RPG Games (Non-Video)

Virtually everyone has at least heard of this game, and over 1 million people play this game per month in the U.S. I didn't play it growing up, except in video game form, but recently began putting a group together and playing a few times thus far. Quite amazing, and huge fun. We're playing the older 3.0/3.5 version, but it's amazing. I'd highly recommend trying it, if you can get a group together. It can be rather expensive by yourself, so spreading the cost out among the group helps alot.

This was the earliest RPG board game I played. It is huge fun. The only problem I had with it is getting the same group of people together for multiple sessions. Because the maps build on each other in difficulty, not having the same players each time becomes more difficult, as the "leveling" in this game is all about accumulating gold to purchase items, or obtaining special quest items. Still, it's a good simplified RPG game if you're not quite ready for traditional D&D.

While not requiring multiple sessions to finish a game, it does require a long period of time to play even a short version of this game (2+ hours). The long version can take upwards of 8+ hours. But don't let that frighten you. This game is an amazingly fun and hilarious card RPG game. It has a unique mix of cooperation and backstabbing. While you must cooperate in many ways to get to the boss fight at the end, you can't really win as a team, as the object is to be the first one out of the dungeon and receive the most points by the end (for items, experience, etc). There's great humor throughout the game, as it's really making fun of generic RPG games as well. I'd highly recommend giving this one a try.

If Order of the Stick is just too long for you, you might try this one instead. It's also a very humorous RPG card game, but plays much quicker, usually lasting 30 minutes to an hour. There's plenty of backstabbing in this one, and you basically only do two things: kill monsters and loot for treasure. The object in the game is to level up through experience to level 10. It's great fun, especially with at least 3 or more people. This is a favorite of my friends and I.

This is very similar to Hero Quest mentioned above. The monsters in this game seem a little more varied in many ways than in Hero Quest, but essentially it plays much like Hero Quest, and requires the same group throughout multiple missions because of their nature to become more difficult with each quest. The only downside to this game is the corny and cheesy demo video and artwork. It was late eighties CGI overlay over actual video and looks either dreadfully awful or cheesy and hilarious. Still, it's a good solid game, and worth playing.

Of all the RPG I've come across, this suggestion by a fellow Listal member seems one of the most unique. Of course, I still consider D&D unique in being an originator, but all that said, this one has quite the unique setup, using a pre-conceived group of characters that are customized through a questionnaire, and a system of adventure and storytelling that uses a Jenga tower. This one sounds quite fun and I will definitely be obtaining this one in the future.

UPDATE: I now have this game, but have not yet played it. The rulebook is rather open-ended and includes some cool starter scenarios and suggestions for DMing the game. Alas, I haven't a jenga set, so I'll have to invest in one I suppose.

Never played this game, but a friend has, and has talked nothing but praise of it. It's a D&D system game, like many other RPGs out there, but it set in a post-apocalypse setting. My friend has memories of playing a bunny character and wielding a machine gun. It's hard to imagine anything more at odds and yet, oddly cool. I would love to give this game a try some time.

I've never played this game either. Much like the others listed here, this game is a variation on the D&D system, but is set in the world of mice. Being a fan of the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, this game looks like huge fun, getting to play as a mouse or other type creature and adventuring in a world very similar to Redwall. And of course, there are some stirrings of Gamma World here, another vintage RPG by the same makers of D&D. Perhaps some day I will be able to review this one in detail.

This game intrigues me in large part because it is a direct competitor to the D&D system. It's set in the world of Glorantha, and uses a percentile die system. It's in its sixth edition and is considered one of the big three in RPG gaming. I'd love to play it and compare it with the D&D system.

Like Runequest, this is one of the big three in RPG gaming, or at least it was considered that in the 80s. This is an RPG set in a science fiction world, with the Third Imperium setting being one of the most popular settings for the series. I find it intriguing because the game play revolves around interstellar travel, involving exploration, ground and space battles and trading.

This gaming offshoot is relatively new to the scene, being first published in 2009. It also plays on and expands the D&D system rules, and interestingly enough, it's compatible with the D&D 3.5 rule set, taking those rules and modifying/fixing issues with them. Since my friends and I are getting into the 3.0/3.5 rules (using elements from both), this might be another direction to go in the future. I would be interested to see what issues they fix in this version of the 3.5 rules.

I'm not as huge a fan of horror as I am fantasy, but this game sounds quite interesting. From what I can tell, the system is similar to a D&D system, though seemingly more simplified in some ways, and alot of work has been done on creating the world and atmosphere to make a niche for every kind of player, from the fantasy lovers like myself to the horror lovers, the story tellers or the pure RPGers. I would love to give this one a try.

In a similar vein as the Werewolf: The Apocalypse game and setting, this uses a similar system as the Werewolf RPG, from what I can tell anyway, but the setting immerses one in the world of the vampire and the "things" that hunt them. Sounds mysterious and fascinating. Another good RPG that I would love to try.

Taking up the story of the Buck Rogers hero from the old time radio and tv shows, this is an interesting twist on the RPG genre that I simply find fascinating. I'm not sure how the game mechanics will play out--it uses die, 24 large cards of some kind and four maps--but I am definitely curious to found out.