Hand Limit: Gaming In Real Life

Hand Limit is going through a lot of growth in recent weeks. We held our first in-person event, launched a Patreon, and announced our first steps into physical print with our new Hand Limit zine. 

We are also gearing up for some more input from the wider Hand Limit Collective. This will take the form of gaming-inspired artwork, articles covering cosy video-games, and reviews of TTRPG Actual Play podcasts. 

With all this exciting new material we put our heads together to come up with a suitable tagline for Hand Limit. We wanted something that clearly stated our intentions and incorporated our core values, but didn't take up a whole paragraph. That wouldn't make for a snappy tagline. If you want to read more about our core values, I recommend taking a moment to check out our About Us page.

Hand Limit stands for a lot of things; we believe in equality, equity, and inclusion, we believe trans rights are human rights, and black lives matter, and we believe in the rights of people with disabilities. We believe in making an inclusive space. We believe that engaging in the act of unproductive play as an adult in a capitalist society is an inherently rebellious act and is therefore political. Most prominently of all we believe in the power of tabletop games to improve mental health and promote community bonds, and a big part of this is the tangible nature of the hobby.

Considering this, we have decided that the tagline for Hand Limit should be "Gaming In Real Life". 

The University of Bath reports that "Loneliness is one of the most significant challenges faced by Western Societies in the 21st century... In the UK, surveys suggest that one in ten people are 'lonely', with loneliness being linked to ill health and premature mortality."

We are living in an increasingly digital age with more of our time than ever before spent consuming social media. However, the AMA Journal of Ethics states that "documented internet use patterns suggest that the internet increases loneliness." It cites an early study of the internet and psychological well-being found that greater use was linked to a decline in communication with family members, a decreasing social circle, and an increase in depression and loneliness. Loneliness, it states, "can be defined as the feeling we get when our need for rewarding social contact and relationships is not met."

While digital technology can "offer connectedness, companionship, and community membership", it cannot be ignored that problematic use of the internet, or internet addiction, is on the rise at the same time as loneliness. 

Tabletop games can offer a remedy to this by offering an opportunity for in-person interaction that has clearly defined parameters. Strangers occupying the same space and engaging in a shared activity, especially one that promotes playfulness, creates a space in which rewarding social contact can be achieved. Writing for meeplelikeus.co.uk, Michael Heron highlights that table top games provide "a healthy way for people to spend mindful time with each other." 

Heron goes on to say that "everything about a board game has a focus on the people around the table... games do it through a conduit that lessens social anxiety." Tabletop games provide a focal point, a common ground, to encourage the players around the table to interact with each other in ways that other social activities such as drinking in the pub or going to the cinema do not. 

Then there's the simple fact that play in both children and adults is a healing activity that allows growth of character. We explore the world around us through the act of play, which provides us with a testing ground for our own actions. It lifts the weight of responsibility, even for a short while, and allows us all to engage in the fantastic, rather than the mundane. This act builds social bonds between us in ways that others take much longer to do. I have already written about how playing board games with strangers offers you a much faster insight into the inner-workings of other people around the table than traditional small-talk enables. How someone acts around the table in both cooperative or competitive situations, provides us with a much better grasp of how someone is likely to behave outside of play. This takes away a great deal of anxiety that people may feel in situations where they are getting to know new people.

Aside from the real-life social element of tabletop games, there is the physicality of the actual games. While online gaming can still offer a sense of community and connectivity, the very real, tangible nature of board games provides a sensory experience that even the most advanced virtual reality cannot replicate. The tactile nature of most board games provides a connection to the real world that boosts a player's sense of wellbeing, and of being present in the moment. 

The digital world can all-to-often feel unreal and disconnected from reality, whereas tabletop games provide a connection to fantasy and imagination, while also being grounded in the physical world. Pieces can be touched, picked up, even tasted if you are so inclined and have the owner's permission. The realness of tabletop games, even theater-of-the-mind TTRPGs, connects players to each other, to their physical location, and to the game itself in ways the digital realm cannot. By being grounded in reality, tabletop games create a space for mindfulness, connectivity, and a sense or presence that boosts our mental health and tackles feelings of social isolation.

All this being considered, it feels pertinent that Hand Limit's tagline should be:

Gaming In Real Life

Review: The Fox In The Forest Duet - A fox took a stroll through the deep, dark wood

The Fox In The Forest: Duet by Foxtrot Games is a cooperative trick taking card game that sees players immersed in a fairy tale world, finding their way through a fantasy forest, and collecting gems along the way. 

Fans of the original The Fox In The Forest will recognise the core gameplay of playing cards to win, or lose, a trick. However, in this cooperative version the winner of the trick will advance a token along a forest board in one of two directions, and collecting any available gems on the adjacent location. Players have three rounds to try and collect all the gems without the forest path shrinking beyond four spaces, which happens should players ever stray too far in any one direction and at the end of each round. 

For those unfamiliar with trick taking games, players take it in turns to play cards, the highest value in the lead suit played wins the "trick". Player one will play any card, which indicates the lead suit and the value to beat, while player two must play a card from that lead suit if they have one, or another suit if they don't. The lead suit always trumps another suit played unless that other suit matches a "decree" card that is visible to all players. As in The Fox In The Forest, some cards also grant additional actions such as choosing the direction of travel on the forest board, or choosing to ignore a certain amount of movement allowance.

The Fox In The Forest: Duet creates a satisfying and challenging cooperative experience. Players cannot discuss tactics or what cards they have, so the challenge comes from the ability to work wordlessly with your partner to traverse the forest, choosing when to win and when to lose, to ensure that you never stray too far from the path. The gameplay feels smooth and while there is a satisfying amount of tension involved, it creates a calming atmosphere thanks to the lovely illustrations and theme. 

A big problem that I often have when it comes to more abstract games is the question of "why". In more thematic games this is less of a problem, there's usually some story line that sets up the intentions of the characters that the players control, but in The Fox In The Forest: Duet the purpose of the game feels clear.

