Free League Publishing is teaming up with Start Playing Games and Alchemy RPG for another free learn-to-play workshop this week! GMs and players interested in running the critically acclaimed Tales From the Loop should join this free event for a hands-on look at both the system and the innovative tabletop. If this workshop is anything like the Vaesen event hosted last year, it’s going to be worth your time. To sign up, make sure you sign up on the official page, and have an Alchemy account ready to go. You don’t need to download the client, you can run it from your browser.
Fans of the Netflix series Stranger Things should look into running this system. The adventure is based on kids exploring an alternate timeline in the 80s where a mysterious corporation has moved into town with a series of strange phenomena following close behind. What strange secrets will you and your friends uncover in this retro sci-fi adventure?
What is Alchemy RPG
Alchemy RPG is a virtual tabletop whose goal is to enhance the theater of the mind experience. The VTT offers a growing library of RPGs and events with specially crafted modules for GMs to run the game. These modules will have a collection of sounds, music, and animated backgrounds to help a GM run their game. With integrated voice chat and character sheets, it makes things easy for players and GMs to connect through the system they love. There is an integrated video chat feature and streamer support coming to the platform, so there is a lot to be excited for.
I got to use it briefly with Vaesen and enjoyed using it. It was easy to use, to learn, and it had a lot of the features I needed. I like that I could add grid-based combat whenever I needed it. You don’t need to buy the modules to run a game in Alchemy, but it makes things a whole lot easier. After you see everything the modules come with, you’re going to want to buy them anyways. I’ll be joining and posting a review as soon as I can.
If you’re looking for a new system, make some time to check out the free Tales From the Loop. If you need a hard copy of the rule book, get it over at Amazon ($39.40) or the official website ($51.35)! If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow and share this with your friends.
I was sent the Mutant Year Zero: Ad Astra Campaign for free to cover for my blog. I haven’t had a chance to play the game because I am still finishing up my Dragonbane campaign, but I’ve read through the book. This will be my impressions of the book.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
What is Ad Astra
Ad Astrais the latest campaign book for Free League Publishing‘s TTRPG, Mutant: Year Zero releasing onf Febuary 13th. Ad Astra picks up after The Path to Eden campaign.It is recommended you own the Mutant: Genlab Alphaand Mutant: Mechatron expansions for additional rules and stats. I don’t see why you couldn’t just make up rules on the spot, but it is always nice to have balanced stat blocks at the ready. You’ll also need a copy of the core rule book, although you might get away with just using the starter booklet.
If you’re interested in running a game of Mutant: Year Zero, I recommend you pick up the starter booklet. The booklet provides a streamlined and condensed sample of the game, and it comes with a sample campaign and character sheets to get you started. I recommend you run through the starter booklet before you invest in the system. You can grab your free copy of the PDF on Drivethru RPG, but I’ll leave a copy here for your convenience.
Society has fallen. The planet has become a wasteland. Those who survive on its surface have mutated, and are now unrecognizable to their ancestors. With the resources dwindling, survivors must fight to stay alive. This time, the call to adventure takes our heroes into space. What mysteries lie beyond the stars? What adventures await? Explore the solar system and fight new monsters in this new epic adventure.
Impressions
I love the comic book style of this system, and Ad Astra is no exception. I absolutely love the flavor of this game, and space campaigns are always fun. I am never big on following prewritten adventures, but I am coming around. It is nice to have something already prepared with lore, encounters, and loot. I usually use these as a jumping-off point, but will eventually end up off-book. When that happens, it is nice to have something to fall back on when the story needs a little nudge.
I like how this book feels like a history book. It goes into a good amount of detail about factions, history, and everything you need for World Building. How much I would use it would depend on my players, but I appreciate the book for the resource that it is.
As gameplay goes, I’ll have to run a campaign first. I’ve been having a lot of fun with the Year Zero system, so if this game plays anything like Dragonbane, I am here for it.
If you are interested in a campaign of Mutant, I recommend you run the booklet first to get a sense if it’s the right game for your table. After your table has become invested, move through the rest of the resources until you’re ready to take things into space.
If you’re already playing Mutant and want to take things into space, you should consider Ad Astra. The artwork is fantastic, the flavor is great, and it introduces unique monsters, items, and mechanics you’re going to want to borrow for your campaign.
You can preorder your copy of the Ad Astracampaign on the official site for $41.80 (not including shipping), or from Amazon for $39.99 (free shipping with Prime).
This week’s been crazy, but I’m doing my best to keep up with the daily releases. Make sure you support the original. If you enjoy this project, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Ryusenji cackles at the threat.
Eiji opens a private chat. “Stay sharp Loogamon. We don’t know what he’s planning” Loogamon nods as he moves to a defensive stance.
METAL CANNON
A cannonball flies towards the pair. Eiji jumps to the ground. Loogamon jumps out of the way, narrowly dodging the projectile. Dorumon stands at the source of the attack and glares emotionlessly at the pair.
“What are you doing?” Loogamon shouts, but Dorumon doesn’t answer.
Eiji turns to Kosuke for answers. Kosuke had broken under the weight of the professor’s revelation. He had become lost in his grief, but Durumon’s sudden attack slowly breaks him free. He lifts his head towards the commotion and mumbles, “Durumon? What are you doing?” He is on the verge of tears.
The Source Domain shakes violently.
“What’s going on?” Kosuke shouts. Dorumon answers with an empty blank expression.
“Dorumon can’t hear you now.”
“But how? We’re still mindlinked?”
“You don’t need to be mindlinked to control Digimon. How shall I put this?… I cracked your connection. Dorumon is mine now.”
Kosuke helplessly looks through this watch and attempts to take back control, but his efforts are fruitless. Words fail him as his world crumbles around him. The great Code Cracker Tartarus was powerless.
“Now Digivolve,” the professor barks. Dorumon nods and digivolves into Dorugoramon.
Dorugoramon
Dorugoramon towers over the pair. Its blank emotionless stare remains fixed on them as it stands at attention, gripping its blade, ready to attack.
