Well, this feels kinda topical.
Actually, the apocalyptic scenarios presented in this game are more reminiscent of a couple of episodes of Futurama, hence the post title.
The Game: The End of the World: Revolt of the Machines
The Publisher: Fantasy Flight Games
Degree of Familiarity: None, but it's pretty simple
Books Required: Just the one
The End of the World is actually a series of four standalone apocalyptic games, but I only own the one. The setup is pretty standard for the genre: The basic idea is that the world as we know it is ending because machines are killing everyone, and then there are a few sample scenarios that specify what that means, ranging from human-looking cyborgs to the "grey goo", which is hands down the most terrifying.
What's interesting about the series, though, is that it asks the players to make themselves as characters. Now, this isn't a new or unique idea in an RPG (and certainly every longtime gamer has statted themselves up in their favorite system; I know I have), but what I find interesting about it is the combination of that gimmick with this genre. We're flat-out told that the characters in this game aren't going to stop the apocalypse, the best we can do is survive. But we're also asked to stat ourselves up, use our own traumas and shortcomings as flaws in the game, and set the game in our home town (just to watch it turn to rubble).
And like...I don't know. I see the appeal of putting one's familiar territory through the lens of an apocalypse; I've done that plenty of times running curse the darkness and other post-apoc games. But doing during the end, seeing things and places that you know and people that you know being destroyed and slaughtered, just seems a little not-fun to me. Playing horror (because that's what this is, don't be fooled by the robots) requires enough of a distance that we can appreciate the tension and the fear without becoming actually uncomfortable; it's why we have safety mechanics in these games, because not everyone draws the lines in the same place. But inviting that much personal identification, to me, would just be an invitation for discomfort (to say nothing of the fact that my experiences in games where people play themselves haven't endeared the idea to me).
All of this to say: I'm gonna make a character, but not me. In order to keep the general premise (the horror of seeing someplace familiar apocalypse'd) intact, however, I shall assume that my protagonist lives somewhere that I know. Let's say Atlanta. Likewise, let's take a profession that I actually did have (barista) and say that my character works at the Starbucks in the hotel in the park.
My character's name is Theodore Parry (he goes by Theo). He's 30 and recently completed his PhD in film studies at UGA, and is trying to find a "real job", but just at present he's stuck as a barista and wondering what the hell to do next. Of course, everything is about to become really moot.
So, making a character requires that I split 10 points amidst six stats (three paired traits), but normally the other group would vote on whether those stats were high or low and then we'd adjust them. Since it's just me, however, I think I'll just assign the points and call it a day.
Well, Theo is used to long nights and the pace of grad school, plus he goes to a lot of film festivals, so I'm thinking Vitality, Willpower, and Logic should be decent. Maybe Charisma, too. At the same time I don't want anything at 1 (I get 1 point automatically in each one), so I'll bump everything to 2, and then bump those four traits to 3. Nothing too high, but nothing in the basement, either.
Step Two is Features, which are basically just aspects representing training, quirks of fate, and so on that can either help or hinder. I get one positive and one negative in each category (Physical/Mental/Social), and if we were doing this by the book, I'd get an extra negative if the group voted to raise a trait, or an extra positive if they voted to lower. I just get the standard, however.
Well, for Physical, I'll take Caffeine Addict as a negative, and Needs Little Sleep as a positive. For Mental, I'll take Well-Educated as a positive, and No Head for Numbers as a negative. And then for Social, I'll take Easy to Talk To as a positive, and Fatalist as a negative.
Step Three is equipment. If I were making myself, it'd be what I literally have on me right now. For Theo, I think he's got a cell phone, a black Sharpie, his keys, a wallet with about $20, and a pack of caffeinated gum.
Groovy, now Step Four is Traumas. These are long-term injuries, phobias, or, well, traumas that might hinder the character. I can take up to one in each category, but there's no real reason to, so let's see.
OK, nothing says that these traumas can't be healed, so they're just things that are hurting the character right now, I guess (which means if I was making myself, I wouldn't take POTS as a trauma since it doesn't go away, I guess?). Let's say that Theo burned himself at work a few days ago and has a second-degree burn on his left arm. It's bandaged and healing, but he can't afford to take sick time. Let's also say that he's frustrated and fixated on his future, and it's making him distracted and irritable.
Theo, like I said, is 30. He's got soft blond hair that's maybe thinning a bit, and he keeps his face shaved but he's wondering if growing a beard will help hide the double chin he's growing. He keeps a notebook on him to jot down thoughts for papers or movies he wants to watch or rewatch (I'll add that to equipment). He wears hiking boots (sometimes he walks the trail after his shift at the hotel), jeans, and t-shirts, mostly from film festivals or UGA. He's got sad blue eyes, and he has a tattoo on his left shoulder that an ex drew there and he got inked in. It doesn't really look like anything specific; he jokes it's a treasure map.
And that's it, actually. Theo will be at work when the robots rise. Hopefully the Professor can get the remote from Mom before we all die.
