This post continues my list of the top 5 games I played in 2024. The idea for this series comes from the excellent Eggplant Podcast.

Other posts in my Top 5 list: Rank 5 - Rank 4 - Rank 3 - Rank 2 - Rank 1. And the Finnish version of my list starts here.

By the way, I left out any TTRPG sessions or campaigns I’ve run to keep things simple.

2. Night Witches

Night Witches is a tabletop role-playing game by Jason Morningstar about Soviet female bomber pilots during World War II. The game explores themes of heroism, sacrifice, and women navigating a male-dominated world. It is a Powered by the Apocalypse game.

We began our Night Witches mini-campaign with a couple of test sessions this fall. After those, we decided to continue with a short campaign that will carry over into the new year.

The game has a procedural structure: during the day characters rest, repair planes, and have social interactions at the airbase and around it. Every night, they undertake at least one bombing mission. This rhythm effectively conveys the feel of daily life during wartime.

Harasoo dizainy (Well-Designed)

I found the game to be exceptionally well-designed and player-friendly. The character sheets (or playbooks) include pre-filled suggestions for names, places of birth, etc., which lower the barrier to entry. The game’s core mechanics (moves) are well-aligned with its themes. Additionally, the concept of the game itself is both unique and fascinating.

The highlight of our sessions was witnessing how each character’s attitudes toward Soviet ideology and the war evolved over time. These changes emerged organically through gameplay.

Zakuski

To enhance the immersion, we enjoyed thematic snacks during our sessions: garlic pickles with sour cream and honey, and more.

Another memorable element was the cursed navigator’s seat in my character Ljuba’s plane. Somehow, every mission seemed to end with Ljuba’s navigator meeting an untimely demise — an emergent detail that added humor and drama to our games.

With these strengths, Night Witches earns second place in my 2024 top games list.

Honorable Mention: Pub Quizzes at Sörkän Ruusu and Hepro’s Family Feud

This fall was a season of quizzes. After friends moved to Helsinki, we started attending pub quizzes at Sörkän Ruusu pub with our team, “Ullakon Helsingin jaosto.” I only managed to join a few times, but the experience was great.

At Hepro’s (Helsinki Tabletop Roleplayers Association) little Christmas party, there were two quizzes: a Kahoot trivia game hosted by Ninjet and a Voitto Kotiin (Family Feud) quiz hosted by Juzzma, both with TTRPG themes.

Kahoot is always fun, but this year, the Family Feud quiz left a stronger impression. Maybe because I captained one of the teams—or maybe because we won!

In the Family Feud format, 100 people have previously answered the questions, and participants try to guess the most popular answers. What made this version special was the relatively low number of responses, leading to chaotic and entertaining results.

At Sörkän Ruusu pub quiz, our team was victorious early in the season (when I wasn’t present), and I managed to contribute to one win. However, later in the fall, competition became fierce, and other teams consistently delivered near-flawless performances.

I plan to keep attending quizzes next year, though Wednesday evenings conflict with my apartment building’s sauna nights.