Exploration stays one of many joys of many position taking part in video games. Whether or not discovering new characters, mapping out lethal dungeons and even simply attempting to scrape each ounce of gold from an evil lair, gamers like to take their characters into the unknown. Ultraviolet Grasslands from designer Luka Rejec supply a really unusual new world for gamers to discover. This technofantasy wasteland provides dozens of unusual websites, uncommon characters and random encounters to boost the lengthy days, weeks and months characters would possibly spend on the street. Exalted Funeral despatched alongside a overview copy of this e book for overview. Are the grasslands filled with risks and delights? Let’s play to seek out out.
The e book particulars the titular grasslands as a liminal house between two cities. In discussing the primary metropolis the designer presents the form of weirdness to anticipate straight away. Violet Metropolis is a spot the place psychic, espresso ingesting cats are revered and probably in cost. The e book resents over 30 uncommon places like this. Every one is detailed with folks to satisfy, encounters to have and potential hooks that join storylines by means of totally different places. Drop one in every of these places in an ordinary D&D recreation and also you’ll have a left flip expertise within the type of Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. Operating by means of the Grasslands provides a marketing campaign that feels impressed from the pages of “grownup” comedian books from the 70’s and 80’s like Heavy Steel. Rejec’s artwork helps this really feel with artwork that feels lifted from a sketchbook created whereas touring by means of the world. Huge monsters and constructions are given nice element however might need a tiny stick determine on the sting for scale. There’s a psychedelic vibe to all of it that feels very refreshing. So many video games lately are declaring themselves steel whereas Ultraviolet Grasslands appears to be going for extra of a psychedelic prog rock vibe.
As a marketing campaign, the e book units up the gamers as main a caravan by means of the grasslands to the Black Metropolis. There are recognized roads that cross by means of the detailed places and gamers are given decisions once they hit one of many huge locales. Random encounters can occur whereas on the street because of an in depth set of charts that generate fellow travellers, fascinating distractions on the aspect of the street and potential misfortunes to befall the caravan. These encounters hammer on the feeling of the sport being a railroad however even with out them, selecting locations is extra paying homage to choosing the subsequent mission in an open world online game. Sport masters can stack the deck just a little by seeding rumors and stories on the street however there’s sufficient materials right here that ought to the gamers take a look at the map and resolve to see The Forest of Meat, the GM shall be high-quality working that location on the fly.
Second Version provides extra detailed guidelines for working the caravan. It offers the setting a barely totally different taste by shifting focus away from fight and unique monsters. There are nonetheless harmful creatures and wild spots within the wilderness however Ultraviolet Grasslands needs gamers to expertise its strangeness and never be defeated by it. The e book features a brief simple system that’s very loosely based mostly on d20 fantasy techniques, although the implication is that you simply’ll should port in spells or different particular powers for gamers that may need such issues.
The very best system to make use of with Ultraviolet Grasslands is no matter one your group enjoys probably the most. The flavour of the setting doesn’t want mechanics to bolster its concepts. This might most clearly be a marketing campaign setup for a setting like Numenera or Gamma World. However I can even see somebody who loves Savage Worlds taking it out for a spin with just some hacks right here and there. It may be run utilizing no matter throwback video games you would possibly choose. One thing like Mork Borg may actually reinforce the brutality of the frontier.
Backside line: Ultraviolet Grasslands provides a novel setting for position taking part in teams which are extra fascinated by exploring an odd new world than conquering one.
