Alice Is Missing vs We Are But Worms
Compare Alice Is Missing and We Are But Worms side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Alice Is Missing | We Are But Worms | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Modern | Universal |
| Tags | GM-Less, Diceless, Mystery, One-Shot Friendly, Experimental, Drama, Investigation | Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, GM-Less, Freeform Magic, Experimental |
| Core Mechanic | No dice, no GM. One player facilitates setup, then all communication happens via text messages on players' phones for 90 minutes. A timed playlist sets pacing: when the timer hits the number on the back of a face-down Clue Card, that player flips it and follows the prompt, drawing a Suspect or Location Card and weaving the new information into the group text conversation. Characters exchange messages in a group chat and in private, building the story of what happened to Alice Briarwood. The 10-minute card determines the ending. | The entire game is one word. No dice, no stats, no GM. Playable as a tabletop RPG or LARP. Explores physical embodiment and perspective through the act of play itself. |
| Dice | Diceless | Diceless |
| Complexity | Very Low | Very Low |
| Availability | Paid | Paid |
| Runnability | 3 of 5 book tools | Book tools not listed |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Not yet researched |
| Publisher | Hunters Entertainment / Renegade Game Studios | Riverhouse Games |
| Year | 2020 | 2019 |
| Languages | English, French | English |
| Best For | Groups looking for a unique, emotionally intense one-shot experience played in complete silence through real text messages on their phones. | Anyone curious about the absolute boundary of what an RPG can be: a single-word game about embodiment, physicality, and being a worm. |
| Highlights | Played entirely in silence through real phone text messages: no speaking after the game begins, timed playlist structures 90 minutes of play with Clue Cards triggered at specific intervals, voicemails recorded during setup are played at the end as a group debrief, won three Gold ENnie Awards in 2021 including Product of the Year | Entire game is a single word, playable as tabletop or LARP, zero barrier to entry |
| Considerations | Requires all players to have phones and each other's numbers, designed as a single-session experience with no continuation: replaying with the same group revisits familiar territory, emotionally heavy content including themes of loss and violence requires safety tools and player buy-in, facilitator must thoroughly understand the rules beforehand even though the role is lighter than a traditional GM | No mechanical structure: no dice, no stats, no resolution system, one word of rules text with no GM guidance or scenario framework, single session only, no character creation or advancement |