Step into the thrilling world of tabletop storytelling as we countdown the five most unforgettable moments in actual play from 2023. From heart-wrenching dramas to laugh-out-loud antics, these highlights showcase the magic, creativity, and sheer unpredictability that make Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing games a captivating experience for players and audiences alike. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or new to the realm, these standout scenes will remind you why actual play continues to enchant and inspire gamers everywhere.
From body-horror battlemaps and soaring choral anthems to creative live visual and in-fiction language lessons, actual play last year had moments that shocked, delighted, and even instructed – inspiring waypoints for players and performers alike. As a professor who studies troupes performing Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing games, I’ve spent time with hundreds of shows across thousands of hours, watching and listening. These are the sounds, images, and ideas from 2023 that will stick with me for years to come.
Cassi Mothwin’s Jenga tower in space
Cassi Mothwin’s Jenga tower in space stands out as a memorable moment in actual play from 2023, showcasing her solo RPG session of The Wretched. In this intense and atmospheric game, Cassi plays the last surviving crew member of a damaged intergalactic salvage ship, using a Jenga tower as a tension mechanic that mirrors the precariousness of her situation. Her careful pulls on the tower, combined with immersive storytelling and live roleplay, create a gripping experience that captures the fragility and suspense of survival in space.
Cassi Mothwin’s work this year has been an interesting mix of game design and performance experience, including the combination audio drama and solo journaling RPG The Sticker Game, which won her an Indie Groundbreaker award and the prize for best actual-play video at Minnesota WebFest. While not a prolific actual-play creator, her livestreamed playthrough of Chris Bissette’s solo game The Wretched is an engaging experience. With a deft use of digital overlays, her multi-camera setup turned humble wooden blocks into a stylized representation of a doomed starship. A tight 40 minutes of gameplay with an introduction and a 15-minute postgame reflection, it’s also a reminder of the impact shorter sessions and smaller systems can have on an audience.
Gudiya cracks to let light in
In the actual play scene of 2023, the moment titled “Gudiya cracks to let light in” stands out as a powerful and symbolic event. This moment captures a character’s emotional breakthrough, where vulnerability allows hope and clarity to emerge amidst the tension of the game. It exemplifies how actual play sessions can transcend mere gameplay to deliver deeply moving storytelling that resonates with players and audiences alike. Such moments highlight the unique blend of roleplaying and narrative that makes actual play experiences memorable and impactful.
Another livestream you may have missed that earned kudos across various web fests, including multiple nominations and awards, was Gudiya, a playthrough of Bluebeard’s Bride that used the novel system to explore ideas of colonial and gendered violence in a South Asian setting. Three players are different aspects of the titular bride, and as their dynamic shifts, so too does the lush, animated representation of Gudiya’s face by Stella Luna – a gorgeous, and haunting, set of images of fracture and reintegration.
Worlds Beyond Number brings us to “The Rain Road”
Worlds Beyond Number captivates listeners with “The Rain Road,” a poignant and beautifully crafted piece featured in its Season 1 finale. This song, written by Taylor Moore and Brennan Lee Mulligan, has inspired a heartfelt tribute by fans and artists alike, highlighting the show’s rich storytelling and emotional depth. The production quality and evocative lyrics underscore the unique blend of narrative and music that sets Worlds Beyond Number apart in the actual play genre, making “The Rain Road” a standout moment in 2023’s best actual play experiences.
There’s a lot of strong contenders for original music these days in actual play, following in the tradition of Griffin McElroy’s work on The Adventure Zone. Musician J. Strautman of Planet Arcana follows in the McElroy tradition of scoring and DMing (including an opening theme that is never far from my brain), and the team led by Steven Melin at Dark Dice composes immersive, haunting sonic landscapes. There’s even in-character concept albums by the Dungeons and Daddies team.
The one moment I’ve been showing to students, colleagues, and the curious has been the finale of Worlds Beyond Number’s first arc, “There is an Ocean Vaster than This One,” which uses an original song by producer Taylor Moore with DM Brennan Lee Mulligan, “The Rain Road.” Inspired by Mulligan’s deep engagement with Celtic lore, and including a combination of individual singers and a choir sourced from all over the world, the song is an expression of unity and hope renewed and brings the first arc of this ambitious new actual play to an equally astonishing end.