The professor smirks as he takes a step next to the Mega Digimon. “This is your last chance your chance Eiji. Join me, and all is forgiven. Work for me and I can promise you a nice apartment, great benefits, and a steady salary. Imagine how impressed Hatsune will be.”
“How did.?” Eiji becomes overwhelmed.
“You have ten seconds. Then I’m taking the offer off the table.” He begins counting down.
Eiji wrestles with the offer. This was everything he ever wanted. A steady job, a good college, and maybe even a girlfriend.
“You can’t be seriously considering this,” Loogamon snarls.
“It’s tempting..” Eiji crouches down next to Loogamon and begins petting its head. “You don’t know what it was like before all of this. I’d have stability…I mean I wouldn’t even have met you if it wasn’t for him…”
“Sure, but…”
The professor extends his arm. “I knew you’d understand. Now-“
Eiji shrugs, “But then again, I was never in it for stability.” Eiji stands and turns to the professors. “I came here to make my mark on the world because, at the end of the day, I’m still a code cracker.”
“Well said Eiji.” Loogamon’s tail wags as it perks up enthusiastically.
“How disappointing…”
“Shut up old man,” Loogamon growls.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Eiji adds. “I still respect you as a mentor, but I was wrong to put you on a pedistal. In other words…”
“Get out of our way!” Loogamon barks.
The professor remains silent. His smile had disappeared as he glared at the pair. “Well if you insist on losing, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Eiji lifts his Digilinker and cycles through the commands. “You’re not stopping us.”
“Let’s fucking go!” Loogamon howls.
“Digivolve!” Eiji disappears into the Digicore as Loogamon digivolves into Soloogarmon. Bright flames pour out of his shoulders with great intensity. it groups at its mace and lets out an earth-rumbling howl.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
PROMINENCE LASER
A white-hot beam of plasma erupts from Soloogarmon’s hands and washes over Dorugoramon. Dorugoramon takes the hit head-on without flinching. It remains unphased as its armor loses its red-hot glow.
“What the?” Soloogarmon shouts.
“Very impressive,” Ryusenji commends.
“That was just the warm-up,” Soloogarmon scoffs.
“Careful Soloogarmon, we didn’t see their fight. We don’t know what we’re up against.”
“Durogoramon has a shockwave and charge attack that make it effective at long and short range. There are no obvious openings to take advantage of either attack. In your current form, one hit will likely fry your Digicore.” Yulin interjects.
“It’s taking commands from a tool, there’s no way it can be that strong,” Soloogarmon rebuts.
“You should listen to the captain on this one. Tools or not, the professor is on the other end of the terminal.”
Soloogarmon swings its massive mace as it readies for another attack. “We don’t have the luxury of being catious.”
“Right,” Eiji says, trying to psych himself up. “Let’s give him hell!”
The professor smirks. “I guess I need to start getting serious.” Dorugoramon absorbs Ryusenji’s projection.
DORU-din
A shockwave of energy roars through the Source Domain, but the attack is too slow. Soloogarmon howls as the engines on its shoulders come explode with energy, and shoot him into the air. Soologarmon hovers over the battlefield with a smug smirk as it braces for the next attack.
Dorugoramon stalls for a moment, searching the battlefield. It smirks as it turns its attention to the center of the circle where Pulsemon and Black Agumon remain suspended. It begins charging its next shockwave.
SKOLL RAGE
Soloogarmon shoots toward Dorugoramon without hesitation, leaving a trail of hellfire in its wake. It closes the distance and takes a swing with its mighty Vanargand.
“Predictable,” the professor says. Dorugoramon stops its charge to swing at the charging wolf. The strike sends Soloogarmon flying back. “You have to do better than that.”
Eiji felt the force of the strike, the sting lingers in his abdomen. He peers over his screens. Their levels remain in a normal range.
“What an annoying prick,” Soloogarmon growls.
“Lets try this,” Eiji says, imputing commands into his virtual console.
Soloogarmon releases another laser, but Dorugoramon deflects it easily. Soloogarmon follows with a turret of blasts, slowly engulfing Dorugoramon in flames. The flames never catch. Smoke billows off Dorugoramon’s body.
“Nice try, but you’ll need to be more imaginative than that,” Ryusenji sneers. “But I’ve wasted too much time playing with you, I have to get back to work.”
The smoke around Dorugoramon’s body begins to clear, revealing an empty space where Yulin, Ryudamon, and Black Agumon stood. Only Kosuke and a Tyrannomon stand at the altar.
“Tyrannomon? Where did you come?” The Professor asks incredulously.
Tyrannomon stands next to Kosuke, looking concerned. Kosuke remains frozen in place.
“Kosuke, you have to move,” Eiji whispers.
“Using your little Tyrannomon under the cover of smoke, very clever Eiji.”
“Get out of there Tyrannomon!” Soloogarmon orders.
Tyrannomon doesn’t get a chance to react. An attack pierces through its shoulder and brings the Tyrannomon to the ground. It lets out a pain-filled roar.
“Such a weak Digimon,” the professor says. Dorugoramon had refined the shockwave into a fine point, making it like a bullet.
“Tyrannomon!” Eiji shouts.
“Dorugoramon is too powerful.” The professor looks down at the trembling Tyrannomon. It is too terrified to move. “Poor thing. I think I’ll put it out of its misery.”
Dorugoramon launches a salvo of focused attacks. The Tyrannomon shuts its eyes, waiting for a hell of fire that never comes. It hears the attack connect but doesn’t feel it. Tyrannomon opens its eyes slowly and finds itself unharmed. Around it, the earth is filled with clusters of deep impacts. Soloogarmon hovers over the Tyrannomon, its arm hangs limp to one side. Scorch marks run up its arms like a sleeve and steam bellows from the injury. Soloogarmon gives the Tyrannomon a warm reassuring smile.
“You saved my Tyrannomon…” Eiji whispers.
“That’s what packs do.”
Eiji feels the pain running up his arm. Senses the heat of the thrusters from his shoulder. His lunges fill with the scents of the battlefield. Loogamon’s anger, frustration, and determination had become his and Saloogarmon felt the same. At that moment, all their remaining reservation melted away as they became determined to win.
Energy begins to build within their core as the two become one. Soloogarmon begins to glow.
