Final Stand

Eastern (martial arts)

Self Published

2002

Complexity: 3

Final Stand is a game about martial arts action fighting, and also a game that was recommended to me by a reader, which is convenient for me because I didn’t have to find it myself.

Wizard Cops

Generic (crime, fantasy)
Newstand Press
2015
Complexity: 2

Wizard Cops is a very short game about cops that police wizards, and may also be wizards. It is basically an example of a game, and I’m just going to quote its intention. “ It's only a paragraph long, but it is used as an example how a very small number of rules can create very specific conflicts with controlled resolutions.”
So that’s what we’re working with here, and let’s see if this game can break the curse of games titled Wizard _ _ _ _.

Princess Pillowfighter

Medieval (fantasy)
Self Published
2015
Complexity: 2

Well, I’m still in a princess mood, so let’s look at another princess-themed game. Princess Pillowfighter is… pretty much exactly what it sounds like, a game in which princesses resolve issues with one another, often by pillow fighting. Is it more than that? Maybe, but it is most certainly that thing.

Mission: Cupid’s Wings

Unspecified (comedic, fantasy)
Dread Vector
2018
Complexity: 1

You may recall during my review of Revenge of the Turkeys I suggested that I found myself curious if the publisher’s other holiday-themed games were of… let’s just say “similar quality.” So now I find myself looking at Mission: Cupid’s Wings, a Valentine’s Day themed game, where players play as cupids trying to help another cupid named Dreamer who needs to make two creatures fall in love while also being distracted by their own amorous ambitions.

Revenge Of The Turkeys!

Modern (animal, comedic)
Dread Vector
2017
Complexity: 1

So it occurred to me that every Spooktober I review thematically-appropriate games to go along with the season, but why don’t I do the same for other holiday seasons? Well obviously because Halloween is a holiday that has an entire genre associated with it, whereas other holidays are much more specific and any games that would fit them thematically would have to be specifically made to do so, and likely be a slapdash mess of concept over quality… yeah, that does pretty much sound like most of the games I review.
Note: This is also the first test of a somewhat radical change to my rating system, which will hopefully make the overall score more reflective of the overall quality of the product.

The Final Girl

Modern (horror)
Gas Mask Games
2012
Complexity: 1

If you’ve been following me at all, you may have realized that I like horror movies, and in particular, slasher films. So obviously I’m all about games that attempt to bring the slasher experience to the game table.
The Final Girl is such a game, although it is specified to not specifically be about slasher films—the genre from which the title originates—as much as any horror in which it is generally expected that the majority of characters will die. As such, the general concept of the game is one of everyone dying except one person.
It’s also something of an odd game, specifically in the fact that characters and the role of game master move around between players throughout the course of the game. Also in other ways, but if I explained everything here in the introduction you’d have no reason to read the review.

Clown Cops

Modern (comedic, crime)
Memento Mori Theatricks
2001
Complexity: 2

That’s right, I’m reviewing another clown-themed game. In fact, I will not rest until I’ve reviewed every clown-themed role-playing game I can find.
On a related note, I will be resting after this because Clown Cops is the only other  clown-themed role-playing game I could find. It’s also one of the most eccentric I’ve encountered. And if you stop and consider the games I’ve reviewed, you may realize that “most eccentric” is a pretty bold claim for me to be making here. Also, it is very important to keep in mind while reading this review that this is a very real game, I am not just making this up. So get some milk and animal crackers and enjoy—no, seriously, those are required to play.

Support

Modern (social)
Glass-Free* Games
2016
Complexity: 1

Support is a game about boobs, or rather a game about people and their relationship with the boobs that they may or may not have. Now if you’re thinking that’s an oddly-specific focus for a role-playing game, and that’s only because it is. But “oddly-specific” is kinda like, one of the things I do here.
Also this is my 50th review, so that’s something.

Lost in the Fantasy World

Medieval (fantasy)
Old Skull Publishing
2019
Complexity: 1

Lost in the Fantasy World is a role-playing game loosely based on a cartoon, loosely based on a role-playing game. And if that sounds weird, remember that there is a role-playing game unofficially based on an anime, based on a series of novels, based on transcripts of a role-playing game.

