All Night Breakfast at the Midnight Owl
At a Glance
All Night Breakfast at The Midnight Owl, is a solo role-playing game in which you are the creator and host of a supernatural investigation podcast. You have recently left the place you call home and moved to a sleepy and isolated town to investigate a number of strange occurrences in the hope of finding content for your podcast.
Your adventures play out through visiting locations in and around the town, collecting clues and evidence and keeping a journal. Optional podcast and map creation elements are also available if you wish to dive deeper into the world they create within the game.
The narrative involves themes of the supernatural, secrets and lies, and what it feels like to be an outsider in a tight-knit community. The setting of the game is inspired by the Pacific Northwest region of the USA, but can be adapted to take place in any part of the world. The general vibe is akin to shows like Twin Peaks, The X-Files and True Detective, though it doesn’t assume you are familiar with these shows.
If you have never played a journaling game before, it’s worth noting that there is no right or wrong way to tell your story. It can be a simple as bullet points on a sheet of paper, long form prose with sketches, or anything in between. You can also use digital apps to record your story. The main aim behind this game is that it inspires you to be creative.
34 page, 5.8 x 8.3 inch, full color, saddle-bound zine
Does not include access to digital version. Please reach out to the publisher with proof of purchase if you would like a digital version. This is not a guarantee.
Loved the diversity of content! I ended up playing twice, because the time I was halfway finished, I had a better idea for a character. I was a big fan of the endless options of outcomes, clues, locations, and the ability to use one's imagination if that suited you more than cards/dice. The game as a whole has an emphasis on personal creativity, whatever that means to you as a player; there was no pressure to write a 20-page essay for every round if I wasn't feeling a certain scenario, which really helped me stick through to the end. This was my first experience playing anything like this, and it definitely encouraged me to try other games out.
I would highly recommend this game to anyone else wanting to dip their toes into this format of gaming.
