Hot on the heels of the release of Free League's Alien RPG, my review of said Alien RPG, and my experience in Chariot of the Gods has created a lot of buzz online and personal discussions regarding space horror/Industrial Science games. One of the games that got a lot of buzz was Those Dark Places by Jonathan Hicks. I ended up buying a physical copy least year and it is on the top of my list of backlog games to review.
The official description of this game is as follows:
A science fiction roleplaying game of exploration, isolation, and survival in a dark and dangerous universe.
Space
is a hell of a thing but you need to be sure that this is what you
want. Like, what you really want. The idea of space exploration to
further the frontiers of mankind is noble, but let's not kid
ourselves--it's really all about furthering the profit margins. There's
money to be made and out there is the place to make it, but you hear all
kinds of stories… equipment malfunctions, strange discoveries, crew members going insane... You'll be out there in the reaches, alone,
for months or years, breathing recycled air and drinking recycled water,
with nothing but a few feet of metal and shielding between you and
certain death.
Are you sure this is what you want?
– From the Crew Orientation Briefing
****
Those Dark Places is
a rules-light, story-focused roleplaying game about the darker side of
space exploration and the people who travel the stars in claustrophobic,
dangerous conditions. Starships, stations, and outposts aren't havens
of safety with clean, brightly lit corridors--they're potential
deathtraps, funded by budget-conscious corporate interests and running
on stale, recycled air and water. The stars may be the future of
humanity, but they are also home to horrors and terror the human mind
cannot comprehend.
****
Presentation: The book comes tightly packed in 127 pages encased in a black, white, and red hardcover. Within the cover you will find single column formatted pages with headers, full page artwork, and some tables (with character sheets) in the back. The art is a thematic black and white style that has color splashed in on strategic areas to increase the impact and catch the eye.
The book starts with an introduction where the author talks about how he saw Alien in 1982 and other movies/games that gave the author inspiration. This introduction then bleeds into advice directly from the author about being what the game is, being a Game Master, being a player, and the rule book.
After that, there are the Players Section that includes character creation, resolution systems, combat rules, hyper sleep information, and stat ship information. The players section is then followed by the General Monitor's section (the Game Master stuff) that includes all the how to run the game information, interpreting die rolls, conflict, using pressure, episodes, simulations, and linking episodes and lingering effects from those episodes together. Then there is an intro adventure, reference tables, and character sheets in the back.
I am going to mention this again later in the review but the Players Section does something that I do not see very often (or at all). It is mostly written "in game". This means that the fiction is talking to the reader like the reader is signing up to work for some shady corporation to settle some debt and go on some possibly dangerous jobs in space.
Character Creation: Character creation is straight forward and opens with a discussion about how character concept is important and that should be the first thing a player focuses on. After that, the rest of character creation follows these steps:
- Place the scores of 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the attributes Charisma, Agility, Strength, and Education. The higher number being better.
- Choose a primary and secondary Crew Position. The Crew Positions are Helm Officer, Navigation Officer, Science Officer, Security Officer, Liaison Officer, Engineering Officer, and Medical Officer. It is important to note that all crews are REQUIRED to have a Helm Officer and a Navigation Officer.
- All characters begin with an ID Chip and a Comm Unit that has surface to Orbit range. All other equipment are on the ship, in the settlement, or on the space station as need. This includes tools, limited access to weapons, food, water, clothes, and so on.
There is also an explanation/rules about Synthetic Automation (The SAM series) that are functionally androids similar to what is found in the Alien Franchise and other science fiction movies. They do not need to eat, breathe, sleep, etc. In addition, they do not suffer the effects of Pressure (Stress) and players are able to play one if they so choose with the GM's permission. The only caveat to the SAM series is they make decisions out of reason and lack the human component - so of it means to seal of a part of the ship to save the rest of the ship even if their are other crew mates in it, the SAM series will do it.
Resolution: Those Dark Places possesses a straight forward resolution mechanic that is used for most things in the game. The player rolls a single d6 + Attribute + Crew Position (if applicable) + Tool Bonus (if applicable) vs. a target number of 7. The GM can make a task easier with a Target Number of 6 or make task harder with a Target Number of 8.
If the result is less then the target number, the task fails. If the result is higher then the target number, the task fails. If the result is equal to the target number the result becomes a fail forward - an "YES, BUT..." information from the GM.
Then there are opposed rolls - both sides roll and whoever has the highest result wins. If there is a tie, no one wins or no progress is made.
A fact regarding Charisma rolls was discussed multiple times throughout the book that basically states a PC or NPC cannot take away player agency using a Charisma roll.
There are a couple of sub systems that are important to note.