For a price tag of around £15, the game is well worth the expense and offers plenty of replayability. When we first got it out of the box we played two games back to back (one win, one lose) and it left me wanting more. The addition of the forest path board and movement counter was a nice touch and helps the game stand out from the basic The Fox In The Forest.

5 Games That Take Up A Surprising Amount of Table Space

I know you can never judge a game by its box, but usually you can judge the scale of the game from the size of the box. Place a hefty Twilight Imperium or Gloomhaven down on a table and players will instantly brace themselves for a meaty game with lots of pieces, boards, tables, and figures. However, today we're looking at 5 games that come in deceptively small boxes but take up as much space on the table as a big box game.

Tiny Epic Dungeons - Gamelyn Games

We seem to always end up writing about the Tiny Epic series, but that's just because of how many boxes they seem to tick. In this case, Tiny Epic Dungeons ticks the box of being a table-filler. Arriving in a deceptively small box, you would be wise not to underestimate quite how much space this randomly generated dungeon crawl is.

In TE Dungeons, players race to find and battle a number of evil minions in the form of minotaurs, ogres, giant spiders, and more, to unlock the door to the boss' lair before their torchlight runs out and they are plunged into darkness. As Dungeon Crawls go the game is a perfect example of how the genre can be streamlined to just the basics and remain an engaging experience. The combat is satisfying, the loot rewarding, and the enemies deadly. The base game comes with a large number of different enemies to face and characters to play as, each with their own abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. We've had a copy for a few years now and it is one of the more regularly played titles, but no two games have ever felt alike.

This is a table filler of a game, and as the dungeon expands it's likely you'll wish you sat at a bigger table.

Tranquility - James Emmerson

Tranquility by James Emmerson comes in a delightfully small box, with some truly gorgeous artwork, but, you guessed it, takes up a surprising amount of table space. The cards, each sharing a similar footprint to the box, are arranged into a 6x6 grid pattern over the course of the game. This space is marked out at the start with a border of artwork cards, essentially extending the table space required to 7x7 of the box size, which I think beats Gloomhaven, or any of the 'havens, in box-to-table ratio (no I haven't measured this exactly).

Tranquility deserves this level of table space, however, as it is a beautiful and mindful experience. Albiet a very tricky one to get right. Players take turns laying cards down to fill the aforementioned grid with island pictures as you guide a sailor peacefully back home. The catch is that all cards must be placed in ascending order, providing a bit of intuition and guess work to keep things interesting. The game guide also recommends playing the game in silence, or next to silence, to enhance the peaceful tones of the game.

Bandido

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Bandido is another tile placement game and it really feels like the theme for games that take up an unexpected amount of space require some form of tile placement. In this game, players cooperate to thwart the escape attempts of the titular Bandido as he tunnels his way out of prison. Players will place cards in turn, with limited communication, to guide the tunnels to dead ends, eventually closing off all open ends.

Because the tunnels are randomly generated, there is absolutely no way of knowing at the start of the game which direction it's likely to sprawl off in. Meaning that no matter where you place the starting tile, by about halfway through you'll be desperately trying to reconfigure the table to accommodate the chaotic tunnels.

The pocket-sized nature of this game could easily lull you into the false idea that it would be perfect for a quick game in a cafe. And while that is certainly possible, be prepared to panic when the drinks arrive and they have to be strategically placed around the table!

Lord of the Rings: Duel For Middle Earth

While the other games so far on this list have almost pocket-sized boxes, LOTR Duel is a little bigger from the start. However, we still feel like this game is surprising in the amount of space it takes up, and with good reason.

In LOTR Duel, 2 players take on the roles of the forces of Mordor and the free peoples of Middle Earth in a race for supremacy. Much like its older cousin 7 Wonders Duel, there are multiple ways to win this race. You can focus on uniting the various races, progressing the quest of the ring (or the Ring Wraiths if you are Mordor), or simple military might. It is a terrific game that has done amazingly in condensing the 3 different win conditions into a single game, where each one could have existed in its own right. 

The board itself is only about as large as the game box but the real table hog comes from the card drafting. Cards are laid out in each of the 3 chapters of the game in a configuration that restricts what cards can be drafted at any one time. In a layout that resembles a tarot reading, cards are laid over each other to form shapes that slowly diminish as cards are revealed and drafted.

LOTR Duel is a brilliant game that had us hooked from the beginning, but you'll definitely need more space than the box suggests.

Any TTRPG

Not all Table Top Role Playing Games are created equal. Some are like Lasers & Feelings, requiring little more than a notebook, a pen, some dice, snacks, drinks, fidget toys for those that need them, GM notes, maybe a GM screen. Others, like Dungeons & Dragons, require all that plus the many source books required for playing each scenario, battle maps, miniatures, etc.

Our years playing TTRPGs have taught us one thing, there is never quite enough room for everything that's needed. Players and their bits and bobs, like water, always seem to expand to fill the space they have. Why do you think character sheets always get stuff spilled on them?

Hand Limit 2025 Event: Canterbury Pride Board Game Club Update

With only a few days to go, we are all very excited to host our first ever Hand Limit event. Everything now has been pretty much organised and we're confident that it's going to be a fun day for all.  We've had an incredible response to our marketing campaign with many people telling us that they will be along on the day to play some of the games on offer. On the day we will have seating for about 50 people, which we originally thought would be plenty, but considering the feedback we have received we are now looking at options for overflow seating. However the day turns out, what we consider most important is that everyone who comes has a great time.

Attendees are welcome to bring their own games or make use of our library. We are working on compiling the list of games that will be available on the day and so far have reached about 90 options. These range from fun party games, games for children, and more advanced games for adults who are more familiar with gaming as a hobby. Dice & Destiny will also be demoing games on the day if you fancy giving something new a try and would benefit from being lead through the rules. Our volunteers  will also be happy to recommend games and help get you settled.

