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The Latest World Of Darkness Books Delve Into Your Character's Past
The Latest World Of Darkness Books Delve Into Your Character's Past

Forbes

time28-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Forbes

The Latest World Of Darkness Books Delve Into Your Character's Past

In Memoriam is one of two new books for World of Darkness that flesh out character histories. Back story is an important part of any role playing game character. Done well, it can provide story ideas, links to the campaign world and themes for the Storyteller to introduce into the story. Part of the fun in playing in a setting like World of Darkness is mixing in real world events and history to a fictional character. The latest sourcebook releases for World of Darkness gives players a chance to dive into their character histories. In Memoriam, for Vampire: The Masquerade looks at the oldest playable vampires, the ancillae and how to integrate their centuries of unlife into a chronicle. Hunter: The Reckoning's latest, Apostates, looks at the bigger hunter organizations and how they help, hinder and otherwise influence the actions of hunter cells around the world. In addition to the direct influences on character, these books start to fill in some of the long promised state of the World of Darkness that was reborn seven years ago in 2018. These books bring back old favorites, reveal the fates of hated rivals and introduce some new allies and rivals for your game. Renegade Game Studios provided review copies for this article. Vampire: The Masquerade In Memoriam For much of the original run of Vampire: The Masquerade, the ancillae were the middle children of the Kindred. They were not old enough to have the staggering power and influence of elder blood but not young enough to remember what life as a mortal was like. In Memoriam looks at these vampires and how they've been thrust into the limelight due to the Gehenna War. The book also functions as a mini historical guide featuring times and places these centuries old vampires might have been created. There are some nods to older settings like Victorian Age Vampire as well as some newer information and inspiration, such as getting involved with a certain Bram Stoker and his vampire novel. Acknowledging the history of the game gives me hope that we'll see an official Vampire: The Dark Ages Fifth Edition sooner rather than later. The title of the book is also a nod to the Memoriam mechanics first introduced in the Vampire: The Masquerade Core book. Player can use Memoriam to flashback to an earlier point in their lives and play out a scene or two that reflects a current problem their character is experiencing. If the scene is successful, the player gets a bonus on rolls looking to resolve the issue based on what they learned in the flashback. The information here expands this idea beyond a scene or two. I'm excited to run some full flashback sessions in a different era with other players taking on different roles in the flashback. With a little more work and research, this book could inspire a full chonicle set in an earlier era. This is one of my favorite additions to Vampire: The Masquerade as it adapts one of my favorite tropes of modern vampire fiction to the game. You can see it in everything from Highlander to Forever Knight to the modern adaptation of Interview With The Vampire. Playing out the scene gives character history to discover and can break up the tension in a story by jumping back to a new time and place with many of the same characters. I like how In Memoriam plays with history in the World of Darkness. Rather than a set viewpoint, it gives groups the tools to make their encounters with big events personal. This player-first perspective is one of the biggest strengths of the current edition of Vampire. Hunter The Reckoning Apostates The newest version of Hunter: The Reckoning reframes the struggle of regular people fighting back against the monster of the World of Darkness. They might have a strange power or two, maybe a gadget in hand or just a van full of guns. It also makes it clear that they are small fish in a dangerous pond and the latest book details some of the mortal organizations they might run afoul of during their hunted. The Apostates book deals with the hunter orgs which have been cast as prickly rivals to the cells of hunters in the dark. At best, these organizations might use the players as canaries in a coal mine to suss out a big threat and then mop up after the big battle. At worst, they're big problems just as bad as the monsters doing their best to make the world a nastier place. The book gives some looks at some classic organizations such as the mortal watchers of the Arcanum and the werewolf hunters of Project Twilight. There's also more information on Monster-X, the corporate monster hunters who may or may not believe in monsters but know there are people who believe that are willing to spend money. It includes some information on the Special Affairs Division and their government vampire hunting, though anyone interested in this organization should check out Second Inquisition for Vampire. The information included in the books are a fantastic resource for players to use as part of their backstories. Now they can play members of these organizations that quit, or fired, or faked their death to get away from their former masters. Or maybe they were innocent and protected by one of these groups only to discover they are just as guilty of awful things as the creatures that drink blood or howl at the moon. This book fleshes out the mortal antagonists of Hunter. There's plenty of room for old rivals, uneasy alliances and unexpected conseuqnces of the latest hunt. Much like the other antagonist books like Sabbat and Second Inquisition, there's enough information here for an enterprising Storyteller to run a campaign centered around the other side if they want to put a little work into things. It was also nice to see what some of the old organizations are up to these days. While I appreciate the clean break from decades of metaplot, I'm enjoying the approach White Wolf is taking here. It's not too different from how Marvel handles its backstory for the MCU; keep what works, change what doesn;t and don't be afraid to give an old idea a new spin. In Memoriam and Apostates are available directly from World of Darkness and Renegade Game Studios, through online vendors and from Friendly Local Game Stories.

