Post-modernist’s guide to the post-apocalypse
FREELANCERS
Designer: Donald Shults | Publisher: Plaid Hat Games
Five titles into their well-received ‘Crossroads’ line of games, Plaid Hat have made the move into fantasy territory. Their previous instalment, the fantastic Forgotten Waters, marked a significant shift in the ‘Crossroads’ formula, introducing expansive app-based storytelling, immersive character building and a firm emphasis on quirky humour. Thankfully, Freelancers has maintained this award-winning ‘RPG in a box’ approach, whilst taking steps to expand upon it too.
Freelancers is set in a postapocalyptic world, albeit not in the vein of the publisher’s flagship Dead of Winter. Think more along the post-modern lines of Adventure Time, but with its own unique flavour of absurdism. Humanity has perished, leaving behind a ruined (but rather colourful) wasteland, populated by abject monstrosities, peculiar species and a multi-storey car park-dwelling dragon. Players are the titular Freelancers - an oddball gang scraping an existence out of the occasional quest - five of which being available through the app thus far.
Creating a character is as simple as choosing a Species and a Job sheet, then orating their backstory. Don’t fret though; much like Forgotten Waters, this merely involves substituting the blanks with the answers to a few prompts. Typically, hilarity ensues. From here, roles such as Cartographer and Game Master are assigned, which help divvy up the game’s upkeep, whilst keeping players involved in the mechanics as well as the story.
After a spectacularly narrated introduction, players are transported to their first grimly whimsical Location in the lovingly illustrated spiral-bound book. Here, one might partake in some yoga with a frog or battle a lich, with players seamlessly going back and forth between skill checks and chunks of ever-engaging narration.
Checks are resolved with the roll of a d20, plus any modifiers from an array of (often bizarre) treasure items. A bonus die - ranging from a d4 to a d12 - is further added to this, depending on that player’s current level in the relevant ability. This is represented by a simple grid on each player’s class sheet: whenever a player is instructed to level up a particular skill, they simply mark the next box, with limits placed upon certain skills depending on class. It’s a simple but satisfying system, that keeps players engaged with their character’s development and, more importantly, keeps them rolling funky dice. Complementing this are areas on character sheets for tracking gold and the various ‘titles’ attained during quests, all of which may help push up a character’s ’level‘ and ultimately their story’s conclusion. To a greater extent than Forgotten Waters, not all of the action occurs within the pages of the Location book, with much of the adventure unfurling whilst travelling through the scenario’s map. Travelling requires time, a new mechanic handled by a bag of Risk tokens. Amidst these risks - which, when amassed, will increase the Threat level - are tokens for any
Followers picked up throughout the game. In what is one of my favourite aspects of Freelancers, these Follower tokens trigger small events when drawn. These often brief (and typically ridiculous) interactions really bring the world and this undeniably odd cast of characters to life.
Like the best Games Masters, the writing, as delivered by the app, conjures an atmosphere that invites players to participate. At various points, the game asks players if they wish to role-play certain situations. Regardless of performance, the game has nonetheless succeeded at creating a level of player interaction superior to many other board games.
Freelancers may not be suited to players hoping to keep their minds busy with tactics and strategy, but for those looking for a unique yarn, Freelancers is close to perfection.
CHAD WILKINSON
WE SAY
As captivating and clever as it is hilarious. A high-water mark for tabletop storytelling.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
◗ Location book
◗ Cloth bag
◗2 Sets of polyhedral dice
◗Pad of map sheets
◗Pad of species sheets
◗Pad of job sheets
◗4 Role boards
◗187 mini cards
◗9 Standees
◗129 Tokens and counters
TRY THIS IF YOU LIKED FORGOTTEN WATERS...
With a few more mechanical systems to manage, this is the logical next step from the piratical masterpiece.