# Desperation

Desperation is a rules-lite survival horror RPG containing two complete games: Dead House (blizzard-stranded Kansas town, 1888) and The Isabel (doomed fishing vessel in the Gulf of Alaska). Using the Desperation Engine, players decide who speaks rather than what happens—building a web of relationships then watching them collapse under pressure. Card-driven, GM-less, and playable in 1-2 hours.

## At a Glance

Survival Horror • Card-driven • 1-5 players • Zero prep • Rules-lite • 1-2h sessions

## Why It Fits

A strong fit for groups that want history or historical texture to shape the campaign, with narrative-Driven helping define the experience.

## Fit Facts

- Players: 1-5 players
- Session length: 60-120 minutes
- Prep: None

## Facets

- Genres: Historical, Horror
- Mechanics: Narrative-Driven, GM-less / Cooperative, Rules Lite, Survival
- Decision tags: Low Prep, One-Shot Friendly

## Scores

- Complexity: 3/5
- New GM Fit: 5/5
- Roleplay Focus: 5/5
- Combat Focus: 2/5
- Tactical Depth: 1/5
- Campaign Depth: 2/5

## Best For

- Tables that want history or historical texture to shape the campaign
- Tables that want fiction-first play and scene-level consequences
- Players who want character, atmosphere, or story to matter more than pure tactics

## Avoid If

- You want combat and action to drive most of the session
- You want a giant long-form campaign engine
- You want the system to stay almost invisible at the table

## Directory Notes

Desperation contains two distinct survival horror experiences grounded in real 1888 history. Dead House traps players in Neola, Kansas during the Great Blizzard of 1888—a tiny prairie town where supplies and sanity dwindle as the snow piles higher.

## Theme and Setting

The Isabel casts players as passengers and crew aboard a three-masted cod schooner fishing the Gulf of Alaska, sailing into a storm the ship cannot weather. Both settings emphasize claustrophobia, dwindling resources, and communities pushed past their breaking points.

## How Play Feels

The gothic atmosphere draws from actual historical accounts, creating narratives that feel tragically inevitable rather than arbitrarily cruel. The Desperation Engine uses a standard deck of playing cards to drive narrative horror.

## What Makes It Distinct

Unlike traditional RPGs where players decide what happens, here they decide who says it —choosing which character narrates each card's prompt. This creates a web of relationships that the game systematically applies pressure to and, in most cases, destroys.

## Where It May Not Fit

You want combat and action to drive most of the session You want a giant long-form campaign engine.

## Links

- Directory page: https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/desperation
- Agent JSON: https://www.ttrpg-games.com/api/games/desperation.json
- Publisher or official site: https://bullypulpitgames.com/products/desperation
- Reviews or retailer page: https://bullypulpitgames.itch.io/desperation?ac=YUqaLN4pVvG