- Conflict: When major issues happen, initiative is settled by making a d6 + Agility roll and the highest goes first, then the second, and so on. If there is a tie - the two that tied roll off to see who goes first. Initiative stays the same for each round. Hand to Hand Combat is resolved by contested Strength rolls and Security Officer's get to add their crew bonus to these rolls as well. The winner deals the allotted damage. Ranged combat is handed by an Agility roll vs. a target number of 7 (again, Security Officers get to add their Crew bonus to this roll). If the target is within close range, the Target Number becomes 6 and if the target is far away, the target number becomes 8. The PC or NPC being shot at can declare a dodge which increased the Target Number by 1 but must be declared before the attack roll is made and the PC/NPC dodging sacrifices their opportunity to act for the rest of the round. A PC/NPC who has already acted in the round cannot Dodge. In ranged combat, once again damage is dealt it the attack is successful. Some weapons or modes deliver a set amount of damage while others deliver variable amounts of damage that is decided by a single d6 roll.
- Damage/Healing: Damage is removed from the Targets Strength score, -1/-2 the target is unconscious and dying, and beyond -2 death is met. Medical attention restores 1 point of strength per hour and medical packs can restore 1 point of Strength - though is this gets the character to zero - the character is still unconscious and needs help.
- Pressure: This is Those Dark Places Stress mechanic. All characters have a Pressure Bonus equal to the total of their Strength + Education score. When the GM calls for a pressure roll after something really stressful and messed up happens to you the player will roll a d6 + Pressure Bonus vs. a Target Number of 10. If the roll passes, the character is able to work through the stress without incident but if the roll fails, the pressure level increases by +1 (its on a scale of 0-6). At 1, there is a little stress but everyone gets stressed, right? Every time the characters pressure level goes up over 1, roll a d6 and if the result is lower then the pressure score the character suffers an episode - a mental break. These episodes effect the character mentally and psychically that come with in game penalties that is decided by a d6 roll and consulting s table - though it is important to note a character cannot suffer a result on the table that is higher then their pressure score. The only way to reduce stress is time in a non stressful environment - a few days back on Earth or sometime in a Long Sleep Chamber.
Final Thoughts: The game does an amazing job with setting the tone, expectations, and explaining what life is like out there in there in the black. This is in addition to solidifying what Industrial Science Fiction is. A lot of this is done by having the book mostly written in universe and the players section reads like you are actually going through the interview process for some big corporation. The motivation is that the characters are essentially signing a 25 year contract and the contract pays enough where the characters can retire to a life a luxury after they fulfill their contract. This theme is reinforced by the process of the mission from take off, Long Sleep, etc.
This is in addition to how it described technology. Everything is basically dialog - buttons and levers and nobs. Other planets are not suitable for humans and require space suits. Everything is bulky, durable, and can be repaired or maintained by a skeleton crew if needed. For inspiration/theme/mood media listed includes Alien, Outland, and Blade Runner. Video games listed for the same purpose include Dead Space and Alien: Isolation.
Those Dark Places also reinforce the theme by talking about in different locations is psychology effects of being out in the black as well as combat should be a last resort. Bullets flying around a space ship/station is dangerous in itself regardless of actually being hit with a projectile. This is reinforced by how each crew is issues two Dazers Mark III (tasers that fire an electrified dart) that can be carried by crew members but if the crew enters another station or ship this needs to be declared to the other crew leaders. Then, in a weapons locker the crew has access to two security pistols and a single shotgun. That is it.
I am also impressed by smoothness of the mechanics - the rules do not get in the way of the story, the characters, and other personalities. This is especially true for the Pressure mechanic. This mechanic can cause extremely detrimental penalties for the characters and the GM's section of the book stresses about how to not use this mechanic arbitrary and only where it makes sense. If the characters are searching for a body and find it, that should not call for a pressure roll. The GM chapter goes on to explain that the GM should create or plan for one or two pressure points per story arc - not per mission.
Now, with all of that being said the only issue I can see coming up is how Strength is basically a power stat. It governs health (and the death spiral - which makes the game even deadlier then it needs to be), hand to hand combat, brute strength, and the pressure bonus. To negate this and reduce other issues that come along with having a power stat would be to include either some type of meta currency or a separate health track. I am also surprised that the author did not list 2001: A Space Odyssey or The Black Hole (Fun fact, is technically a Disney Movie) as a point of inspiration.
My final "wish the game had x.,," would be more NPC's, maybe alien ideas, and other challenges. Though the system is simple enough that would not take much on the mechanical front - but I want to see these examples more for the story/them angle.
You can find Those Dark Places here:
