Space 1889Gameization of a tabletop RPG based on Jules Vernovsky’s “From the Earth to the Moon”. In the world of the game, thanks to the technologies of Thomas Edison, the imperialist powers of the Earth share the endless and far from lifeless expanses of Venus, Mars, the Moon and Mercury, where you can meet anti-gravity plants, lizard people, Rasputin, Jules Verne and even Warren Spector himself!
Anachronox
Anachronox is located inside one of the largest senders – a huge sphere studded with spikes, with the help of which travel through space is possible. The aliens, who so kindly died out from epidemics (or because of something else – it doesn’t matter, the result is important here), built once majestic cities. On the streets of the planetoid’s megacities, now slightly different from ruins, you can find drunken superheroes, extremely emotional robots, and even a much-reduced, extremely bureaucratic planet.
Spelljammer: Pirates of Realmspace Space in Spelljammer is a boundless ocean of phlogiston, the most flammable material in the world, where solar systems encased in crystal spheres float. The space of phlogiston is plowed by ships (Spelljammer Devices). Wizards give ships momentum. Further maneuvering falls on the shoulders of the team. But the path to your destination is teeming with dangers: from flying sharks to illithid ships – mind flayers.
(Now it’s clear what inspired the creators of “Treasure Planet”)
Alien Logic: Skyrealms of JoruneThe events of Alien Logic take place 3500 years after the start of human colonization of the planet Jorune, inhabited by many intelligent and not entirely intelligent creatures (although this line is quite blurred here, and that street dog can easily get drunk in the evenings in a nearby bar and chat for life with visitors). Science and magic here are closely intertwined and inseparable (as opposed to Arcanum), which became possible thanks to the special properties of the planet.
In general, the game world is a unique combination of science fiction and fantasy.
Bloodnet
New York 2094. Megacorporation https://gamblingsitesnotongamstop.co.uk/international-casinos/ TransTechnicals uses virtual reality technology to establish a dictatorship. Meanwhile, an epidemic of vampirism is raging on the streets of the city, driving New Yorkers crazy. The main character has only 20 days left until he finally becomes a slave of the vampire lord until the end of his days..
Shadowrun
2012 is the year when magic returns to the world: dragons soar over the skies of Japan, fanged and long-eared mutants are born all over the Earth (later called elves, orcs and other mythological creatures), shamans in Yakutia build their own state. In the total confusion, global corporations were the fastest to navigate: now power in the world actually belongs to them. A special stratum of the population appears – shadowrunners, mercenaries who carry out particularly risky orders from corporations. Or working against them: depending on who pays more.
Dark Sun"Eternal Thirst". Endless Desert. Huge maroon sun. Cities in ruins. A civilization slowly dying out after a catastrophe… You think – Fallout? Not necessary. Dark Sun.» (LKI)
Only instead of a nuclear apocalypse, the world of Dark Sun experienced a magical catastrophe, accompanied by many years of genocide of everything inhuman. The oceans dried up, water became the main measure of wealth. Metals are in second place in value – locals are forced to fight wars with the help of obsidian, bones, sticks and insect claws.
South Park: The Stick of TruthThe events of the first South Park RPG take place in the modern world, shown through the prism of madness and satire. This says it all: the usual showdowns between role-playing children can easily be influenced by a horde of Mongols, zombie Nazis, Jesus with an M-16 and other inventions of the authors of the animated series.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick ObscuraQuite a rare representative of the steampunk genre in video games.
Here magic contradicts science, it is impossible to practice magic and technology at the same time, and where magic is strong, technology malfunctions and breaks down (on trains, magicians are taken to specially equipped last cars), and in the area of powerful steam generators, spells fail. Dwarves became adepts of technology, elves are faithful to magic, and other races are equally capable of both.
UndertalePerhaps no other game this year can compare with this journey through the underground world of monsters in terms of originality. In Undertale, you can’t guess what awaits you at the next turn: a guard dog whose neck stretches endlessly from scratching; a cute flower that turns out to be a terrible monster; a ghost creating a hat out of tears..
The Elder Scrolls III: MorrowindDark elves, dressed in armor made from the chitinous plates of giant insects, travel among giant mushrooms across fields strewn with ash, riding on giant fleas..
Freedom ForceThe game humorously (but respectfully) emulates the style of the Silver Age of Comics, absurd and merciless. The visual style of the game emulates the work of Jack Kirby (one of the creators of the Marvel universe).
Superhero League of HobokenFor those who don’t find the usual Silver Age superheroics absurd enough as a setting, I suggest taking a look at the Superhero League of Hoboken, where superheroes such as the Paper Man (superpower: building hierarchical diagrams and tables for reports), Miss Pepperoni (finds out the contents of a pizza without opening the box) and the Lecturer (author of super boring lectures) fight supervillains, mutant babies and homeless people of post-apocalyptic New York.
Planescape: Torment"Worlds upon worlds, my friend. There are so many unknown kingdoms, distant lands and unreachable shores that it simply takes the wanderer’s breath away. Yes, I have to admit it – even the most jaded among us have been amazed at what lies behind countless doors."(Behind Countless Doors. Plan Book", TSR)
Perhaps RPGs have never seen a more unusual setting than Planescape. The eternal war of demons and demons, a birthing alley, a brothel for intellectual pleasures, intelligent polygons, personifications of letters, flying skulls, ram people, zombie bulletin boards – nothing limited the authors’ imagination.