“Lets show this asshole what hell really looks like,” Eiji says.
A bright light engulfs the pair. Out of the light steps out a new Digimon, Fenriloogamon.
I’ll do my best to keep up with the daily releases, but it’s going to be tricky. I usually post on my socials when the chapters are up if that’s easier to keep track of. Make sure you support the original. If you enjoy this project, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
Eiji searches fruitlessly through the dark for the voice, but his vision fails to grasp anything tangible. For a few moments that followed, there was nothing. No sounds, smells, or light to tease the senses. Shock overwhelms the panick as Eiji continues to fight through the daze.
Just as quickly as they were enshourded by darkness, the lights flicker, illuminating the void. The sudden bright light forces Eiji to squint. He begins to feel the coold smooth stone pressed against his back and sares up onto an inverted wall. “What?” he lets out, as he begins to come to his senses. Eiji realizes he is no longer standing.
“Rrgh,” Loogamon grunts.
Eiji turns to his partner and gets up as quickly as he can. He fights through the faint dizziness and makes his way towards the wolf. “Loogamon! You okay?”
Loogamon lays on the ground, making weak twitches with its paws. “I…I can’t move,” it manages to say.
Eiji looks around and finds the rest of the group in a similar state spread across the circle. Scattered and unconscious. The interface on the prototype Digimon glow dimly but begin to fade with each passing second.
Eiji reaches for his partner, “Loogamon!?!” he shouts as his arms wrap around the wolf’s neck. The interface on the prototype Digimon go dark for a few seconds before rebooting.
Kosuke sits up and pulls up his console and virtual monitor. “What?” he murmers as an endless stream of unintellible code floods his screen. Kosuke begins typing desperately at his keys, but his console seems to be stuck in an endless reboot loop. The source code decryption had been canceled without warning.
“Good morning friends,” a familiar voice says softly. Eiji instantly recognizes the voice. He turns quickly in disbelief, but finds the professor standing in front of him. “Professor Ryusenji?” Eiji lets out softly.
With his back turned to the pupils, the Ryusenji says “I’ll take it from here.”
Yulin begins to regain consciousness. Through her fog, she can make out the professor’s silhouette. “Professor?” She says weakly as she slowly comes to consciousness. “What are you doing?… Why?”
Kosuke stares at the professor incredulously as his console continues to reboot.
“Why are you so surprised?” The professor says as he turns around to address his pupils.
Kosuke and Yulin quietly get to their feet. Their balance wavers, and they fail to find the words to respond.
“After all,” the professor continues. “I’m the one who asked you to raise these protype Digimon for me. Now if you don’t mind,”
RESTRAIN
“Gah!”
“What is this?!”
Loogamon and Dorumon fall to the ground as they become restrained by the same tool used on Ryudamon.
“How did you do that?” Durumon shouts.
“Did you really think I would just give you my Digimon?” Ryusenji says sternly.
“He had it…programed into us,” Loogamon shouts. Dorumon’s eyes grow wide in disbelief as the truth begins to sink in.
“Did you tamper with Ryudamon too?” Yulin is finally able to say.
“It’s a little…safety feature I installed in each Digimon and Digimon linker. Did I not mention it when I gave them to you?” The professor’s voice is cold. “I can also take control of the Digimon if I need to. Progress requires these types of safeguards, wouldn’t you agree?” He turns around and continues towards the center of the circle. “These Digimon are my tools, and I will use them as I see fit.” The Digimon continue to struggle in their restrains.
The group notices as a strange shimmer occasionally run across the professor’s hologram. His hologram was a mere projection from the three Digimon linkers. It was clear at that moment that everything was by his design.
“What the hell are you going on about!” Kosuke shouts, slamming his virtual monitor away.
The professor stops at the center of the circle. Without turning says, “Let me put it simply. Your story is now mine. Now watch closely.” The professor begins typing at his console. Dorumon’s interface begins to glow as a beam of data begins flowing through it.
“What are you doing?!” Kosuke shouts.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m decrypting the Source Domain’s code. It’s only fair that I do it.”
Kosuke stands helplessly and watches his Digimon be hijacked.
“Accessing source domain code,” comes an announcement from the cold robotic voice of the Source Domain.
“Loogamon!” Eiji shouts as he slams his fingers through various commands in a feeble attempt to regain control of his partner.
“It’s not looking good,” the wolf replies. Eiji continues to struggle, looking for any way to sever the connection and take back his friend. What if they couldn’t stop the professor? A cold shiver runs down his back.
“We’re supposed to be on the same side!” Kosuke cries desperately. “I want to save Saya too!”
“Why are you doing this? Why put us through all this trouble? We’re on the same side. Don’t you want your daughter back?”
The professor smiles. “I’ve always liked you Eiji, so I’m letting you in on a little secret. I’m not really interested in finding her.”
“But then…why did you make the stimulant?” Eiji feels the weight of the world crashing into him. He stumbles and almost falls to the ground.
“Not…interested?” Kosuke clenches his fists tightly.
The professor shrugs. “What’s lost is lost. This whole plan you’ve dedicated your whole life to, Kosuke, it is a monument to wasted effort.”
“Don’t let him…get to you Kosuke,” Dorumon shouts.
“I…I always had my suspisions,” Yulin manages. “but I didn’t want to believe them. I couldn’t”
Professor Ryusenji smirks, “You should have listened to your gut, Captain.”
Without warning, the infinite space around them fills with an endless stream of data. “This is it. The universal directory,” the professor says as he sifts through the data.
“Search Complete,” the Source Doman’s voice announces.
Bit by bit, a small yellow Digimon begins to appear before them, occasionally letting off small strikes of lightning.
“Pulsmon!” Loogamon shouts, reigniting his struggle.
“What’s it doing here?” Eiji asks with delight.
“And there you have it boy, the Pulsemon you and Loogamon were looking for,” the professor adds.
Eiji takes a hard swallow.
“This is but a taste of what can be done with the control of the Source Domain’s data.”
Another Digimon begins to materialize. A small black dinosaur appears next to Pulsemon. Kosuke lets out a gasp, “Black Agumon!”
