Every so often a roleplaying game comes along that I feel like was made just for me. All the things I love most all bundled up into a perfect little package. That’s what Fria Ligan’s Alien: the roleplaying game is for me. It’s the perfect slice of xenomorphic sci-fi horror based on my all time favourite movie franchise.
The Alien franchise is made up of so many parts: novels, films, videogames, with prequels and pseudo-sequels, as well as several different versions of canon. It’s an exquisite space corpse of sorts, with everyone having their favourite aspects of.
The folks at Fria Ligan did a spectacular job of building an interactive setting out of all this, and they use almost every part of it to make a comprehensive composite world. The game takes place a few years after the events of Alien 3. The films are the primary canon for the setting, but almost every part of extended lore, even the goofy bits, are integrated into the setting. As an Alien fan, it’s a treat!
What I love are all the little details. There’s easter eggs and details taken from all parts of the franchise. Events and characters from some of the tie-in novels (River of Pain, The Cold Forge, etc) are included. The cold war between the United Americas and the Union of Progressive Peoples from Willam Gibson’s unproduced Alien 3 screenplay are used to masterful effect. Even a few planets and details from the Kenner action figure line are included! They incorporated it all, and made it feel seamless and approachable.
The custom six sided dice come in two varieties: a set of 10 black base dice with symbols for success on their 6’s, and a set of 10 yellow dice with facehuggers on their 1’s to indicate panic! Of all the accessories to get with Alien: The RPG, I’d say these ones are indispensable. Having played the game using a bunch of six sided dice I use for D&D the first time I played the game, sorting through a pool of them to find successes and panic after making a roll is a hassle. These black and yellow custom dice speed that process up a lot, and make recognizing if you’ve succeeded or failed so much faster. They’re pricey, but they’re worth it.
I cannot wait to play more of this game. It’s quickly become my go-to system for playing some sci-fi horror. If you’re a fan of Alien, definitely check this out if you haven’t already!
