Dread is a tabletop roleplaying game in which players are led by a DM on a pre-scripted quest where player actions require them to draw blocks from a Jenga tower. If the tower collapses, the character whose player was drawing the block dies.
Overall, there are some very strong aspects of this game. First, players create their characters using pre-written character sheets. These character sheets ask leading questions that will pull players in different directions as they craft their characters. However, the questions are open-ended enough that players have the capacity to create their own unique backstories and are free to roleplay within the broad constraints of their characters.
Next, the character sheets are crucial for the actual roleplay. Players are forced to draw blocks from the Jenga tower whenever the DM deems that one of their actions would be a “challenge” for their character. For example, a navigator character may have the skills to steer a ship through an asteroid field without drawing a block, but would have to draw a block in order to defeat an opponent with a sword. This mechanic allows for there to be real consequences for players based on the back stories that they came up with for their character’s, which serves to enrich the roleplaying experience.
Next, the Jenga tower itself is a powerful element in the game. By nature, the Jenga tower causes the tension to be ever increasing as the game progresses, leading to the inevitable sense of dread (where the game gets its name), as players take more and more actions throughout the game, each one riskier than the last. Even if the Jenga tower never collapses, it serves as a powerful source of tension for each game.
One place where Dread may fall a little short is in the heavy reliance on improv. There are no dice rolls in Dread, and neither are there maps, player stats, or anything else that might help to “gamify” the roleplay experience. Rather, the players must rely on the ability of the DM to guide them through the experience, and their own improved skills to make the game enjoyable. This creates a necessarily higher barrier to entry for players who might not be comfortable or familiar with role playing games.
One source of tension here is that, while players have a lot of control over their characters, there is no real time to get to know their characters before the game starts (unless players choose to prep their character sheets before they actually sit down to play). In practice, this might lead to some more difficulty improving, especially at the beginning of the game, as players still don’t know their characters very well.
Ultimately, Dread is a fun tabletop roleplaying game whose unique use of the Jenga tower to build stakes leads to a tense and exciting experience.