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
“Just as I suspected,” the professor continues as he examines the Black Agumon. “Even if the mindlinker perishes, the partner Digimon doesn’t suffer the same fate.
“Wait..what did you say?” Eiji stammers as tears fall down his face.
“Saya’s..” Yulin’s heart drops. The sudden pain of realization almost knocks her off her feet. “Saya’s dead?!” She can’t hold back her tears.
“Oh, yes. For quite some time, now,” the professor answers coldly.
The Building Better Worldsexpansion for the Alien RPG just released, and you might want to pick it up for the colony mechanics. You will need the core rulebook to use this resource, so either the Core Rulebook ($54.08) or the Starter Set ($51.22) should be enough to get you started.
Starter set doesn’t include GM Screen
The Starter set has everything you need to get you started:
5 generated character sheets
prewritten adventure
84 game makers to keep track of characters, motions, and more
54 custom cards for weapons, personal agenda, and initiative
10 specially designed base dice
10 specially designed stress dice
864x558mm double-sided map
You do get a condensed version of the rules, but this should be perfect for new players. If you want to create your own adventure, I recommend you pick up the core rulebook! You get a pdf version for either physical copy.
Thoughts on the Expansion
Building Better Worlds is a neat resource for GMS who need a little extra help to spice up their next Alien campaign. I typically like to make up my adventure, even when working from a book, but I appreciate being able to fall back on other people’s ideas from time to time. This book has some neat ideas I definitely want to try at my table, like having my players become stranded on a prison planet of deranged criminals and Xenomorphs.
The book introduces new ships, NPCs, planets, solar systems, and weapons to help aid GMs with flavor and world-building. It includes several plot hoots, ideas on how to run certain planets or colonies, and even a campaign players can run through if they need a jumping-off point. Most importantly, the book introduces the colony mechanic.
From my brief understanding, players will need to travel to foreign planets and either start, maintain or save a colony for humanity’s expansion into the cosmos. This won’t be an easy task. Planets are inhospitable, conditions are unpredictable, and there are bloodthirsty aliens lurking in the shadows. In space, if the stress of survival doesn’t kill you, the Xenos will. This sounds like the perfect bleek setting for any table that needs a change of pace, and I am here for it.
Where to Buy
Remember, you need access to the core rules before picking up this expansion. Those interested in the Building Better Worldsexpansion can get their hardcover copy from the official Free League Publishing website for $45.51. Those who don’t care about physical media can pick up the PDF on DriveThruRPG for $19.99. If you play online, I recommend picking up the official Building Better Worlds module for Foundry VTT. I’ve written a post explaining why you should use Foundry VTT if you want to know more.
I do plan on running Alien RPG at some point after Dragonbane. I have a huge collection of RPGs I need to get through, and I like to take my time and live in them for a bit. Until then, stay tuned! If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow and share this with your friends.
I release my translations the Monday after the official release. Make sure you check out the original. If you enjoy this project, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
The Gatekeepers turn their firepower towards the Sons of Chaos. Chaosdramon fires away furiously, keeping the swarms of Gatekeepers away. The rest of the Sons of Chaos clean up any bits of swarm that manage to break through the blast of Chaosdramon’s Hyper Infinity Cannon. The Sons of Chaos move to form a defensive perimeter around their leader.
Kosuke stands behind the three prototype Digimon and watches as they crack the Gateway. Explosions and beams of hot energy fill the air around him, but his attention never falters. The progress bar makes its slow crawl across the screen…30%…33%…
The last time Kosuke attempted to crack the gateway, the progress stalled at 30%. They surpassed the first attempt, and each second brought him closer to Saya.
Dorumon announces their progress periodically. Kosuke’s screen fills with a stream of endless code as he sends commands to the prototype Digimon. The code creates a visible stream of light that becomes tethered to the backs of each Digimon. They continue to work furiously. Their feet begin to glow as streams of code stretch from beneath them across the face of the Gateway, revealing a complex geometric pattern on its surface.
At some point, the Gatekeepers had turned their attention to Kosuke. Bits of Gatekeepers occasionally rain around him, but he never takes notice. His fingers tingle with anticipation as they glide over the keyboard.
Eiji watches Kosuke curiously. He becomes moved by the man’s unwavering focus. Unable to do much else, Eiji opens his monitor to check on the progress.
66%
The Gateway groans as the glow of flowing data eats away at its face to complete the pattern. It looks to be a third of the way done.
Loogamon’s ears twitch. It flicks its nose toward the air.
“What is it?” Eiji asks.
“Something’s coming…” Loogamon’s voice trails. There is a hint of fear in its voice.
“What…Wait….Crap! Tartarus!” Eiji cries out.
“Stay calm. There’s nothing we can do right now. Just focus on the job,” Dorumon calls out. Its voice seems a bit distracted.
“Its time!” Kosuke shouts. “Everyone fall back!”
“Tappin out!”
“That’s it for me!” The Sons of Chaos Leaders slowly chime, letting Tartarus know they’ve hit their limit. Only Chaosdramon would be left to hold the line.
“Let’s all raise a glass when all this is over,” one of the leaders adds.
“You got it!”
“Loggin AUGH!” A deafening scream blasts through the chat before everything goes silent. Eiji’s mind begins to race. Have they been attacked? He searches the skies for answers.
Suddenly, a Digimon drops from the sky and lands on the Gateway with a sickening thud. Smoke and dusk kick around it furiously. As it clears, Eiji can make out a severely damaged machine. Its body is covered in deep gashes. Exposed wires let off sparks of electricity. It begins to move towards them. Each step releases thick black smoke from its gashes.
“Mekanorimon?” Eiji asks in disbelief. ” I thought the DigiPolice retreated?”
A series of small explosions erupt throughout Mekanorimon’s body. It lurches to one side and topples over to its side. Inside sits a damaged Numemon. It spills out of the seat, flopping onto the ground as it makes its escape from the wreckage. Satsuki appears next to the Mekanorimon and gingerly touches its cold steel body. “I’m sorry,” she whispers as she gently strokes the unmoving Digimon.
