Not all lines drawn in a dungeon are equal

 I knew what I getting when I backed Trial By Fire (a name that has been used for a wide variety of media a whole bunch of times) When I see a PnP Dungeon Crawl that just requires a pencil, I know we’re talking about a puzzle where you draw a line on a grid and combat is a simple math equation.

Alexander Shen has designed a bunch of games/puzzles that follow this formula. Paper App:Dungeon adds a die but is still basically the same idea. Solo Tower Hack also used the idea in 2007 (also with dice) 

and I’m sure it wasn’t the first.

And Trial By Fire is indeed drawing a line on a grid, just like I thought. It does make some design choices that will make it see some play for me.

First of all, it has a slightly more in depth character system. Four different stats and an inventory system. And it is organized in an easy to use checkbox system.

Far more importantly than that, you pick one of four different classes that give you different stats and starting inventory. That adds variety, which is good when you don’t have any dice or cards to change things up.

Most important for me as far as actually seeing play, one of the printing options is as a pocket-sized booklet. Trial By Fire is _far_ from unique in that. Gladden Games Paper App series is built around the idea. However, Paper App: Dungeon is my least favorite game in the series and Trial By Fire gives me a dungeon crawl alternative I enjoy more.

Trial By Fire does have some drawbacks. It is an abstract puzzle and there is going to be an optimal solution. It doesn’t have a campaign mode, which is the best part Paper App: Dungeon in my opinion. And there are plenty of alternatives to it that do the same basic thing.

However, I do like the class system and the inventory system. I think it does a good job at what it does. It’s not the first little dungeon crawl I’ve backed but it’s the one that’s made it into my travel bag. 

Trial By Fire isn’t for everyone. Or even most everyone. I got into Dungeon Crawls by way of Dungeons and Dragons and it does not scratch that itch. However, it works well as a minimal space/material travel distraction.