Rene Plays Games

Perspective Checks | Willow (The RPG Goblin) - Finding The Right TTRPG For You

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!
 
There are a lot of tabletop roleplaying ganes, and there is an almost 100% chance you will never sit down and play them all, and even if you could, there would be a a lot of games you probably wouldn't enjoy. This month's episode is a chat with Willow, a.k.a. The RPG Goblin (which has to be one of the best internet user handles) all about finding the right game for you. Maybe you've only played D&D, maybe you've heard of Daggerheart from all the Critical Role hype, maybe you've even heard of some indie darlings like Blades in the Dark or Apocalypse World, but until you dip your toe in or peel back the curtain and look, you may not know what kind of game fits your style of playing/GMing the best until you read it/sit down and play it!
 
We also go over things like how to introduce folks to new games through one-page RPGs, silly one-shots, going very vibes-heavy on selling a game with a specific touchstone so people come in ready to harness the stylistic expectations and worry less about the mechanics and learning a new system, and more.
 
Willow is great, you should definitely check out her very infectious enthusiasm talking about TTRPGs and mechanics she's exploring on all her social media pages: Linktr.ee / RPG Goblin Podcast / YouTube 
 

Colostle | Dungeons Episode 1 - Falling In

100 Episodes! That's pretty neat, and it feels right to go back to the very first series I ever played solo for a podcast - the incredibly wonderful Colostle by Nich Angell!
 
In this series, we'll be playing a whole new character, so you don't have to have listened to my previous Colostle series on the DMs After Dark podcast feed, and I'll be going through all of the character creation, rules, and mechanics so new listeners can learn about the game through this series.
 
However, we aren't going to be playing the base game of Colostle anymore, we will be playing in the Dungeons supplement that recently came out! If you like all of the new additions and ideas constantly being added to the world of Colostle, I highly recommend checking out Nich's Patreon page!
 

Mining Media | Dungeon Crawler Carl

Welcome back to Mining Media where we turn your binging into better TTRPG experiences by telling the next episode or next book "You will not break me," and soldiering on anyway because goddamnit, Donut, someone's gotta try and save all these ideas.
 
This month we're talking about the absurdly popular (and deserving) LitRPG book series Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. These books follow Carl and his ex-girlfriend's prize show champion cat Donut into a televised level-0 funnel on the newest season of Dungeon Crawler World, a popular galactic game show where survivors fight through 18 levels of awful dungeon in hopes of making it out some kind of alive.
 
This series is 1) hilarious, 2) way better than it has any right being, and 3) somehow has you crying over the most insanely out-of-pocket characters in truly deranged dungeon level concepts, but it's full of great ideas, too! And it's the 2nd book series we've done on Mining Media that is actually getting a TTRPG!
 
I've been sick, so this is all you're getting for a description this week. Listen to the episode and let me know if you think I missed anything good to use at the gaming table!
 

BOW | One-Player One-Shot

Let's do another one-player one-shot!
 
This time it's BOW by the design duo (and team at) Hatchlings Games!
 
BOW is a solo journaling game that uses the Carta SRD by Peach Garden Games, much like Hatchlings' other solo game Dragon Dowser (which you can hear me play in the backlog!). In BOW, you play a Praeloran diver going out in an annual competition known as The Shoaling, a grueling sailing race between strong candidates on the hunt for relics to bring back to their city and make it to their marker and back first. 
 
In this one-shot, I play the underdog Dominic Eisenia, a short, underdeveloped youth going out for the Shoaling against much more physically capable rivals, but he has an edge in his cleverness and determination. Can he make it to his Marker and find any interesting relics? Will Dominic be crowned champion of this year's Shoaling?!
 

Two-Hand Path | One-Player One-Shot

Time for another one-player one-shot!
 
This is Two-Hand Path, a modern roll-and-write dungeon crawler by Mikey Hamm, designer of Slugblaster. In Two-Hand Path you play a mage searching the cursed ruins of a post-fall city for loot and power after a supernatural war left everything destroyed. 
 
The mechanics use Yahtzee-style combinations with a full set of polyhedral dice, sending you through very simple but deadly dungeons with time pressure and limited HP before you "surge," after which every roll is a gamble for points and power. 
 
The character sheet is just your two hands (or a drawing of two hands, if you're a coward) which you'll cover in tattoos, rings, scars, and more as you shape your spells and unleash your magic against the remnants of the world.
 
It's. Awesome. Get Two-Hand Path here.
 

Sundered Isles Season 2 | Episode 14 - Finale

Welcome to the finale of the Heart of the Dominion, season 2 of my Ironsworn: Sundered Isles series. 
 
