplaying game for one person only.

No really, it appears to go against the norm, but based on playing the game, it can seem to work out well.

In total, there are two characteristics of a startup Hikiomori: Hope, which starts from 3d10 and after a while changes so that you’ll sink even deeper (into Hikikomori); or go outwards from the Hikikomori state.

The second characteristic: This one is a cute characteristic; you have to chose one from the following and you’ll get two on a random basis:

The possibilities: 1-2, A Possessing Hobby 3, Savior 4, Imaginary Friend 5, Perversion 6, Suicidal Thoughts 7, Sin 8, Delusion 9, Heath Problem 10.

It is true, friend, that from these (characteristics) you build your character.

In whole it isn’t too heart moving this way, but later it won’t get better either.

Every single day you can perform three different things; of which you’ll have little choice.

After each and every decision, you’ll finalize the outcome with a roll of the dice.

If the roll succeeds, your Hope characteristic will rise by 10d10; you’ll even get fully healed (from Hikikomori).

If you don’t succeed, you remain as you were.

In other words, the possible daily activities are – You don’t accomplish anything; you’ll emerge into the outer world; You commit suicide; Or you kill time.

It doesn’t change too much, I believe, but unfortunately, in this game you can’t really do anything else.

Afterall, the life of a Hikikomori isn’t adventurous.

It goes without saying, that most (Hikikomori) are pretty sick (maybe that’s too harsh, try ill); but according to the game, the life of a Hikikomiri doesn’t get any different.

The other parts of the game are described in a pair of tables.

They are rather boring in practice, as every single characteristic, or in other words, to every single action, is a related opposing chart; which pretty much are prepared last. Whatever you do, from going out to the city; from trying to break your habit of watching Hentai porn; you’ll roll an appropriate number of d10 dice for that particular characteristic against a roll for your character’s Hope characteristic. Whichever roll wins, that characteristic wins, and the difference between the rolls affects the severity of the consequences as well.

A short demonstration: You want to butter up your imaginary friend by offering toast. You will roll for toasted bread being especially delicious today. You roll 1d10:

Result 1: Not very convincing
Result 2-5: You were ignored.
Result 6-9: Roll a d10 for Hope against a roll for your Imaginary Friend. If Hope wins the roll, your imaginary friend will behave better by 1; if not, he’ll get worse by 1.
Result 10: Your imaginary friend listens fascinatedly. His behavior improves either by 2 or jumps to 7, which ever is larger.

In a similar fashion, every event has a similar chart (table).

The only sources of help you have during the 7 day game duration are: Your friends and your Savior. For every situation where they can intervene, you can count on their aid.

He (Ewen) managed to sneak in a couple of gems into this game: If you have a Possessing Hobby (poor translation – Try Hobby that Preoccupies Most of Your Time) you can try to involve your Savior in it.

If it is successful, he’ll turn into a true friend; from here onwards, he’ll believe in your mutual Hobbies and will keep you together.

If you have a friend, or Savior, you can attempt to distance yourself from him.

If it succeeds, he’ll step aside, if not, your friendship will grow more close.

When you have completed playing the game’s 7 days worth of events (the game doesn’t necessarily involve 7 consequitive days, you can insert custom time intervals between them) you’ll write your events into your journal, and the game ends.

If you character survived, it’s good. In the event that one of your friends remained besides you, its even better.

At the end, how you will start your (new) life is all determined by 1 roll of the die.

You can even escape from your state of Hikikomori.

This is all there is to the game. The SZVSZ (no idea) is unique, and elaborate, but it can become a bit boring from all those charts/tables. In other words, the game could have endured a random table of events, as the seven game days pass unfortunately rather predictably.

Evaluation: Idea: 6/10, Implementation: 3/5, Mood: 7/10, Elaboration: (complexity of rules perhaps) 8/10, Overall: 24/35 Posted by Merengorpgs