1984
available in: UK EN game design

1984

60 m | 1-5 players | 14+ age

Based on George Orwell's cult novel 1984, this game is about the pressure of totalitarian reign and the cost of resisting it. Where freedom and individuality are considered crimes, and the directives of the party, no matter how absurd they seem, must be fulfilled.
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1984: The Individual vs. The System

Each player takes on the role of a character — a member of the lower Party, part of a faceless bureaucratic machine that holds absolute power over thoughts and actions.

In the world shaped by this machine, there is no place for personal ambition or independent choice — only collective need and collective responsibility. The player’s decisions will determine not only their character’s path but also their ultimate fate, whatever it may be.
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The game lasts for five rounds. At the beginning of each round, the Responsible Executor (the first player) reveals a Directive Card, which sets a common goal for all players that round. Then, players take their turns one by one.

On their turn, a player must perform three actions:

  • Draw an Event Card into their personal space (hand).
  • Play a card from their hand into the City (public space).
  • Assign their character to an event (move their figure).

GAME MODES: Long and Thorny Paths

  • Base Mode. The main game mode that lets you experience life in a totalitarian state from beginning to end.
  • Solo Mode. Walk the path of a rebel or an opportunist alone, navigating the web of Ingsoc’s control.
  • Campaign Mode. Follow the story of several characters, each descending through the circles of totalitarian hell. But how will their journey end?