Death Game

From one of our favorite indie game designers Laurie O'Connel comes Death Game, a system for telling stories set in battle royale genres. Imported from the UK, this is a gem in the weird indie games space that we love!

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From the Creator:

Compete in a high-stakes battle for survival. Struggle against all odds for victory. Play until one of you wins, and the rest of you die.

Key Features

• Customise any arena based on a battle-royale trope of your choice, or make up something from scratch.
• Create your arena through discussion around the table, and determine a gimmick by secret ballot. 
• Create your competitor and some NPCs. Choose from classic battle royale archetypes like the Puzzle Legend, the Game Baby, or the Knife Pervert.
• Play over several days, narrowing down the number of competitors as they die. Simple, dice based resolution mechanics keep things moving.
• When your character dies, you become the Game Master, utilising a rotating GM mechanic to make character death fun rather than depressing.  Everyone gets to try out different characters, and everyone gets  a turn GMing.
• Use the Arena Board, where you store information about locations, NPCs and ongoing clocks, to pass the story around.
• Continue to play until there are only the same number of competitors as there are players. Then, a showdown is triggered in which only one of you leaves alive.
• If you're a fan of media like The Hunger Games, Battle Royale, or Squid Game, this is for you.

The core game includes several example arenas to kickstart your game by a star-studded cast of writers.

• Compete against academic overachievers for a coveted university spot in The Examination Hall by Laurie O'Connel.
• Fight to pay off your medical bills in The Conrad Open Hospital by Kayla Dice.
• Explore a post-apocalyptic city and apply for citizenship in The Urban Maw by Yanahn.
• Leverage your personal tragedies for views and clicks in The Oppression Olympics by wendi yu.
• Play as depowered superheroes battling in the castle of the wicked Baron Von Glaum in Deathmatch! At Castle Von Glaum by Hodag RPG.

You Will Need

• Between three and six friends, enemies or acquaintances. 
• The core game contained within these pages. 
• The Arenas section of the book if you want to play a pre-made scenario. 
• The Arena Board, or a large, blank sheet of paper. 
• An almost full set of polyhedral dice – that means a four, six, eight, ten, and twelve-sided die. 
• Plenty of pens, pencils and notepaper. 

More Info

Death Game is designed by Laurie O'Connel, and illustrated by Hodag RPG. The team also includes Samantha Leigh (Editor), Luke Earl (Layout), and Kayla Dice, Yanahn, and wendi yu (Writing)

Death Game includes:

• 132 pages of content, including core rules and adventures.
• Printable arena board.
• Deathmatch! At Castle Von Glaum minizine.