Tag Roleplaying game

Operation Cold Iron is the first expansion for the GI Joe roleplaying game from Renegade Game Studios but does it hold it’s own?

Renegade Game Studios had sent us a copy of the first expansion for the GI Joe Roleplaying Game– Operation Cold Iron. This is essentially a mission pack that adds four mission chapters for the overall Operation. Additionally it also brings stats for new vehicles and foes like Destro and the Snow Vipers. A mistake many game publishers make (at least in my opinion) is that they keep updating rules for the same characters or monsters/enemies. Prior to opening this book I expected RGS to have made this mistake and include a new version of Cobra Commander. I was pleased to see they did not. In fact there was almost nothing that could be considered a duplication in any way.

The campaign spans from Ethiopia to Siberia and is aimed at players leveled between 2 and 6. It follows directly after the Emerald Oubliette (a short mission that is included with the DM screen purchase) but does not require the mission to be played. The only requirement leading into this book is to have played the introductory mission from the core book.

Overall mechanics are the same between the games. They actually are the same across each of the properties, using the same core mechanics but different specific stats and details for each character. That includes Transformers, Power Rangers and My Little Pony! What makes it even better is that Transformers already have a history of crossing over with GI Joe in the comics so it wouldn’t be too far fetched bringing them into a game session if you have both books. Tying in MLP could be a fun way of making a game that all the kids can play with you.

Considering the expansion is completely full of content I feel the $45 price tag is quite reasonable, especially considering you are getting about as much content as you have in the core rulebook. The core book is $55. The only complaints I have about the game are that I need more friends interested in playing the game and that I want to see more miniatures released. The former they can’t help me with but the latter perhaps they will. There is already a single miniature pack that comes with most of the core Joes. Maybe they will even make my dream of a GI Joe full scale war game on the tabletop a reality one day. For now, I will continue dreaming and feel the need as much as possible playing the RPG while I wait.

Renegade Games brings the ultimate roleplaying game for 80s fanboys- GI Joe the Roleplaying Game!

Over the years GI Joe has had many iterations to the comics and cartoons. The Joes originated in comic and animation starting with Marvel Comics. They were later replaced by Devils Due and then at their current home at IDW Comics. Devils Due continued the story where Marvel left off but IDW rebooted it to take the story with the original write where it was left off at Marvel. I have always wanted to play in this world and now Renegade Games has given us the chance to do just that.

The quality of this book though is what really makes it stand out. The images and attention to detail are superb. Even better is that, with such a rich history of comics and cartoons, you are able to play any source material you want. That’s right! If you prefer the Devils Due run then you can play it. If you prefer the IDW reboot run then you can play that! You can literally play any source you want, as long as the GM/DM and players all agree.

Right off the bat (pun intended) I have a big complaint about this game- you can only play as a member of the Joes team. Other than Snake Eyes, Scarlet and Jinx, I am a fan of Cobra. I want a Cobra Roleplaying Game next or at least a supplement that does the same thing. Their D20 system is really easy to pick up and play without much experience with other roleplaying games.

Biomutant as an RPG set in the distant future where corporations have made the planet unlivable for human and the mutations inherit it all!

Published by Experiment 101, Biomutant is an RPG that follow a mutant ronin that has returned to the land of his upbringing in search of revenge. Of course if you choose a lighter path your revenge takes the form of helping to restore the Tree of Life. You start the game with some amazing cinematics that gave me a lot of hope for this title.

As your character escapes the monster who killed your family, you go into a character creation screen. The level of customization is much higher than I expect but this is your first taste of the real visuals to expect through the game, and it’s not as stellar as the opening cinematic that’s for certain. You then pick up with your created character just before the fight you watched and must escape a bunker. Following the tutorial you will make it topside pretty quickly where the fight begins and you must play out the scene you watched.

Controls are easy to master and visuals are about on par with most titles you’d see on the previous generations of systems. Not the visuals may be a product of the fact that I’m playing this on the original Xbox One and it might be more dynamic on the new Xbox but I don’t have one myself to test that theory. The story is typical of an “all ages” role playing game that relies too heavily on slow dialogue trees and wandering through the world than with cut scenes.

Overall I found this game to be wanting and before picking up a copy yourself I would wait until you found it in the bargain bin or on a massive price reduction.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is the latest Role Playing Game from Gunfire Games.

Chronos: Before the Ashes follows a young hero as they navigate the labyrinth to destroy the dragon that guides the monsters bent on destroying humanity.

The game begins with an old woman telling a story about why you are chosen and what it is you were chosen to do. She tells the assembled group that the people were once plentiful and then one day the beasts came. A chosen hero will travel through a portal, the source of the beasts, find their way to the dragon and either kill the dragon or die trying. Having never seen the game’s trailers and after seeing this intro I made the assumption that based on the name it would follow some of the ancient Greek myths. That was before I realized the spelling was wrong for it to be. The Titan of Greek mythology was Kronos so clearly it was not the story I thought it would be.

You finally get to play as the hero and enter a series of elevators that take you to a massive floating rock and with the help of a couple computers you activate a smaller stone that transports you to the labyrinth. The intro and ambiance of the level made me want to play more, it felt like Dark Souls meets World War 2 with Vikings. Controls were a bit clunky. The game has two different leveling mechanics, the first is your standard RPG leveling that gives you points to improve skills and the second is your age. Every time you die you age a year and starting at the age of twenty you unlock a new ability every ten years.

Between the innovative mechanics and the dark world this game is worth a serious look but don’t expect to fare well right away, between mechanics and the classic gaming tropes (find a locked door, follow a long linear path to key, return to door, rinse and repeat) this game will leave you frustrated and only wanting to play in small doses.