Companions' Tale

Companions' Tale is a 2019 tabletop role-playing game by Laura Simpson about the unreliable and contradictory tales of a hero's many companions. Throughout the game, players collaborate on drawing a shared map. Companions' Tale won "Game of the Year" at the 2020 Indie [Game Developer Network] awards and was nominated for two 2019 ENNIE Awards.

Reception

Awards and Nominations

Companions' Tale won "Game of the Year" at the 2020 Indie Game Developer Network awards. It was nominated for two 2019 ENNIE Awards: "Product of the Year" and "Best Game." The 2020 Diana [Jones Award], which was given to "Black Excellence in Gaming," included Laura Simpson's work on Companions' Tale under honorees.

Reviews

Jessica Spears for the American Library Association recommended Companions' Tale as a game to play for Black History Month, writing that "Taking on multiple roles, exploring varied points of view, and sharing in the story building process makes for a fantastically engaging gaming experience." Jayme Boucher for Roll20 recommended Companions' Tale as one of ten games to play with kids and praised the game's "evocative world-building rules" and "deck of inspirational themes and art."

Scholarship

Greg Loring-Albright for Drexel University cites Companions' Tale as an example of a tabletop role-playing game played via user-created online adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic.