What bespoke RPG is actually really good for other types of campaigns?

[John Dallman]

The Pelgrane Press Dying Earth? It was reinterpreted as Skulduggery after they lost the license, and one of the included themes is politics.

I may have some responsibility for that. Robin Laws guest-starred in my politics game at a convention in summer 2001, playing George W Bush.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Earthdawn. It's heavily invested in it's lore but I have used it to run a game set in 500AD with Romans, Norse, Huns, Egyptians and Persians.

 

[Autumnal]

I may have some responsibility for that. Robin Laws guest-starred in my politics game at a convention in summer 2001, playing George W Bush.

Oof heavens. I’d have loved to see thst.

 

[Ulfgeir]

Not just BTVS and Angel - but also Army of Darkness and Ghosts of Albion. 4 games, 1 system...

And for those unfamiliar, Eden Studios pushed two game systems...
The four I listed above are Unisystem Light, aka "Cinematic Unisystem" - which is player facing rolls, and uses only 1d10 per player, damage by weapon and use action and margin of success...
And Unisystem, aka "Original Unisystem," "full Unisystem," or "Unisystem Heavy," Including All Flesh Must Be Eaten, Terra Primate, Witchcraft ... uses mostly d10's, but also needs a standard poly set for damages, and is mostly opposed rolls. There are more full unisystem games, but I'm not certain on which.
I don't know which version City of Heroes used.

For City of Heroes they only made the quickplay rules afaik. Those just say The Unisystem, and they appear to only use a single d10+ modifiers

Ghosts of Albionuses the Cionemeatic Unisystem. And one of the authors happens to be Amber Benson (Tara from Buffy)