ALIEN RPG Launches New Kickstarter

Free League Publishing has launched a Kickstarter for a new edition of ALIEN: The Roleplaying Game, complete with a new starter box and a box of miniatures. Launched today, the Kickstarter raises money for an Evolved edition of the popular licensed horror RPG, which uses the Year Zero Engine. The Evolved Edition contains improved version for stealth mode, stress and panic, and a new zero gravity system. The edition also includes content from ALIEN: Romulus, the hit 2023 movie, including a setting guide for Jackson's Star, and a solo mode.

The ALIEN RPG uses a dice-pool system where rolling a 6 guarantees a success. Players can add stress for additional rolls with specially-colored dice, although rolling a 1 on these dice causes the chance of panic setting in. The game comes with a campaign mode and a cinematic mode in which players are more likely to get killed by an alien or a different terror in space.

As of the time of this writing, the Kickstarter has already raised over $650,000, putting it well on the pathway to the fabled $1 million mark.

 

[Morrus]

Agreed on the readability issue: I wish I hadn't bought the 1e books. Maybe I should ALWAYS wait for a 2e of games, considering how soon they come out after the first.

I really think 7 years between editions is reasonable. We don’t have to wait an entire generation to iterate game systems. No other product type waits decades between iterations—cars, phones, they all have new versions every single year.

 

[MGibster]

I really think 7 years between editions is reasonable. We don’t have to wait an entire generation to iterate game systems. No other product type waits decades between iterations—cars, phones, they all have new versions every single year.

I agree. I was initially dismayed when a 2nd edition was announced, but it didn't take me long to come to the conclusion that enough time had passed that a new edition wasn't unreasonable. My initial feeling dismay was rooted in the fact that I had few opportunities to play the game, but it'd be unreasonable to blame Free League for that. Every Free League game I own has been of excellent quality produced by people who genuinely care about the subject matter. Combine that with Alien needing some revisions and I'm happy they're coming out with a new edition.

As far as time goes, here's some perspective.

Vampire the Masquerade 1st edition was released in 1991. 2nd edition was released in 1992.
GURPS 1st and 2nd edition published in 1986. GURPS 3rd edition published in 1988.

 

[aramis erak]

In for Dead Tree and Rapture Protocol.

 

[aramis erak]

Critical hit vs commercial hit is what I was going off of. It made money, so internet points to the people for whom that's important, but I still find it funny that Free League is (contractually?) making a bit bigger deal of Romulus than I think even most fans would think is necessary.

And again, I liked Romulus better than most people seem to have. But it's a C+ movie.

A critical hit, to me, is the first two films and maaaaaaaybe the Assembly Cut if you're a very generous film buff in the early 2000s,

I'd put it a firm B, as a streaming movie, but skipped theaters. It held my attention, and was a fun ride. Better than Covenant.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Better than Covenant.

Most movies are.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'd put it a firm B, as a streaming movie, but skipped theaters. It held my attention, and was a fun ride. Better than Covenant.

I rewatched all of the Alien movies prior to watching Romulus in theaters and I'd rank it number three, far behind Alien and Aliens but significantly above the sequels, prequels and Alien vs Predator movies. So an improvement over what we've had in the last 30 years, but still not really a contender for the top tier.

 

[Bae'zel]

I really think 7 years between editions is reasonable. We don’t have to wait an entire generation to iterate game systems. No other product type waits decades between iterations—cars, phones, they all have new versions every single year.

Perhaps you're right. Time passes quickly, I didn't realize that it was already 7 years. I just got the books later than most, I guess (bought them back in 2022).

I guess I'm just bitter that I haven't even had time to play the game and there's a new edition out. My books still have the "new car smell". And a new edition that promises quality of life updates, fixes and better layout / typography. I feel frustrated.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I guess I'm just bitter that I haven't even had time to play the game and there's a new edition out. My books still have the "new car smell". And a new edition that promises quality of life updates, fixes and better layout / typography. I feel frustrated.

I had to aggressively sign up for the (shockingly competitive) slots in convention games before I could finally get to play. It plays as well as you think it does in cinematic scenarios, although I think all of us actually survived the game I finally played via the late GenCon Online.

 

[Jahydin]

Perhaps you're right. Time passes quickly, I didn't realize that it was already 7 years. I just got the books later than most, I guess (bought them back in 2022).

I guess I'm just bitter that I haven't even had time to play the game and there's a new edition out. My books still have the "new car smell". And a new edition that promises quality of life updates, fixes and better layout / typography. I feel frustrated.

I felt the same way. I guess what really made me nervous was all the other Free League games I owned as well. Knowing they're putting out a rules update PDF I can print out and be "up to date" has me content again though and hopefully they continue that trend going forward (as long as the changes are minor).

 

[BrokenTwin]

My local group is in the middle of an Alien campaign right now, we're a little miffed due to having just recently bought the 1E books, but honestly, yeah, it's been more than long enough to put out a new edition. And I'm genuinely curious as to what rules changes they're making, since we haven't encountered any glaring rules issues in our game so far.

The new layout looks less "coffee table art book" pretty, but also significantly more readable.