I begin this review by thanking Tin Hat Games who, by providing us with a physical copy of the manual, allowed us to talk about Weird World. It is a colorful and crazy post-apocalyptic roleplaying game, which in tone is inspired by works such as Rick and Morty and Futurama. We had previewed some of the contents of this tabletop RPG, but mow we can finally savor the complete version.
If after reading this review you are interested in purchasing Weird World, you can find it on the official store at the price of 45 euros for the physical copy (including PDF). For the digital copy only the cost is 20 euros (on the same store page).
The first pages are dedicated to a brief general introduction to the contents. In addition to the presentation of the roles at the table, we also find a handy index and the works that inspired this manual. Afterwards we immediately delve into the lore.
Millennia of Adventures
A fundamental aspect to correctly frame this TTRPG is its setting. We are on Earth, in the year 6042. Millennia of historical facts that are difficult to reconstruct have led to the current situation.
The human world population is drastically reduced due to various events. Natural disasters, wars, time travels, alien invasions and who knows what else have made Humans no longer the only inhabitants of this world. In fact, we also find artificial and alien creatures, who try to coexist in an ever-precarious balance.
This has also allowed nature to regain control of ever-larger areas, but often not without mutations or alterations due to various circumstances. In particular, Energy X (enX) has taken on a central role; it is a type of radiation with particular and central consequences for this setting. It is said to have arisen under mysterious circumstances in the year 4600, but very little is known about it.
The manual does not offer a detailed map, but rather a list of the most interesting places to set your adventures. They often include relics of past civilizations, which have marked the history of the Earth. And so in the Plain of Flowers we can find a dangerous mutant flora capable of incorporating who knows what. Or by entering a huge forest we can find countless abandoned prisons that guard unexpected treasures.
The Right Tools
An element that I consider very important for telling stories in this setting is the equipment. The author Simone Anselmi must think the same way, since he dedicates a large section of the manual to these contents.
In fact, we find a long list of Weapons, Armor, Helmets and Shields from every era of the Earth. For this reason, we can find items that are very different from each other, but always themed. In this regard, I also really appreciated the division by period of origin, which adds further details to the setting. The style sometimes reminded me of the Fallout video game saga; the sometimes botched and almost rudimentary aesthetics often hide laser weapons or weapons pervaded by some strange energy. This section is completed by many other objects, essential for any adventurer who wishes to face these dangerous lands. Who would leave without the inevitable backpack, rope and bandages?
But you don’t live by aesthetics alone and the manual also offers us the technical characteristics of each item. In addition to the use, the classic weight and the cost (here expressed in a universal currency called “€¥$”), we also find information relating to the specific use. Armors have a defense value and damage reduction. Weapons instead have the damage, the characteristic needed to use them, the critical damage and the range. Both categories also have special Effects, or tags that summarize characteristics common to multiple objects.
The chapter closes with a very appropriate mechanic for the genre: crafting. The Do-It-Yourself section provides all the necessary instructions for dismantling and reassembling the stuff found in your travels. So the choice to include this aspect turns out to be very appropriate, as it is central to the stories of survival in a post-apocalyptic world.
Weird World Aesthetics Review
To best convey the chaos of this world, illustrations become a very powerful medium. The artist who took care of this aspect of the manual is Yōkai Etrusco, and the choice could not have been more appropriate. His works, colorful and almost caricatural, perfectly embody the tones of the game. Even the cover, hard and sturdy, is visually incredible and perfectly conveys the emotions that the manual wants to propose.
The manual is also distinguished by its peculiar shape, which is very reminiscent of certain comic strips. The horizontal orientation favors a three-column layout. Moreover the font and writing are clear and pleasantly readable, although the abundance of colors and tables conveys the feeling of a very “full” volume in all of its almost 140 pages.
The Inhabitants of the New Earth
Before we begin to explore this world, we must create a character. In the specific case of Weird World, it is called Solcamondo.
The first step is to assign a die size (from d4 to d10) to each of the four characteristics: Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), Intelligence (INT) and Personality (PERS). From these other values are derived: Max Vigor, dDodge, Max Psyche and dPerception. Vigor and Psyche respectively represent the physical and mental resistance of the character and are obtained by averaging the two characteristics of the same area. The size of the Dodge die and the Perception die are determined in relation to the values just found.
Some values are fixed and common to all characters: Hit Points (HP) and Movement.
Then there are some useful resources to choose from. In fact, we will have to buy the equipment and determine the initial Energy X.
Keep in mind, however, that some elements (albeit few) must be chosen by rolling a die. For those who particularly love this mechanic, know that there is also a method of character creation that is completely random.
