Tag Archive | "indie rpgs"

Neoplastic Press releases Pent: The First Gospel of Pandemonium

Posted on May 30, 2008 by

The first victim was found, mutilated beyond recognition, inside a bathroom. The door was locked from the inside. The second victim was torn to pieces, and the damage was so severe that the body was initially thought to belong to two victims. The coroner’s report indicated that cause of death was suicide. It’s going to be another one of those days…

Neoplastic Press is pleased to announce the release of Pent: The First Gospel of Pandemonium.

[...more]

New cover artwork for Dread: The First Book of Pandemonium

Posted on April 3, 2008 by

Dread: The First Book of Pandemonium has a new cover illustration, courtesy of Tariq Raheem (concept artist on TV shows like Farscape and video games like Heavenly Sword). This new artwork depicts a pair of Disciples about to come under attack from a group of demons led by a Pelogris.

[...more]

Welcome back to The City (a|state news)

Posted on February 27, 2008 by

I recently posted some great news about a long-awaited a|state supplement called Avenues & Alleyways. The folks at Contested Ground Studios expanded The City with new locations, villains and more. Now, the original a|state core book is available in eBook format at RPGNow.com. 252 pages of gothic horror and twisted beauty for $15.00. You can […]

[...more]

Dread News: Art Imitates Death

Posted on February 24, 2008 by

A new scenario for the Dread: The First Book of Pandemonium RPG has been released by the folks at Neoplastic Press: Art Imitates Death PDF The most disturbing piece of evidence you’ve ever seen is a painting. Originally, it was a lawyer. When the cops found him, he was stretched across the canvas. Not pretty. […]

[...more]

Another visit to The City (a|state)

Posted on February 16, 2008 by

a|state introduced us the The City.

Welcome to The City. You will never forget The City. But The City will forget you.

Lostfinders Guide to Mire End took us on a tour into the sodden, degraded burgh of Mire End and introduced us to some of the more interesting personalities unfortunate enough to call the place home.

Now…Contested Ground Studios presents Avenues & Alleyways.

[...more]

More Pandemonium from Neoplastic Press

Posted on February 8, 2008 by

Rafael Chandler has announced the a new book in the Dread line-up: Pent: The First Gospel of Pandemonium Pent: The First Gospel of Pandemonium is a sourcebook for Dread that includes five ready-to-run scenarios and a dozen one-page adventure hooks. The scenarios include thoroughly fleshed-out locations, characters, setting information, and maps. Pent will be available […]

[...more]

Flash Fire Mini-Reviews! (Second Attempt)

Posted on February 1, 2008 by

Welcome to the second installment of the Flash Fire Mini-Reviews series on Flames Rising!

This week we’re talking about ghosts, werewolves, alien slugs and fantasy kingdoms in a mix of books, games and even a movie. Some of these are brand-new releases and others are items that caught my eye for one reason or another this week.

[...more]

Dread: The First Book of Pandemonium Review

Posted on January 29, 2008 by

Dread is a violent horror game from Neoplastic Press about hunting demons and it is presented in a chaotic punk wave throughout the book. This review is of the revised and updated edition of the game. The revised edition cleans up some of the rules, expands the magic and adds a few new demons for the characters to deal with.

[...more]

Myriad: A Universal RPG System Review

Posted on April 24, 2007 by

Myriad is described a universal role-playing system and is released under a Creative Commons License which permits readers to make such use of its material as they may wish in their own games and books, so long as various fair use provisions are followed. It would be wrong to describe it as a complete game, as the author declares in the foreword, “Myriad is not a complete RPG in its own right; some assembly is required.

[...more]

Little Fears RPG Review

Posted on March 13, 2007 by

It is not often that a role playing game makes you think. It is also a rare occurrence when a role playing game tackles a controversial subject, with grace and understanding. Upon reading Little Fears I was happy to have my first impressions of the game shattered. At first glance Little Fears is a game simply about childhood fears, which it is, but it is also about much more.

[...more]

Bust: Explosive Roleplaying Review

Posted on March 8, 2007 by

There does seem to be a terrific appetite for new systems for governing role-playing games, despite there being more already in existence than it would be possible to play even in a very extended lifetime. If anyone really needs a new mechanism for a generic setting with a GM willing more or less to improvise action, this would be a good candidate and, being a few download, the price must be right. I would hope that the author will feel encouraged enough to put some thought into how the basic system could be used in a more fleshed out background world.

[...more]

Creep Chronicle Review

Posted on March 1, 2007 by

There is a lot to like about The Creep Chronicle — indeed, in many ways, it’s the PG-rated successor of Little Fears that several people were hungering for back in 2001. If you’re looking for a “kid friendly” horror RPG that still has some teeth, you need look no further than The Creep Chronicle.