G.I. Joe RISK Game Crushes Its Kickstarter Goal and Brings the Battle to Your Tabletop — GeekTyrant
G.I. Joe RISK Game Crushes Its Kickstarter Goal and Brings the Battle to Your Tabletop — GeekTyrant

Geek Tyrant

time26-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Geek Tyrant

G.I. Joe RISK Game Crushes Its Kickstarter Goal and Brings the Battle to Your Tabletop — GeekTyrant

Few franchises carry the same legendary status as G.I. Joe , and right now, fans have plenty to get hyped about. The iconic heroes are already making waves in comics thanks to Skybound's Energon Universe, sharing space with Transformers, and there's a big-screen crossover on the horizon. On top of that, Hasbro's G.I. Joe Classified series continues to deliver incredible figures and vehicles and as a collector, it's so hard for me to keep up. But now, the battle is heading to a new front: the tabletop. Renegade Game Studios and Hasbro have teamed up to bring fans Risk G.I. Joe: Special Missions , and the game has already obliterated its Kickstarter goal. This is not your standard game of Risk. Instead, it infuses the classic strategy experience with everything you love about G.I. Joe. Two to four players will align with either G.I. Joe or Cobra, completing missions and resolving plots to rack up objective points before time runs out. The game features five master scenarios that reveal different hotspots, keeping players guessing and on their toes every session. Depending on which faction you side with, you'll have a roster of 13 legendary leaders to choose from. For the Joes, expect to see Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and Cover Girl. On Cobra's side, villains like Cobra Commander, Destro, Baroness, and Serpentor will lead the charge. Oh, there are plenty of cool minatures. You'll command forces across the map with Joe Infantry and Cobra Troopers, backed by vehicles like Skystrikers, Rattlers, Wolverines, and H.I.S.S. Tanks. Tokens for the U.S.S. Flagg and Cobra Island add even more thematic flair to the battlefield. Originally planned as a standard pre-order, rising international costs and tariffs pushed the release to Kickstarter. Fans who pre-ordered aren't left out, though. Not only will they get the game, but they'll also score the Leaders Bonus Pack, which includes four new leaders—two from each faction, bringing fresh tactical options to the table. Among the new recruits are the Crimson Twins, who act as a single leader but can be in two places at once, creating some wild strategic opportunities. Shipwreck also joins the fight, unlocking new options for the U.S.S. Flagg. Meanwhile, Zarana and Jinx bring game-changing abilities that can disrupt enemy plans and gather vital intel. The 'Yo Joe!' tier nets you the game and the bonus pack for $70. There are no stretch goals, but retailers can pledge $140 for four copies of the game and four bonus packs. This game is shaping up to be an absolute must-have for G.I. Joe fans and strategy gamers alike. If you want to check out the full campaign—or back it while you can—you can find it right here. So, will you be joining the fight in Risk G.I. Joe: Special Missions?

A Tabletop Games Gift Guide For Geeky Dads On Father's Day
A Tabletop Games Gift Guide For Geeky Dads On Father's Day

Forbes

time12-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Forbes

A Tabletop Games Gift Guide For Geeky Dads On Father's Day

You might not be able to afford a real Battlemech for your dad this Father's Day but you can help ... More them learn how to fix one. Having a geeky dad can make Father's Day easier. Beyond the traditional ties and cologne, they will likely be interested in comic books, collectibles and tabletop games. For anyone still looking for Dungeons and Dragons loving dad gift ideas, I'm here to the last minute rescue. The following list shies away from specific games for the most part and leans into accessories and other items that enhance the games dad likely already has. I came up with a similar list for Mother's Day that also can work for this gift holiday too. Evaluation copies of the items on this list were provided by the manufacturers. Heroscape is the only game that appears on both lists. It's a very light miniatures battle game that pulls from multiple genres. Players build forces and battlefields made of interlocking hex pieces for a different game experience every time. But it serves another function for gift purposes with terrain that's easy to assemble, deploy and store. Renegade Game Studios sells several packs of just terrain that expands options for their game as well as other miniatures based games. Many of my nerd friends kept their Heroscape from its original release for this very purpose and are excited there's new compatible accessories on the horizon. Monster Fight Club manufactures a lot of terrain options. The company is best known for its Cyberpunk RED Combat Zone game. One of the easy ways to expand that game is to pick up a pack or two of their Container sets. These boxes offer cover during a firefight as well as a sweet vantage point for the snipers in your crew. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder These containers look good in almost any modern or futuristic game setup. For fans who want a more detailed look to their cityscapes, Monster Fight Club has a Kickstarter running until June 28th, 2025 for Monsteropolis 2.0. The Kickstarter looks to fulfill next year around this time, but there's nothing like getting the jump on next year's present. There's a common misperception that miniature games require a massive amount of time and money to play. Everyone must start somewhere. Black Site Studios offers a suite of games that can be played with any miniature, though they do offer ones for fans of their games that can be painted and even printed at home. I recently played Don't Look Back which is a cooperative game where players face off against an 80s style movie slasher in a variety of scenarios. I really enjoyed the killer's ability to jump out from behind any bit of scenery which made the game feel like a face-off with Jason or Freddy. Cooperative games are also great for families to play together, although the subject matter of Don't Look Back might be a better fit for adult kids to play with their dad. Paizo, the publisher of Pathfinder, is very good at making accessories that fabs love. Their flagship game can be intimidating but they work hard to make it accessible. The company also invests in great art for its books that really bring Golarion to life. These two elements come together in the boxed set of Pathfinder Monster Core Battle Cards. Over 550 tarot-sized cards feature the monster art on one side and the stat block on the other. They are perfect for in game reference or flipping through for encounter inspiration. Many dads have dedicated spaces to their gaming hobby. Much of it is likely taken up by game boxes, paint supplies and all the stuff needed to make the game experience most satisfying. Let's end this round-up with a suggestion on decor. Battletech: Technical Blueprints contains four blueprints of some of the most popular mechs suitable for framing. The Mad Cat, Dire Wolf, Phoenix Hawk and Warammer add futuristic flair to any gaming room. Each print is on heavy poster stock with dimensions of 24' x 36'. These products can be found online, directly from the vendors or at Friendly Local Gaming Stores around the world.

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