Canterbury Pride is a great event every year with the whole community getting together to celebrate LGBTQ+ people and support each other. It feels like now more than ever it is important to be able to be proud of who you are and recognise the struggle of LGBTQ+ people all over the world. It is our aim to compliment the main Pride event by offering a calm, welcoming, and relaxing space for people who need a break from the sights and sounds of the day. Board games are an incredibly powerful tool for building and strengthening community bonds, and we hope that everyone who attends will feel the benefit to this and their mental wellbeing.

We've had some terrific contributions to our tombola ranging from tickets to an immersive Grease show in London, a voucher for a tattoo at Drawn and Quartered in Canterbury, vouchers for Inspire Fitness, plus board games and some Warhammer models for the miniatures enthusiasts among us. All money raised from this tombola and from donations throughout the day will go to supporting the BeYou Project, which supports LGBTQ+ youth in the Kent area.

We have also confirmed accessibility arrangements for the venue. There is a fairly steep step up to the coffee shop, which some people may find difficult. If this is the case, our guests are advised to ring the doorbell and a member of staff will come and deploy the access ramp.

If you are unable to make it on the day, but still wish to show your support, our Just Giving page is now live and accepting donations.

We are very excited to see you there on the day but if you have any questions beforehand, please get in touch with us in the comments below or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website.

Gaming the System: Changing the World One Game at a Time

"Playing political board games as if it really mattered" was the promise from Gaming The System's website. It further explained: "Games are not reality but sometimes provide a representation of the forces and power at play in society." 

Gaming the System is a Canterbury-based board gaming group that meets twice a month at The Long Rest gaming cafe and promises the prospect, as stated above, of playing games through a political lens. That is not to say that all the games they play are explicitly political, only they are choosing to look deeper beneath the surface at what lessons the games we play may teach us, from climate change to LGBTQ+ history. 

I was lucky enough to be invited along to their most recent meet up by one of their members, Rea, and the evening did not disappoint. I was introduced to many lovely members and had the opportunity to play Molly House, a game about the secret gay clubs of Victorian London. It was a great experience and I really enjoyed the opportunity to play something that was not only entertaining but provided an insight into the struggles of the LGBTQ+ scene in the 18th century. Conversation was enthusiastic and varying, and without having known each other more than an hour previously, all the players around the table were working together to create joy for the miniature gay community. Albeit we did have a couple of traitors around the table (I admit, I was one of them - I do love chaos). It was a perfect example of how board games give people the space and structure to meet new people and open conversation on larger subjects.

"Just don't ask us to define what we mean by political," said one of their members when asked. They went on to say that games offer the opportunity to build dialogue across political divides and allow for the exchange of ideas in a safe environment and one that encourages empathy.

As a believer that politics is morality in practice, I couldn't agree more that board games have the power to raise political questions, and the playing of games can even be seen as a political act in itself. I have written before about Play as an Act of Rebellion, and I truly believe that everything we do, especially that which affects others around us, can be seen as an act of politics (with a lower-case p).

I think what Gaming the System is doing is fantastic and shows genuine thought and understanding of the table top hobby. Board games are escapism and entertainment, yes, but they can also be a social tool to develop community and promote positive well being. The more groups like this, the stronger the local and global community of gamers will become. Political discourse should be embraced and we should all be encouraged to view all that we do, even our entertainment, in terms of its wider moral and philosophical meaning.

I was completely charmed by the group and will make sure that I attend future gaming events. I also look forward to seeing them at our upcoming Pride Board Game Club, which is raising money for the BeYou project.

Review: Wandering Towers - Dude, Where's My Wizard?

We first played Wandering Towers, from Capstone Games, in December 2024 at our local tabletop convention, and I instantly fell in love with it. It perfectly balances strategy and luck, while being quick to learn and relatively quick to play to offer a very smooth and well designed experience for 1 to 6 players.

The board itself is unique in that it comprises a circular ring that the players will move their wizards and towers around. The towers are lovely, 3D folded card models that look intriguing and are great fun to play with.

The central premise of Wandering Towers is that players are attempting to get all of their wizards into a tower named Ravenskeep and fill all of their potion bottles while doing so. As soon as one player satisfies both of these win conditions the game comes to an end. The way in which players move their wizards around the board is by playing action cards that either move their wizard meeples, or the towers they stand upon. When towers land on the same space they stack on top of each other in a very satisfying way. This stacking of towers not only allows players to steal mana from wizards and therefore fill potion bottles, but it also provides an additional difficulty and is becomes increasingly difficult to keep track of where all of your wizards are, in the classic "ball under a cup" style. Whenever a wizard finds their way to Ravenskeep, it moves around the board, creating an almost constantly moving target. This element of chaos keeps all players on their toes and never lets anyone get too comfortable with their strategy.

The gameplay is smooth with very little downtime. Each turn, players will play two action cards, or discard their entire hand and move a tower of their choice, clockwise around the board. As they begin to fill their potion bottles there is a risk-reward mechanic where these can be spent to cast spells that unlock further opportunities to move wizards and towers clockwise or anti-clockwise around the board. These spells are chosen at random at the start of the game from those available in the box, and the instructions indicate that the more spells you make available, the more strategic the game becomes. However, I would suggest that rather than strategy, these spells inject a satisfying amount of chaos as it becomes harder to predict what each player is able to do on their turn.

While the theme of the game is charming, the core mechanic and purpose is abstract enough that the theme never gets in the way if magic and wizards are not your thing. You could easily strip the wizarding theme from the game entirely and it wouldn't lose anything from the enjoyment. That being said, the artwork is charming and definitely draws the eye.

Since first playing it at the tabletop convention, I have since picked up a copy of the game and it has made it to the table a number of times and never fails to entertain. Designers Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer have delivered to us a real tabletop staple that deserves as much space as other modern classics.

