Fantasy Commentator DX (ファンタジーコメンテーターDX) is a game whose concept I adore and makes me smile every time I think of it. It is fantasy world creation, but the players are newscasters whose reporting shapes the fantasy world.
I picked this game up at the 2023 Tokyo Game Market’s ziplock section. For two to five players, each play lasts twenty to twenty five minutes. Coming in an A4 sized paper envelope with clear file, it contains:
- a map with timeline
- six ancestry cards
- five double sided reference cards
- a double sided A4 rule sheet
- a chart for generating topics
- a variety of counters
- two mini six sided die
- 16 flip cards with various illustrations
The Rules of Making News
The rules fit on a double sided A4 and are quite simple. Set in the world of Filicia, the players are newscasters making up stories for randomly generated topics using art and diagrams on flip cards. Their news report is added to the lore of the world. The number of flip cards used and and viewer ratings give points to win the game.
Preparation
- Each player selects an ancestry card, such as human or elf. Then one of the backgrounds listed on the card, such as fortune teller or bodyguard. These don’t affect the rules, and are only for roleplaying. Each ancestry includes a special action that can be used once per game. Its usage is marked with a mana stone.
- Players take a mana stone, explanation hint card, and three flip cards facedown.
- Place the map and news board in a place that everyone can see.
The Game Begins
- The start player rolls 2d6 twice to determine the topic. The news board is divided into two separate charts, one for the first role and the other for the second. If doubles are rolled flip cards are passed to the left. An example is “undead” from the first role and “dependence” from the second. These are combined and become the topic to be reported on (“undead dependence”).
- Topic at hand, the starting player begins their commentary for roughly a minute. Each player can use one flip card per turn, and players should begin with the explaining their card as soon as possible.
- The player then nominates another play, who begins their own commentary based on one of the six items on the commentary hint card. The first item is “what caused it.”
There is no set lore in the world, so anything can be told, and the existing names and dates can be referenced however you want. The one restriction is you can’t redefine another player’s card or narration.
And the Best Commentator is-
- The game ends after three turns. The player with the most points wins, with points gained for:
- flip cards (one point each unless marked otherwise)
- players give a point to the commentator they enjoyed most
- viewer reception: each player rolls a d6 and applies the listed reception. Some are negatives, such as removing a flip card, while others are positives that give extra points.
Addendum
There are some additional advanced rules, such as one player being a moderator. A quick aside is also given for how the news could be broadcast in a fantasy world: the glassy surface of water and magic to create the flip card visuals.
Back to You
Unfortunately, the X account has not seen an update since 2024, and the official site is no longer active, so it appears the game is no longer available. The GameMarket listing is still available, but the images do not load. If you’re interested in the game, you’ll need to scour the second hand game sites.