ALESSAR GAMES

Hello, I’m Alessandro Montoro, the mind behind Alessar Games!

I’ve always believed that storytelling and games are two sides of the same coin, one speaks to the heart, the other to the mind. I’m based in Rome, where I work as a Team Leader in a global IT company, but my real craft lies in creating games that tell stories, provoke thought, and, most importantly, are a joy to play.

Even for me!

Academically, I studied at Sapienza University of Rome, earning a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in mathematics. My work in theoretical physics focused on toy models and simplified systems, tiny worlds built to understand the rules of the big ones. In mathematics, I specialized in game theory, the science of strategy, cooperation, and conflict. That foundation taught me how elegant mechanics can evoke meaningful decisions, something I carry into every design under Alessar Games. I am also specialized in Machine Learning and Data.

These days most of us don’t have the luxury of entire afternoons for gaming, spare rooms to dedicate to the hobby, or endless funds to spend on massive armies. Oh, damn modern times! Life moves fast, space is tight, and budgets are tighter. So I started asking myself: how can we keep the soul of the game alive, strategy, immersion, storytelling, while stripping away the excess?

That question is at the heart of everything I design.

Through games like Saltwind and Morgue Stars I try to bring players rich stories, tight design, and zero bloat. And Saltwind became a best seller on Wargame Vault, and the hundreds of messages I’ve received from players mean more than any ranking! Also, Morgue Stars was reviewed by Guerrilla Miniature Gaming in a stunning way!

Those messages are what keep me going. With battle reports, photos and much, much more!

And I am making great friends in the wargaming community. Thanks!

Hearing that my games help players escape from sprawling rulebooks, endless setup, or afternoons lost in overcomplicated systems, that’s the real win. If Alessar Games can offer a moment of clarity, fun, and immersion in a single evening, then I’ve done my job.

Beyond games, I’m an award-winning sci-fi author in Italy (and I mean a VIP one) with multiple publications in Urania Mondadori and other major outlets. I am married of course, always trying to convince my wife to join the hobby and play with me with my toy soldiers. What a fool!

But whether I’m writing a novel or a game, the goal is the same: to craft elegant, human-centered systems that invite exploration, of worlds, of ideas, of ourselves.

Ah as a bonus, mostly all my games have web apps made by myself to help players. And lazy friends too!

Welcome, and enjoy my stuff with me!

With love

Alessar Games