Mental Health Awareness Week

Since 2001, the Mental Health Awareness Foundation has been leading Mental Health Awareness Week with the aim to bring people together to raise awareness of mental health. This year Mental Health Awareness Week took place from 12th to 18th May and the theme was "community".

As the Mental Health Awareness Foundation puts it:

"Being part of a safe, positive community is vital for our mental health and wellbeing.  We thrive when we have strong connections with other people and supportive communities that remind us, we are not alone. Communities can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and give us a sense of purpose."

Here at Hand Limit we believe in the positive effects that board games have on mental health and combating social isolation, and this is largely thanks to the sense of community that they promote.

Writing for The Center for Mindfulness & CBT, Tyler Witzig helpfully outlines the ways in which board games can help improve our connection to others. Witzig states that board games provide us with shared experience that allows people to bond over a common interest. This creates a sense of community and belonging. 

"The excitement of the game and the thrill of victory or defeat can help people form deep and lasting connections."

Furthermore, board games improve communication and collaboration with others. Through engaging with the game, particularly cooperative games, players are put in a position where communication is essential. This type of communication, structured around a game, can help break down barriers and create a safe space for players to express themselves. Playing games with others also help foster feelings of trust and empathy, which helps players develop more meaningful connections with each other. Through play, we get to know people in ways that go beyond surface level interaction. It is rare on first meeting someone that you get to witness their inner morality at work. How do they behave towards others when winning or losing? How do they support new players? Do they compete in good faith? These questions can all be answered when playing a game with someone whereas usual initial social interaction barely begins to scratch the surface. As a result it is easier to get to know people, and to get to know people who you might not usually have had the same level of interaction with, while playing games.

"Board games are an inclusive activity," Witzig writes. "This inclusivity allows people to connect with others they might not otherwise have the opportunity to meet." Playing games, either competitively or cooperatively, provides the perfect backdrop to get to know new people. This inclusivity is highlighted by Sam Allen, writing for the Mental Health Awareness Foundation, as a key component of fostering positive community. This inclusivity of the table top hobby ensures that everyone around a table feels included in the group. Each player gets their own turn to make their own choices that have an overall impact on the game and the experience of others. This engagement with the group as a whole produces the feeling of a shared space and community. Without inclusivity it is impossible to create a sense of community in diverse groups.

Allen goes on to say that another corner stone of community building is friendship and fun. It is important that group members look forward to seeing and spending time with each other, which encourages continued attendance. Through this individuals can grow stronger bonds and trust with other group members. Unless we hadn't made it completely clear, we think that table top games are incredibly fun and definitely keep members of our collective coming back for more. 

As community was the focus of this year's Mental Health Awareness Week, we ought to give our attention to the role of table top gaming to aid this vital aspect of mental health. If you are looking for a community, or perhaps want to create stronger bonds within a group you are already a part of, board games are a great place to start.

Review: Deep Regrets - No regrets backing this

Fans of the video game Dredge will absolutely love Deep Regrets by Judson Cowan and published by Tettix Games. The game blends a little bit of dice placement and a little bit of push-your-luck to deliver a satisfyingly creepy fishing experience that sees players competing for the highest value haul of creatures by the end of the game. Not everything beneath the waves is as it seems, however. Borrowing heavily from Lovecraftian horror and Edmond Halley's hollow earth theory, Deep Regrets contains many "foul" creatures that will force players to gain regret cards, which pushes player's madness to higher levels. Although the player with the most regret at the end of the game will suffer a penalty, there are advantages in the number of dice you can use and even discounts at shops in port that come with losing yourself to the madness that spreads beneath the sea.

The artwork, also by Cowan, makes this game really stand out as something special. The sheer number of different creatures is reminiscent of the Wing/Wyrn/Finspan games and allows for a lot of replayability before you truly know everything that lurks beneath the briny depths. The quality of the game is mirrored in the quality of the assets and extra care has gone in to reducing the amount of plastic in the packaging. This was thanks to the efforts of Cowan who, following a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign, wanted to ensure there was no hypocrisy in designing a game about the ocean while also introducing more plastics into circulation.

Deep Regrets also comes with a satisfying solo experience that allows a player to take the role of a scientist completing a survey of the oceans and recording the many fair and foul creatures they dredge up. This solo mode hits a more relaxing tone than the main, multiplayer game, with less focus on the madness and regret mechanics, and no down-time in port. However, it stands alone well as an enjoyable experience and will guarantee that owners of the game will get more of their money's worth should they struggle to get a group together to play.

Thanks to the huge success the game received on Kickstarter, Cowan has since developed Shallow Regrets, now taking late pledges on Kickstarter, with Button Shy Games. Shallow Regrets is advertised as a pocket-sized game of Deep Regrets made up of only 18 cards and packed in a vinyl wallet for maximum portability. The Kickstarter page also promises a solo mode in which players will go up against fan-favourite character Frod to make the biggest catch. The popularity of Deep Regrets saw Shallow Regrets make its pledge goal well within the time limit.

Cowen has also announced that this summer will see a Kickstarter launch of Even Deeper Regrets, an expansion on the main game, that promises even more disturbing fishing, deeper madness, and a wealth of new regrettable decisions. This campaign will also allow backers to grab a copy of Deep Regrets if they have any regrets of not backing the game the first time around.

Overall, Deep Regrets is a satisfyingly meaty game to play when played with the maximum number of players, yet simple to pick up, and the theme is well executed. A must have for any fans of eldritch horror as a genre, and a fascination with the horrors that lurk beneath the waves.

Aftercare Tips for GMs

Running table top games as a Game Master, or GM, is an incredibly rewarding experience. Guiding friends through a fantasy world, encouraging others to lose themselves in the experience, and working together to weave a narrative that is truly unique to the players, the game, and the situation. It can be a transformative, almost magical, experience when the vibes are just right, and leave you feeling almost as though you had actually lived through the adventure that unfolded.