Cassidy, Leigh, and the Captain continue to trek toward the center of the cursed Razor Isle at the heart of the Kyrody Dominion's myriad capital, with the Captain experiencing flashbacks to life in this ruined city's heyday. When they reach the three towering iron pillars at the city's center, everything falls apart at once.
 
Learn more about Ironsworn here.

Perspective Checks | Mat (Role Play Chat) - GM-less Games, Romance, and First Date Update!

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!
 
This special 1st of the month Perspective Checks episode is with Mat of Role Play Chat, a similar interview-style TTRPG discussion podcast which I think you'll enjoy if you like these episodes!
 
Mat comes on to talk about the wonder of GM-less games, how they foster collaboration and shared storytelling, including romance in your games, and his new game First Date Update, where you play two characters who just went on a date and their friends as they try and figure out why one of you is ghosting the other, and whether or not they can work to get you both face to face to potentially go on another date or come clean.
 
This episode has lots of fun ideas, one of which you may have heard me discuss in my recent design episode - a character relationship matrix idea that can be used at any table to track your character's relationship with NPCs/other PCs!
 
Hope you enjoy, and go check out First Date Update on RPC Press's itch.io page!
 

[Bonus] MECH Cities 2 | Hraunvollr

Get the 2 New MECH Cities Out Now (for Free!)
 
Felt like a good time to play through a little bit of me & Raso's Carved by RUNE solo Mech vs. Kaiju TTRPG MECH!
 
In this demo, I play through Hraunvollr, a city on a fjord below a volcano where a greedy energy company has awakened the ancient lava Dormant Surtr!
 

[Bonus] 2025 Designologue

I've heard people like this, so here's an update on some of the games I've got rattling around in my brain, in GoogleDocs, and in various levels of development on notebook pages, sticky notes, and half formed notes on my phone.
 
If any of these sound like they're games you'd love to play, please let me know so I can get on it and see if I can't put out something you'll love!
 
Looking forward to working on these more & hopefully hearing from all of you. May all your games go great!

Perspective Checks | Clark R. Rowenson - Magic Systems & LitRPGs

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!
 
The second Perspective Checks this month on RPGs and their intersection with creative writing is with Clark R. Rowenson, a.k.a. The Magic Engineer on YouTube, an engineer, author, and writing coach with a lifelong interest in magic systems.
 
We discuss magic system design, the importance of using the right kind of system for your stories, the explosion in popularity of the LitRPG genre, how both sides can still learn from its inspiration from the tabletop RPG space, and more. 
 
Stay tuned for more about Spawn Point, the first installment in Clark's upcoming LitRPG series A New Eternity about Topha & Nettle!
 

Sundered Isles Season 2 | Episode 13 - Return to the Razor Isle

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Welcome back to the Heart of the Dominion and season 2 of my Ironsworn: Sundered Isles series. 
 
The penultimate episode sees Azriel Stirling send off Senator Minos and bring down the ruins beneath the Kyrody capital city of Carcordia, while Drake McCabe and others resurrected by the Church of the Enduring Servants find themselves with a strange new gift...
 
Cassidy and the crew of the Revenant return to the Razor Isle, and the mysterious ghost bound to the ship known as "The Captain" is secretly the one at the helm... What awaits the crew at the cursed island in the center of the Dominion's myriads?
 
Learn more about Ironsworn here.

Perspective Checks | Steve Morrison (Errant Adventures) - RPGs & Writing

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!
 
The first of two Perspective Checks this month on RPGs and their intersection with creative writing is with Steve Morrison of Errant Adventures, an excellent solo actual play podcast which has followed a sci-fi epic through multiple seasons (appropriately called Books) using different systems and more! Steve is also one half of the Ironsworn Guyz podcast along with Matt Risby (a.k.a. The Bad Spot, see previous Perspective Checks episode for more with Matt).
 
Steve comes on to talk about his experiences with RPGs, writing, and doing a solo podcast, and how that Venn diagram has a lot of overlap, but it took some time to find the right balance. He recently changed up his process and it is really interesting to think about how TTRPGs (solo or otherwise) can really work alongside creative writing to make for better stories than doing either on their own. 
 
I cannot recommend Errant Adventures enough, go give it a listen!
 

Sundered Isles Season 2 | Episode 12 - The Dark Heart of the Dominion

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Welcome back to the Heart of the Dominion and season 2 of my Ironsworn: Sundered Isles series. 
 
As Cassidy & crew make their way to the Kyrody capital of Carcordia to make contact with the Ebb and find out what's next, Azriel Stirling avoids Kyrody law enforcement by hiding out down in the ruins below the capital, and he's not the only one down there...
 
Learn more about Ironsworn here.

Perspective Checks | Adrian & Alex (Dungeons & Degrees) - Finding Your Place in the TTRPG Community

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!
 