She turns her attention to the prototype Digimon. Her expression fills with rage. “I’m getting the captain back, and none of you filthy code crackers are going to stop me!” she shouts.
“Hey, Satsuki?” Eiji says as he leaps between the enraged officer and the Prototype Digimon.
Satsuki clenches her fist and begins to grit her teeth. “Eiji Nagasumi…” Satsuki scowls harder.
“It’s too dangerous to stay as a hologram. One stray bullet and you’re gone.” He adds, trying to calm her down.
Don’t talk down to me boy. I know what I’m doing,” she growls as she pulls out a small device from her pocket. The label on its side reads: CLASSIFIED. Metropolitan Police Department. Unit 11: D-003799. “I’m putting an end to this, once and for all!”
“Is that a Digimon Dock?”
” Sorry, Captain. Consider this my resignation…” Her voice trails as she looks down at the unconscious Ryudamon.
“Satsuki..?” Eiji stammers.
“Get ready kid, I ain’t holding back!” she yells as she turns on the device.
A horrific metallic scream fills the air. Eiji searches for a source, but nothing happens.
Genocidal Rain!
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
A hail of heavy-caliber bullets rain from above. Each bullet explodes into Chaosdramon with thundering force, but the crimson dragon absorbs the blows effortlessly. Bellow, Eiji ducks his head expecting a stray bullet that never comes.
RATATATATATATA
The defining explosions continue. Eiji lifts his head slowly to search for its source. Above it, Chaosdramon is pinned down by the endless hail of bullets. At the other end, a heavily armored bipedal dragon fires its Gatling gun furiously towards them. A jetpack blows viciously, keeping it over them. Its blue armor glistens with each explosion. Its blank expression remains fixed on the prototype Digimon.
“So they just had a Mega Digimon sitting around?” Eiji lets out.
“Impressed?” Satsuki asks mockingly. She turns her attention to a terminal that floats in front of her. She enters a few commands and smirks as Brigadramon continues to rain down fire.
“I only left for five minutes…” Marvin’s voice comes through chat as he takes control of the Chaosdramon remotely. “Let’s see how you handle this!” Chaosdramon closes the gap between them and grabs the Gatling gun. “Gotcha!”
Satsuki lets out a sly smirk. “Not so fast!” Brigadramon adds Brigadramon lifts its left arm, revealing three rocket launchers hidden under its claws. “Did you think that’s all I had?”
“Stop it!” Eiji shouts suddenly. “It’s here!”
DELETE ALL!
A metalic voice echoes over the battlefield as a small vortex forms above the chaos. From it falls a silver knight Digimon.
Omnimon raises its right arm. The cannon at the end begins to glow as it gathers energy. The cannon fires without warning.
GARURU CANNON
The frozen beam falls towards the gate.
“Tartarus!” Marvin moves the Chaosdramon to intercept the blast. Ice creeps over its hard metallic body, slowly choking the life from it. With its final breath, it lets out one last defiant breath.
HYPER INFINITY CANNON
Omnimon moves quickly, dodging the blast and closing the distance between it and the prototype Digimon.
EXA DESTROYER
Three missiles explode against Omnimon, forcing the Royal Knight to land. Omnimon remains unscathed as it turns its attention to Satsuki’s Brigadramon.
GENOCIDAL RAIN!
RATATATATATATA
Brigadramon’s Gatling gun begins to spin as it releases a turret of bullets. Omnimon disappears behind a cloud of dust and smoke. The gun comes to a stop. Smoke wisps rise from the end of the barrels. Omnimon stops out of the smoke, unscathed. The runes on its blade begin to glow as it inches toward Kosuke and the other Digimon.
…..95%….96%….97%…
TRANSCENDENT SWORD
Omnimon charges.
“Kosuke!” Eiji shouts helplessly.
Kosuke pulls out two Digimon Docks from his pockets. “I told you, everything is going to plan.” He presses a button on the docks. Two mega Digimon suddenly appear to intercept Omnimon’s attack.
99%.
The Gateway lets out another massive grown. The prototype Digimon begins to glow as ghostly images of their ultimate forms appear briefly above them. As the projections disappear, beams of data shoot from their bodies toward the sea above them.
Omnimon makes quick work of Kosuke’s Mega Digimon and continues its charge towards Kosuke. Its blade swings for his neck.
“100% Gate Cracking complete!” Dorumon announces as Kosuke, Eiji, and the three prototype Digimon vanish.
I was sent New Cyclefor free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. These will be my honest impressions of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
New Cycle is a survival village builder coming to early access to Steam on January 18. Because the game will be in early access, this will just be my initial impression of the game. I’ll revisit and review the game when they release 1.0.
Concept
A solar flare has destroyed society as we once knew it, sending the world into post-apocalyptic chaos. Those who remain must now build a new society from the wreckage of the old. This won’t be an easy task. Resources are limited, illnesses are rampant, nature is unrelenting, and morale is low. Can you usher your people into a new age, and rebuild society to its former glory?
Aesthetic and Performance
For an Early Access game, New Cycle runs fine. It still needs a bit of polish, but the game never crashed on me. The Aesthetic is a little dark, but I enjoy the sepia color scheme. It makes the game feel a lot more gritty and bleak.
Game Modes
The game offers most of its content through its game modes. You can enjoy the freedom of Sandbox, Manage a built city ravaged by a mysterious illness, or you can start from scratch in a campaign. The campaign has a few maps you can start from that affect gameplay. For example, you can start on a mountain where you have access to better mining but don’t have less food to work with. I love the work that went into the flavor. At the moment, the game has enough content to keep players busy till the full release.
Gameplay
Thoughts
New Cycle is the most technical village builder I’ve ever played, which isn’t a bad thing. At its core, it shares a lot of the core elements of other games in the genre. This game isn’t any more difficult to learn, but it is a bit more difficult to master. Where in other games I would sit back and watch my villagers live their lives, New Cyle had me worrying about all the elements that could end my civilization.
Just like any survival game, you need to worry about resources, hunger, morale, and the elements. This is a game where you have to be very careful about your efficiency because random events will set back your progress. There was a game where I ran out of food and my buildings got struck by lightning, and I had to start over because I planned poorly. I still recommend you go in blindly and learn from your mistakes, but having a guide handy doesn’t hurt.
