FTW Staff Picks - Fog of Love

A few years back when ...and then we held hands was making waves on the indie scene, there was a piquing interest in a romantic-themed tabletop game. And while held hands was far more of an abstract idea, Fog of Love expands upon the idea making it into a full-fledged 90+ minute experience. But it's one thing to theorize translating romantic-comedy into an actual board game, and another to implement the idea. And while Fog of Love is far from perfect, it proves that there is space for every type of theme in the table top world. 

In Fog of Love, two players work through a romantic relationship taking on the roles of each partner. Both players are to role-play their characters as they are designed in the setup, with varying distinct characteristics, jobs and expectations. Fog of Love is not entirely cooperative as each player is working toward achieving their own individual Destiny. In every Love Story, there is the possibility of having both players win, both players lose or one player wins, while the other loses. Each Love Story is divided into 3 or 4 Chapters which contain different Scenes that both players will make decisions on. The results of each Scene will affect the 8 different Personality Dimensions. These Dimensions will determine whether players are able to achieve their goals. After the final Chapter, both players reveal their Destinies to determine the outcome of the game.

While it may feel at times like Fog Of Love is no more than a "choose-your-own-adventure" book adapted into a board game, there's a surprisingly deep layer of gameplay to be found here. The biggest emphasis the game makes is its roleplaying element. It is easy to forget that you're playing as a character at times, instead of making these decisions as yourself. But the game really comes together when both players are fully immersed in the experience. The Scenes are a little cheesy, but there are a few surprisingly mature decisions to make. At the end of the day, Fog of Love looks to replicate RomComs and with that in consideration it does a very good job.

We originally covered Fog of Love in our Most Anticipated Games feature. While we were very hesitant around its Kickstarter campaign, we ultimately decided the hype surrounding the game was too much to pass up. We're happy to have recently added this 2-player affair into our Library as its quite the immersive play. Thematically, it's perfect for a board game cafe which sees many dates. The different Love Stories help give players a reason to come back and try a new narrative. It is reminiscent to something like T.I.M.E. Stories, but I honestly find Fog of Love far better in every way. It's a game that everyone should try, as there is really nothing quite like it.