narrative challenges

In 1999, designer David Dunham and his studio A Sharp released King of Dragon Pass, which combines mythic fantasy RPG and cattle management simulation. Although it initially faced commercial disappointment, it gained a dedicated following for its narrative experience. Later in 2023, Dunham and A Sharp will launch Thousand Hells: The Underworld Heists, described as a "systemic storybook experience" by its publisher, Kitfox Games. Dunham calls it a "tactical narrative game," emphasizing its unconventional classification. The game features gameplay elements where players use traits of party members in conflict resolution, set in a fantastical representation of Byzantium. It introduces conditional, rearrangeable storytelling elements, which Dunham claims to have pioneered in the '90s, although he acknowledges that King of Chicago may have predated him. Thousand Hells offers a unique experience in each playthrough and can be completed in one to two hours, contrasting with the longer narratives of its predecessors.