Nobilis (Jenna Moran)
Technically, the Nobilis scorebook (in any of its 3 variations) delivers an entire world. However this sport of gods and actuality battle is so wealthy it leaves me wanting extra element. How are the nobles organised? What kind of courts may they collect in and the way are they organised? How do you meet different nobles? There was a stay motion complement and a basic complement referred to as ‘Unlikely Flowerings’ however that is at all times a sport that feels there may be rather more but to unveil. Nevertheless, Moran did slip a secret complement beneath the radar within the type of one other sport, Glitch.
Pink Dwarf (Deep 7)
The corebook for Pink Dwarf is fairly full. However as with many comedy video games what it actually wanted was extra adventures that will help you familiarize yourself with the setting. It’s a nice instance of the best way to do this kind of setting and effectively value trying out in case you are a fan. Comedy settings are very onerous to do as often the e-book must be humorous. Whereas this one is enjoyable to learn it lets the setting do the work, serving to your group create the identical ludicrous conditions from the sequence and to see the place it goes. However whereas the overall overview is nice, extra adventures to indicate the way in which can be actually helpful.
Immortal (Priority Leisure)
This sport has appeared and disappeared a couple of instances, however not obtained very far past it’s corebook every time. The concept of your character having existed because the starting of all the things, however forgotten their previous lives to remain sane is a superb idea. However extra element on what your characters can do and the varied tribes would have been very welcome. Extra element on utilizing previous lives and creating a personality’s secret historical past would even be very useful. Nevertheless, a notice on the present web site from 2023 says extra is coming quickly, so possibly there may be hope for this one once more.
Deliria (Laughing Pan)
This sport made an enormous noise when it arrived, with a big and shiny rulebook. However its narrative guidelines have been a little bit arcane in factors, as was what the participant characters have been meant to truly do. However the setting, constructed on faerie and folklore, was intriguing and engaging, and as such begged for extra dietary supplements and growth. There have been two (Goblin Markets and On a regular basis Heroes) that are effectively value a glance. However sadly it appears inventive variations on the crew ensured it got here to a halt earlier than its time.
First Contact: X-Corps (AKA Video games)
This glorious alien invasion sport fell prey to the issues of translating and connecting between totally different firms (the unique Spanish and the French/English translators). This sport wasn’t nearly preventing aliens, as after an preliminary assault the alien invaders mattress in and start different nefarious plots. With the preliminary risk previous, the Earth defence forces fall to inside bickering in a manner that’s sadly too plausible. What made this sport particularly attention-grabbing was that you might play as civilians or troopers, providing you with two video games in a single. There have been a few dietary supplements, however just one made it into French and English from the Spanish. So the promised plot and timeline of what promised to be an intriguing marketing campaign sadly floor to a halt. However, the core rulebook does clarify what the aliens are as much as, so no less than the GM isn’t left at the hours of darkness.
Hercules and Xena (West Finish Video games)
As a fan of the present I rapidly picked up this preliminary boxed set, however that was all that appeared for the road. It was a fantastic, easy and enjoyable fantasy sport, however actually wanted extra to make it stand aside from different fantasy video games. I’m unsure if its gross sales weren’t good, or West Finish video games didn’t have the cash to maintain the licence, nevertheless it was a fantastic disgrace this by no means noticed any dietary supplements.
Battlestar Galactica (Margaret Weis Productions)
One of many final of the Cortex system video games from MWP, Battlestar had a fantastic begin with a corebook and a Quickstart coping with the assault on the colonies. However we sadly by no means noticed anymore, regardless of the wealth of potential materials that would have adopted it. I might have liked a Colony sourcebook, Cylon sourcebook and a marketing campaign no less than. MWP shifted to Cortex + and produced a brand new Firefly sport afterward, however by no means picked up the Battlestar sport once more.
Dragon Brigade (Margaret Weis Productions)
I’m unsure if this one counts because it by no means actually had a corebook as a lot as a ‘large quickstart’. Dragon Brigade was primarily based on a brand new trilogy of books from Margaret Weis and Bob Krames. It had a fantastic mixture of politics, steampunk, adventurers and spies, in addition to dragons. Nevertheless it by no means obtained a full launch, which is a disgrace as there was loads of potential on this unusual sport world within the sky.
Dresden Recordsdata (Evil Hat)
Right here I’m simply being grasping. Evil Hat created a rulebook, setting e-book and complement for Jim Butcher’s addictive Dresden novel sequence. However with so many extra books created because the sport, and a world that peeled again layers like an enormous onion, there may be rather more that would have been added. This isn’t to say the present books don’t already cowl the setting very effectively, however there may have been extra. It’s not a completed sport till I can play Mouse!
Skyrealms of Jorune (Skyrealms Publishing/Chessex)
This sport is nearly a sufferer of its unbelievable paintings. It is likely one of the early ‘fantasy with a twist’ video games in that the fantasy world is definitely set within the far future the place a human area colony has fallen aside and devolved. Humanity has developed into three totally different species, one in every of which may nonetheless function the outdated superior human tech (if you’ll find it). The opposite species have been a mixture of native creatures and ‘uplifted’ genetic creations by human scientists. The world may be very effectively realised, however the artwork was unbelievable, and actually granted a window into the world we’d not seen earlier than. With out the artwork of Miles Teves in additional editions, it by no means fairly felt the identical. Nonetheless, it’s a nice fantasy world and what there may be presents a masterclass in world constructing.
Eoris Essence (Visions of Essence)
Lastly this stunning however barely controversial sport deserved extra. It had an odd launch that made it onerous to pay money for, inflicting quite a lot of unhealthy feeling from individuals who couldn’t get an order despatched however noticed it bought at conventions. The artwork is superb and the background to this anime fashion fantasy world extremely evocative. Nevertheless it by no means actually detailed what life was like on the bottom for participant characters, being extra involved with its metaplot that by no means fairly made sense. It by no means noticed any dietary supplements to its attractive two quantity slipcase, which is a superb disgrace because it actually wanted extra element on the varied lands and cultures all these unfamiliar beings with eldritch powers all stay in.
YOUR TURN: So, there may be my checklist. What different video games solely had ‘one season’ and nonetheless had nice unrealised potential?
