So, honestly not sure if something like this exists.
Going on vacation and looking for an entry-level RPG like game that I can play together with my wife while camping.
It could be pen and paper based or an actual board game. But it needs to be a guided story which requires little preparation. Also open for other suggestions for 2p other than the typical classic/card games.
Thanks everyone!
EDIT: Thanks y’all for your recommendations, I will check everything out! Lot of promising options here!
I personally had good experience playing the Pathfinder card game with my partner. You choose from one of the characters’ decks, taking on their unique items/stats then each game session you play lasts maybe half an hour to an hour. You may find loot along the way which your character keeps for the game next session. Your characters level up along the way, allow you to do things like, say, roll a D6 on attack instead of a D4. Of course the monsters get more difficult along the way as well. There’s a simple overworld map and story line to follow so you can track your progress along the way.
There’s also a pen and paper version of Pathfinder which I think makes a gentle introduction into the DnD world for those looking to explore that genre but don’t necessarily want to dive in head first.
Interesting, there seem to be multiple Pathfinder games, which ones would you recommend?
Any of the “Pathfinder Adventure Card Game” base sets will do, ie “Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Skull & Shackles Base Set” or “Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Ride of the Runelords”. They come in a big square box and if you enjoy it you can expand gameplay with the smaller “Expansion Packs” which add more items/monsters/missions to the story.
Thanks, that sounds promising. Do you happen to have a link? I couldn’t find the ones you seem to refer to.
Specifically they’re called “Pathfinder Adventure Card Game” and there are multiple base sets. https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Publishing-Pathfinder-Adventure-Card/dp/1601256477
And if you enjoy if you can buy the smaller “Expansion Packs” which extend the arc out with more items and battles.
My base set is Rise of the Runelords which looks to be out of print but easy to find on ebay.
You might like Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion. You pick your characters, then do quests (which can branch). Pretty sure it uses a book for the scenario maps, so the set up will be figuring out your characters deck and items. The game supports up to 4 people, but you could also just play multiple characters (if you want).
This requires quite some setup and has a bit of a learning curve, but is super fun once you’ve learned the basics. Highly agree with this recommendation!
if it’s for a camping experience I’d say the amount of components could make it difficult to setup
Check out Sleeping Gods.
Since you seem to be also speaking german: Adventure Games: Im Nebelreich is a really charming and cute game which is perfect for 2 players and should be exactly what you’re looking for. Be sure to install the app beforehand and download the narration
It may be a little old (hard to find)and slightly more rules-heavy than you’re looking for, but Last Night on Earth is great. It’s zombies vs human survivors in different scenarios.
Pandemic is also great. It’s a coop game where the players are trying to eradicate disease around the globe.
Stuffed Fables, or The Adventures Of Robin Hood (not played the latter but I believe it’s a similar adventure gamebook system)
TINY EPIC DUNGEONS is a highly portable medium complexity cooperative fantasy dungeon crawler. Good for camping, but the RPG elements are more in the loot-and-level-up style than the epic narrative style.
ARKHAM HORROR LCG is a fairly portable light-medium complexity cooperative card game set in the Cthulhu mythos. There is a surprising amount of narrative for a card game, with some leveling-up between stories. And a seemingly neverending supply of story expansion decks.
FORGOTTEN WATERS is a full size light complexity cooperative boardgame with a pirate theme. I haven’t played this one yet, but by all accounts it has a great story.
None of these games require significant preparation or a GM. Forgotten waters has an app, but I don’t remember if it’s required to play the game.
upvote for Arkham Horror LCG, it’s just cards and some tokens (that can be easily replaced by pen and paper or small dice. I’d recommend bringing some of the expansion scenarios (there’s also standalone scenarios you can buy) but the base box experience is ok.
e: forgot about the bag, there’s a bag of tokens that’s required. so not all tokens are replaceable
Arkham Horror LCG is exactly that. A 2 player GM-less RPG told through a CCG-lite.
I don’t think you’ll find a good RPG that works for camping. Check out My City, it’s a smaller campaign style polyomino game that has an ongoing series of missions.
Some of the suggestions like Gloomhaven and Pathfinder are fun games but not necessarily camping friendly 🤷🏻♀️
