Three Kickstarter Projects Worth Your Time and Money

Especially in a niche hobby like pen & paper roleplaying games raising money for a new product is not always easy. The various crowdfunding platforms have made things much easier over the years, but many potential backers have also become more careful about which projects they want to support. Today I want to write about three projects which are definitely worth your time and money.

1. The Expanse Roleplaying Game by Green Ronin Publishing
   If you are a fan of Sci-Fi you probably have already heard about The Expanse series of books by James S.A. Corey which also spawned a hit TV series on SyFy. Green Ronin known for Fantasy Age and Mutants & Masterminds recently picked up the license and are now raising money on Kickstarter for a The Expanse roleplaying game.

   
   The game is going to use their new Modern AGE ruleset, which is a variant of the Fantasy AGE mechanics they developed for the Dragon Age Roleplaying game. The project was funded in under an hour (!) and multiple strect goals have been hit so far. If you are a fan of the TV series or the books this game is based on, you definitely should check out this Kickstarter! By the way, there’s already a quick start PDF available here.

2. Over The Edge:  A Roleplaying Game of Weird Urban Danger by Atlas Games
   Over The Edge is a classic. It came out at a time when most games were overly complex and there were rules for everything. OTE on the other hand used a very free-form character creation with player-defined traits and rules so simple you could basically write them down on a napkin (aside from the combat rules that is). The setting was equally unique and drew inspirations from the works of William S. Burroughs. Unfortunately I never got to play the game but when I heard that they were planning a new edition, I had to support it immediately.
   
   
   The new edition will contain an updated version of the rules (with streamlined combat mechanics) and an updated setting. The game’s setting – the fictional island of Al Amarja –also gets an overhaul. For more details on the game I recommend you check out its Kickstarter page.

3. Esoterica Tabletop Roleplaying Game by Greg Saunders
   Greg Saunders is one of my favorite indie game developers. His games like Exilium, Summerland and now Esoterica combine the solid mechanics of the Open D6 system with unique and exciting settings with almost philosophical themes. He’s currently raising money for an urban fantasy game in which player characters strive to reach a higher plane of existence while struggling to avoid the corruption of their very souls.
   Esoterica hasn’t reached its goal yet, so if you think Esoterica sounds like the game for you, you should check out the Kickstarter page immediately and support it by backing. There are about five days left, so there’s no time to dawdle. In all seriousness, Greg’s track record when it comes to Kickstarters is flawless and his games are just great. Check it out!