I Guess This Is It fits an emotional two-player RPG about saying goodbye into your pocket

A new tabletop RPG plans to pack an emotional punch into just 18 cards that can fit into your pocket.

I Guess This Is It is the first ‘wallet RPG’ from publisher Button Shy, which has released dozens of wallet-sized card games over the last six years. Some of the studio’s more notable compact games include Wingspan creator Elizabeth Hargrave’s flower-swapping game Tussie Mussie, city-building game Sprawlopolis and Wild West-themed card-drafting title Circle The Wagons.

Designed by Cezar Capacle, I Guess This Is It is made up of just 18 cards, which are arranged into a grid on the table. Two players take it in turns to pick up a card and play one from their hand, gradually forming a connected path across the grid as they work towards a final ‘Goodbye’ card.

Each card’s one-word title - including evocative words such as ‘Shelter’, ‘Lie’ and ‘Care’ - and illustration by artist Anastasia Khmelevska is designed to serve as a prompt for the players’ conversation as they roleplay two people about to say their final farewell.

The exact nature of the characters’ relationship, reason for permanently parting and location is decided by the players, with preset playbooks included in the game’s guidebook for those needing some inspiration. Possibilities include the end of a romance, death, following a dream or something else entirely. Players must match symbols on connected cards to continue the conversation, while also being careful to manage their partner’s feelings within the narrative.

I Guess This Is It is currently on Kickstarter, with a pledge of $3 picking up a print-and-play version of the game, while $10 acquires the full physical release. A print-and-play demo can be downloaded for free from PNP Arcade. The game is due to release digitally in March, with physical copies arriving in April.