Tag Archives: RPG

Tech/Games

So, D&D’s just not your cup of tea. Now what?

Leave a comment

By: Avi Wyler

close up shot of a human hand throwing dice into the air
Photo by Michele Raffoni on Pexels.com

D&D is the only tabletop RPG many people are really aware of. It makes sense, to a point – D&D is by far the most popular and successful RPG out there. But it’s not for everyone. I, personally, have often found myself bored by how combat heavy D&D can be and don’t like how limiting character creation is. Sometimes I wonder how many people would have loved roleplaying if they just knew there were other options. Because there are other options. Like, a lot of other options.

In this article, I’m going to talk about some of the many different options that are out there for role players who are sick of D&D, or maybe they just want to try something new. This isn’t even close to all the RPGs there are though, so if none of these appeal to you, go online and see what you can find. I’m certain there’s something out there that will catch your fancy.

Storytelling RPG

If your favorite part of campaigns has always been crafting a story with your friends, or if you’re someone who loves the idea of weaving your own tales, then RPGs like ‘Microscope’ might be what you’re looking for. Microscope is an RPG with no set characters and no DM; the whole game is built around making a world and story with other people. You start out with an overarching concept and come up with events as you go – playing them out or narrating them with others. ‘Microscope’ gives you a lot of freedom to create the story you and your friends want, and it strongly encourages you to not create your story in chronological order. The game works best with three or four people, but you can play with up to five, or with as few as two.

Powered by the Apocalypse games

Powered by the Apocalypse is an RPG system created by well-known game designers Vincent and Meguey Baker. Along with only using 2d6s, one of the biggest things that I love about Powered by the Apocalypse is the way it handles classes. Classes in Powered by the Apocalypse are heavily tied to the world they come from – you’re given options for things like what you look like, how you dress or where you’re from that connect you to the setting in a really nice way. Some Powered by the Apocalypse games include ‘Monster Hearts’ (you’re a teenager monster dealing with all the struggles that come with being a teenager and a monster), ‘Dungeon World’ (a game very similar to D&D in vibes, if you still like a traditional D&D setting) and ‘Avatar Legends’ (an RPG taking place within the world of ‘Avatar the last Airbender’).

The weird world of tabletop RPGs

While there are a lot of RPGs that allow for a plethora of different stories and settings as created by the players, there are also many that are weird or more specific. Some of these include ‘Velvet Generation’, where you play as an alien trying to destroy the oppressive regime controlling Earth with the power of rock. Or, there’s ‘Lost Souls’, where you play as a lost soul in the afterlife. Or there’s the cozier ‘Teatime Adventures’, which has a beautifully created world and four campaigns to choose from if you don’t want to make your own. From ‘Thirsty Sword Lesbians’ (which is exactly what it sounds like) to ‘Extra Ordinary’ (kids with strange powers finding their way through a world that fears/wants to control them together), RPGs can be and are a whole lot of things.

Even though this was just a fraction of the RPGs that are out there, I hope this article inspired you to get out and find something new to play. Don’t just limit yourself to one way to role play, tell stories or fight monsters, inner and outer. D&D isn’t your only option.

Tech/Games

‘Dandy’s World’: Twisted Delilah theory

Leave a comment

By: Maple Graham

With the acceleration of content since the Twisted AI update, many are speculating what could be added next into ‘Dandy’s World’. The Toon of the Week events will admittedly take up a lot of the developer’s time, but those will be staggered to make up for other updates. The summer event is also speculated to happen this year, but it hasn’t been confirmed. What’s left is a decent chunk of time developers can use for other things, and fans have been wondering what could possibly be in store.

A fan theory—one that I have come to believe—has been circulating around: an upcoming Lethal variant of Delilah, a fictional co-founder of Gardenview and Dandy’s World. While not confirmed nor denied, there is still a myriad of possible evidence linking this theory to the game which I will be going over from the most to least trivial. If true, this would make her the first enemy in the game to not be a Toon, and the third Lethal.

Firstly, within her portrait, Delilah has ichor stains all over her clothes, and her skin is also mostly covered. She could be possibly hiding parts of herself corrupted by ichor, and therefore masking her symptoms. It is entirely possible that she gained powers from the ichor, making her the most powerful staff member within Gardenview. However, this could just be a byproduct of working extensively with the substance.

Secondly, there are many things around Gardenview that hint at another character lurking within the shadows of the game. There is various graffiti stating “find me” within various areas, and paired with footsteps that resemble a human’s: signifying some sort of hidden character is present; one that isn’t seen through the Toons. One of which is even located within a hidden office of Delilah’s, which can be inferred from past camera footage taken within that room.

The most glaring evidence (and the most obscured) is a hidden room within Shelly’s floor. During a blackout, when the lights go out, a single red light stays on in an adjoining room. It is elevated, almost like a lookout room. There’s no figure visible, but that light in that inaccessible room hints at another presence within the facility that is not yet known, Delilah or otherwise.

A piece of evidence I was going to leave out, but ultimately decided to keep: ‘Dandy’s World’s’ naming convention. Both Lethals in the game, those being Dyle and Dandy himself, both start with the letter “D.” Though this may seem like an excessive stretch at first, they are the only Toons that have this trait. This could be mirrored onto Delilah, however Devan, Dandy’s toon handler, seems to nullify this argument. Additionally, Delilah’s last name, Keen, is oddly parallel to the attention span mechanic within the game, but this could just be another coincidence.

Tech/Games

All you need to know about ‘Hades 2’

Leave a comment

By: Persephone Pond

‘Hades 2’ is an upcoming roguelike action role playing video game developed and published by the studio Supergiant Games. As the name suggests, ‘Hades 2’ serves as a sequel to the hit indie game ‘Hades’, which was also developed and published by the same studio. This article will cover all you need to know about this upcoming masterpiece of a game.

‘Hades 2’ is currently available for purchase as an early access release on PlayStations 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and series S, and Microsoft Windows. Early access to this game means the game isn’t fully released. In addition to bug fixes and new mechanics, Supergiant Games has also been adding new characters and stories in big updates to the game as users continue to test the current mechanics.

With the early access of this game, initially released in May of 2024, many fans have begun to speculate the full release date of the game on a wider variety of platforms. These speculations have led to the conclusion that the full version of the game could be released anywhere between quarters 2 and 4 of 2025 due to the extensive build of the game so far. This timeline is earlier than expected, since Supergiant’s previous game, ‘Hades’, was in early access for over 2 years before its full console release.

So far, in its 8 months of availability, the game has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from returning fans and new players. Especially considering that ‘Hades 2’ is Supergiant’s first sequel, the game maintains a good balance of mechanics from the original ‘Hades’ and new unique aspects that make the game feel different and avoid the feeling of repetition between games.

From creative and unique interpretations of figures from Greek mythology to the fighting mechanics, ‘Hades 2’ is on track to be one of the biggest releases of 2025. In 2023, ‘Hades 2’ was nominated for the Most Anticipated Game at The Game Awards and Most Wanted Award at the Golden Joystick Awards.

So, whether you’re a returning ‘Hades’ fan or a newcomer to the games, keep an eye out for the full release of ‘Hades 2’.