The Alien franchise is no stranger to roleplaying game adaptions. There have been a multitude of games based on and inspired by the iconic films, such as the Aliens Adventure Game in 1991 by Leading Edge Games. In 2019, Free League Publishing released Alien: The Roleplaying Game to critical acclaim (reviewed here). This roleplaying game was far closer to the mood and themes of the films than previous games.
In the six years that followed, numerous sourcebooks were released that expanded the Alien universe and introduced systems for colonial marines and colonisation/terraforming. A series of adventure modules, called ‘cinematic scenarios’ and mirror the films’ lethality, were released to form the overarching Draconis Strain campaign.
Now, an Evolved Edition has been released, which brings together six years of feedback to create a new version of Alien: The Roleplaying Game. There is the evolved edition core rulebook, starter set, cinematic scenario and associated miniatures pack. An interview with Free League co-founder Tomas Härenstam about the Evolved Edition can be found here.
It is worth noting that this new version does not make previous releases of the game redundant, as a conversion table has been included in the index of the core rulebook for updating previous expansions.
The core rulebook is densely packed and looks amazing, with art by Johan Nohr that recreates the iconic atmosphere of the setting. There are also a series of excerpts throughout the introduction that describe the ratcheting tension, akin to the films.
The rules system for Alien: The Roleplaying remains heavily based on the Year Zero engine. Skill and combat are resolved by rolling a number of six-sided dice (based on your attributes), with each six indicating a success. Custom dice, with a starburst as a 6 and an alien facehugger as 1, are included in the starter set, but any six-sided dice can be used. Given the low chance of success when rolling a small number of dice, a consolidated approach to skill rolls needs to be followed – this is a game that rewards an intelligent and collaborative approach.
The core rulebook breaks the types of stories down into three basic types; space truckers (Alien), colonial marines (first seen in Aliens) and colonisation (such as in Alien: Covenant). Creative storytellers might see the potential for combining space truckers with colonial marines to create mercenary style play (such as those seen in Alien: Resurrection). There are also two game types; campaign mode for ongoing campaigns and the shorter cinematic scenarios that recreate the mood and feel of the films.
Also available is the starter set, which offers a taste of what players can expect from the game. It includes everything that players need to run the cinematic scenario Hope’s Last Day, which should take a couple of sessions and is an absolute bargain for what you get. This incorporates the bare system mechanics and is far less overwhelming than the 300+ pages of the core rulebook. Even if you have the core rulebook, the starter set is still worth acquiring, as it offers a complete introduction to the system and setting, as well as handouts and maps that can be reused for other scenarios.
The Rapture Protocol cinematic scenario is great introduction to what the expanded edition can offer, with a new storyline that remains true to the setting whilst still being accessible for new player and kickstarts the Jericho campaign, which will be explored in future expansions for the evolved edition.
The accompanying Miniatures Set: Rapture Protocol is not essential for running the scenario, but the miniatures are incredible and are designed to work in conjunction with the maps in the scenario. There is also a light-weight skirmish system for using the figures and maps as a tactical wargame – perfect for anyone wanting to run a quick wargame based on the Aliens film, which is a neat addition.
If there is one complaint, then it is that the maps have been revised for miniatures, but in so doing they feel less like an in-game artifact and more like a game component. Having the maps optimised for miniatures and components does mean the ambiguity of placing miniatures and motion tracker blips is no longer an issue – especially when using their digital versions on a virtual tabletop. However, there is a loss of verisimilitude when players poring over maps spread across a table as they attempt to deduce alien organism’s presence.
Ultimately, the Evolved Edition is a fantastic roleplaying game for those wanting a game that recreates the feel and mood of the films, and is a great jumping-on point for new players. Each of the new releases are well worth picking up, as they each add something new to the game.
