The upcomingSunderfolkwill combine TTRPGs and video games in a whole new way, utilizing the strengths of both mediums. In particular, the team behindSunderfolkhas taken inspiration fromGloomhaven.
Secret Door’sSunderfolkis an upcoming fantasy title inspired byTTRPGs likeD&D 5e. The game will have players use their phones as controllers, akin to how TTRPG players have personal character sheets.Sunderfolkwill also have a DM-like narrator in Anjali Bhimani, who voices all the NPCs to replicate the vibe of a Game Master. Game Rant sat down with members of theSunderfolkteam, including game director Erin Marek, who spoke more about the title’s roots in titles such asGloomhaven.
How Gloomhaven Inspired Secret Door’s Sunderfolk
Gloomhavenis a tabletop board gamethat takes 1–4 players through a dungeon-crawler campaign, with hex-grid combat inspired by the gameplay of modern eurogames. With its multiple character classes, tactical combat, fantasy setting, and character sheets,Gloomhavencertainly resemblesD&D, but it’s a wholly different experience for multiple reasons. Not only doesGloomhavenhandle its campaigns without the direction of a DM, differing entirely in how mechanics are interfaced with, but the game handles RNG through its ability cards rather than dice.
In these respects,Sunderfolkis very similar toGloomhaven.Sunderfolkhas a DMin the sense that it has Bhimani as a narrator, but no player takes up the mantle of dungeon master. Moreover, Marek spoke about how ability cards in specific made their way intoSunderfolk:
“Very tangibly, we were inspired by ability cards in Gloomhaven. It was an elegant way to keep that board game feel in Sunderfolk and lean into something that fans of the genre would be familiar with. But at the same time, we knew we wanted to take the spirit of these elements and attempt to simplify in the right places to make it faster to grok for new players.”
One of the major appeals of virtual tabletops is the simplification of complex rules that players have to learn with TTRPGs.A tabletop RPG rulebookcan be hundreds of pages long, demanding frequent referencing that can be disruptive and confusing for newcomers wishing to enjoy a game among friends.Sunderfolkcertainly made a good move by leaning into the relative simplicity and accessibility of its video game format.
Sunderfolk Stands Out With Its Board Game Influences
Gloomhavenalso influenced the tactical elements ofSunderfolk, with Marek explaining that the team spent some timeplayingGloomhavento look at what makes the tactics genre great but also look for areas that can be difficult for new players. This breakdown, as well as Marek and the team’s experience, helped shape many tactical elements of Sunderfolk:
“While I’m a huge board game fan, massive turn-based tactics video gamer, and have been game-mastering TTRPGs for 20 years, I found myself struggling to get friends committed to some of the bigger, more complex tactics turn-based board games. So that was always a voice in the back of our heads, reminding us to see not just what could be in Sunderfolk, but how we could iterate those elements to entice those who normally would be intimidated by these kinds of games.”
Furthermore, the use of cards plays to the board game audience, who may be even more familiar withcouch co-op gamesthan TTRPG fans, given the rise of remote play. This separatesSunderfolkfrom games that adapt existing TTRPG systems rather than create their own, as those games are more likely to incorporate dice to reflect the games they’re based on.
