Polygon: All Posts by Em Friedmanhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/42931/favicon.ico2024-01-30T10:00:00-05:00https://www.polygon.com/authors/em-friedman/rss2024-01-30T10:00:00-05:002024-01-30T10:00:00-05:00The best actual play of 2024 includes Dungeons & Dragons and many more systems
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<img alt="Close crop in of a hand holding a multi-side gaming die. There is a pile of different dice sitting on a piece of paper that is used to keep score. In the background, there are figurines of different magical-looking characters, and various round playing pieces." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FR8m2-c1UmRIWxNIQSuuKde_scg=/0x156:3000x1844/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73096665/gtam_210609_ecl1087_stock_tabletop.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Illustration: Gica Tam for Polygon</figcaption>
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<p>Your new podcast or streaming obsession is just over the horizon</p>
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<a href="https://www.polygon.com/tabletop-games/24052123/best-actual-play-2024-dungeons-dragons-critical-role-dimension-20-acquisitions-inc">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.polygon.com/tabletop-games/24052123/best-actual-play-2024-dungeons-dragons-critical-role-dimension-20-acquisitions-incEm Friedman2024-01-23T13:00:00-05:002024-01-23T13:00:00-05:00The best actual play of 2023 includes Dimension 20, DesiQuest, and more
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<img alt="Danielle Radford, with heavy in-character eye makeup, beholds the undead bear vehicle of her nightmares for the first time. Her mouth is agape." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/S3qrl8LP8MjjDAQR1Qdh3v99YpY=/0x0:2560x1440/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73078671/burrows_end_bear_reveal.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Image: Dimension 20</figcaption>
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<p>From sound to visuals to entirely new storytelling techniques, these programs pushed the form forward</p>
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<a href="https://www.polygon.com/24044210/best-actual-play-2023">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.polygon.com/24044210/best-actual-play-2023Em Friedman2023-11-01T09:30:00-04:002023-11-01T09:30:00-04:00As Worlds Beyond Number’s second season begins, time is on their side
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<img alt="A young Black woman sits on a rock in a forest in an early trailer for s1 of Worlds Beyond Number." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7gjVDyxznhYAyv9ht--aKMZ_Z9A=/0x0:1920x1080/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72816785/vlcsnap_2023_10_30_09h28m42s095.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Image: Worlds Beyond Number via <a class="ql-link" href="https://youtu.be/5q9et3Othu4?si=xQhgzwrnWCqSlHjl" target="_blank">YouTube</a></figcaption>
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<p>If the fox dies, we riot</p>
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<a href="https://www.polygon.com/23938454/worlds-beyond-number-s2-preview-interview">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.polygon.com/23938454/worlds-beyond-number-s2-preview-interviewEm Friedman2023-10-11T09:00:00-04:002023-10-11T09:00:00-04:00For Dimension 20’s next campaign, Burrow’s End, Aabria Iyengar needs you to trust her
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<img alt="Aabria Iyengar stares into the camera, pointing a finger over a small terrain piece with sandy hills and pine trees." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jNW1kYYbo_-0LSliMHoDaZ3TS8Q=/0x107:2048x1259/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72743801/aabria_iyengar_pointing.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Image: Dropout</figcaption>
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<p>The 20th season of Dropout’s actual play feels ‘different’ by design</p>
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<a href="https://www.polygon.com/23906183/dimension-20-burrows-end-aabria-iyengar-interview">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.polygon.com/23906183/dimension-20-burrows-end-aabria-iyengar-interviewEm Friedman2023-06-01T09:00:00-04:002023-06-01T09:00:00-04:00Critical Role’s new RPG is a whole cabinet of curiosities — and familiar mechanics
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<img alt="A pale man stares into the middle distance as a spotlight makes him look even more gaunt. From the premiere of Candela Obscura." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7-p1cdti8cnRIPo7va_mfZoMUms=/0x0:3000x1688/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72331181/taliesen_jaffe_premiere_lightkeeper.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Taliesin Jaffe as the Lightkeeper in the premiere of <em>Candela Obscura.</em> | Image: Critical Role via Twitch</figcaption>
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<p>An interview with the cast of Candela Obscura</p>
