The world of roleplaying is MASSIVE. And it is gaining in popularity. This is in no small part due to the success of Critical Role and all their subsidiary projects. From the online campaigns to the new Amazon’s animes that have spawned from them. From the masterpiece of Dispatch bringing more eyes to Critical Role due the affiliations to the surge of popularity in DnD from Stranger Things. The point is, in recent years roleplaying has become something that captures the attention of more and more people. There are hundreds of roleplaying games to partake in. From DnD campaigns to Mork Borg, to Vampire The Masquerade. There is even a roleplaying game for Root. There really is an RPG for everyone these days. So where does Critical Sanctuary fit into all of this?
Critical Success…
So, I should preface this by letting you know that I have not actively participated in any kind of roleplay before. Of the safe for work variety at least. So, my experience with this game will likely be different from someone who has. But saying that, Critical Sanctuary’s strength lies in its appeal to newbs like me. It holds your hand, and it isn’t shy about doing so. I also played this with 2 of my friends who are professional actors and seasoned role-players. And experienced dungeon masters.
Critical Sanctuary uses the same kind of systems as Critical Foundation and is a small campaign that is spread out amongst 9 short session stories. The game introduces a session 0 where players will create their character and be introduced to the world their character lives in. They get a backstory and some lore and then the players are put into the first scenario. This process is all very smooth and seamless and isn’t overly complicated.
The first scenario also acts as a kind of tutorial which introduces the players to the mechanics of the game. It also helps them with what kind of options are available to them and lets them explore the playscape that is roleplaying. This is also a tutorial of sorts for the dungeon master (which was me) as it is their job to navigate the requests of the players and guide them in the right direction. The scenario is robust and intuitive and is recognisable as a location everyone can visualise. I appreciated this approach and it stayed clear of the stereotype of ‘you all meet in a tavern.’
Another thing that I loved in this game is the incredible component quality. It is obvious that the designers put a lot of love in this game. From the exceptional artwork, the immaculately written rules, lore, and scenario stories, to the little card holders on the DM’s screen for organisation – everything in Critical Sanctuary’s box has been lovingly put together.
Speaking of the DM’s screen it is worth mentioning that this box contains everything you need throughout the story. From character sheets, artwork cards, location cards, equipment cards etc. Where RPG systems are simply a big thick book that offload tons of information on you, Critical Sanctuary provides everything you and the players need – right inside the box.
One major thumbs up that I will give this game is an accolade I have not mentioned in any review since Mercado is that it has an alternative artworks for male and female versions of the playable characters. Little things like this are major props for me, I am all for simple things that help with inclusivity.
… or Critical Failure?
This game has been expertly put together. That much is clear. My only issues with Critical Sanctuary are those of a personal nature. Playing this game was the first time being a dungeon master. And whilst I appreciated the handholding nature, it was also a bit constraining. It is clear that it has been crafted by someone with experience as a DM, which, it would need to be. But it guides you in some ways, but not others. For example, ‘if the players do this, have them roll this kind of check, this is what happens if they succeed, this is what happens if they don’t’ which is fantastic. But then my friends would do something the booklet didn’t account for and they would ask me: ‘can I do this?.’ The answer to this question is always ‘yes.’ But being a novice DM, there were too many times when I felt as though I didn’t know how I could describe it and how it would relate to the world. Or another example is when they are asking an NPC something that they would 100% know the answer to, but I myself did not know the answer to, I had no idea how to approach this situation. Which is in no fault to the game itself, but it did make me feel embarrassed to the point of not wanting to finish the campaign myself as the DM.
Final Thoughts
Critical Sanctuary is a game crafted with love for the genre it is helping guide inexperienced players into. It has exceptional component quality and is very well written and presented. There really is a lot to love in this box. I also think it is genuinely a great stepping stone for players wanting to jump into the bigger, more grandiose RPG systems and worlds. My literal only caveat is that maybe the DM needs to be at least a little bit knowledgeable in the genre. Or you know, simply isn’t me. I think I would have taken a lot more from this experience if I were a player rather than the DM. But either way, it still achieved its ultimate goal of making me more interested in RPGs.
I really love the approach of this story. Having a set story set out in set sessions makes the approachability even higher. A lot of the well-known stories can feel intimidating to new players. For example, some of the Critical Role campaigns are 400+ hours long, whereas Critical Sanctuary distils the RPG experience into a handful of hours.
The nature of RPGs are also dependent on the people you chose to immerse in the world with. So, my advice would be to play any RPG with people you know well or creative people. Critical Sanctuary is also so approachable that I would even suggest using this as a fantastic way to introduce young gamers into the systems and dynamics of an RPG. All in all, I do recommend Critical Sanctuary. Whilst I didn’t vibe well with being a DM, I imagine if you know you will like being in that role, you will probably know already. If you have a game group looking to dip their toes into an RPG system or have young ones then this becomes a much easier recommendation.
