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.

Just Quest

Medieval (fantasy)
Mini Zines
2020
Complexity: basically unplayable

I realized that it’s been 2020 for almost a whole month now and I haven't used a 202X tag yet. So I went to DrivethruRPG and searched for the newest free core rulebooks, and eventually found something that actually was a core rulebook—fun fact: most of the products in the “core rulebook” section are not core rulebooks, because unscrupulous publishes just tag all their products with it so they’ll show up in more searches, and there is no system in place to report publishers who are doing shady stuff like that. Anyway, so I should reasonably be able to review any product in that section as if it were in fact a core rulebook, and would be fair in doing so, which I will now proceed to do.

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.

Wizard Time

A Roleplaying Game of Arcane Arts

Medieval (fantasy) presumably
Self Published
2018
Complexity: only technically playable

Wizard Time is another one of those one-page RPGs I’m so fond of reviewing because they take very little time to read. Now I’m not entirely sure what I expected from this game, but I can say with a high level of confidence that it absolutely did not deliver. Aw snap, I’m not supposed to tell you the game is bad until the actual review. I’ve gone and killed the suspense.

I should probably warn y’all that this is going to be one of those angry salty reviews, as opposed to of the usual sassy but good-natured ones.

Dungeon Reave

Medieval (fantasy)
New Realms Publishing
2016
Complexity: 4

I came across Dungeon Reave while browsing games and initially thought it didn’t warrant my interest. But then I caught a very important sentence in the description, “Dungeon Reave is closely compatible with Xtraor.” Yes, that Xtraor, the worst game I’ve reviewed and notably one that claims to be “revised” while looking like it hasn’t even been proofread. Well obviously at this point I knew I had to review Dungeon Reave—which also claims to be revised. What mysteries does Dungeon Reave hold, does it bring redemption or further condemnation for the mysterious “J?” Join me and find out. Or not.

Console: Handheld

Medieval (fantasy)
Self Published
2009

Console: Handheld is the third in a series of games intended to recreate the feeling of a CRPG, plus it’s a pocket game, and I’m on a bit of a micro game kick at the moment.
The interesting thing about Console: Handheld is that rather than just being a handheld game based on console RPGs, it a handheld game based on handheld console RPGs; seeming to take the bulk of its influence from the early SaGa—aka Final Fantasy Legend—series. Honestly the influence is so strong that I’m not sure if I should be considering this a SaGa fan game or not.

Barbarians of the Gothic Waste

Medieval (fantasy)
Micro RPG
2016
Complexity: 3

Yes, I am back again after a longer hiatus and ready to review more obscure role-playing games, which, as previously stated, is the general theme of this blog.
Today I will be reviewing Barbarians of the Gothic Waste, a rules-lite pulp barbarian themed sword and sorcery game; or alternatively, one of those random games that you find for free on DriveThruRPG and think “meh I guess I’ll check it out.”
It’s probably worth noting that this is one of only three games published by Micro RPG, all of which were released from March to May 2016. And since that time all traces of Micro RPG and it’s parent publisher WitchWorks Magazine Ltd. seem to have mysteriously disappeared from the internet.
It’s also worth noting that this review is extremely harsh. Like I actually feel a little bad about it. So please remember that these are just my opinions and I have very strong opinions on certain things. Objectively the game is not as bad as I may make it seem.

Eldritch Ass Kicking: The Roleplaying Game

Medieval (fantasy)
Mythic Ages Online
2003
Complexity: 2

Alright, after a short hiatus I’m back with more obscure role-playing game reviews, since that’s kinda the general theme here. Today I will be looking at Eldritch Ass Kicking: The Roleplaying Game—hereafter referred to as EAK because I’m lazy—a game with the interesting hook that everyone are wizards. Yes, an entire game based around crotchety old magic-users and their obsession with obtaining obscenely powerful arcane secrets and treasures. Well I guess hypothetically you could hypothetically play a young amicable wizard dedicated to preventing forest fires or some such thing, but I fail to see the appeal in such an endeavor.

I should mention that there was another edition of this game released in 2004, but I have this version so that’s the one I’m reviewing.

The Veggie Patch

Medieval (comedic, fantasy)
Polgarus Games
2006

Introduction
If there’s one thing that grabs my attention when it comes to a role-playing game, it’s putting players into non-traditional roles—as evidenced by my glowing review of Creeks and Crawdads. Sure playing a musclebound barbarian or a suave space pirate is fun, but it doesn’t really pose much of a challenge to one’s creativity. But you know what does pose such a challenge? Playing as sentient vegetables, and as you may have already figured out, that is exactly what The Veggie Patch offers.