But all of this emotional investment, planning, acting, and reacting can take its toll, not just on the players, but the GM as well. Yes, running a table top game is rewarding, but it can also be tiring and leave you feeling drained and emotionally spent. 

GMs are always encouraged to help guide their players through the process of role play and before and after care that comes with that. Session zeros are a staple of any well-thought-out campaign to lay out the ground rules and safety information to players who may be required to imagine or act out some emotionally heavy situations. A wise GM will also check in with players where appropriate to make sure they have support in cases such as the death of a character or instances where the realm of fantasy strikes a little closer to home. In a collaborative, story-telling experience, there is always an element of uncertainty around where the road might lead you.

There are plenty of resources out there, from articles, to YouTube videos to help new and experienced GMs handle the needs of their players to ensure everyone gets the most out of their table top role playing experience. However, it feels as though there could be more support for the GMs themselves.

Here we have compiled a list of 5 things that a GM can do post-game to make sure they are looking after themselves and allowing necessary recovery time following every game.

1. Allow for post-game conversation

Knowing where and how to end a session is an art form that takes practice. Running a campaign you want to bring the session to a close in a way that leaves players desperate for more, and running a one-shot you want to leave everyone feeling like they have reached a satisfying narrative conclusion. However you choose to bring play to a close we recommend allowing time at the end for you and your players to talk through the events of the game, share in reliving the dramatic moments, and even some post-game analysis.

Allowing for this time provides everyone, even the GM, with a mental cool-down, like stretching after exercise. This may mean ending a session a little earlier so that players with other responsibilities aren't having to leave as soon as the final dice are rolled. Allowing everyone to take a breath and ease out of the characters they have just spent the last few hours playing will help shift your brain back to a more relaxed state. Conversation may wonder from the game itself, and this is absolutely fine. The important thing is allowing everyone time to digest the emotional meal they have just had.

2. Seek reassurance, and then actually listen

Running players through a game, especially one that you have put a lot of creativity into, can be an emotionally vulnerable experience. Regardless of how players reacted during the game, you might find yourself worrying about whether or not enjoyment was had equal to the effort you put in. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking reassurance from players at the end. A simple "Did everyone enjoy that?" can sooth any nerves that remain.

The difficult part, however, is knowing how to actually listen to the feedback. Realistically speaking, provided you put the effort in and have a well functioning group of players, there will most likely be positive feedback. When this is given it can be easy to filter out the positive, especially if you have any worries or if you are prone to self-criticism. Make sure you actually listen to what your players say and take their response as what they actually mean. if they say they enjoyed it, take them at their word. Their enjoyment is without a doubt largely thanks to the work you put in.

In the unlikely event that a player comes back with criticism, don't take it to heart. They are sharing because they feel comfortable in speaking to you about something that may help them enjoy the experience more in future sessions.

3. Make notes, but not too many

Without a doubt a session that is part of a longer campaign will have thrown up questions that will need answers by next time. Perhaps there's a new, unplanned direction your players went off in, or they may have angered a hitherto unimportant NPC that could now be plotting revenge. The best time to make note of these is when they're still fresh in your head after the session is over. Get those thoughts down into whatever planning document you're using and then close up your notebook or laptop. Don't get too far into planning ahead, you've just spent many hours "on", it's time to turn off for a bit. Once you've made a note of the really important reminders, draw a line under it and allow yourself time to rest.

If you feel it would be helpful, set yourself some time in the following few days to really review your notes and start making those plans for the next exciting installment. 

4. Turn off and reset

A session spanning a few hours can really take it out of you, especially if things go slightly off the rails (which, let's face it, is most of the time). By the time you're done, even though your players may be chomping at the bit for more, you will no doubt need to rest. 

You've just done a lot of mental exercise and you need to catch your breath. Try to do something that will help you move on from the game and relax. This might be reading or watching TV, or even better going outside for a bit. Make yourself a cup of tea and just allow yourself some time to take your mind off things for a bit.

5. Don't dwell on what could have been

Especially after a dramatic session, possibly in which a beloved non-player character, or even a player character, died, it is easy to worry about the decisions you made as a GM. Or perhaps these decisions were regarding the rules of the game or whether or not to allow a player to do something that bent the rules almost to breaking point.

The death of a character can feel cruel or unfair, especially if you know the player had grand plans for their narrative arch. In the first instance you should always check in with the player to make sure they are OK and understand that the ruling was not personal. Afterwards, you should remind yourself that this danger is what players sign up for and there is no reward without the risk.

If you are worried that a rules decision may have been the wrong call, remind yourself that nothing to so rigid that it cannot be changed. If you decide you would like to change a ruling later on, or make it clear that a specific ruling does not set precedent, make sure to allow time at the start of the following session to discuss it with your players. They are reasonable people and will understand if you explain your reasoning.

Once that decision is made, don't dwell on it. No matter how experience you are as a GM you will still be learning. Allow yourself the same grace you would allow a new player.

BONUS: Comparison is the thief of joy

Thanks to social media and online content we live in an age where we are almost constantly encouraged to compare ourselves to other people. You might have a favourite D&D actual play you like to watch, or follow some professional GMs online. Remind yourself that what you are often viewing is a carefully edited version of real events, or perhaps the players are all professional comedians. However it is, comparing your own games to those you see online will only strip the joy from the whole experience.

Your game is entirely unique to you and your players and that should be celebrated, not compared with others.

Are there any rituals or tips you could share that are helpful to a GM in looking after themselves? We'd love to hear what you do following a session to calm down. Leave a comment below!

What it’s like to hate a game and then fall in love with it OR why your first impressions of a game aren’t always fair

When I was first introduced to Star Realms, I think I gave it a fair try. In principle, it wasn’t a totally unfamiliar premise - though at that point I hadn’t played too many deck building games. But I understood the premise, and liked the idea of something like a trading card game, but that you only had to pay for once, which was the main reason, at that point, I had not delved into the world of TCGs (fair reader, how things have changed now!) 

