Tag: Goodman Games

Ring Side Report: RPG Review of Dungeon Crawl Classics #101: The Veiled Vaults of the Onyx Queen

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Product– Dungeon Crawl Classics #101: The Veiled Vaults of the Onyx Queen 

System– DCC RPG

Producer– Goodman Games

Price–  $9.99 here  https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/390356/dungeon-crawl-classics-101-the-veiled-vaults-of-the-onyx-queen?affiliate_id=658618 

TL; DR– Old school in the best and wartiest ways!  93%

Basics- WAKE AND STAB!  You awake as sacrifices to a demon lord!  Will you gather enough power to end those who sought to end you?

Mechanics or Crunch: This adventure is a crawl and a funnel all in one.  You have lots of bad guys who can die from your fists.  You have a few puzzles to solve and some socializing.  Those are the things that make the crunch of an adventure.  The adventure’s crunch is solid! 5/5

Theme or Fluff– The pure awesome of DCC is on display with some of its warts.  DCC doesn’t really have a default setting.  The setting is built book by book, and that’s awesome.  This one adds in a whole demon lord and a cult based on it.  And that is awesome.  If the GM runs this well, you can build characters and really get involved in the world.  BUT, the world is missing a bit of a setting, so that lack can kind of spring stuff on players.  Are you a devotee of a particular god?  Awesome!  Do you even know that god exists?  Less awesome.  It’s a minor problem, but the adventure has a solid enough flow that this might be the adventure where you finally learn about the bits making this world work. 4.5/5

Execution:   DCC is its own beast.  I love it, but it’s like the beat-up dog you know and love.  It’s not the prettiest.  It works, but it’s your ugly dog!  DCC has some criticism for being a bit too old-school in its design and layout, with extra art, layout, and design work to make DCC adventures a bit more approachable.  And those are valid criticisms, but I like the old school feel of DCC.  But this commitment to old-school adventure is not the most beginner-friendly.  This one is pretty easy to run and understand, even if you are newer, so while some other adventures may have smaller mechanics that are not quite understandable, this one is a fun, straightforward funnel.   4.5/5
Summary: I love me some DCC.  This game is crazy fun with strange things happening around every corner.  That said, I also see some faults.  Those are on display here.  The lack of a world hurts the game just a tiny bit.  You don’t know who you are when you start.  That’s good, as funnels are fun, but it’s bad when you want to really hook a player and character into the world.  The book is fun, but it’s got minor issues that might dissuade the new.  But the issues are only small compared to the fun and craft of this adventure.  This is worth a look if you want a fun funnel to draw people into DCC RPG! 93%

Ring Side Report: RPG Review of DCC Day #3: Chanters in the Dark

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Product– DCC Day #3: Chanters in the Dark

System– DCC RPG

Producer– Goodman Games

Price–  $6.00 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/395901/dcc-day-3-chanters-in-the-dark?affiliate_id=658618 

TL; DR– Good DCC up till the end. 90%

Basics- Who calls from below?!  Chanters in the Dark is a one-shot adventure where the characters are drawn into a world of intrigue and subterranean threats.  Will they be able to save everyone, or will the things from below eat them all?

Mechanics or Crunch: This adventure covers a lot of places, but fumbles a bit at the end.  The bulk of the adventure is urban, as the players meet new people, possibly kill them, and then have to escape.  The escape is the least fun.  Basically, the characters have to run away.  It’s not as exciting as a final fight, but it does make thematic sense. 4.5/5

Theme or Fluff– This is a good mix of exploration, combat, and skills, but the end is less fun.  The town the players explore and the religion they may attack are both fleshed out.  It’s a very meaty adventure for a book this size.  The one issue is the end, as the players just run.  Nothing else, but climb quickly.  That diminishes the other parts.  Not enough to not make it fun, but I saw some players lose some interest.  4.5/5

Execution: DCC polarizes some with its layout, and here it’s a bit less troubling but still old-school.  There are multiple pages of two columns.  It reads more easily than the real old-school, but if you are annoyed by the basic layout, this will not win you over.  I would like more art, but what’s here is solid.  4.5/5

Summary– This is a good adventure that fumbles in the last minutes.  The bulk is lots of fun , but I’d like the end to be a bit more active than a few rolls.  It works as a story, but a bit more would be fun.  That said, I enjoyed it and suggest everyone check this one out.  90%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Grave Robbers of Thracia

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Product– Grave Robbers of Thracia

System- DCC RPG

Producer– Goodman Games

Price– OUT SOON!

TL; DR-A great intro to an adventure series!  100%

Basics–  Where are they going?  The dead walk and towns disappear.  Where did they go and can you save your town?

