Planet of the Apes Roleplaying Game Coming from Magnetic Press

Magnetic Press announced Planet of the Apes The Role-Playing Game based on the classic, long-running science fiction franchise.

The game will use the Magnetic Variant system which is a variation of the D6 System created by West End Games for their licensed RPGs Ghostbusters and Star Wars in the 1980s. From the product announcement:

Become an intellectual Chimpanzee who seeks to better apekind through science and exploration. Choose an Orangutan statesape whose weapons are philosophical debate, political savvy, and the power of the Sacred Scrolls themselves. Perhaps a Gorilla soldier is more your style—honor bound to protect Ape City and lead aggressive expansions into new territories.

What else, if not an ape? Be a time-lost astronaut struggling to grasp a world gone insane. Become a mute tribal human forced to scavenge for resources as you are hunted by murderous gorillas on horseback. The rules even allow you to play mutant survivors who use the power of their minds to turn their enemies against each other.

Your adventures in this world of madness will take you to the ruins of a world destroyed—see what remains of the Statue of Liberty, the ostentatious Ape City, the foreboding Forbidden Zone, and the mysterious mutant undercity. It is a world defined by the stark contrasts of brutality and civility. Are you ape enough to handle the truth about the world you live in or will you lose your mind to it?

The launch lineup announced so far includes the 300+ page core rulebook, The ANSA Files classic film sourcebook, The Forbidden Zone adventure box filled with game-enhancing tools, Ruins of Tomorrow boxed set of 3D resin unpainted miniatures, and additional products that will be unlocked during the pre-order campaign.

The announcement does not say this pre-order campaign will be a crowdfunding campaign, but much of the terminology used heavily implies it. No date has been announced, but there is an email sign-up for notifications on the announcement page.

 

[Greg K]

I wonder if they can/will also include both the Planet of the Apes television series (1974) and the Return to the Planet of the Apes cartoon (1975).

 

[Tonguez]

I wonder if they can/will also include both the Planet of the Apes television series (1974) and the Return to the Planet of the Apes cartoon (1975).

I don't recall the cartoon but the TV series was my first exposure to PotApes and it would be a good way to have humans pcs and ape pcs interacting

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

I wonder if they can/will also include both the Planet of the Apes television series (1974) and the Return to the Planet of the Apes cartoon (1975).

If we're digging into the franchise, what about the Power Records LPs? Vinyl for the win.

 

[Weiley31]

How the average session would play out I assume:

It's the part I was born to play, baby!

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[Vincent55]

Isn't this true of any setting?

basically yes, i like the Old basic D&D, or old school essentials and advanced D&D rules, and 5e is problematic at best at times. I have tried other systems but D&D is like a comfortable pair of old shoes you just don't want to part with even if it is worn out and has a hole in the toe.

 

[Bedrockgames]

There's some old school biological essentialism in that first paragraph. Oof.

Maybe they should have gone with the more recent films...

But you are talking about actually different sub species of apes here

 

[Bedrockgames]

Wonder how many people have read the original novel, either under this name or the UK translation's Monkey Planet. The films aren't exactly a faithful adaptation to put it mildly, but the theme is still sort of there.

Think I'd still rather have a licensed Kamandi RPG myself.

I have the novel and have been meaning to read it forever but things keep getting in the way. Is it a good read?

 

[ART!]

The setting seems very game-able to me. Post-apocalyptic settings and fiction are popular, and the sentient apes thing puts another spin on it.

 

[damiller]

Ack!!! I think they just captured this human's money, even though I am not fond of the d6 system.

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

I have the novel and have been meaning to read it forever but things keep getting in the way. Is it a good read?

I read it decades ago, but my memories of it are not great ones. It's even worse if you've had the end twist spoiled, although I can't say it's hard to spot coming at all so maybe that doesn't matter all that much. It's probably best read by completionists and people looking to see what the movie changed when adapting it (spoiler: quite a lot).