I don't know if Sunderfolk can replace tabletop RPGs, but its smartphone controls feel like a great alternative if your DM's too exhausted to run a campaign

Sunderfolk's cast of six anthropomorphic animal hero characters gathered around a hearth.

Sunderfolk is the latest attempt at an experiment that's never quite succeeded. Secret Door's co-op-centric tactical RPG aims to capture the fun of tabletop roleplaying in a more approachable format by using smartphones as controllers for the party's actions on a central screen.

Sunderfolk makes an impressive showing. Secret Door seems like it's carefully considered how to make the most of a phone's potential as a controller, and it played great when I tried it at GDC in March. I'm just left wondering how many game groups would actually choose it over pen and paper.