I played against Skully, Hand Limit editor, a couple of times, and lost spectacularly, before declaring it was a trash game for trash humans and I would never play again. I played the cards in my hand, I did a little damage to their authority, I chose cards from the marketplace and tapped my currency cards to pay for them, when they eventually entered my hand I used them and did a little damage to their authority again. My opponent seemed to get the better cards, they did spectacular damage to my authority, and it didn’t take them long to get another good card in their hand again and do even more damage. My little 1 hit Vipers were useless and I couldn’t regain authority quick enough to keep up with the damage being done to me. 

Back then I was a novice, a baby TTGer, and I hadn’t fully discovered any skill for forward planning, ruthless competition and dastardly strategy. If I played it for the first time now I think my first impression would have been completely different. 

Skully found a friend who was into Star Realms, and they played happily on work breaks and over the mobile app version of the game for several months. I looked on suspiciously - how can they love this unequivocally terrible game, that punishes less experienced players and affords no opportunity for learning and improvement? 

Eventually, after months or even a year, I was persuaded to give it another go, after several thorough explanations (lectures) on the importance of strategies such as discarding cards (getting rid of the stuff that doesn’t help), building a deck around a specific faction (benefitting from buffs and boosts), and being a sneaky little goblin and trying to purchase the cards you think your opponent will want before they have an opportunity to. 

We played again, and this time I tried implementing the strategies I had been told about and I didn’t lose so fast. I decided to buy cards that matched colours, I discarded the lower value cards by making sure I had some Machine Cult faction cards that allowed you to do this. I played the game as it was supposed to be played. And reader, I loved it. 

So then I had to put my big girl pants on and admit I was wrong. Maybe the problem wasn’t the game? Maybe I was the drama after all? 

I’ve actually spoken about this game in some talking therapy since. It was a neat demonstration of my stubbornness and fixed thinking around things that I perceive as too difficult or beyond my knowledge and skill. If I cannot do something, it is therefore not worth doing and is even a Bad Thing. American psychologist, Carole Dweck’s Growth Mindset theory is a good place to start if you are interested in looking into the psychology of this further. Using this neat little example of a tabletop game as an illustration of this tendency of mine, and being able to unpick my responses and reactions to it, was a much easier and more comfortable task than thinking about an example of this behaviour from work, personal relationships or studies. 

Games are great aren’t they? They teach us how to play nicely with each other, how to share, how to be a gracious winner, how to deal with disappointment. They can also show us things about our own inner worlds and self-limiting beliefs. 

So, if there is a game you really don’t “get”, maybe give it another go one day. You might find out something about yourself.

The Importance of Theme in Table Top Games

How important is theme in table top games? This is a question that arises a lot in board gaming communities and it always splits the party. There are those of us who feel that theme is only important in so far as they make the assets of the game look nice, and there are those who will excuse less exciting game mechanics in exchange for a captivating theme.

When we really get down to studying board games, we cannot escape the fact that they are largely just maths in motion. (I could excuse certain games from this sweeping generalisation, like dexterity based games for example, but then I get to thinking about trigonometry and how really everything can be reduced to mathematics and I start to spiral a bit.) Some games, namely the majority of Eurogames, are more obviously maths games with their theme-light, mechanics-heavy play style.

For those unaware of the different styles of board game, Eurogames are a very popular type of game that needn't be European or technically board games at all. However, they share a set of similar characteristics such as little to no combat, the earning of "victory points" to determine a winner, a theme that does not directly impact the gameplay, and very little chance or luck involved, to name a few. Some popular Eurogames that you might have heard of include Catan and Carcassone. 

Sat opposite from Eurogames is Ameritrash (which do not have to be American, or trash), which conversely favours highly developed themes, player conflict, and usually a high level of luck through dice rolls or drawn cards. Examples include Dune, Twilight Imperium, and Runewars. Interestingly, War Games tend to fill a classification of their own, despite the argument that many would fulfill the requirements of Ameritrash.

Across these different game styles we see a significant difference in terms of how important the theme is to the overall enjoyment of a game. Arguably, a fan of Eurogames would enjoy Puerto Rico just as much as Power Grid even if they have no particular interest in the organisation of national power supply networks, or the antics of colonial island governors. Whereas someone who has little interest in the socio-economic and military politics of Arrakis is probably not going to enjoy an hours-long game of Dune: Imperium.

So what really is the question when someone asks how important theme is to games or gamers? Realistically speaking, the answer lies in the games themselves. The key difference is how the theme impacts the game, and this will always become a matter of how well an Ameritrash game sticks the landing. Games like Horrified have become fan favourites because of how well Ravensburger have incorporated their various themes into the game experience. The theme compliments and builds on the mechanics. Whereas a game such as Firefly: Shiny Dice feels like the theme is battling against a game that wanted to be something else. 

Of course there will always be gamers who will see theme as something that threatens to get in the way of mechanics, and who are we to yuck their yums?

Personally, my real love is with games that allow for storytelling. This spans both Eurogames and Ameritrash, but more often than not is enabled by a strong theme and a significant role of chance in the game. I find that sitting around a game of Colt Express provides a rich storytelling experience that I crave and is responsible for some of the more memorable gaming moments. A game with a theme that feels merely cosmetic, such as Sushi Go, while entertaining, I find won't offer the same level of storytelling opportunity. 

There is obviously no answer to the question posed at the top of this post, but a key belief of Hand Limit is that there are table top games out there right now for everyone no matter what their tastes and interests are. Questions such as this are enjoyable because they help us appreciate what a diverse and expansive hobby table top gaming has become.

So, I ask you know, how important to you is theme in table top games?

5 Pocket-Sized Games for Taking Out and About

 OK I want to get ahead of this and start with a definition of "Pocket Sized". It's term thrown around a lot and to be honest is rarely used literally. For the purposes of this article, we're going to be using the term pocket sized to mean anything that will either fit in a generous pocket or fit easily into a handbag without taking up all the space.

