Brindlewood Bay vs Public Access
Compare Brindlewood Bay and Public Access side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Brindlewood Bay | Public Access | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Horror, Modern | Horror, Modern |
| Tags | Investigation, Mystery, Collaborative, Player-Only Rolls, Narrative, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Atmospheric, Corruption | Investigation, Mystery, Collaborative, Player-Only Rolls, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Atmospheric, Corruption |
| Core Mechanic | PbtA framework: roll 2d6 plus ability modifier, with 10+ as a strong hit, 7–9 as a hit with complication, and 6 or less as a miss. Mysteries have no pre-written solution; players gather clues through the Meddling Move, then use the Theorize move to propose a solution and roll to see if it is correct. The Theorize roll adds the number of clues found minus the mystery's complexity rating (6–8). Putting on a Crown after any roll lets a player bump the result up one tier at the cost of marking narrative consequences on their character sheet. | When a move is triggered, roll 2d6 plus one of five ability modifiers. A 6 or less is a miss, while many moves split hits into 7–9, 10–11, and 12+ tiers. After a result is narrated, a player can turn a Key to raise it one tier and replace that outcome with a different timeline. |
| Dice | 2d6 | 2d6 |
| Complexity | Low | Medium |
| Availability | Paid | Free core rules |
| Runnability | 2 of 5 book tools | 3 of 5 book tools |
| License | Carved from Brindlewood (third-party content license) | Proprietary |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Not yet researched |
| Publisher | The Gauntlet | The Gauntlet |
| Year | 2022 | 2023 |
| Languages | English, French, German, Polish | English, French, Spanish |
| Best For | Groups who want a collaborative mystery game where players piece together clues and collectively theorize solutions, blending cozy small-town charm with creeping cosmic horror | Groups seeking a finite collaborative analog-horror campaign where player-built theories, personal histories, and found-footage prompts shape the truth behind a small-town conspiracy |
| Highlights | Mysteries have no predetermined solution: players gather clues, then Theorize to assemble the answer themselves. The Day/Night structure balances cozy daytime vignettes against dangerous nighttime investigation. The Crown lets a player bump a roll up one tier in exchange for marking long-term character consequences. | Clues have no fixed locations or canonical answers, so players assemble them into a theory and roll to establish whether it is true. Turning a Key raises a resolved roll by one tier and replaces the narrated failure with an alternate timeline. Odyssey tape prompts let players author uncanny broadcasts that become a campaign timer and feed connections back into Deep Lake. |
| Considerations | Keeper must improvise heavily since mysteries have no fixed solutions, Day/Night move split requires tracking time of day carefully, the dark conspiracy campaign arc may not appeal to groups who only want standalone mysteries, combat is not a focus and physical danger is resolved through the same general moves as everything else | Dawn, Day, Dusk, and Night must occur in order, which constrains free-form scene pacing. The Keeper must synthesize campaign discoveries into a custom final TV Odyssey mystery. The intended campaign engages childhood trauma, body horror, ritual sacrifice, and other dark material. |