How Sunderfolk's Game Master Brings a "Storybook Feel" to…

Sunderfolk is taking the conventions of fantasy TTRPGs and thrusting them into the world of video games. To accomplish this, Sunderfolk will not only make use of an innovative phone-controller UI but will also introduce its own interpretation of the dungeon master role.

Secret Door's upcoming Sunderfolk is a tactical fantasy RPG with some unique draws to boot. A title with a couch co-op focus, Sunderfolk will have players make use of their phones to control the game, an effort to mimic the use of character sheets in TTRPG play. The game will also introduce its own take on the DM role, though not in a way traditional for the TTRPG medium. The Best War Games recently sat down with members of the game's team—including game director Erin Marek—who spoke about how Sunderfolk's DM works and how it'll bring a "storybook feel" to the title.

Sunderfolk's DM Narrator Explained

Sunderfolk has a DM of sorts, though no player is required to take on the role. This fact itself separates Sunderfolk from the TTRPG experience to a degree, as the ability to create, describe, and direct the world of a TTRPG campaign is a major part of the medium.

Sunderfolk goes the extra mile to replicate the 'vibe' of players interacting with a dungeon master. Anjali Bhimani, who's previously starred in games like Apex Legends, Overwatch, and Avowed and has featured in multiple Critical Role projects, plays the DM of Sunderfolk. Not only does she narrate the player's actions, but she also gives every NPC their own voice just as a DM typically would. Marek explains the role that Bhimani's performance plays in the execution of Sunderfolk's TTRPG-style fantasy:

"For our game, it made even more sense since we were attempting to bring in folks who have never played games like this. Having a singular narrator helps familiarize them with the kinds of gameplay, stories, and experiences they might have if they played TTRPGs. The game master concept in Sunderfolk is just another way to try to make that element a little more approachable and understandable."

Aside from Sunderfolk's mobile-based controls, the GM narrator is perhaps the most important aspect in its efforts to replicate the atmosphere of playing TTRPGs. In this respect, TTRPGs are like no other medium because of the goofiness inherent to hearing a friend try to put on distinct voices for every NPC./ This is, of course, matched with the sincere glee of bringing characters to life through collaborative storytelling.

What Sunderfolk's DM Brings To The Table

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Given that Sunderfolk's DM is more like a narrator than a typical game master, this aspect also produces a unique feeling that's all the game's own. Marek explains how those unfamiliar with how TTRPGs work will still be able to relate to the "storybook feel" of Sunderfolk's DM narrator, something that blends extraordinarily well with the game's anthropomorphic animal-centric world. Marek notes:

"I am a game master, and I run with a group every Saturday. The idea for this kind of hit me when I was running one of my sessions. I walked myself into a corner where I unfortunately had two NPCs who needed to converse with each other. This can be tricky for players to follow, so on the fly, I gave them both ridiculous voices to make sure it was clear which was speaking when.

The players had a good laugh about it, and we all kind of shared this special moment of realizing we’re all just playing make-believe together. Unless you’re a TTRPG player, this is something many folks never get a chance to experience. I wanted to bring that feeling into Sunderfolk. There’s a certain storybook feel, a harkening to the child inside us, with having a game master who voices every character."

Sunderfolk's narrator carries several substantial benefits for the game: Bhimani's performance enriches the experience with a DM-like presence and frees up the cognitive load of the DM role so that players can immerse themselves in its strategic turn-based gameplay.

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