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Are We Mice? (Yes. Really Tough Mice.)

I really enjoy playing tabletop RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons, but I rarely get around to playing them.

When I was younger, I played weekly. But now I play with people who are in their 30s and 40s. You need to schedule an entire evening or even a whole day around playing the game, and finding a day that everyone can come over without having to hire babysitters or take time off of work... well, if it happens once a year I consider myself lucky.

So, lately, I’ve been searching for similar games that can be played in a relatively short amount of time, games that I can play on my lunch break with a few co-workers, or at home spontaneously, without having to rearrange calendars to make it happen.

Last week, a friend introduced me to a game called Mice and Mystics, which definitely scratched this itch for me. Mice and Mystics is a cooperative game that can be played by between one and four players. Each player takes the role of a medieval adventuring mouse, complete with armor and sword, battling rats, cockroaches, spiders and even a housecat, on their way to freedom. You roll dice on your turn, which are marked to let you attack, defend, or acquire cheese, which you can spend to get new abilities. The goal is to fight your way through different maps in order to progress the story and escape the castle.

The game’s artwork is beautiful and unique, and in addition to the rule book, it comes with a book to read aloud while playing the game that outlines the story that you’re playing through. The story is well written and interesting, and the added atmosphere really enhances the gameplay.

There are 11 chapters in the game, other story expansions are available to keep the game going, and even after you’ve played through the entire story, there are dozens of optional quests to keep the game fresh. Best of all, we got through the entire first chapter in just an hour. This game is one I can see myself playing through in short bursts for a long time to come.

Samuel McConnell is a games enthusiast who has been playing games in one form or another since 1991. He was born in northern Maine but quickly transplanted to Wichita.