Electric Schemes

Modern
Just Crunch Games
2018
Complexity: 1

Electric Schemes is a “micro-RPG of pre-teen mysteries and bikes” and is in fact a game, of sorts. It definitely presents itself as a game, that is one thing I am fairly sure of.

Shriek

The Game of Teen Horror
Modern (horror)
Deep7
1999
Complexity: 2

When I first saw the cover art for Shriek I had really high hopes for it. At this point I’m assuming you’ve glanced back at the cover and have now returned expecting some sort of explanation that makes me not seem like a crazy person. Well, I can’t make myself not seem like a crazy person, but I can explain that making a game based on cheap horror films actually look like a cheap horror film is a great idea. But I won’t get too much into that right now.
Anyway, back to reviewing. Shriek is another ones of those one-page RPGs that I’ve taken to reviewing as of late—also I realized I haven't reviewed anything from the ‘90s. So this is going to be another short review.. Unless I go off on some weird tangent, which is always a possibility.

Lunch Box Heroes

Universal (fantasy)
Chubby Monster Games, Frugal GM
2014
Complexity: 2

I’m starting to feel like maybe I’m specifically targeting games for review that I think will be bad. So here’s what I did: went to DriveThruRPG, searched for free core rule books, generated a random number within the range of total results, selected that number product, and reviewed it.
And fortunately for me, this first foray into randomly-selected content returned Lunch Box Heroes, a mildly delightful, rules-lite, kinda portable RPG.
Now if you’re confused by the concept of a “portable RPG” that’s okay, it’s a stupid term that I made up right now. But what I mean is the game is designed to be played with minimal dedicated resources. Aside from the rules—which can be printed in a 2.75×4.25-inch booklet—is a pencil and coins for randomization—however, I will be referring to the coins as d2s from this point on because it’s my blog and I can do whatever I want.

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.

TWERPS: The World's Easiest Role-Playing System

Universal (comedic)
Reindeer Games, Gamescience
1987
Complexity: 1

Introduction
Published in 1987, TWERPS is one of the first “superlight” roleplaying system. The game was originally published in a pink 4.5×7-inch 8-page booklet—i.e. It is very very small. The minds behind this madness were Jeff & ‘Manda Dee—yes, the Jeff Dee who did some of the best D&D illustrations. So let’s get into this unnecessarily complex review of an unnecessarily simple game.