#RPGaDay2015 Day 1-3

#RPGaDay is happening again! For those unaware, #RPGaDay was created by Dave Chapman of Autocratik and is composed of a set of topics that gamers can post about once a day for all of August. The purpose is to get gamers talking positively about gaming and to share their passion. Welcome to #RPGaDay2015!

Day 1 - Forthcoming Game You're Most Looking Forward To

I would normally say Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition as the game I'm looking forward to, but one can argue that its technically available so I'll bypass that. Instead, I will say World War Cthulhu: Cold War.

World War Cthulhu: Cold War takes Cubicle 7's great World War Cthulhu setting and advances it into the cold war of the 60s and 70s. Spies, backstabbing, political intrigue, and the Mythos. Having grown up in the tail end of the Cold War, and being obsessed with it, this is a setting that I have been looking forward to since I initially heard about it almost two years ago. Unfortunately, I was not able to back it so I'll be purchasing it when it is released.

Day 2 - Kickstarted Game Most Pleased You Backed

This is a difficult one to choose as most, if not all, of the games I've backed on Kickstarter have been winners, even with the issues that some have had. To narrow it down is difficult, but if I had to choose one I would say Island of Ignorance by Golden Goblin Press.

This was GGP's premier book and was hands down a winner. Acting as the third Cthulhu Companion, it was filled with articles to assist a Keeper as well as multiple amazing scenarios. Admittedly, I'm a bit biased on this - I wrote one of the articles. However, it is still a great book and showed the quality GGP would put forth - and has continued to do so to this day.

Day 3 - Favorite New Game of the Last 12 Months

I'm going to cheat on this a bit and name my 2 favorite new games of the last 12 months - once that I've played and one that I've run.

My favorite new game in the last year that I played is Quantum Black, a new modern day horror RPG that uses the Ubiquity system. (The game is currently in being kickstarted - go support it!)

In 2014, I saw games for this being run at Origins, but was unable to get into it. This past year, I was able to get into a 2 hour demo of it at Origins and loved it! In the game, you are members of an organization named Quantum Black, which is tasked with saving humanity from the horrors plaguing mankind. It takes the best things from shows like X-Files and Fringe, adds them to a great system, and in the end comes out amazingly.

A number of RPGs have tried to do this in the past, but I don't think any of them did it successfully enough for them to pull it off. From the game play I did, this one worked. The game evoked a sense of fear and uncertainty in the right parts, and played out the action well in the others. I liked it enough I backed it on Kickstarter; so should you.

The other new favorite game that I ran in the last year is End of the World from Fantasy Flight Games, specifically the Zombie Apocalypse setting (I have not read/ran the others yet). In this game, the players play fictionalized versions of themselves in some world-ending scenario where they try to survive. I ran this at Origins where the players were at the con when the zombie apocalypse broke out.

The thing I love about this system is it is very lite. It gets out of the way of the GM and players and allows them to tell their story. The system isn't infallible, but I think with a few house rules it will play more smoothly. Despite that, the game is great and I look forward to running it again in the future.

I've only run the Zombie Apocalypse setting, and Wrath of the Gods has just come out. I have some hesitations on it, mostly due to price point and duplication of some of the material, but if you have not picked up either I would highly suggest it. Its a game worth playing!