XII: Inner Demons (Part 1)

Volumetic Shit Compressor (12 days internalization)

XII: Inner Demons is a game published by Witch & Craft Games. Game material and content is reproduced here for review purposes and is owned by Witch & Craft Games. XII: Inner Demons secured investment through crowdsourcing. The second game of the series is currently seeking financial support, if you are intrigued by this critical analysis, we recommend you check it out.

1. Every Individual Component Is The Best

In our analysis, we consider every individual artistic element of a game the best; we do not find bad or good useful. So, the Split/Party framework assumes it is the best art, best layout, best writing, best design. This is an acknowledgement that nobody makes “bad” art on purpose; any given element is the best art that could have been produced at that point, restricted by its material conditions and constraints of time and effort. This is also because saying something is good/bad art is the most useless criticism that can be given. In practical term, this section is for things we will not touch on the review but merit acknowledgement.

Ludo

The game has amazing art, layout, writing and fiction writing; well above what anyone should expect from its production resources. It is comparable to some of World of Darkness best products from back in the day, a remarkable feat for such a small studio.

XII also has dyslexia-friendly version of the game, which in no way detracts from the original presentation — in fact, both are a great addition. I had a lot of fun reading the original XII version from front to back and then using the dyslexia version for reference and consultation.

Brad

I love the layout and fiction, and this is coming from a well-known fiction grump. The book is clearly laid out and legible, while not being afraid to have fun. While not having an index it does possess an excellent table of contents and I am very fond of the color palette used in the interior. The author’s voice comes through strongly without ever feeling twee or pandering.

I want to note that XII also has a fantastic character sheet, pleasing to the eye and able to easily catch and record all information you need. It is wild that it’s worthy mentioning a good character sheet in this era of history, but trust me, XII has a good one.

2. Meet The Game At The Level It Is At

Each game comes with certain expectations and tone. To properly breakdown, we have to meet the game at the level it is: not lament its choice of premise and wish it was something else, nor resent for not conforming with our politics, not letting “missed opportunities” stand in our way of applying the critical framework relentlessly. It also includes not working with the game as marketed or how it exists in our desires, but as it is.

Lucrécia

Content warning: this is a game about trauma. Not in a cutesy market way that is not actually about anything, much less trauma, but everything in this game is about systematic reproduction of trauma and dealing with it. Engaging with it is the reason of being for the game!

One player plays the Target — a human whose trauma and suffering is attracting the attention of Otherworldly forces. Other players may play either fellow Humans, who also have their own trauma and supernatural threats to deal with, or Lesser Demons that fear the big entities coming their way and need to bond with humans to have a fighting chance against the big boys.

The game has a possible anxiety-inducing central mechanic: there is a limited time-window of play and limited actions. That may be a deal-breaker for some of you.

Brad

Lu breaks a lot of this down perfectly, this game is proudly about trauma, and about people dealing with it.

3. Identify What The Game Says It Is About

Games are about things. Usually. Mostly. That is often the same thing they market themselves as. This often means to establish the relationship of the game with systems, mechanical frameworks, genre, etc. This is how games establish exceptions about the nature of play and creates a common space for creation.

Ludo

One of the characters has attracted the attention of an Archdemon, the ultimate form of demon and a parasitic entity that feasts on the woes of only the most traumatized humans. The Archdemon gonna come into our world with their court of Greater Demons to devour the target of their appetites; Lesser Demons and other humans got caught up as collateral damage; they must all work together to survive. Maybe.

XII is about getting your shit together over the course of 12 days. No pressure!¹ The players must stop the feeding ritual by vanquishing mystic seals and facing Greater Demons. Can they prevail and avoid becoming a meal?

Brad

Playing the Target makes you well… the target, of a terrifying being known as an Archdemon, the Target has experienced a trauma profound enough to mark them for devouring by this strange being. The Archdemon will be here soon, and they will bring enough of their cruel friends to make a meal and sport out of the Target.

The Target has 12 Days, but misery loves company, and the Archdemon's entourage has marked another handful of humans, either as appetizers or simply by accident, either way in 12 Days they die too. Lesser demons want to lend aid too, for the same self-serving reason, they will suffer misery from The Archdemon’s approach.

4. Uncover What The Game Is REALLY About

What the game says it is about is not always what the game is about. This is where we look at all the weird interactions, examining the system that game creates, how the way mechanics interact with the text and art, how it exists in a given context, how well parts flow together or get in the way. This creates a much richer environment that the original design could ever imagine once a game hits the table.

Lucrécia

XII is about two things, but one can easily have games in which only one is present, or be hitting a mix between the two of them. It all depends on your party composition and focus.

One, is how witches are made. Witches are not made from boarding schools. Humans in XII have the potential to become witches: they are competent individuals, that have become so despite — and sometimes because — of their traumas and inner turmoil. During these twelve days, they can rise through adversity and get their shit together by caring for others and getting help from others. By bonding with Lesser Demons, you learn more of the world beyond and after you survive the trials of the twelve days? You may decide to keep your memories and take the mantle as a witch, a priestess of your community, taking the fight to the Otherworld. And never shutting up about it!

Another is plurality. Lesser Demons do not interact with our world with Humans need, requiring a resource to manifest and relying on bonds with Humans. They are people that make you stronger and better able to deal with the bullshit all around us, parities intelligence that are invisible except to eyes of love. An entire game can be a Target with their Lesser Demon mates, having to negotiate a single anchor recognized by the world around them; it is almost impossible to avoid getting into plural brain when a game bends that way. The curve of stories lends itself to conflict and difficulty having to understand these odd entities with unique needs and wants that are not that good at communicating them, to thinking about each other almost second nature. From noticing them from the first time as the twelve days begin, to regarding them as often unreasonable monsters, to working in tandem as one: acting as a person of many personhoods.

One of the most game about witches that never mentions witches, and one of the best game about the experience of plurality that does not mention plurality, or falls on the stereotypes associated to it.

Brad

XII doesn’t just wear its theme, it uses its theme as a vestment, it declares its theme on the first page of rules text, “a roleplaying game of trauma, turmoil and diabolic danger”. A lot of games declare their themes this early, but XII lives up to it. It continues its friendly, but not twee or saccharine tone throughout its whole text. Is any of this directly relevant, no, but it made it easier for me to identify some other fun themes.

One easy theme is Solidarity, the group only necessarily has one thing in common, they are going to die in 12 days if they don’t stop this from happening, so let’s work together to stop it. There isn’t an option to suddenly change sides, to sacrifice other players for one more miserable moment of life, you fight for a future, and if people die for your future, carry their memory with you.

Another theme that I found so compelling is Humanity. All too often, games make the traumatized less human, XII doesn’t take this approach and it doesn’t reduce the traumatized to helplessness, XII has the trauma mark you as a target by a being that’s terrifyingly inhuman, and that’s it.

1. No wait, all of the pressure!