DesiQuest’s glossy glossary
DesiQuest’s glossy glossary offers a vibrant and culturally authentic lexicon that enriches the experience of their all-Desi cast Dungeons & Dragons actual-play show. This glossary not only demystifies common D&D terms and mechanics but also highlights the unique flavor and storytelling style that DesiQuest brings to the tabletop, making it an essential guide for both newcomers and seasoned players eager to dive into this epic journey.
Jasmine Bhullar’s love letter to the Indian subcontinent, DesiQuest, arrived a little later than anticipated, but it was time and money well spent. There’s much to love, with brisk pacing, thoughtful world-building, and a delightful cast of characters (young construct Baccha has my whole heart). But the show earns special kudos for the choice to add pop-up witty definitions in the lower third. The choice allows Bhullar and her stellar cast to proceed without interruption or explanation in this all-Desi space, while graciously inviting wider audiences in to share in the fun. It’s one of many small touches that make the project sing.
Iyengar’s bear
In the second episode of Dimension 20’s Burrow’s End, Aabria Iyengar delivered one of the most memorable moments of actual play in 2023 with the introduction of a terrifying and innovative bear battle map. This encounter featured an undead bear, uniquely piloted by chipmunks, taking place inside a living creature, which Iyengar described as both disgusting and fascinating to design. The battle was notable not only for its creativity but also for its intense pacing and lore integration, showcasing Iyengar’s skill in balancing narrative and gameplay tension. This moment stood out as a shocking and visually stunning highlight that left a lasting impression on players and viewers alike.
Aabria Iyengar is best known for theater-of-the-mind-style play, and her prior times in charge of Dimension 20’s Dome had her calling on the talents of Rick Perry and the art team to create projections and props, not battlemaps. That all changed with episode 2 of Burrow’s End, where Iyengar unveiled her monsterpiece: an undead bear, now being piloted by chipmunks. Part miniature, part battlemap, the bear was the first sign of the true horror of this campaign, as well as a clever foreshadowing of the themes and plot points yet to come.
Honorable mention: Shoutout to CritRoleStats
While most media now relies heavily on what scholar Ludi Price calls “fan information labor” – the work of compiling info, wikis, clipping moments, and more – it’s the lifeblood of actual play. Having devoted, nerdy-ass (and detail-oriented) fans is almost as important to a fledgling show’s success as the cast and crew. This is particularly true of Critical Role, whose gargantuan episodes have been live-tweeted by CritRoleStats since the first summer of airing. For the final broadcast of 2023, the team (Andrew K., Singing Badger, Lauren K., and Katherine K.) got a shoutout by DM Matt Mercer and loremaster Dani Carr. In response, the team tweeted, “It’s been an honor and a pleasure to serve, record, laugh, cry, and experience with this community, this show, and the people who create it. Thank you all for eight astounding years.” It was a touching tribute to a project whose impact on audiences (and scholarship!) cannot be overstated – of a kind we likely will not see again.
What are the most unforgettable moments that defined actual play in 2023
The most unforgettable moments that defined actual play in 2023 include:
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Cassi Mothwin’s dramatic Jenga tower collapse in a space-themed session, a tense and symbolic moment that captured the imagination of viewers.
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Gudiya’s emotional breakthrough scene, where a character cracks to let light in, highlighting the deep narrative potential of actual play storytelling.
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The inventive and surprising twists in various campaigns that showcased the creativity and unpredictability of tabletop role-playing games throughout the year.
These moments stood out for their emotional impact, innovative gameplay, and the way they brought players and audiences together in shared storytelling experiences, marking 2023 as a standout year for actual play content.
What was the most jaw-dropping actual play moment of 2023
The most jaw-dropping actual play moment of 2023 was Cassi Mothwin’s dramatic Jenga tower collapse during a space-themed session. This moment stood out for its intense tension and symbolic weight, capturing the imagination of viewers and becoming a defining highlight of the year in actual play content.
