This week in class we played another role-playing game called Fiasco. In our first session, we set up the game in Boom Boomtown and established boundaries that we were not comfortable crossing with the consent checklist. I really liked the fact that this game required us to have an open dialogue to express things we did not want to see play out in the game, I think this is an important aspect that should be included in all types of games. Our group was pretty open to anything with a rated R rating but we would not allow things like sexual assault, self-harm, etc. Once we completed the checklist, we rolled dice and took turns picking aspects like relationships, needs, locations, and objects.

Compared to last week’s game of Roll Player, I greatly enjoyed Fiasco more. Since the players have such a large degree of freedom in determining the course of the game the plot twists are both unexpected and humorous. I think that’s what I liked the most, never knowing what to expect next and laughing at whoever is currently establishing a scene. The only thing I struggled with the most was definitely the creativity aspect of the game. It is harder than you think to come up with ways to both keep the plot interesting but also ensure that it makes sense.

I think the most important leadership aspects in this game were trust, creativity, and active listening. Trust because you have to believe the other players won’t violate the consent checklist. Creativity and active listening because most of the game is playing off of what the other players do or say so you have to be present and engaged to help steer the narrative. It can also be argued that another leadership element is the fact that players get to decide who they want their characters to be in the beginning so free will is present. I would recommend this game to both friends and family because it seems like a game that could function as a fun night in or at a party.