1. Regicide

Regicide is quite literally pocket-sized as it requires nothing more than a deck of ordinary playing cards (which have the bonus of also allowing for a large number of other games), and yet it manages to be a significant game with a solid theme.

Players will work together to attempt to overthrow the royal dictators, represented by the Jacks, Queens, and Kings in the deck. Taking it in turns, players play cards from their hands, dealing damage equal to the card's value and resolving effects dictated by the suit. Together they will slowly work their way through the picture cards, defeating their oppressors, and hoping they don't run out of cards in the draw pile. Should that happen, support from the people has failed and the game is up.

Regicide is a fantastic, well-thought-out game that manages to capture a theme perfectly with only a single deck of cards. The rules are available as PDF so can be easily checked on a phone, making this the most pocket-sized of games.

2. Gloomhaven: Buttons and Bugs

Typically Gloomhaven means table-filling boards, hundreds of components, and a rulebook that could technically be classed as a novella. Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion, the prequel released in 2020, went some way to condensing this but still remained a meaty game. Then in 2024 Gloomhaven: Buttons and Bugs hit shelves and we had to take a moment to check whether the game was genuinely as small as it looked, or just very far away.

Gloomhaven: Buttons and Bugs is a purely solo experience that amazingly manages to capture the feel of its older siblings perfectly with a fraction of the play-space. This is done through a mixture of making assets as small as feasibly possible (the miniatures are so small I am wary of sneezing near them), and streamlining the game-play to take off every millimeter of fat. 

Even the theme has been downsized. Gloomhaven is a vast role-playing board game that spans an entire nameless realm, Buttons and Bugs takes place mostly within the walls of a single building as your adventurer has been shrunk to the size of a small bug.

In classic Gloomhaven style, the game is still turn based and adventurers play cards to complete actions with an aim to completing objectives before exhaustion sets in or HP is reduced to zero. It effectively captures the feeling of a much larger game despite the board being the size of a single playing card.

While technically not pocket-sized (the box maintains similar dimensions to the huge original but is scaled down) it is definitely small enough to fit easily in a small bag. This game is an must-have, pocket-sized, solo experience.

3. Zombie Dice

Another true-pocket game, Zombie Dice is a push-your-luck dice-rolling game in which players take on the role of zombies searching for tasty human brains without getting shot. The game consists of 13 dice, each showing symbols for brains, footprints, and gunshots, and a dice cup (though we swapped the dice cup for a velvet bag to make it even more compact). Players take it in turns to pull 3 dice from the cup, roll them and resolve the effects. They can then choose whether to pull 3 more dice and keep going, or bank the brains they have and pass play to the next players. The catch is that if a player ever rolls a cumulative 3 gunshots during their turn, they lose all the brains they rolled and their turn ends.

The dice are colour coded to indicate how heavily they are weighted to gunshots or brains, which allows players to make an educated guess regarding their chances on future rolls.

The first player to achieve a total of 13 brains wins the game, which does mean that it is possible for a player to win on their first turn. While this might sound disappointing, the excitement of seeing someone win in this way is worth it!

Zombie Dice is an exciting game and perfect to fill a few minutes of waiting time or even act as a palette cleanser between larger games. The dice feel good quality and the entertainment far exceeds the affordable price tag, which is usually in the region of, you guessed it, £13. 

4. Micro Dojo

Micro Dojo is an adorable worker-placement game in which two players compete to enhance their small town through the purchasing of buildings and completing objectives.

While the gameplay is fairly basic, on your turn you move a meeple one space orthogonally and resolve the action on the space it now occupies, it has a very enjoyable flow and feels suitably low-stakes; perfect for playing at a small cafe table.

While the format doesn’t provide for a lot of player agency, there is room for strategy and planning in blocking your opponent from taking key actions. Furthermore, the game has an automated player 2 for solo play that effectively captures the feeling of playing with a human.

This is a game that easily provides more entertainment than it’s low price tag betrays and would make a good addition to anyone’s collection.

5. Kinoko

Kinoko is a fantastic set-building card game where players work to assemble a set of three mushrooms of the same colour by swapping between players and sets of face-down cards on the table. The one catch? Players cannot look at their own cards, instead they have them facing outwards so that all other players can see them. Using a mixture of deduction, probability, and memory, players assemble sets in their hand, other players hands, or on the table, but as soon as a player feels they have completed their set they announce it to the group and their assumptions are checked.

Quick to play and small to carry, this game is the very definition of a pocket-sized game. Furthermore, set up and game time are both quite fast so it's perfect for when you are out and about. With a cute visual style and simple rules, this game is a must-have for anyone who enjoys a good mushroom.

Horrified and Indigenous Cultures

We are big fans of the Horrified series of games by Ravensburger and have been since the first edition; Universal Monsters. Since then we have enjoyed the American Monsters (cryptids) and the Greek Monsters (from the pantheon of legends) games. However, we recently got hold of the new Horrified: World of Monsters and while it is another fun game in the series, something didn't sit right with me.

Each Horrified iteration so far has had a clearly defined theme, from the classic Universal Studios monsters like Dracula and the Wolf Man, to the Greek mythological monsters like the chimera and basilisk. World of Monsters initially seems like a perfect entry into this collection with monsters from folklore from around the world, the Jiangshi (or hopping vampire), the Sphinx, and the Yeti. This was a perfect opportunity for Ravensburger to highlight the incredibly rich folklore of indigenous cultures from around the world, but then they went and spoiled it all by doing something stupid like Cthulhu.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Cthulhu mythos and have long said that it would make for a great Horrified but it's inclusion in World of Monsters not only cheapens the impact, but also detracts from the importance of the other monsters to their native cultures. It is almost insulting to draw a comparison between the vast history of folkloric tales of Jiangshi and Cthulhu, the fictional creation of a xenophobic recluse writing in the early 20th century. In terms of their cultural importance, I don't believe there can be a comparison. It would be like including both Baba Yaga and Edward Cullen.

