The first time I played Far Away was at SHUX in 2018. My friend and I had a scavenger hunt of sorts for the event which included the following activity: play a game with its designer. I had previously met game designer Alex Jerabek at a function in Seattle through some mutual friends, so he seemed like a great candidate to fulfill the scavenger hunt goal.
Alex welcomed us into the Cherry Picked Games booth with a wide smile and fun-sized Snickers. Admittedly, as a new tabletop gamer, I was a little overwhelmed, anxious, and overthought everything. The games I was used to playing were ones in which there’s a board, the game has a pretty clear set of rules, and the play time is 45 minutes to an hour. Far Away was different.
The main thing I struggled with was feeling empowered to make behavioral choices for the creatures – when it was time for the creatures to take action, Alex asked, “What do you think this creature will do?”
I stared down at the Cibus Devorandom and shrugged, “I don’t know.”
Alex suggested that based on its digestive system, it might want to stay near our crashed ship where there was fuel leaking. We decided together (while on the same HEX, of course) that moving past the creature would probably be safe since it was most likely going to be preoccupied with the delicious leaking fuel. “He’s probably just over there licking the side of the ship, to be honest.” Alex noted.
Once you come to the understanding that you dictate the creatures’ behavior, the game becomes clearer – this mechanic wasn't anything I'd experienced and it was a little more ambiguous than I was comfortable with in my novice gaming phase. Now that I know Alex on a personal level, this mechanic makes perfect sense. He is an improv comedian and RPG designer – a roleplay enthusiast (as evidenced by Catalyst and Conspire).
My realization that the players are the creatures has led to a much more engaging experience with Far Away and I'm no longer intimidated by the creature action phase. I look forward to imagining them snarfing around and giving us side glances as we sneak by. Or even considering the shrieks they make when they attack or defend their den. For me, sound effects are always incorporated in my game play and I think it makes it more fun.
When I played with Karl over Zoom a few weeks ago, I realized at least one of the players needs to take the lead and offer up a few character behavior choices so the game can proceed. You have to remember that creatures are motivated into action by food or threats to their herd or den. Consider where the creature is, if there are any other creatures nearby, if there is a food source nearby, or if the creature is near its home.
Pro tip: Take the time to discuss the creatures’ behavior before you jump right back into the next round of Explorer actions. Maybe consider using a notepad to remind yourself so you don’t have to keep referencing the animal behavior chart.
Don’t be afraid to choose an aggressive behavior if it fits the creature. Sometimes, you will get attacked and you’ll die. That’s okay. That’s how games work. Alternatively, don’t make excuses for creatures to not take action. The creatures are such a fun and interesting mechanic but I strongly suggest you take the time to define their behaviors as a team before proceeding to save time.
Regardless, embracing the creatures’ flexibility is one of the things that makes the game fun. I learned at SHUX that games don’t have to fit a specific mold to be enjoyable. As long as they bring out the best in other people (and those people have candy), you’ll have a good time at the gaming table.
Have fun exploring and get creative. Fun fact: I keep the deck of creatures on me most of the time so I can help players navigate tricky encounters! Reach out on Instagram if you have any questions and we can hash out your ecosystem.
— Emily