This game represents my first attempt at playing a solo journaling game. The reason I got it is because the Alone at the Table collection of games sounded interesting, but I wasn't sure if it would be to my liking. Alone in the Old House, had all the rules right there and I figured it would be a good way to try the system out.
I will admit that I wasn't sure the premise would work for me. I'm not an adventurer or explorer, I'm just a regular person going through the rooms of my childhood house.
Well, I was wrong. It turns out that I am indeed an explorer. There isn't really any other way to describe the experience. I was discovering hidden treasures and mementos as I explored different rooms in the house. It didn't take long after setting up the first room and flipping my first card before I found myself completely lost in my discoveries and the memories, both fictional and real, that those discovers brought to light.
I will say that I adjusted the game a bit to fit what felt right to me. Specifically I let myself go in writing about the items, the memories they brought up, how I found the items, and what I did with them after my time in the house. Instead of a few sentences per item I ended up with a few paragraphs.
Second, I found that it helped me discover items more easily if I imagined what room I was looking through early on as opposed to naming the room after completing all the discoveries the room held for me.
Alone in the Old House has been a fantastic experience, that I highly recommend to anyone that enjoys a solo journaling experience. I know I have several more rooms to explore and items to discover before I'm done with the Old House!