A couple of years ago, Wal-Mart was having a closeout on the game Fog of Love for something like $15 and, since I had seen a number of videos on the play, decided to take a chance.
Everything about this game was beautiful. The box was more sturdy than just about anything else I owned. The boards were wonderfully designed, the cards of nice quality and the tokens more than functional.
I skimmed the rules but decided we would mainly go through the first story which was designed to introduce the different concepts and rules for the game.
Karen and I sat down one afternoon, chose our characteristics, and were off. Right away, something just didn’t seem right. For those that don’t know, the game poses a series of questions and, depending on your answer, you advance or reduce different traits (it’s been a year or so since I’ve played so I may not be using the right terminology). These questions are to be answered as you thought your character would based on their personality characteristics, job, etc.
This is where we got stuffed up. Neither of us had ever played an RPG so we not only didn’t know how to roleplay but were almost uncomfortable with it. Every time we would answer a question, we’d start with how WE would do it and then go, no wait, and try to figure out how our character would move forward.
Then we would get into a fifteen minute discussion.
We did finish the game (unsuccessful in achieving our goals), looked at each other, and said “that was just too stressful”.
That is not to say this is a bad game (or, perhaps I should say “game”). It is absolutely beautiful and the design really is brilliant.
It just wasn’t for us.
So, one day not too long ago, we were having a games day at our daughter’s house with her and her boyfriend. At one point, I said to her “you know when people go “this tastes bad….here, you try it”?”
I pulled out the box and said “Here, this tasted bad to us, now you try it.”
Our daughter is a therapist by trade and her boyfriend is a regular D&D player, so the possibility that they are going to appreciate this game was infinitely higher.
We haven’t heard yet if they have tried it but I know the game has a potentially better home than it had with us.
