There are only ten days left on the Coriolis: The Great Dark Kickstarter, so go back the campaign if you are looking for a lore-rich, dark sci-fi adventure to run at your table. The campaign only has one stretch goal left, which means backers are receiving a nice amount of goodies. If you like physical media, it is your only chance to score a pretty special edition version of the rulebook. 

Since my last post, the publisher has released a free quickstart guide on DriveThru RPG to give people a chance to explore the system without any of the commitments. The quickstart guide includes a more streamlined and condensed version of the rules, but it will include everything you need to run a meaningful oneshot. It includes some of the rules, a pre-written adventure, and pre-generated characters. I did notice some grammar issues, but the game isn’t out yet and this isn’t the final version. I’ll leave copies of the PDF here, but you can always get them on DriveThru RPG. 

The Mission

A prospecting expedition has gone awry. The blight has taken its victims, and only one survivor made it back to Astroid City. The Explorer’s Guild will now send its best crew into the depths of Gilen’s point to retrieve any survivors and extract any valuable artifacts. But this mission is not without its typical dangers. The shady criminal organization, Black Toad, also has its sights on the contents of Gilen’s point and will do anything to get there first. Can the explorers survive another day in the depths of the Great Dark, or will they be another casualty the unforgiving void of space?

Impressions

Coriolis: The Great Dark uses the Year Zero system. If you’ve played any game that runs Year Zero before, you know how to play Coriolis. There are some shifts in mechanics for flavor, but most of it will feel familiar. If you haven’t played any game in the system, Year Zero is incredibly easy to learn. The system uses D6es and you pass checks when you roll a 6. 

What makes Coriolis unique is its lore and flavor. Coriolis is a neat story about space settlers trying to find their place in the universe. It the Great Dark is a sequel, but I didn’t feel like I needed to have played the original to understand what was going on. There are some references, but the guide does a good job at explaining everything you need to get started. I assume the full version will as well. 

Coriolis: The Great Dark features neat mechanics that help foster this sense of surviving in this unknown and unforgiving ancient place in space but also fuels a sense of wonder and exploration. It’s a neat concept that I would love to see a more complete version, but the quickstart gives a solid snapshot. 

I haven’t had a chance to run through the quickstart, but it seems like a solid adventure. It comes with maps, handouts, and pre-generated characters to get you started. It is an incomplete version of the game, but it should provide you and your table with a solid understanding of what to expect. Ultimately, if you’re thinking of running Coriolis: The Great Dark, or are looking for a new Sci-Fi TTRPG to run at your table, you should start with the quickstart guide and move from there. It’s a good idea to check if the system is a good fit for your table. If you end up liking it, go back the Kickstarter! 

I’m impressed with what I’ve seen so far, I can’t wait to see more. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

• TikTok
• YouTube
• Facebook
• Threads
• Mastodon
• Patreon

Quickstart Guide

Pregenerated Characters