Once Upon a Line (2024)

About this game

Since the dawn of time, YOU, the Zephyrhymes, take control of talented beings in order to stop Tragedies that threaten the balance of the universe. The Butterfly’s Breath On Earth, in a not too distant future, a pandemic has decimated most of the human population, leaving room for insects to become gigantic. The survivors exploit the insects’ prodigious abilities to construct a new world. But all that may soon crumble. Once Upon a Line is a narrative game played out in chapters. Embody heroes and use their actions to play on a board of scratch off ink. Uncover hidden words and take their corresponding cards. This will reveal the next part of the story as well as new words to find in order to accomplish your mission. Fully immerse yourself in a personalized adventure. Elude traps (riddles, anagrams, palindromes, etc.). Complete your Quest before scratching off the last square on the Line of Tragedy. —description from the designer

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 1 to 5. It has a designed solo mode.
• Rules load. At 2.7/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 14 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.