Sleeping Gods
- Designer Ryan Laukat
- Publisher Red Raven Games , Banana Games , Conclave Editora , DV Games , Games7Days
- Illustration Ryan Laukat
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Start for freeWhat to Expect
You play Captain Sofi Odessa and her crew, exploring an atlas‑style world page by page, visiting islands, meeting vivid characters and resolving events. The game is campaign driven: play episodically, record progress in a journey log and resume later. Choices affect story and relationships as you hunt the gods' totems to return home.
Who Is This Game For?
Aimed at players who enjoy cooperative story campaigns and exploration. With a minimum age of 13 and solo support, it suits experienced families and hobby groups willing to commit time for an extended campaign.
How It Works
Sleeping Gods blends Cooperative Game play with Action Points, Events, Hand Management and Paragraph‑based Narrative Choices. Players manage their crew and ship, explore locations that trigger events, and make decisions with lasting consequences. The atlas/book serves as the map: when you leave a page you turn to the next to continue exploration.
What Makes It Special
Designed by Ryan Laukat, the game uses a book‑as‑board atlas and strong narrative paragraphs to drive episodic play. It won the 2021 Board Game Quest Award for Best Thematic Game and received multiple nominations that year.
Awards
2021
- 2023 Niederländischer Spielepreis - Expertenspiel — Winner
- 2021 Board Game Quest Awards Best Cooperative Game — Nominated
- 2021 Board Game Quest Awards Best Production Values — Nominated
- 2021 Board Game Quest Awards Best Thematic Game — Winner
- 2021 Board Game Quest Awards Game of the Year — Nominated
- 2021 Board Game Quest Awards Most Innovative Game — Nominated
Pro
- High narrative density via paragraph/storybook mechanics
- Campaign structure with journey log enables episodic play
- Cooperative decision making with meaningful consequences
- Recognized production/thematic quality (Board Game Quest winner 2021)
Contra
- Campaign requires substantial time commitment
- Story and tracking complexity can intimidate new players
Setting & Atmosphäre
Set in 1929, you sail the Wandering Sea aboard the Manticore, stranded in a strange world of islands and myths. The theme is nautical fantasy focused on exploration and story.
Tipp für Einsteiger
Take your time in the first session and use the journey log; playing episodically helps absorb rules and story gradually.
Häufige Fragen
Can I play this solo?
Yes. Sleeping Gods supports solo play — players.min is 1.
How long does a game really take?
duration_minutes is listed as 1200 for the campaign; individual sessions are meant to be shorter and can be paused and resumed using the journey log.
What prior experience do I need?
Experience with cooperative and narrative games is helpful; the game is aimed at ages 13+ and benefits from players comfortable with campaign tracking.
How does this compare to similar games?
It combines an atlas/book‑as‑board approach with paragraph‑based narrative choices, emphasizing episodic campaign exploration more than many one‑shot adventure games.
Is this suitable for families?
Suitable for families with older teens (13+) and some gaming experience; the extensive campaign nature may not fit casual family game nights.
What mechanic makes it special?
The Narrative Choice/Paragraph mechanic paired with the atlas book format defines the game's character.
Fazit
Recommended for groups seeking an in‑depth cooperative narrative campaign who can commit time; less suitable for players wanting quick, one‑off sessions.