In the 2nd community-focused Perspective Checks of the month, Adrian & Alex from the Dungeons & Degrees Podcast come on to talk about navigating the TTRPG space and finding your people. We keep it silly, do a little self-therapy, but talk a lot about how important it is to not just look for a table where you feel like you can trust the other players but be a good member of that table / community, too.
 
Follow Dungeons & Degrees, Adrian, and Alex on Instagram and more!
 

Sundered Isles Season 2 | Episode 11 - Free From Cursed Bonds

Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!
 
Welcome back to the Heart of the Dominion and season 2 of my Ironsworn: Sundered Isles series. 
 
Cassidy and the crew of the Revenant are on their way back to the main island of Kyros to meet up with an Ebb contact in the capital city of Carcordia. Along the way, Cassidy attempts to reverse the Bloodsworn curse on Marama, but their ship is recognized in the middle of the ritual, and old grudges against Raskhar must finally be put to rest.
 
Learn more about Ironsworn here.

Perspective Checks | Matt Caulder (Whatcha Doing?) - Boosting Community

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!
 
June is (apparently) community month here on Perspective Checks, and the first interview is with Matt Caulder, host of the Whatcha Doing? Podcast, a wonderful interview podcast with creators about their projects, as well as Twitch Streamer (video & card games), and more! I very much recommend Matt's podcast and streams as he is an excellent host, and if you want to keep your ears to the ground about upcoming TTRPG projects, his podcast is a gold mine!
 
In this episode we talk about what it's like to be a member of the TTRPG community and not necessarily in the "creator" seat, as far as game development. Matt is a big proponent of fans being louder about projects they're excited about, and I couldn't agree more. If you find something that sounds like fun, it goes a lot further with people spreading the word about something cool than coming from the creator, whose excitement might feel like they're just trying to sell you their game. So get louder! 
 
We also chat a bit about the state of the TTRPG community, interesting directions in recent game design, and ponder what a trading card roleplaying game (TCRPG) might look like, drawing inspiration from other games that have come close. I hope you enjoy!
 

Sundered Isles Season 2 | Episode 10 - Disruption

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Welcome back to the Heart of the Dominion and season 2 of my Ironsworn: Sundered Isles series. 
 
After cleansing the second altar, the Bloodsworn are affected and taken aboard the Revenant, which is also experiencing negative effects. The crew make for safe harbor on the island of Nuboka, headquarters of the Cynosure Society and Explorer's Guild to rest and recuperate, and Damaris Iver makes contact with an Ebb spy to relay information and make moves back in Kyros.
 
Learn more about Ironsworn here.

Sundered Isles Season 2 | Episode 9 - The Puzzle Altars

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Welcome back to the Heart of the Dominion and season 2 of my Ironsworn: Sundered Isles series. 
 
The small crew of the Revenant scatter to fight the Bloodsworn who have ambushed them at the second altar, and when Cassidy enters the narrow tunnels of the sea cave system where the altar lies, she finds more traps and puzzles await...
 
Learn more about Ironsworn here.

Pespective Checks | A Couple of Drakes - Jammin' on TTRPGs

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!
 
Perspective Checks #2 this month! I'm joined by the prolific duo A Couple of Drakes to talk about their journey in the TTRPG space. If you don't recognize the name, maybe you've heard of any of their incredible games out there, like:
Court of Blades - Political Intrigue Forged in the Dark!
Dead Belt - Solo/Co-op Space Salvage Survival!
Dungeon Jam! - Literal Jam makin' dungeon delving!
Fe Borg - Dark Fey a la Mork Borg!
HEDGE - Illuminated by LUMEN battle vs. Fey!
Disaster/Peace & Disaster/Wing - Magical Girl & Mecha Forged in the Dark!
Many, many Blades in the Darks resources!
and even more!
We sat down with no real goal in sight, but ended up talking about all things "doing this TTRPG thing," about how they've gone full time and don't give anything but the whole ass in their designs, and how they can't resist a good game jam / tinkering with a new SRD.
 
Definitely do yourself a favor and go check out literally any of the games by Shawn & Navi, you're sure to find something up your alley, and they're sure to have even more coming soon.

Sundered Isles Season 2 | Episode 8 - Next Steps

Get MECH & more in the TTRPGs for Trans Rights - Ohio Itch Bundle!
 
Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!
 
Welcome back to the Heart of the Dominion and season 2 of my Ironsworn: Sundered Isles series. 
 
Cassidy has an experience with the island of Nameera, but while she is unconscious her crew struggles to escape the island unscathed. After a short sojourn with the nomadic Sularia, the crew splits up to follow up on information from the expedition of Nameera, but both groups walk straight into traps...
 
Learn more about Ironsworn here.