Story of Many: Honest & Precise Prototype Review.
A Vast Open-World Adventure
Story of Many takes players on an epic journey through the sprawling lands of Varda. Designed for 1-4 players, this cooperative fantasy adventure game offers a rich blend of exploration, storytelling, and tactical combat. From dense rainforests to treacherous dungeons, every region you traverse offers new challenges and discoveries. The freedom to roam, uncover lore, and influence the story through branching paths makes the game a true open-world experience. The sheer size of the map, combined with diverse regions like eldritch cities and uncharted islands, ensures no two journeys feel the same. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or new to the genre, the world of Story of Many promises endless exploration.
A Narrative-Rich Experience
One of the standout features of Story of Many is its deep, immersive storytelling. With over 400,000 words of adventure text, the game offers a narrative on par with some of the best tabletop RPGs. Players are constantly faced with hard choices that impact the outcome of their adventure. As you progress, you’ll unravel intricate lore tied to the world of Varda, its inhabitants, and the forces threatening it. The branching storylines give you a real sense of agency, with decisions shaping not just your path but the fates of entire regions. This attention to narrative detail adds significant replayability, as different choices lead to varying outcomes, making each playthrough feel unique.
Complex and Rewarding Combat
Combat in Story of Many is fast-paced, tactical, and often unforgiving. Players face off against more than 200 unique enemies, each bringing its own mechanics and strategies. Dice play a crucial role in determining outcomes, but it’s not just about luck—players must use their character’s abilities and equipment to gain the upper hand. Combat is not only about surviving; it’s a rewarding way to develop your characters, as defeating enemies earns experience points that can be used to enhance abilities. The use of miniatures also adds a visual layer to the combat, giving each battle a tactile, immersive feel. With fresh encounters every session, the game ensures that combat stays exciting and varied.
Deep Character Development
Where Story of Many truly shines is in its character progression system. With 10 entirely distinct classes to choose from—ranging from the divine Paladin to the stealthy Rogue—no two characters play the same. Each class features its own skill trees, abilities, and unique gameplay style. But it doesn’t stop there: the development system allows for vast customization. Players can unlock abilities, traits, spells, and trigger actions through an interconnected web of nodes. This makes character progression feel expansive yet intuitive, allowing players to build characters that suit their preferred playstyle. The level of depth in character customization is one of the richest in the board gaming genre, making Story of Many a standout title for those who love tactical RPG elements.
Unique Races and Worldbuilding
The world of Varda is populated by a wide range of unique races, from the powerful psychic Gorudu to the undead Nekrians and the wild-cat-like Silph. These races, combined with a host of human factions, contribute to the rich worldbuilding that makes Story of Many so compelling. The game’s attention to detail in creating diverse cultures, regions, and species adds layers of depth to the narrative. Each race has its own lore, which can be uncovered through exploration and interaction. This worldbuilding enhances the immersive experience, giving players the sense that they are part of a living, breathing world.
Challenging and Dynamic Exploration
Exploration is at the core of Story of Many, and the game is designed to capture the thrill of discovery. Players will navigate through interconnected regions, each with its own set of challenges and opportunities. The choices you make during exploration not only impact the immediate game but have long-term consequences on the world around you. From discovering ancient ruins to battling hostile creatures in the wilderness, every step feels meaningful. The dynamic nature of the exploration mechanics ensures that even familiar regions hold new surprises on subsequent playthroughs, keeping the game fresh and engaging.
Rich and Intuitive Item System
In Story of Many, your heroes won’t just rely on their abilities; they will also be equipped with an array of items to help them survive. Weapons, armor, potions, herbs, and special cards (such as general and class spheres) all play a role in enhancing your character’s capabilities. The item system is robust yet intuitive, allowing players to quickly grasp how different gear can be combined to maximize effectiveness in combat. The abundance of equipment available ensures that you can tailor your loadout to your specific playstyle, whether you prefer brute strength, magic, or a balanced approach.
Stunning Miniatures and Artwork
A game of this scale wouldn’t be complete without high-quality components, and Story of Many delivers. The beautifully sculpted miniatures bring characters and enemies to life on the board, enhancing the visual appeal of battles and exploration. The artwork is equally impressive, with detailed illustrations that capture the diverse landscapes, races, and factions of Varda. The combination of intricate miniatures and evocative art creates a highly immersive aesthetic, drawing players deeper into the world as they explore its many regions.
High Replayability
With its branching storylines, diverse character classes, and vast open-world map, Story of Many offers immense replayability. Each playthrough presents new challenges and outcomes, driven by the choices players make during exploration and combat. The wealth of customization options for characters also means that you can try different classes, builds, and strategies in each game. Whether you’re revisiting familiar regions or encountering new enemies for the first time, Story of Many always has something fresh to offer. This makes it a game that can be played over and over without losing its appeal.
A Game for Dedicated Players
It’s worth noting that Story of Many is not a casual game. The depth of its mechanics, the complexity of its character development system, and the intricacy of its narrative all demand a certain level of commitment from players. This is a game that rewards those willing to invest time and effort into mastering its systems. However, once you get past the initial learning curve, the game becomes deeply rewarding. For players who enjoy complex, story-driven games with tactical elements, Story of Many is an experience that is well worth the effort.
Verdict
Story of Many is an ambitious game that successfully blends open-world exploration, deep storytelling, and tactical combat into a cohesive experience. It takes what’s best from video games like Baldur’s Gate and Skyrim, and mixes with the elements taken from the best campaign board games on the market, spicing it up with some fresh ideas. Its vast character progression system and richly detailed world offer a depth rarely seen in board games. While the game may require a bit of a learning curve, especially for those unfamiliar with RPG-like systems, it more than compensates with its rewarding gameplay and narrative depth. If you’re a fan of fantasy adventure games, tactical combat, or rich storytelling, Story of Many is a game that will keep you engaged for hours on end, and it’s a journey well worth taking.– David
– David
Hype & Hopes: 8.0/10