Conclusion
This game isn’t going to be for everyone. The survival mechanics will turn away the more casual village builder fans. That said, the game is doing a good job of combining the survival and village builder genres. If you’re a technical person who enjoys the economics of survival but doesn’t mind the roughness of Early Access, you might want to look into New Cycle. To be clear, this isn’t a daunting technical game that requires good notes and a Ph.D., but it is less casual than the other games in the genre. I liked it, and can’t wait to see where they take it. Don’t forget to add it to your Wishlist!
I release my translations the Monday after the official release. Make sure you check out the original. If you enjoy this project, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
The blast of energy connects with Ouryumon before it has a chance to react. Its twin blades drop as the wings on its back vanish. Ouryumon is sent plummeting towards the Gateway. Its body bounces once as it kicks up thick clouds of dust and debris. Yulin and her partner remain unconscious as the dust settles around them. Ouruyumon glows a sickly yellow as it dedigivolves into Ryudamon.
Dorugoramon looks down at its opponent and reverts Dorumon. “The Digicore is intact,” It says as Kosuke’s hologram appears beside it.
There’s a glimpse of sadness in his expression as he looks down at his old friend.
“I know you can’t hear me, but I’m going to restrain you,” Kosuke says as he pulls up a program that restrains Ryudamon. The program wouldn’t allow anyone to control Ryudamon as long as they were mindlinked, but it wouldn’t prevent it from moving. Kosuke lets out a loud sigh. “I’m sorry, but this was the only way.”
Kosuke turns an unremorseful gaze towards the battlefield. “Phase two is complete. Commence phase three,” he commands.
“Copy that! Note mindlink uptime is higher than anticipated, but still with in acceptable perameter,” Dorumon responds.
“Yulin is a tough girl,” Kosuke replies flatly.
“Indeed,” Dorumon responds, his gaze fixed on the restrained Ryudamon.
Kosuke opens up his coms. “You still alive Marvin?”
“Barely,” came in a shaky reply. “Looks like we’ve got plenty of time though.”
“Status report,”
“The DigiPolice’s biggest weapon is out of commission, Eiji was able to take out the two Hi-Commandramon. We’ve knocked out a third of the police force. The Wall Slum Digimon are still going strong, but it looks like the code crackers fighting the Gatekeepers are loosing steam.”
“The turning point’s approaching,” Dorumon says gravely. They couldn’t risk the battle shifting against them. Not when they were so close.
“Right then,” Kosuke says suddenly. “Time for the main event.”
Dorumon nods. “Marvin, bring Eiji over here.”
“On it boss. I’ll get ’em there without a single scratch!”
“If you’re gunna use it, now would be the time,” Kosuke adds.
“You don’t even gotta ask,” Marvin replies as he activates a tool from his console. Suddenly, a guttural unearthly groan floods the airways.
Satsuki grits her teeth as she watches over the battlefield. A third of her force was gone along with the two strongest mindlinkers and the captain.
“That damn Eiji,” she growls. “This wasn’t in the notes…” Her voice trails. Their intel had placed Eiji and his partner only at Champion level. It frustrated Stasuki to know that their intel was wrong. He had jumped a level since they last fought, and now he was…her level. Regret fills her as she thinks about their first encounter. Satsuki clenches her fists tightly. “I should have taken him out when I had a chance.”
“Squad leader,” a voice breaks her trance.
“Go ahead.” She shakes off the frustration and regains her focus.
“Orders?”
“Left flank, retreat and regroup with the remaining forces. Right flank and center, take care of the Gatekeepers. Everyone retreat after regrouping.”
“But..”
“That’s an order,” she commands, cutting off incoming protests. Yulin had given her command of the Police with the condition she wouldn’t push Numemon past champion, and they would retreat if Yulin lost.
“But the Captain?”
“I know!” Satsuki shouts as the rage continues to bubble within her. “There’s no other choice.” The Sons of Chaos had the upper hand. Fighting any longer would end in defeat.
“Tachibana, Sakurada, can you move?”
“Yeah”
“Good. I need you to retreat for now. I’ll cover you.”
“But…”
“It’s an order, not an invitation. Get moving!” Satsuki barks.
“Yes Mam!” They respond as they begin limping away toward the Cargodramon. She watches as the rest of her battered forces make their make their retreat.
“Right then, where did Eiji go?” She says as she switches coms. “Seals one come in.”
“We’ve got eyes on Tartarus. It looks like they’re getting ready for their next move.”
“Keep watching, but retreat the second things get hot.”
Marvin joins Kosuke and the others with Eiji hidden. “Alright, I brought the kid. Now if you don’t need me, I need to get going. I better take advantage while the Police are retreating.”
“You’ve done enough. Thanks. Where are you off to?”
“Gotta pick up my kid from school.”
“Right, right! You better hurry then. I’m sorry to take up so much of your day.”
“It’s fine, now I got a cool story to tell them when they’re older!” Marvin chuckles.
“I’m glad you see it that way.”
“Catch you later!” Marvin says as he and his Digimon leave.
“Are they really reatreating?” Eiji asks as his hologram appears next to Loogamon.
“They’re probably just following orders.” Tartarus responds.
Eiji turns to the unconscious Ryudamon. “Are they all right?” He sounds concerned as he examines the restraints.
“They’re just unconscious. The DigiCore is still intact. I just put them in restraints for their safety.”
“So what now?” Loogamon asks.
“Now we crack the gateway,” Kosuke says with a smile.
“We’re going to use the old interfaces on the prototype Digimon to open the gate.” Dorumon adds.
“Old interfaces?” Eiji asks, puzzled by the explanation.
“Oh? I thought the professor would have told you.” Dorumon asks, taken aback.
Eiji and Loogamon shake their heads for a moment before Eiji gets an idea. “Wait! The thing on their foreheads!” Eiji exclaims suddenly, pointing at Loogamon’s forehead.
Dorumon smiles, “Exactly! Digimon with those interfaces are known as prototype Digimon. We’re going to use them to access the backdoor that leads to the depths.”
