Dread

Dread is an indie horror role-playing game known for its use of a physical Jenga tower to resolve risky actions and build suspense; players pull blocks for dangerous or uncertain actions and a fallen tower removes a character from play.

The mechanic creates escalating tension and realism appropriate for psychological horror and suspenseful scenarios.

Dread emphasizes narrative and character over stats, making it popular for one-shot horror sessions.

Its simple ruleset and physical tension have inspired many later games that use similar tactile resolution systems.

The game is often credited to designer 'Epi' (Emily Care Boss is commonly associated with influential indie romance/horror games, while Dread is by Epidiah Ravachol, sometimes credited as 'Epi' or 'Epidiah').