There are games that have a “big fish in a big pond” feel - e.g. sandbox D&D games, or a “big fish in a small pond” feel, e.g. games with contained campaigns/missions.
There are also games that do a “small fish in a small pond” feel really well, e.g. Fiasco.
Are there any games that do a “small fish in a big pond” feel well? e.g. games where the players are not outstanding heros, and where the world feels big - not only spatially, but also socially and politically?
Edit: lots of good suggestions so far, but maybe I could have added:
- it’s fine and good if the small fish somehow end up having a big effect
- it would be amazing if the big-world had well fleshed out other goings-on. Ideally some mechanics that let all players contribute to this feeling, so it doesn’t depend entirely on the quality of the DMing
Edit 2: title, to avoid all the computer game suggestions. I guess the community name isn’t hint enough, huh?
The world of darkness games can run like this. If you play new vampires, there’s going to be a whole political landscape that is at best neutral to you. Same with Mage. The other types probably also, but I don’t know them as well.
It does have a paradoxical element in that your character will be a big fish as far as the mundane world is considered. A freshly statted vampire or mage is far more powerful than a mundane person.
It does have paths for players to become big fish, too