I sat quietly at the tail end of the night.
Two locations circled on my notepad. One lead that felt solid. Another that felt… off. I knew I couldn’t visit both. Not this time…
So I picked one. Flipped to the section number.
And just like that, I sealed off the other possibility and chose a new reality, for better or worse. That’s what got me.
Not just the combat, or the lore. It was the steady awareness that the path I was walking wasn’t the only one. Somewhere in Obsidian, scenes were unfolding without me. Conversations I’d never read. Endings I wouldn’t see. At least not in this run.
And instead of frustrating me, it hooked me.
I play a lot of games with brilliant themes and out of the box mechanics. But not all of them make me sit back mid-session and think along the lines of, “Alright… should I confront this character or keep following him instead?”
Harbor of Blight: Scenario Zero did.
Branching pathways only work when they're planned well. When each decision gently closes one door while opening another. When you can’t brute-force your way through everything in one go.
That kind of design asks you to commit. And I love that.
Because the more games I play, the more I realize I don’t just enjoy tight systems or smart puzzles. I enjoy variety. I enjoy stepping into formats that don’t unfold in a straight line and leave pieces unseen. Designers like Michael Parziale make space for that.
It would be easier to build something linear. But choosing to weave multiple threads together, knowing players will only see part of the tapestry each time, takes care.
With so many games live on crowdfunding campaigns right now, it’s great nice to see this solo RPG holding its own and getting the attention it deserves.
-Tas.
