Beyond Space Opera…

Now that I’ve completed my first #RPGaMonth entry, I’m going to stick with science-fiction until February. Science-fiction is a diverse genre, and offers a lot for table-top RPGs. There is a considerable amount of diversity in the genre, and there are games available for almost all of those different variations.

Let’s make a quick list of some possibilities.

Cyberpunk – I would definitely suggest Shadowrun.

Space Opera – I just spent the last couple weeks talking about Space Opera. Hunt the Wicked, obviously, but also Star Wars and Star Trek. Both of the big two in Science-fiction have current games out that seem to be very well-received.

Science Fantasy – The anything goes approach to science-fiction? Maybe a little bit, but both Starfinder and Numenera have this covered.

Post-Apocalypse – I find this one splitting hairs. I’m not sure I’ve ever really agreed that this is the exclusive domain of science-fiction, but that’s my opinion. Despite any objections I have, Apocalypse World is a very popular game that has spawned popular spin-offs.

Dying Earth – This is a weird one, but definitely one that falls within the realm of science-fiction. Pelgrane Press publishes a game called, “The Dying Earth”.

The various “punks” – Steampunk, Biopunk, and so on…these are various on dystopias that focus on things like, level of technology, impact on the natural environment, and so on. Each of the different “punks” carries a specific phenomenon that it focuses on. Iron Kingdoms is a good example of a steampunk game.

While this list could grow, what is available here is a taste of what the genre offers. If you want an established RPG, the classic Traveler has been around for decades and has loads of material. While fantasy may be the driving force in table-top RPGs, science-fiction offers some very robust offerings.