The game attempts to justify the mixing of mythologies and modern fiction through some fairly flimsy pretext explaining that a rift between realities is causing monsters to wonder into our world, along with fantastical steampunk technologies. Fine. As a premise goes, I think that's OK. But I still feel like the inclusion of historical folklore from other cultures should be handled with a little more care than this clumsy introduction. 

There is a lot of fantastic writing done about the unsettling trend of colonialism in board games and how they discretely act to lessen the importance of indigenous cultures. I highly recommend checking out the two articles on this topic from the Daily Worker Placement. As such I won't go into too much detail in this blog as I would only be rehashing something that another author has put so much more succinctly than I ever could.

However, I would like to take the opportunity to recognise that Horrified: World of Monsters seems to have been made somewhat backwards compatible with previous titles. Furthermore, they recently released an expansion to include the Krampus as a monster to go toe-to-toe with. What this could mean is that generally, they will be releasing further expansions for this latest core box, rather than looking to create more iterations of the same game. While I worry this model of content creation engenders laziness, it might offer some hope that future expansions will further explore some of the rich cultural offerings the world has to offer the genre.

What are your thoughts on this peculiar mashup? Could it have been achieved with more care?

Playfulness in Adults - An under represented field

I recently wrote about how I believe playing can be considered a rebellious act in a society that does not value playfulness in adults. Bizarrely, this received more backlash than I was expecting from people who did not appreciate me thinking more deeply about the sociology of playing games. While I firmly believe that choosing "unproductive" play in a society that favours productivity, is inherently rebellious, I am aware that some people prefer to focus on the inward-facing benefits of play. Or perhaps my attempt to look deeper into an activity they would rather just consider fun will also be met with resistance?

Saya Des Marais, writing for Psych Central ascertains that "playing is just as important for adults as it is for children. Among its many benefits, adult play can boost your creativity, sharpen your sense of humor (sic.), and help you cope better with stress". However, Proyer and Ruch, writing for SpringerOpen, claim that despite this, there has been comparatively little literature or research on playfulness in adults. I feel that this lack of research into playfulness and the benefits of play in adults supports my believe that western society does not value play in adults in the same way as it might in children. 

Proyer and Ruch found that the results of their own research indicated that "playfulness in adults relates to positive psychological functioning". They highlighted the need for further studies to illuminate the contribution of playfulness to well-being in adults. Furthermore, a 2013 study in the European Journal of Humour Research, also by researcher Proyer, found that a predisposition to play in adults was positively linked to well-being and life satisfaction.

So what exactly are the benefits of adults playing games aside from just being enjoyable on a surface level?

Playfulness can be defined as "the predisposition to frame (or re-frame) a situation in such a way as to provide oneself (and possibly others) with amusement, humour, and/or entertainment". Framed the context of this article, playfulness links with table top games in their ability to frame specific themes, subjects, or actions in an entertaining way. Patchwork by Uwe Rosenberg is a perfect example of how the act of making a patchwork quilt can be reframed to make it a less arduous, more competitive, and potentially a more entertaining task. 

Adults who participated in playful activities display five types of playful behaviours outlined by Proyer and Ruch: spontaneous, expressive, creative, fun, and silly. Leading on from this, people who scored higher in these characteristics were also recorded as having higher creativity, a better ability to appreciate beauty, a greater sense of hope, lower stress, among others. As such, playfulness in adults can be directly linked to a boost in overall well-being.

These characteristics may feel like they are considered as some inherent aspect of someone's personality and as such might feel inaccessible to someone who does not necessarily consider themselves playful. However, Dr. Stuart Brown, researcher and founder of The National Institute for Play, has identified eight "play personalities". People who enjoy table top gaming will undoubtedly associate with multiple personalities and below I have taken the liberty of providing suggestions on how they translate to the hobby.

1. The Collector - you enjoy building collections. TCGs, Warhammer, Board games, they are all collections.
2. The Competitor - you enjoy playing (and winning) against others in games that have clearly defined rules.
3. The Creator - you enjoy making things. This could be miniature building and painting, or even creating our own TTRPGs.
4. The Director - what table top group doesn't have that one person who drives the play, learns the rules, schedules D&D sessions?
5. The Explorer - you play through discovering new things. Often linked with the Director, this is the person who will favour games not yet played to bring to the table.
6. The Joker - you play games that bring out the silly or foolish in all of us. Happy Salmon anyone?
7. The Kinesthete - you enjoy using your body to play. From Jenga to Junk Art, you rule at dexterity games.
8. The Storyteller - you play table top games for the opportunity to create stories and get lost in the collective imagination of the group.

As Saya Des Marais writes, "Playing is just as much about your mindset as it is about the activity you're doing", so for your own sake, have a think about how you play and how you might build this into your adult life. Dare I say, it will be a rebellious thing to do?

Hand Limit 2025 Event Announcement!

Readers will know Hand Limit is a blog about the positive impact that in-person games can have on mental health, community, and well-being. However, it's our hope that the blog will turn into something more substantial that online musings and reviews. This means we are very happy to announce that 2025 will see the first in-person Hand Limit gaming event.

The event, as it stands, will take place on 5th June 2025 at Fruitworks Coworking and Coffee Shop in Canterbury, UK. The intention is that this should fall on the same day as Canterbury Pride and exist as a fringe event for people who wish to celebrate Pride and need a break from the crowds.

We will be hosting a number of stalls selling jewelry and artwork and the primary space will be given over to table top gaming, with a generous library of games and volunteers ready to help guests find their next favourite game. 

What's more, this event will be absolutely free to attend. We are very lucky to have secured a number of sponsors, who will be announced shortly, which is helping to cover the event costs. However, we are looking at taking donations for a local charity in place of charging an entrance fee as it will be a Pride/LGBTQIA+ event and we feel it is important to show our support.

Keep a close eye on future posts for further information and please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or wish to be involved.