To begin this week’s review, I will admit that while I have played a number of solo games over the years You Were Made: A Solo Journaling RPG is unique in my spectrum of experience.
So to define this one I went to the Kickstarter teaser page
where it stated “You Were Made is a minimalist, rules-light solo
role-playing game crafted to inspire introspective storytelling and creative
journaling.
“You take on the role of an Echoform, a synthetic
being built by humanity in its final days. Not a servant, not a conqueror, but
a vessel of memory.”
At this point I was thinking Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot, and
there is a sense of that here, you play a construct which is on something of a
path of self discovery – with a somewhat understated but also apparent element
of learning something of yourself in the process.
Canadian designer
So this one is from Canadian designer Deny Trudel – as
regular readers will know that’s a bonus in my books, and Trudel was good
enough to answer some questions via email for this one.
An obvious question was why a solo RPG where journaling is
its core?
“Over the last few years, I’ve been encouraged to journal
for mental health and mindfulness, but I could never really get into it,”
offered Trudel. “I’d sit there staring at the page, scribbling a few mundane
thoughts, then just stall out.
“So instead, I built myself a journaling game engine
(complete with lore) to help me write through a narrative lens. And that
actually worked. It felt like I was keeping a diary from the perspective of a
sentient android, but somehow the process still let me explore my own emotions
and experiences. I was packaging my own stuff into a story and it felt honest
and fulfilling.
“And since making stuff is literally what I do, I decided to
turn that little journaling tool into a real game. You Were Made is my first
full-fledged TTRPG. I’d done Kickstarter once before (two years ago) for
Little Worlds Dice, a line of polyhedral dice sets. It was successful, but the
production headaches and the intense competition kind of drained the joy out of
it. This time, I wanted to make something personal. Something I was proud of.
And it gave me the chance to source most of the materials locally (or
semi-locally. lol), which honestly feels like a huge win.”
Not surprisingly there is a lot of Trudel within the game.
“From the start, I wanted You Were Made to touch on some of
the philosophical and psychological themes that mattered to me at the time,”
Trudel said. “I tend to build ideas around overarching concepts, and I knew
early on that I didn’t want combat in the game.
“I also scrapped the XP system pretty quickly.
“What I really wanted was a game that gave space for
reflection, something that let players explore feelings like loss, uncertainty,
and quiet resilience in a world designed for introspection.
“Based on the play-tester feedback I’ve received, I think I
managed to hit that emotional core. And honestly, that core is what holds the
entire experience together. Without it, the game wouldn’t work.
“But I also wanted it to be fun. A creative tool that’s easy
to jump into (just a d20, the prompt deck, and a journal) and go. The kind of
game that invites you to tell beautiful stories and slowly build your own
little world. And really, bottom line, making stuff is just plain fun!”
At this point I will note my experience with this one has
been more superficial than I would like. Now maybe if I were at a secluded
cabin for a couple of weeks You Were Made would be a good fit, but summer is
busy and extra writing journaling is not a good fit. But, the taste was still
intriguingly sweet and I am looking forward to winter when time for such an
endeavour will be more readily available.
When asked what players can expect Trudel noted,
“Simplicity. Reflection. Creative sparks to keep the story moving. At its
heart, You Were Made is a journaling game and journaling remains the core of
the experience. But the game surrounding it is intentionally solid, even if it
leans into simplicity by design.
“I also put a lot of thought into supporting that journaling
with a lightweight power system: Fragments. They serve two roles: 1) boosting
your rolls and 2) acting as a kind of currency to “buy” special cards that
shift, enhance, or twist the narrative. The goal was to give your mind
something to grab onto, something to play with, without bogging you down in a
bunch of rules or mechanics. If I did my job right, you won’t need to
reference the instructions for long. More importantly, I wanted the game to feel
freeing, not like a set of rules you have to obey, but a set of tools you can
use however you want. The ultimate goal was to create something that opens the
door for the writer, not something that locks them in.”
Therein lies the flexibility to be yourself as a gamer and
that is important.
Some RPGers will no doubt lament that there are no battles,
yet might you recall fragments that harkened back to battles? Who can say what
others might discover as the journey is the players own.
In the designer’s mind what is the best element of
the game and why?
“At the heart of You Were Made is an emotional core that’s
all about healing through memory,” said Trudel. “The adventure deck (the prompt
cards) does a great job of tapping into those universal feelings that tend to
linger and resurface as we get older. It’s therapeutic without being therapy.
It gives you space to sit with your thoughts, to process, without ever feeling
clinical.
“On a more practical note, I’m in love with the art. I
worked with an amazing illustrator to craft the visual identity of the game,
and I think we landed on something really special. I honestly couldn’t pick a
favourite piece, but the artwork ties the whole experience together. It brings
emotional weight and presence to the game, and when you sit down with the
cards, the die, the tokens, it just feels good. There’s a real tactile joy to
it.
“Almost all of the components are sourced here in Canada,
too, with just a few exceptions (tokens from the UK, packaging from the U.S.).
Being able to keep production close to home has made the whole thing feel even
more grounded and intentional and helps support the Canadian economy during a
difficult time.”
Trudel likes some of the elements built into the game to
broaden the experience too.
“I think our dual Fragment system is one of the more unique
aspects of You Were Made. Fragments serve a dual purpose: they’re both a
power-up and a currency, which forces the player to make meaningful decisions.
Do you hold onto them to boost your rolls? Or spend them to twist the story
with special cards? That tension adds a nice layer of strategy to what’s
otherwise a very introspective game.
“One of my key design goals was to build in multiple layers
of choice. First, you draw a prompt: that’s your predetermined event. Then you
choose how to respond: that’s personal agency. And finally, you roll to see how
it resolves: introducing a bit of luck. That middle step, that choice, is
critical. It ensures that the game isn’t just a prompt deck, and it’s not just
a dice fest either. It’s a blend of structure and freedom, giving players space
to shape their own story while still feeling the push and pull of chance.”
As for what is the most unique mechanic within the rules,
Trudel said, “I think of our specialty cards as the spice that kicks the
flavour up a notch: Companions, Paradoxes, and Code Augments. Each one adds its
own dimension to how the game unfolds.
“Companions let you shift your point of view: You get to
respond to a prompt through another voice, another lens. Someone who sees the
world differently than your Echoform might. Paradoxes are the wild cards:
They throw a wrench into your instinctual response, forcing you to answer in a
way that feels off, inverted, or emotionally messy.
“Code Augments are your upgrades: They stick around and
grant special permissions that reshape how you play. For example, letting you
draw three cards and pick the one that resonates most. They’re core tools
that deepen the narrative and open up new angles for play.”
Now this game will not be for all. If you are not a writer
at all this may be a hard pass.
But, if you like to think a bit differently about things,
and enjoy keeping a diary or writing stories, well here is a framework to work
within while still offering creative flexibility.
Watch for this one on Kickstarter as it might be just the
winter escapism you need.
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