Junji Ito is one of the most instantly recognizable names in the world of horror. While many games have tried to capture the unique and distinctive atmosphere his work radiates
But TTRPG players looking for a simple Junji Ito horror game should check out 7 Day Spiral by RemingtonChase, as it captures the vibe of Ito’s most famous stories and wraps them into a short but intense storytelling game.
The Gameplay
One of the first things that stands out about 7 Day Spiral is that it offers three modes of play. The experience can be run by a GM, a storytelling game where everyone shares one character (like Everyone Is John), or as a solo journaling game.
The game is split into seven sections, each representing a single day. At the start of each day, one player rolls a D6 and reads out the associated prompt. Players then discuss this prompt and how the situation plays out. When everyone feels that the prompt and its fallout have been covered, they move on to the next day and repeat the process.
Each day has unique prompts, meaning there is quite a lot of variety on offer. Plus, the prompts do a fantastic job of capturing the feel of Junji Ito’s work without locking the players into recreating his stories. On top of this, care has been taken to make sure that the prompts all flow into each other nicely, meaning that players will get a cohesive experience no matter their rolls.
Why It Was Made For You
7 Day Spiral’s simplicity and speed make it an excellent game for last-minute one-shots or as a palette cleanser during a longer game night. Plus, the solo journaling playstyle means that this game could be used as a world-building tool by GMs planning to run a Junji Ito-inspired horror campaign and want a fun way to come up with ideas.
Because of this, 7 Day Spiral is the perfect TTRPG for lovers of creepy but cooperative storygames and horror fans looking for a game that captures the feeling of Junji Ito’s immensely creepy manga catalog.
Get The Game Here
Jonathon Greenall is a freelance writer, TTRPG designer, and visual artist. They love creating and exploring the often overlooked corners of indie media, spotlighting things that dare to be different.