Mechanics or Crunch– God I love a good funnel.  I also want to get a good quick intro to Thracia.  This gives me the mechanical intro to DCC and whittles down the players.  This is a solid, basic funnel.  5/5

Theme or Fluff–  I don’t know much about Thracia, and this gives you the basics of the world.  The world can’t be fully explained, but you get some monsters, some gods, and a fun intro to the world.  It’s enough to hook you for more.  5/5

Execution–  This is Goodman Games.  They know how to write adventures and their audiences.  I love everything here.  5/5

Summary–  This is a good funnel by a good company.  I also love fighting undead, so this is a match made in heaven.  After this adventure, I can’t wait to hop into the larger Caverns of Thracia adventure!  100%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Dungeon Crawl Classics #107: Forgotten Dangers

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Product– Dungeon Crawl Classics #107: Forgotten Dangers

System- Dungeon Crawl Classics

Producer– Goodreads

Price– $10.99 here  https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/506125/dungeon-crawl-classics-107-forgotten-dangers?affiliate_id=658618 

TL; DR– Good intro DCC RPG One-shots.  97% 

Basics–  Let’s jump in!  Forgotten dangers is a group of six random DCC adventures.  They are not really connected to each other, but they are small, bite sized fun that you can drop into any DCC game.

Mechanics or Crunch–  These adventures are set up well enough to be the right mix of deadly and fun. The crunch here works.  There are crazy powerful items to play with as well as crazy powerful dangers.  It’s solid DCC RPG fun. 5/5

Theme or Fluff–   The individual adventures are fantastic, but I wish there was a connection between them.  The individual adventures are all bat crap crazy, and that’s exactly what you play DCC for.  The fault is the individuals are not connected.  The adventures are good, but I wish they were a bit connected.  4.5/5

Execution–  Solid layout, text, art, and flow make this an easy read. If you need an adventure for a session you did not prepare for, these adventures, while a bit simple, are enough that you have a solid four hours and can just hop right in as a GM.  5/5

Summary– I love DCC RPG.  I love random one shots.  This product is just those.  It’s fun, but I wish this was a campaign or written where it could be.  But without flow, this is still just solid fun to run with your friends. 97%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Xcrawl Classics #0: Murder Mountain Smackdown

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Product– Xcrawl Classics #0: Murder Mountain Smackdown

System- XCrawl

Producer– Goodman Games

Price– $7.99 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/499748/xcrawl-classics-0-murder-mountain-smackdown?src=hottest_filtered&affiliate_id=658618  

TL; DR-Fun with a cover monster flaw.  97% 

Basics– We who are about to die Salute BBQ Ziggurat!  Want your big break? You can get it if you survive the Murder Mountain Smackdown!  It’s a new Dungeon Jockeys outing, and you can get your own shot at the big leagues.  All you have to do is not be killed or stolen away to another universe! 

Mechanics or Crunch– Do you like DCC?  If so, you will like these mechanics.  It’s simplistic, but DCC is not a crunch system.  It’s fast and fun AND VERY VERY CRAZY!  From Desert Yetis to snow gnomes to crazy creatures stealing away people to different dimensions.  I had a blast running it, and the players had a blast playing it.  5/5

Theme or Fluff–  The story is good, but not perfect.  XCrawl walks a weird line between DCC, American Gladiators, and American Idol.  That said, it does most of that well.  What I really didn’t like is how the cover monster is used.  There is a crazy monster that just eats characters.  It’s not really explained well, in my opinion, and you don’t really fight it.  I’d like a fight with it or something crazy, but it’s more just fail a roll and die.  Aside from that, it’s crazy fun.  4.5 /5

Execution–  This is just a repeat of many of my other Goodman Game reviews.  It’s classic RPG stuff with modern layout and design.  This is how DnD in 1e should have been laid out to help me as a GM run it.  5/5Summary– Aside from one monster, I feel this is a solid intro to XCrawl.  It’s a  funnel where LOTS of PCs will die, but you end up with a rag tag team ready to roll in the big leagues.  You get your American Idol shot at being a hero on TV.  As a GM, there are fun monsters, crazy events, and all kinds of shenanigans you won’t see in the more straight fantasy offerings.  If only the cover monster was a bit different, it would be perfect.   97% 

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Xcrawl Classics RPG (XCC RPG)

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Product– Xcrawl Classics RPG (XCC RPG)

System- DCC

Producer– Goodman Games

Price– $41.99 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/499743/xcrawl-classics-rpg-xcc-rpg?affiliate_id=658618 

TL; DR–  Miss old school wrestling and RPGS?  HERE YOU GO! 100% 

Basics– FROM THE TURNBUCKLE!  Xcrawl is the crazy spawn of DCC and American Gladiators.  Players are crawlers in a world where magic happens, but Emperor Reagan used a DnD game to keep the masses in check.  I am not making that up.  You quest LIVE on TV for MONEY and PRIZES while dungeon judges or DJs put traps and monsters in your way.  Think a much more light hearted version of The Running Man.  Let’s look at this.