“We’ll slip through where the system administrator can’t see,” Kosuke adds.
“Damn Loogamon, that means your forehead holds some sort of legendary power! I always knew you were incredible buddy.”
“I don’t need you to tell me I’m incredible,” Loogamon responds as its tail wags furiously behind it.
“So what do we have to do?” Eiji asks excitedly.
“You don’t need to do anything.”
“Sorry?”
“Tartarus will take care of the Gateway. The Prototype Digimon act as intermediaries while the cracking occurs.”
“That makes sense,” Loogamon says as he looks at the still-unconscious Rydamon.
“Well if you only need Loogamon’s interface, what should I do?” Eiji asks, feeling lost. Loogamon and Dorumon exchange a nervous glance.
“Pray.”
Loogamon, Dorumon, and the restrained Ryudamon form a triangle around Kosuke.
“Alright, time to move into phase three,” Kosuke announces. “Once we start the process, there’s no cancelling. Loogamon and Dorumon won’t be able to move while the Gateway is being cracked. We’re counting on the rest of the Sons of Chaos to see us through.”
“Yes sir!” comes the resounding response from the remaining members.
Kosuke starts typing quick commands on his console. “I hope this thing of yours works Marvin.”
Suddenly, the ground begins to shake as violently. The Sons of Choas close their ranks and brace for an attack as a gigantic dragon appears over them. The beast is completely metallic, with thick crimson armor covering its body. Large metal talons flex as its tail waves wildly behind it.
‘Is that a Machinedramon?” Eiji asks.
“No, but similar,” Loogamon adds.
“You’ve seen this thing before?”
“I recognize that red armor anywhere…That’s Chaosdramon.”
HYPER INFINTY CANNON!
Two red-hot beams of energy fly through the air and melt away swarms of Gatekeepers. The sky around them fills with explosions.
“A mega? Who can even pilot a Mega like that? Eiji asks stunned.
“It’s a bot,” Tartarus says.
“What? No one is controlling it?!”
Chaosdramon lets out a roar. Eiji marvels at the sheer unmanned destructive power before him.
“No one would be able to mindlink with that.” Kosuke adds finally.
“Wait what about the Wall Slum Digimon.” Eiji asks suddenly. His voice filled with genuine concern.
“I told them to leave the moment things got dicey. None of the are risking their lives if there’s no benefit,” Loogamon responds.
“We’re on the clock,” Dorumon says suddenly.
“Right.” Kosuke opens up his terminal and begins typing at it furiously. He glimpses at the unconscious Ryudamon. “Sorry Yulin. I need to borrow you for a bit.” He stops typing to take a deep breath before hitting his final command:
Eldritch Automata just went live on Kickstarter and has already made 13k on the first day. There is still a bit to go before they get to their $65k goal, so go back if you’re looking for a horrific mech tabletop RPG.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Story
The world is overrun by unspeakable horrors that have left humanity hanging by its last tread. Those unfortunate to survive must face off against the ever-present threat of bloodthirsty eldritch abominations and nightmares. Hope sits on the shoulders of those few in the world who can pilot the mighty Automata, giant mechs that appeared at the start of the calamity. Piloting the Automata is no easy feat. Pilots must be of strong resolve, because the pressures of responsibility, the strain of piloting the Automata, and the constant threat from monsters and other survivors constantly eat away at their morale.
The world of Eldritch Automata is no easy picnic. Do you have what it takes to survive?
What is Eldritch Automata
Eldritch Automatais a survival horror TTRPG that uses the award-winning Year ZeroEngine. I’ve played a few games that use the Year ZeroEngine, and love it so far. It’s easy to pick up, and not an impossible transition from D&D. What makes Eldritch Automata unique is the giant mechs, Automata. I am very curious to see how the Mech and Kaiju fights work, especially when players have to worry about their morale. I bet it not only makes for fun roleplay, but will also make things tense and exciting.
Kickstarter also mentions that there will be a focus on a social aspect where players need to navigate different factions, worry about treacherous factions, and form different alliances. I already have some cool ideas for roleplay, and I am excited.
The rulebook will be about 400 pages long and include accessories, depending on the tier you support and what stretch goals get reached.
If you’re looking for a horror survival game with the potential for epic kaiju battles, go back the Eldritch Automata Kickstarter today! The campaign is live until February 1st, and the product plans to ship in August.
I know this is late, but work has been crazy. Make sure you always support the original. If you enjoy this project, please leave me a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Thank you for reading!
No one will stand in my way. I’ll turn the whole Digital World upside-down if I have to. I will find her. I will get her out.
The center of the wall slum erupted in chaos as Code Crackers and guardians clashed. The plan had worked, and now Code Crackers from around the world gathered for one crucial push towards the Gateway. To them, this was all a game. But to those in the higher echelons of the Sons of Chaos, it was a chance to break through. The network was taking its bold step at something that had never been done, and the outcome was sure to create ripples.
A battle rages at the center of the Wall Slum. Rockets fly in every direction. Beams of burning light light up the sky. Lightning bolts reach out hungrily and explode violently. The Wall Slums glows brightly with explosions and newly formed fires. The laughter of Code Crackers slowly creeps through the chaos. To them, this is just a game. But to the few in the upper echelons of the Sons of Chaos, this was their chance to break through the gateway.
Perched above the chaos, at the edge of the caldera, Dorugoramon watches intently. Explosions reflect off its body, giving it a warm glow. Its long neck stretches as it examines the battlefield. Long sharp blades come down its wings where the bones should be. They twitch as it smirks. Its claws itch in anticipation.
All the pieces are in play. Kosuke thinks to himself.
Suddenly, a blinding beam of light falls from the sky. It slowly dissipates to reveal the gold-armored dragon, Ouryumon. Each taloned hand holds a sharp golden blade that seems fixed on its prey. Dorugoramon has taken flight, and the two dragons charge fiercely at one another.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
“Not even a hello, Yulin?” Kosuke asks calmly.
The two Digimon clash as blades and swords collide, creating white hot sparks with each impact. Yulin lets out a gasp as Kosuke’s voice reaches her. She knew she would have to face her old friend, but she wasn’t ready to hear his voice so soon.