The evolution of the character is very classic. You complete missions and defeat creatures in order to accumulate Experience (Exp). You can then spend these points to unlock Skills that expand the possibilities of the character. They are in fact mechanical advantages that apply to specific areas. Do you want to fight better with bare hands or always be aware of what happens? There is a Skill for every eventuality. However, the exceptions are the Automatons who, unable to accumulate experience, must find and install additional modules to improve. What? You don’t know what an Automaton is? Let’s find out right away.
Where Everything Begins
I have purposely left aside one aspect of character creation to delve into it now. In my opinion it is the most impactful one (both narratively and mechanically), and in fact it can also change some of the choices already made. I am talking about the Origin, or rather the very nature of the Solcamondo:
- Human: whether you are a nobody or born under a lucky star, you are one of the few who have not yet had any mutations of any kind..
- Mutant: people like you have been living with humans for about a thousand years, but still suffer discrimination.
- Weirdzard: apparently human, you are actually something profoundly different and linked to Energy X. The notions regarding their nature are invaluable to understanding the lore of this RPG.
- Alien: you come from another planet, but people like you have been stuck on Earth for generations (i.e. millennia) now.
- Automaton: you were created by humans, but now you have the gift of free will.
They also feature subcategories that can further differentiate the characters you create.
Additionally, each Origin grants Traits, which are physical or mental characteristics that further characterize the Solcamondo. They always come in pairs, providing a positive and a negative version, both with mechanical implications. Whether your character sleeps very little or a lot, this will somehow affect your adventures.
Finally, all characters can accumulate X Energy in the most disparate ways (eating infected food, touching strange substances,…), but only the Weirdzard can control it. This means that they, based on the knowledge acquired, can accept to accumulate it to produce effects that represent in all respects magic in this TTRPG (Weirdzardry). Like all the other characters, however, accumulating too much means starting to have Mutations, until (eventually) seeing the character melt in a (perhaps) epic way.
Weird World Mechanics Review
As you can see from some passages of this review, Weird World has a light but detailed ruleset. The mechanics are simple, but still require adequate reading. At least this on the part of the narrator, who is called WeirdLord and takes on the most classic role and tasks in a tabletop RPG.
Making a generic test means rolling the die of the related characteristic (applying any modifiers) and trying to equal or exceed the threshold (IL, Insidious Level) chosen by the WeirdLord. In opposed tests, however, the character who actively performs the action considers the most suitable characteristic of their opponent as IL. If the circumstances are suitable, the storyteller can give Advantages or Disadvantages (raising or lowering the size of the die rolled).
If the character must instead try to resist effects that jeopardize his health (such as poisons, sleep spores, magnetic fields and more), things change. In this case, a die is rolled (the size of which depends on the dangerousness of the threat) and, if it reaches or exceeds the Vigor or Psyche value, the target is affected.
During combat, the game proceeds with a classic scheme. Each character rolls the initiative and the time is divided into rounds and turns. During their round, a character has two actions available. These can be, for example, moving, attacking, using Weirdzardry or interacting with the environment. Depending on your equipment, you inflict damage to your opponents (or avoid being damaged). To recover from them, there is nothing better than a bit of good rest (and contaminated food).
Other possible actions and game situations are then presented in the form of a list. We find everything needed to handle circumstances of stealth, visibility, cooperation, drowning and more.
Weird World Review Conclusions
To complete the manual we find two last contents. A large bestiary populates the setting with creatures ready to challenge every group of Solcamondo. We find suggestive and often ironic creatures, maintaining the tone that characterizes the entire manual. Are you ready to defend yourself from the Spakkastinki tribes, small creatures horribly mutated by the events of 4600 who enjoy ambushing, plundering and eating their victims? If you then had some doubts about which creature to choose (or how to insert them effectively into the narrative), you can try Weird Fiction. It is an introductory adventure divided into two parts, one of information research in a city environment and one of exploration of the wild lands.
Per concludere questa recensione, posso dire di essere soddisfatto di quanto proposto da Weird World. Offre un’esperienza di gioco ben specifica, facilmente riconducibile a capisaldi del genere. Se amate esplorare terre desolate e contaminate da una forma di energia che muta le creature e cercare rifugio in centri abitati dove gli abitanti si sopportano giusto per non essere divorati dal primo animale mutato che incontrano, allora è un gioco di ruolo che dovete assolutamente provare!
To conclude this review, I can say that I am satisfied with what Weird World has to offer. It proposes a very specific gaming experience, easily linkable to the cornerstones of the genre. If you love exploring desolate lands contaminated by a form of energy that mutates creatures and seeking refuge in towns where the inhabitants tolerate each other just to avoid being devoured by the first mutated animal they encounter, then this is a roleplaying game that you must absolutely try!