RPGs are simply better when you're an idiot
I just can't relate to these capable heroes.
Welcome to <source>3d9f7d62-400</source>, PC Gamer's regular RPG column. In this edition, Online Editor Fraser Brown explores the appeal of role-playing games (RPGs) that embrace idiocy and failure. Most video game RPGs sell a power fantasy – the idea that you are competent, clever and destined to save the day. However, this can become dull when you constantly succeed.
The author reflects on a day where they experienced numerous mishaps, from spilling dinner to being peed on by a dog. They argue that games often want you to succeed, even when obstacles are thrown in your way. This holds true for tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), which tend to embrace misfortune and often thrive on it. The author points out that being an idiot can lead to more entertaining and memorable experiences.
Games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Disco Elysium celebrate idiocy and provide players with numerous ways to fail. In Disco Elysium, for example, even the luckiest player can choose to be a "big dumb weirdo." The author believes that failure is almost guaranteed in these games, making success feel much more impressive. They note that good roleplaying is essentially improvisation, with a permissive game master or game system allowing for dumb solutions and interesting outcomes, even if failure is inevitable.
The author concludes that embracing idiocy and failure in RPGs adds a new layer of depth and creativity to storytelling, making the experience more collaborative and surprising.
Written by urgent.news from PC Gamer's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