Ouryumon doesn’t break its stride. All four of its blades slash furiously against swift silver claws. Ouryumon usually only needed two blades to best his opponents, but Dorugoramon was no ordinary Digimon, and Kosuke was no ordinary Code Cracker.
“So this is what the captain of the Digipolice is capable of…should I call you the Crossroads Witch? For old time’s sake?” Tartarus taunts.
The two dragons separate for a moment. Ouryumon growls as it readies its swords for the next attack. “That person doesn’t exist anymore.” A hint of sorrow seeps into Yulin’s words.
“Didn’t expect to fight a mega so soon.”
“You digivolved first.”
“What an honor..” The two clash again, this time with a more intense ferocity.
“What do you hope to achieve from all this?” Yulin asks. The Golden dragon grits its teeth in frustration.
“You’re about to witness the greatest revolution in human history! Isn’t that right Dorugoramon?”
Dorugoramon clasps its talons together, stretching them away from its body. Glowing light begins to gather between its palms.
DORU-DIN!
A shockwave of pure destructive energy rips through the air. Ouryumon’s blades raise quickly, blocking the attack with a loud clang that rings over the battlefield. Some of the attack crashes onto unsuspecting Digimon and Gatekeepers, sending them flying in every direction. The rest explodes into the wall behind Oryumon. Large chunks of the wall fall towards the gate, leaving a massive hole behind.
Sastuki watches the clash from below, marveling at their sheer destructive power.
“Captain!” she shouts involuntarily. She had never seen the captain go all out before, or seen a Digimon capable of keeping up with her.
The squad of Cargodramon carrying additional units descended upon the caldera, dropping heliborne units that quickly formed along the interior wall. Numemon slides down after them. Its eyes bob through gaps of the Mekanorimon it sits inside of.
“All squads, get in position! The Sons of Chaos are our targets, don’t worry about anyone else,” Satsuki orders. “Don’t let them open the Gateway!”
The Commandramon and the officers pilot their answer with a resounding “Yes sir!” as they scurry into position.
“Ememy sighted. 9 O’clock,” one of the Commandramon warns. Satsuki turns to asses the danger. A swarm of Gatekeepers charges towards them. Satsuki clicks her tongue, spinning the Mekanorimon around. She targets a single Gateker before firing a Twinkle Beam. The hot laser flies through the air, vaporizing the Gatekeeper.
“Open fire!”
Bullets rain down from the Cargodramon’s rattling guns, annihilating the oncoming swarm. The stench of gunpowder fills the air. “So we gotta fight those things too…great!” Satsuki huffs. “I could take these guys out easy if I could just go ultimate.” But Satsuki was under strict orders. She would act as squad leader and pilot the Mekanorimon. Satsuki grows frustrated as she can make out the sounds of the clash above her.
“Seals one, reporting in,” a voice interrupts Satsuki’s thought.
“This is Satsuki. Do you have eyes on the target?”
“Search is underway,” the Sealsdramon replies as it searches the battlefield for the SoC leadership.
“Keep looking. Tartarus’ big splash here might be a diversion. The other could be lurking, waiting to strike.”
“Copy that. Over.”
A loud thud startles Satsuki, as something suddenly lands on top of the Mekanorimon’s domed head. She lets out a yelp. Someone was using her as a stepping stone to join the fray behind her.
Loogamon and Eiji stand facing Sastuki, its tail wags excitedly. Satsuki becomes consumed with rage.
“Eiji and your stupid mangy mutt,” she growls.
“Wait…how did you know my name?”
“Who are you calling mangy?” Loogamon snarls.
“Wait I know that voice…”
Loogamon looks around at the uniformed Digimon surrounding him. “Dammit Eiji…We landed in the middle of a Police unit.”
Sastuki smirks. “This is going to be so much fun!”
“Sastuki?” Eiji says as they search for her Numemon. “So you can pilot the Maenormon?” He asks, finally noticing Numemon’s eye stalks poking out.
“So the slug found its shell,” Loogamon says with a snicker.
“Careful Loogamon, she’s crazy.”
“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!”
GYRO BREAK!
Mekanorimon’s arm begins to spin rapidly, letting out a terrifying mechanical whirr. It heaves forward, launching a corkscrew punch flying towards Loogamon. Loogamon hops out of the way. The arm drills into the empty space Loogamon leaves behind.
“Urgh!” Eiji lets out as a hunk of rock smacks him in the chin.
“This is war Eiji Nagasumi!” Satsuki shouts as she aims her next attack. The Commandramon move into position and train their riffles at the wolf.
“Eiji, get into the core!” Loogamon yells. Eiji had already vanished.
“So what am I wanted for now?” Eiji asks from the safety of the Digicore.
“Wanted? This isn’t some ordinary Patrol. This is war. The Sons of Chaos will answer for their crimes!”
“What?”
“We’re taking you out, whether you like or not. Fire!”
Muzzles flash as the Commandramon unleash a hail of bullets Loogamon. But Loogamon had anticipated the attack and dives behind a nearby boulder. The bullets clang on the stone around them.
“Are you okay?”
“She’s got a squad of 100 or more out there. This is an upgrade from the last time we fought her.”
“She said she this was war.” Eiji begins thinking of ways to deal with Satsuki. As the bullets crash nearby, Eiji realizes this isn’t a game anymore. It never was.
“If it was just Numemon, we’d have nothing to worry about,” Loogamon adds.
The rudders of the Corgodramon circle overhead. Occasionally, they let down a rain of bullets to chip away at their cover, pinning Loogamon to his hiding spot.
Satsuki watches Loogamon through a live feed from one of the Cargodramon. “Ready one of the DCD bombs,” she commands. “We’re going to smoke them out.”
“This is Seals One. Target aquired!” A voice shouts urgently over the radio.
“Send me the coordinates!”
“I would but…they’re nearly on top of you!”
An explosion lights up the sky as the Cargodramon takes a hit from the side. Smoke fills the around it as it spins towards the ground. The remaining Cargodramon scatter.
“Starting without me Eiji?” Mervin says as Airdramon appears through the smoke.