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<a href="https://www.polygon.com/tabletop-games/23744350/critical-role-candela-obscura-quickstart-mechanics-interview">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.polygon.com/tabletop-games/23744350/critical-role-candela-obscura-quickstart-mechanics-interviewEm Friedman2023-02-06T12:00:00-05:002023-02-06T12:00:00-05:00The best actual play podcasts that don’t use D&D
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<img alt="Gabe Hicks at the head of the table, a collegiate banner adorning the wall behind him." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6OLohEW75BDnWp2i4ScS5EdN7dY=/0x0:2000x1125/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71945602/SO4A6711.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Image: Dimension 20</figcaption>
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<p>There’s worlds to explore beyond the dungeons </p>
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<a href="https://www.polygon.com/tabletop-games/23578213/best-actual-play-podcasts-not-dungeons-dragons-dnd-alternatives">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.polygon.com/tabletop-games/23578213/best-actual-play-podcasts-not-dungeons-dragons-dnd-alternativesEm Friedman2023-01-19T08:00:00-05:002023-01-19T08:00:00-05:00The best new actual play series coming in 2023
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<img alt="Brennan Lee Mulligan and others sit around a stylized campfire in the oil paint art for Worlds Beyond Number." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SAAviUCO8vw4oEVl2m3I5o_70WU=/198x809:1847x1737/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71880714/WBN_FINAL_big_banner_copy.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Image: Worlds Beyond Number</figcaption>
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<p>Wizards and vampires to be sure, but also... zombies and replicants?</p>
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<a href="https://www.polygon.com/23552626/best-new-actual-play-shows-2023-critical-role-worlds-beyond-number-adventure-zone-walking-dead">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.polygon.com/23552626/best-new-actual-play-shows-2023-critical-role-worlds-beyond-number-adventure-zone-walking-deadEm Friedman2022-12-15T12:10:00-05:002022-12-15T12:10:00-05:00Battles have gone badly before in Dimension 20, but not like this
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<img alt="A group of custom miniatures on a muddy table in Neverafter, by Dimension 20. Puss in Boots leads the way." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uD-EEgHnisMuwuR5TXVk1M1-Jz8=/0x0:1920x1080/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71753870/NEVER_103C_copy.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Image: Dimension 20/Dropout.tv</figcaption>
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<p>Brennan Lee Mulligan is not messing around</p>
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<a href="https://www.polygon.com/23509083/dimension-20-neverafter-episode-3-brennan-lee-mulligan-interview">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.polygon.com/23509083/dimension-20-neverafter-episode-3-brennan-lee-mulligan-interviewEm Friedman2022-10-14T10:45:00-04:002022-10-14T10:45:00-04:00Indie game designers were refashioning the Regency long before Bridgerton
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<img alt="A screenshot of Northanger Abbey: The Game shows a character joking about their game not selling well if a character is rude to another in screenshots" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vBvZ3nrFjYf9U_h3-1pU6wKolGo=/2x0:1600x899/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71494657/unnamed_1.0.jpg" />
<figcaption><em>Northanger Abbey: The Game</em> | Image: Spiral Atlas</figcaption>
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<p>We dig into the Regency-era romance games that diversified their leads</p>
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<a href="https://www.polygon.com/23401231/jane-austen-video-game-diversity-bridgerton">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.polygon.com/23401231/jane-austen-video-game-diversity-bridgertonEm Friedman2022-10-06T08:30:00-04:002022-10-06T08:30:00-04:00A Court of Fey & Flowers has a lot to say about love, class, and equality
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<img alt="Cast members reach out to each other joyfully in the final moments of A Court of Fey &amp; Flowers." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VRo98UJL3_ePx_fA2EMKTTJNTFw=/0x0:3000x1688/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71460711/unnamed_copy.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Image: Dimension 20</figcaption>
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<p>Even imaginary Jeremy Renner is stunned by Dimension 20’s latest finale</p>
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<a href="https://www.polygon.com/23389593/dimension-20-court-fey-flowers-finale-review-analysis">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.polygon.com/23389593/dimension-20-court-fey-flowers-finale-review-analysisEm Friedman