Invincible is the superhero comic series by Robert Kirkman (of The Walking Dead fame), which has been recently adapted in the critically acclaimed animated series. Invincible subverts traditional superhero narratives by making death permanent and combining realistic emotional stakes with graphic violence.
Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying takes the world of Invincible, which is a lot like ours (but with superheroes and the consequences of their presence), and allows players to take on the role of heroes. Players choose existing characters within the Invincible universe or create new characters within the setting.
Mechanically, the superheroes in Invincible are similar to those of the wider superhero genre, it is just the execution that is different. There are also four different levels of play, from the street level Teen Upstart to the world protecting Cosmic Champion. The power scale of the players will determine the threats they face.
The key element in any superhero roleplaying game is the mechanics underpinning the powers of the characters, and Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying is no different. The powers on offer are fairly comprehensive, from the stereotypical energy-beams of Blast to the more exotic Transformation ability. Some, but not all, of the powers can be improved, by making their results more powerful or providing additional effects.
However, the key challenge in any roleplaying is making the powers balanced without overly complicating the system (such as the balanced but complex superhero roleplaying game Blood of Heroes). Unfortunately, this is where Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying fails.
Every power in Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying costs exactly the same, regardless of how versatile or effective they are. For example, the aforementioned Blast costs exactly the same as the power Sorcery, which allows the character to use any power in the game (albeit at the basic level). Storytellers may therefore wish to restrict certain powers, due to how powerful they could be, or raise the cost of using them.
The system underpinning Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying is the Year Zero engine (it is by Free League after all), and it scales remarkably well. The key element in any game involving the Free League is to roll as little as possible. With a success only occurring when a 6 on a D6, players are encouraged to work together in order to ensure success.
Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying offers a lot of background on the setting, including most of the major factions in the first few graphic novels. As such, players who are still intending to read the graphic novels or watching the animated series, may wish to wait before reading this roleplaying game.
The core rulebook and an excellent starter set will soon be released, along with a GM screen and an indispensable deck of Power Cards (perfect for players to keep track of their character’s powers)/
Despite concerns about power balance within the game, Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying is a fun system for roleplaying superheroes in a (relatively) realistic modern-day setting. Each of the powers are functionally useful (some more than others), the Year Zero Engine works well with the different power levels that it can be played at.