Above the Earth

Modern (superheroes)

Innocence Games
2004
Complexity: 1

Above the Earth is another 24-hour RPG, which I tend to review a lot of because they’re generally A: Free, B: Short, and C: Based on more experimental ideas. It’s also a superhero RPG, which just happens to be the most broken and unbalanced genre of role-playing game since, let’s be honest here, there is no way Batman and Superman are anywhere near the same power level, but in comics they are. This seems to be the problem that Above the Earth tries to solve.

Aki

A cute little role-playing game
Modern (anime, social)
Rävsvans Förlag
2004
Complexity: 1

Aki is a game inspired by slice-of-life shoujo manga… alright, well if anyone’s still here it’s a gave about ordinary life and social interactions--they are very clear on the point that there is nothing extraordinary and/or exciting, just relationships and stuff like that. It’s also apparently a “Triple Dogma award winner 2004” for best rules, most creative, and best graphic design. I can’t really find any information of the Dogma awards, but I assume it’s just a Swedish thing. Oh yeah, this game is Swedish, probably should have mentioned that. However I will be reviewing the English version, since as far as I know I do not speak Swedish--I do like Donald Duck though.

Awaiting the End

Universal
Future Proof Games
2014
Complexity: 1

Awaiting the End is a game about “a group of people awaiting a doom in an unpleasant place,” which makes it only slightly more uplifting than Camwhores. It’s also a GM-less game focused almost entirely on storytelling, which is the sort of thing that usually end up being a bit too role playing and not enough game for my tastes.

Frogger

Modern [fan game]
Self Published
2006
Complexity: 1

So I decided to cover another video game-based game, one that seems to be from the same 24-hour RPG challenge as the DDR one. Now you may assume that this is a game based on the 1981 arcade game Frogger, and that’s a pretty fair assumption to make. It is called Frogger, and uses themes from the game Frogger--plus I already reviewed a game based on Dance Dance Revolution, so it’s not like that would be outside the realm of things that exist--but it is actually a game which uses Frogger as a metaphor.

The House Always Wins

Modern (comedic, horror)
Self Published
2018
Complexity: 1

The House Always Wins is a game about characters in a house, trying not be be killed by said house, and failing. It seems that this game was made as a student project, as there is reference to material being added “post-in-class-presentation,” but that doesn’t mean I’m going to go easy on it. The fact that is is a non-commercially-distributed product means I’m going to go easy on it.

Clown Helsing

Modern (comedic, horror, vampires)
Self Published
2015
Complexity: 2

Let’s try something different, shall we? How about a game about vampire-hunting clowns? No, that’s too different? Well too bad, you’ve already started reading the vampire-hunting clown game review so you might as well buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Clown Helsing is--as previously stated--a game about clowns who hunt vampires. Why clowns, why vampires, why anything? You’ll just have to read on to find out. Or I guess you could just read the book, but then you’d be missing out on my whimsically meandering commentary.

Phones of Glory

Modern
Bully Pulpit Games
2018
Complexity: 1

So I wanted to mix up my random selection method, so I decided to just go to free rule books and review whatever the newest title was. And that title was Phones of Glory, a game about civic engagement. Now this isn’t really a role-playing game in the strictest sense, or any but the loosest sense—the same sense in which any social interaction is a role-playing game—but as I’ve often stated, this is my blog and I just kinda do whatever I feel like. This will however, be a super short review.
Wait a minute, did I just call life a LARPG?

Cookie Jar

Modern (crime)
Post World Games
2011

Well, randomly selecting a game to review seemed to work out pretty good last time, so I did it again. This time I will be looking at Cookie Jar, which at just over 500 words is the shortest game I’ve reviewed, and my shortest review to date.
Cookie Jar is a game of crimes, or rather the accusation of, denial of, and concession to crimes. And while it may be a very little game, it’s definitely an interesting little game.