‘Diktador!’ tabletop game lets players confront Martial Law history through roleplay

UP Diliman hosts a public play session where players take on roles and navigate an oppressive system.

Tabletop gaming meets historical reckoning this Friday, September 25, as UP Diliman hosts a public play session of the roleplaying game “Diktador!”

Set from 4 PM to 8 PM at Bulwagang Tandang Sora, the gathering uses interactive storytelling to explore truth-telling and collective memory.

Billed as a streamlined “Dungeons & Dragons” experience, “Diktador!” requires at least three participants, with one acting as the game master and the rest taking on characters. Players navigate a cooperative, discussion-heavy, five-round campaign that lasts roughly an hour.

Instead of battling traditional tabletop monsters, players take on roles such as activist, journalist, lawyer, business owner, opposition politician or revolutionary as they face an abstract oppressive system and negotiate their survival. While campaigns are anchored in real historical events, the game allows creative freedom and requires no prior historical knowledge to play.

The game is designed for players aged 16 and older. During development, Martial Law survivors were also able to learn the rules and take the narrative in their own directions.

The event is organized by the UP College of Social Work and Community Development, Project Gunita and the Concerned Artists of the Philippines to mark the 54th anniversary of Martial Law, commemorated on September 21.

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