Make your own Hot Frosty with this Hallmark rom-com tabletop RPG
The holidays are in full swing, which can only mean one thing: cheesy Christmas rom-coms are back. Hallmark invented the form with which Richard Curtis stole the throne Love actuallyand Netflix is hot on their heels with cultural moments like the sexy snowman movie Hot icy. But no one knows how to make a better holiday-themed romantic comedy than some friends having an eggnog or two. With Nick Tourville’s role play Residence vacationyou can create a TV movie plot that would be the envy of any writers’ room.
Like a tabletop game, the iconic rom-com is both formulaic and campy, so even the most absurd plot points (like a magical scarf that turns a snowman into a beautiful love interest) fit into a snowy suspension of disbelief. Residence vacation streamlines these tropes into a game with few rules, aimed at beginners who know little about TTRPGs but know a lot about being a busy businessman looking for love and holiday cheer.
Residence vacation asks players to take on one of six genre archetypes, such as Married To My Job, Holiday Spirit, Dating A Jerk and Cool Single Parent. Each archetype lets you choose from two special abilities that provide narrative elements, such as owning a local business or having non-denominational holiday magic.
Each player also has three stats that allow them to customize their roles during play. These are of course Sweaters, Cocoa and Cheer. Each archetype also comes with secret objectives, which provide characters with an overarching motivation and allow players to earn points. While a victory status isn’t exactly traditional in most role-playing games, Residence vacation has one, just like any other romantic comedy: to win the game, you must woo your movie’s main love interest by giving you a single chaste kiss before the story ends.