The Halloween season brings about many devilishly delightful ways to get spooky, from watching horror movie marathons and playing creepy video games to going to haunted houses and costume parties. If you’re tired of the same old Freeform 31 Nights of Halloween marathons or don’t feel like going out just yet and are looking to try something new this spooky season, then the world of tabletop role-playing games is there for you. Tabletop role-playing games are interactive and collaborative storytelling with the structure of board games. They can be as simple as gathering a group of friends and following an existing story with some personal tweaks and roles of dice to pages upon pages of personal lore and story with self-made sets and figurines to add to the ambiance. While it may seem a bit daunting at first, there is always something for any level of player and it is sure to be a memorable experience for all.
Call of Cthulhu
If you’re looking for a game to keep you and your friends up till the witching hour delving into mysteries better left unknown, then listen to the unearthly voices calling from beyond and answer the Call of Cthulhu. The game takes its players back to the eerie 1920s found within the tomes of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos as they investigate the strange goings on that lie just beyond reality’s veil. Don’t get too attached to your characters, for the more you press on into the mystery, the less likely they’re going to make it out as alive. Call of Cthulhu is a percentile and skill-based game and may be a bit difficult for those new to tabletop gaming, but certainly worth learning. It was produced by Chaosium Inc. and can be found on their website as well as most comic or board game shops near you.
Vampire: The Masquerade
Are you interested in the moral exploration of what it means to be an undead creature living off the blood of others? Do you wish to fulfil the nightmarish dreams of your youth and transform into a creature of the night using the power of dice and some imagination? Do you wish political dramas had more vampires? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you will soon be cordially invited to step behind the veil between the mundane and the supernatural and into Vampire: The Masquerade. The game puts players into a hidden world ruled by a dozen vampire clans which players can align themselves with and begin their journey into battling the monsters inside themselves and those which walk the streets alongside them. While the gameplay may be confusing for some, World of Darkness, the company behind the game, has many resources players can use to get familiar with the game itself. Playbooks can be found on the World of Darkness website, as well as any comic or board game shop near you. If you’re interested in the premise but not much in the roleplay aspect, you can still become a kindred through the comic or video game, Vampire: The Masquerade-Bloodlines.
Monster of the Week
Do you wish to be the secret seventh member of the Scooby Doo gang? Do you dream of going on hunting trips with the Winchesters, following lights in the sky with special agents Scully and Mulder or fighting off vampires with Buffy? Then gather your gang of mystery solvers and jump into the ever-expanding world of Monster of the Week. The game follows the various tropes and stereotypes found in monster of the week type shows, allowing the game master and players to live out the monster hunting adventures of their dreams. Produced by Evil Hat Productions, you can find online versions of the playbook and subsequent expansions on their website, as well as options to buy physical copies of the playbooks.
Alien: The Roleplaying Game
If you’re a fan of the the sci-fi aspect of Halloween itself, then step into the world of Alien: The Roleplaying Game. There are two separate styles of gameplay: cinematic and campaign. For those who want a night of high stakes fun, then try out the cinematic routes, which feature pre-made scenarios that are meant to emulate an Alien film. If you’re looking for something more drawn out where you can add your own personal twists and turns, then the campaign route would be your best way to go. Players beware; if you know the franchise enough then you can expect high stakes and an even higher character mortality rate. The game can be found on the Alien RPG website or in any comic or board game stores near you.