[...more]

Dog Town RPG Review

Posted on February 14, 2007 by

Ultimately, the Dog Town system seems as though it could be very simple, unfortunately the explanation is confused and overly wordy (perhaps even purposefully intellectualized) to the point that it obfuscates, rather than elucidates, the mechanical components of the game. The rule explanations in Dog Town need a serious overhaul — less jargon, less “behind the scenes” exposition, and more black and white explanation. Dog Town needs to keep it simple, trimming some serious fat.

[...more]

My Life with Master RPG Review

Posted on September 15, 2006 by

My Life with Master is a self-contained role playing game of personal horror by Paul Czege of Half Meme Press. It contains innovative ideas and a workable game, albeit one which would work best with creative and probably experienced players willing to enter into a setting and help to create it themselves. The interaction between GM and players is essential both in creating the setting and in forming the style and nature of the game. As the description below will suggest, gameplay can easily veer between a type of romantic desperation with which Vampire lovers will be familiar, to Grand Guignol to something rather less serious and bizarre. Since it can be difficult to maintain an intense style over an extended period of time and because of the very structure of the game, My Life with Master is best run as a single session game or, at most, a small number of sessions building up to a well-defined ending and epilogue

[...more]

Agon RPG Review

Posted on September 9, 2006 by

Agon takes place in a mythical Greece, drawing heavily from the Iliad and the Odyssey as inspiration (along with other sources like the films Clash of the Titans and Troy). Characters take on the role of heroes serving the gods on quests throughout the land, seeking glory and fame so their names may live on throughout the ages…

[...more]

Schism RPG Review

Posted on September 4, 2006 by

Schism both builds on this game and subverts it almost completely. In Schism, there are no demons – instead, characters receive extraordinary psychic abilities that are, partly as a result of the accelerating pace of global change and its effect on the tortured human psyche, suddenly prevalent in society. Indeed, the title page uses the term ‘virulent setting.’ However, the virus of psychic abilities does not come without a price and in Schism that price tends to be psychic disorders and physical deformation. Anyone who has played (or perhaps tried to play) the Nephilim game will be familiar with at least this physical aspect. Characters in Schism progressively become more and more removed from basic humanity but have the advantage of being able to bring about powerful effects to further their own ends and those of the cabal (a kind of more or less secret organization) that they wish.

[...more]

Mountain Witch RPG Review

Posted on March 22, 2006 by

This review is based on reading the game. I haven’t played it yet. It also includes no numbering system as I suffer from grade inflation.

The Mountain Witch is a roleplaying game that seems to me to be more like a module that changes each time you run it. I feel it could be a very good resource for people who can only meet a few times, want a break from a regular game, or perhaps for a pick-up game. I’m not as sure about the last, as there can be a good deal of competition in the game.

[...more]

Dead of Night RPG Review

Posted on March 1, 2006 by

Dead of Night is a horror RPG packed into a 219 page book that’s only 4 ¼ by 5 ½ inches. While the game professes that more than one style of horror could be played, Dead of Night is geared towards playing out those campy “B” movies we watch with the lights turned low.

[...more]

OctaNe RPG Review

Posted on November 30, 2005 by

Mad Max – what a trilogy. Dustbowl landscapes, battered old sedans, Australian accents and stubble. It had them all. Plenty of RPG’s have attempted to capture the post-apocalyptic genre in all its glory and few have fully succeeded. Introducing the latest contender: octaNe. Will it roar off into the healthy radioactive glow of sunset on wheels of fire, or will it get a razor-edged boomerang in the forehead?

By the way, the capital N is all part of the product identity. I thought it was going to stand for Nitro or something similar, but according to the introduction it just looks cool. Go figure. It kinda makes me want to pronounce the word oc-tay-NEH. Given the content of the game though, the odd grammar is well in-theme.

[...more]

Interview game designer Malcolm Craig

Posted on October 7, 2005 by

The creator of a|state and Cold City breaks down some of his game design ideas, explore The City and gives us a few hints on some upcoming products.

[...more]

Email Newsletter Sign Up

Click Here to Sign Up for FlamesRising.com's Weekly Newsletter.

You will receive horror and dark fantasy updates, news, and more once a week!


11 Tales of Ghostly Horror

    Reviews Wanted!

    The new Review Guidelines have been posted on the Flames Rising website. We are currently seeking a few good reviewers to help us expand our collection of horror and dark fantasy reviews. RPGs, fiction, movies, video games and more are all welcome on the site...

    What do you get out of it?

    Beyond helping out fellow Flames Rising readers by letting them know what you think of these products, we're giving away some pretty cool stuff. Regular Reviewers can earn free products to review, which is their to keep after the review is submitted to the site.

    Note: We are especially looking for folks interested in reviewing eBooks (both Fiction & Comics). We have lots of great titles in digital format and even get advance copies sometimes.

    Use the Contact Page to submit reviews or let us know if you have any questions.

    The Devil’s Night WoD SAS

    Free Devil's Night | White Wolf