I really enjoyed my session of Alice Is Missing! A good 90 minutes or so were spent learning about essential game mechanics and fleshing out playable and non-playable characters, a process Dennet kept quite lively so we were all excited to get the game started.

We also had a much needed debrief/discussion when the campaign concluded, to see how much each character managed to accomplish, how they did it and why.

This is a quiet, contemplative game so taking some time to absorb the events that take place feels natural and maybe even necessary. The game itself was interesting and highly engaging, due to the nature of communicating with other players via chat only.

Roleplaying is key here, and it made the silent texting experience really fun. At no point did I feel the plot was draggy, and the campaign sped by much quicker than expected.

There’s a lovely playlist curated by the game devs to accompany your experience too, making everything feel fuller. By the end of my playthrough I was left feeling quite emotional and needed a moment to break away from the character I played.

I was constantly (and sometimes literally) on my toes trying to uncover the mystery of Alice, and trying to wring information out of characters! It’s strange to think that a game that requires you to stay silent whilst playing makes you feel much closer to the other people playing with you.

Stakes feel higher, and you realise how important it is to communicate emotion, tone and intent using only words. There are some really innovative techniques utilised to make you feel invested in what’s happening. I don’t think I’ve played anything else quite like Alice Is Missing, and I mean that in a positive way!

I’d definitely recommend this game to anyone who’d like to dip their toes into the world of roleplaying, as campaigns only last 90 minutes and you can try your hands (and minds) embodying different characters to keep things fresh if you’d like to replay the game.

The plot isn’t driven by action and adventure, but there’s the potential to experience moments of intensity straight out of a thriller. So if you’re looking for explosions, guns and weapons, this isn’t the game for you.

That said, I think most people would enjoy playing this game once, if not maybe a couple of times. TL;DR, Alice Is Missing is a melancholy breath of fresh air in the realm of roleplaying tabletop games. Extremely beginner-friendly and extremely engaging.

Please give this game a try! A solid 8/10 experience, imho.