Core mechanics-  Can you play DCC?  Then you can play this.  If not, can you play DnD 3.5?  If not, we’ll teach you in about five minutes.  It’s D20 + numbers vs another number as the main mechanic.  Solid, fast and fun.

Character classes-  Like any other major DCC set, this one features several new classes.  We have the standard set of Fighter, rogue, wizard, cleric, but they are much more focused on combat and less outside stuff.  The fighter has two spiritual successors with one being all grappling and one being just about bringing pain to monsters.  The wizard gets a new class that is all about blasting stuff because Emperor Regean decreed it be (yes really!).  This book’s classes are much more combat based, but still have that DCC feel.

Mojo and Fame– DCC has luck where you can spend points to gain stuff, and this game has mojo and luck. Mojo is the favor of the crowd.  You do a signature move or do something cool, and you gain mojo. But, mojo isn’t for you-it’s for your friends!  You spend mojo points to help a buddy with a roll. It’s all about team work!  Fame is what you get as you become more famous.  You spend it to be recognized or get stuff out in the real world.  Fame is how cool you are.

Ok, now the review.

Mechanics or Crunch– Do you like DCC?  That’s going to determine if you like this.  Do you want simple 3.5 mechanics with just crazy stuff happening in the mechanics?  If you don’t, then this won’t be for you.  I love crazy and I love the DCC simplicity, so this is just more of a homerun for me. 5/5

Theme or Fluff– How much do you like 80s wrestling and the movie The Running Man?  That’s the theme of the world.  I am honestly a bit disappointed that the book isn’t more neon to drive the 80s aesthetic deeper into your mind.  But it’s a world where DnD was so popular that the God-King had to have geeks help him maintain social control through Wrestlemanina mixed with GenCon.  So, yeah, it’s nuts, but man is it fun.  5/5

Execution– Goodman games makes games that look like you would find them in the zine sections of a bookshop in 1985, but they are built and laid out like they were created in a major New York publishing house.  It reads fast with tons of pictures.  It’s searchable and hyperlinked, and the book comes with a reference book that I can give to players to help you make that level 1 character on the fly.  This is exactly what I want in a game.  5/5

Summary– I love what this book is, but I can promise that no matter how well its done, some of you will hate it.  If you need LotR levels of serious in your game night, keep moving.  No offense taken or meant, but this is not for you.  If you need Traveler or Shadowrun levels of crunch in your games, keep going.  You build your character by rolling a bunch of dice and then throwing the characters into a thing called a funnel.  Most will die, but your surviving person has a hell of a story!  If you like DCC and want some Kentucky Fried Crazy added to the mix, then this is for you.  Considering I’m writing this while watching the documentary on American Gladiators and have bored my wife with stories of 1980s wrestlers, this might have been made for me in particular.  Give this one a look if the theme and mechanics are up your alley.    100%  

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Dungeon Crawl Classics Dying Earth #1: The Laughing Idol of Lar-Shann

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Product– Dungeon Crawl Classics Dying Earth #1: The Laughing Idol of Lar-Shann

System- DCC RPG

Producer– Goodman Games

Price– $7 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/393055/Dungeon-Crawl-Classics-Dying-Earth-1-The-Laughing-Idol-of-LarShan?affiliate_id=658618  

TL; DR-Solid adventure with a bit of crazy ending. 97%

Basics–  Who wants a drink?  Drawn to a small town where a particularly special liquor is made, you find a massive idol barking orders.  Can you find the liquor before the idol counts down to… something?

Mechanics or Crunch– Ah first level Goodman Game scenarios!  These guys know their mechanics, so everything is solidly done with the right amount of random and fun monsters to fight.  My players and I all had a blast killing monsters, searching, and finding the secrets of the idol.  5/5

Theme or Fluff– Overall this is fun, but I feel the ending gets a bit off.  There are a ton of fun in this  adventure and has some crazy turns that are just perfect for the Dying Earth.  There is one problem with the adventure.  I won’t spoil anything, but I feel like one enemy would not attack the players at the end.  That said, if you run it how you want, it won’t be a problem!.  4.5/5

Execution– PDF? Yep.  Hyperlinked?  Yep. Solid Art?  Yep.  Good layout? Yep!  This is what I expect from a Goodman Games adventure.  Solid work Goodman games!   5/5

Summary–  Ah crazy Dying Earth fun.  This with all the other adventures makes me want to read more Vance.  I love the crunch and the design, but I have a few issues with the ending.  That said, you write your own story as the Judge, so fix it on the fly!  This is a solid adventure that I loved, and I think you will too!  97%