Free League Publishing Alien The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook for Tabletop Roleplaying, Adults, Family, Teens 14 Years and Up, SciFi RPG, Hardcover

Love it!!! And mine had ribbon book mark

Having run D&D campaigns for almost 2 years, I approached the Alien RPG system with some experience with TTRPG mechanics, both in terms of D&D’s strengths and weaknesses. The Alien RPG system, with its focus on cultivating fear and panic, is an excellent system with unique mechanics that I can’t wait to try out (even if I’ll have to keep a lot of tables and cheat sheets in front of me).In particular, the Alien RPG does a couple unique things (at least in my limited knowledge of TTRPG rules): first, the option for Cinematic Play is a great concept, limiting the story to one session with 3 acts and giving each player personal agendas that change as the story progresses. Second, the stress and panic mechanics (which remind me of the sanity mechanic in Call of Cthulhu) are interesting, and combined with the low-power character stats, make for a tense and dangerous scenario.The book itself could have done with some better organization. For example, key mechanics often have you flipping pages or chapters to get the full concept. Also, a one-page cheat sheet for new players and GMs would have been great (these are available online, so no big deal).As for the mechanics, the one thing that worries me is the concept of referring to tables in combat. Signature attacks by the creatures require a dice roll on a table, the effects of stress require a dice roll on a table, critical injuries require a dice roll on a table (one for players as well as a unique one for the Xenomorph), etc. Conceptually, this allows for varied consequences, varied reactions by monsters, and more specific descriptions of damage, which is great in a TTRPG, but in practice it may be cumbersome to keep so many tables close at hand while running the game.Overall, I’m really excited to try this out. There are some great ideas in here, as well as streamlined mechanics to create a fast-paced, dangerous, sci-fi horror game.

The book is well-written, and the interior design is top-notch. It is entertaining for those interested in the lore of the Alien universe, and I'll leave judgment of the game experience to those who have tried it. The book was delivered without damage and in perfect condition.

The game is well done, with an efficient rule set that can take you from a long haul space truckers sandbox to a scripted cinematic colonial marines campaign very easily.The challenge with licensed games is sustaining interest outside of the main attraction. In this case, it's the ALIEN that brings you in. As opponents, they do not disappoint, being extremely lethal in almost every circumstance. That lethality makes them difficult to sustain as an opponent because they'll most likely wipe out all but the most experienced colonial marines squads in very few encounters. Even meeting just one ALIEN at a time can lead to multiple character deaths (like the included scenario, Hope's Last Day, which is a cinematic journey through the eyes of the last few survivors of the Haley's Hope colony).Fortunately, the game provides ideas and random tables that can help pull together longer form campaigns around the three character group concepts: space truckers, planetary colonists, and the colonial marines.Players might demand to see the ALIEN, however, despite the lethality of the game's namesake organism. And that might cut short your experience with this game.Unless it's a cinematic scenario with many ALIENS, the best advice is to keep the ALIEN as a limited and isolated event, for occasional use only. Make sure to throw them in, but don't make it an everyday occurrence.

The system and art seem solid, I'm just off-put by manufacturer's glue which was holding some pages stuck together and had to be slightly ripped to free them. Considering it seems to be out of print now and the price has doubled, I'm just glad I have a usable copy though.

I have been an avid D&D player for 20+ years, with a little exposure to a couple other RPG systems. This is fantastic, the system is simple, the composition is great. I've always loved the ALIEN universe and I'm excited to get my group playing it.Big CON... The organization is a little cumbersome, being designed more fore a beginning-to-end read-through to present the material in a way that best teaches the game system with no other background. This the author(s) have achieved very well. However, I can see already that trying to use it as a quick reference is going to be exceedingly tedious, as I've already been frustrated by trying to make characters and simulate events to give myself a tutorial. However, with an hour of time, some packing tape, pen and paper, I will add tabs to pages (as I've done with countless other products) and the problem will be solved.In all, a wonderful product. It's unfortunate that the purchase doesn't seem to include access to the PDF version of the book.

This is such a great book, amazing art work, and decently written. This game allows you to play cinematic (1-shot) or campaign. Purchased all the books so I can stream a 1 shot on YouTube. If successful I will try turn that into a campaign.