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In the sleepy hamlet of Silent Falls, a tragedy has struck: Alice Is Missing. In this 3-5 player silent RPG from Renegade Game Studios, players take on the roles of teenagers as they try to solve the disappearance of their friend Alice Briarwood. Throughout the game, players will communicate via text as they uncover clues in the mystery of Alice’s disappearance. This how to play is spoiler-free, so there’s nothing in here that will ruin any surprises that the game may have in store.
Alice Is Missing - Set Up
The first step is for players to choose a facilitator. This character acts much like a GM or DM in other RPGs but will be an active player as well as the facilitator. Their role is to read sections aloud and they should have read the whole rulebook ahead of play. Before going into the game, the facilitator should discuss any possibly triggering content that might come up, and players should make it known if they want any content removed. This is a critical step to make sure that everyone has the best possible experience playing.
Next, players will need to each have a phone, each other’s contact information, and there should be one laptop in plain view of all players. The facilitator then reads the introduction card aloud, before taking the Charlie Barnes character card for themselves. The rest can be distributed to the remaining characters however they please. These cards detail some background information, such as their relationship with Alice, a Secret, and a reason for leaving Alice a voicemail. The Secrets should, as the name suggests, be kept secret. Each character then receives a random Drive card, outlining a motive and their relationships. The motive will determine how they play the game, and the relationships will impact how they act around other characters.
Once this has been set up, players then introduce their characters to the group, giving any background information they have come up with along with their relationship to Alice. They then openly assign their relationships to other characters. Now, players add one another’s contact details to their phones, making sure to save the numbers under the character names, not the players’. If players already have each other’s numbers saved, then simply change the names. Starting with the facilitator, players will privately leave a ‘voicemail’ from their character to Alice on the facilitator’s device using a voice recording app. These should vaguely allude to their Secrets and are the last message players left Alice before they knew she was missing.
Cards, Cards, And More Cards
Next, one of each type of Suspect and Location cards should be displayed on the table and each player describes a suspicion they have about a singular Suspect and Location. Then, all copies of the Location and Suspect cards are shuffled in their respective decks along with the Search cards. These are all placed face down and players will be prompted to use these throughout the game. Now comes the Alice is Missing playlist on Spotify. This helps to create a more immersive experience while also acting as a timer.
The facilitator places all Clue cards face down, sorted by the number on their backs. They then take the 90-minute card before placing a 10-minute card in the middle of the table and randomly selecting one of each value cards from 20 upwards. This is the Clue deck and should be distributed evenly to all players. All unused cards can go back to the box.
Finally, the facilitator reads the Game Guide aloud. This details how the game will run and some in-game details for all players. Now it’s time to start the timer and let the game begin!
As soon as it does, the facilitator turns over the 90-minute card and follows the instructions, starting a group text with all other players. When a clue card is revealed, all information must be revealed to the whole group, nothing on these should be hidden. This is where the role playing really comes into it. Players now respond as if they were their character, responding to the group text or starting private texts with others. If a player wants to send something out of character, they can do so by putting it in brackets. As the game goes on, new clue cards will become available. These have questions or prompts on them and will help shape the game as it goes.
Blue’s Clues
Gameplay continues following prompts from Clue cards and progresses until the 10-minute card, when the facilitator will play the voicemails back to the group. Finally, there is the Debrief. This is when players tie up their loose ends and can take as long as they need to get everything in order.
And that’s how to play Alice Is Missing. The gameplay is lead almost entirely by the group with the cards only acting as prompts throughout, so it's down to you to determine how you want to play! If you want to give it a try for yourself click here to buy Alice Is Missing today.