Halloween seems already to be a distant memory, but the horror crowdfunding campaigns launched for it are very much (un)alive.
Obscure, from Tommy Sunzenauer, is in the winning camp as it’s attracted over 130 backers and easily made the €2,500 goal. There are still weeks left to join the rules light and atmosphere-heavy RPG via Kickstarter.
Obscure is designed for one-shot and one-location survival tabletop RPGs in which characters are not heroes. Characters in this horror game are average people who have unenviable survival rates. However, there are rules for campaigns if you’ve players brave and good enough for the approach.
Tactics to survive Obscure include solving the mystery, overcoming fear, and often running and hiding.
The game uses a d6 dice pool system inspired by Tunnel Goons. Your Energy Points are also your Health Points, and so each decision to do a thing comes at a horrible cost.
The game will offer about 80 pages of content in a complete rulebook, a quick reference guide for those rules, character generation and some pre-made characters.
Obscure comes with four pre-made scenarios, equipment lists, tips for the GM, and creepy and hidden art.
Tommy says the game uses an experimental analogue layout and texture, plus Obscure has an original character death mechanic.
The experimental layout is designed to invoke that 90s and found-footage feel, and it includes old photocopier and even typewriter sections. Think zine.
Backers at €7, which is about £7, will get a digital copy of the game as a thank you.
The physical game is added to the backer rewards at the €20 tier, which is the next one up.
There’s a higher and limited in number tier. The Collector tier, €35, also adds 12 Obscure d6 (8 Energy Dice and 4 Anxiety Dice) and a dice bag.
The campaign, which is AI art-free, closes on November 30th.
The game is expected to ship in February 2024. That’s well before Halloween 2024, and I’ll leave it to your own tastes as to whether it’s a viable Valentine’s Day one-shot!
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