Previously, I discussed the various iterations of the Cepheus Engine, which is based on the "Original 2d6 Science Fiction Roleplaying Game" (a.k.a Traveller). In that article, I mentioned ZOZER Games and the SOLO supplement for single-person Cepheus/Traveller play.
Today, I wanted to discuss another line from Paul Elliott's ZOZER Games, based upon the Cepheus Engine, but with an entirely different setting. Let's talk about HOSTILE. Originally published in 2017 and recently updated, HOSTILE is a gritty sci-fi RPG set in the 23rd Century. It is a "retrotech" future, in the vein of Alien and Outland. The technology of HOSTILE is solidly based in the late 1970's origins - an industrialized future with clunky CRT monochrome monitors; stereotypical dimly-lit hexagonal corridors with exposed conduits and grid decking; inexplicable chains and dripping water in the cargo bay, and the like. There are no ray-guns or energy swords or intelligent humanoid aliens. Faster-than-light travel is possible through hyperspace, but the crew must be placed into cryogenic hypersleep to survive the experience. FTL communication is possible, but it is slow and bandwidth is so low that messages are more like telegrams or tweets than e-mails.
In this future of the early to mid-2200's, the nations of Earth have solidified into a few major political blocs, and corporations naturally run things out among the stars. There are no other "Earths" out there - most worlds are barely survivable because of the geology and atmosphere, and even "garden worlds" are teeming with alien life forms that want to kill you. In this gritty, dystopian future, you are a worker, employed by one of the mega-corporations in their ongoing agenda to exploit the abundant natural resources of nearby systems. Life among the stars is a life of hard work and little comfort. It is unforgiving, brutal, and often short. The food is bland, the accommodations spartan, and the pay is barely equal to the effort put into earning it.
Why would anyone want to play in such a universe, let alone live and work in it? Because, let's be honest, you liked films such as Alien and Outland and Blade Runner. You've wondered what it would be like to experience those worlds. And the prolific mind and pen of Paul Elliott has given us the means to do so.
The core of HOSTILE is comprised of two books - the Rules, and the Setting. Each is a standalone product, but together the game becomes even more immersive and authentic. Conceivably, you could use the HOSTILE Setting book with any of the Cepheus Engine rule sets or even Traveller, but the HOSTILE Rules book gives you a system that's custom-built for this style of play.
There are a number of supplementary products, each geared toward a specific style of campaign. Do you want to play Marines, like in Aliens? There's a book for that. If you want to play the crew of an interstellar freighter, like in Alien, there's a book for that. Roughnecks mining precious resources on alien worlds to meet the insatiable needs of Earth? There's a book for that. How about an exploration crew, seeking out and surveying new worlds to be exploited? Of course there's a book for that. How about designing and running a colony? There's a book for that, too!
As expected, there are also supplements for equipment and weaponry, as well as some starships, small craft, and space stations. There's a supplement that's all about synthetic humans (such as androids, clones and purpose-built workers). Recent releases include a couple of pivotal colonies that are settings full of action and intrigue.
But, for me at least, the crown jewel in the line is the long-awaited Hostile SOLO rulebook. Like its Traveller-oriented predecessor, it is a standalone product and does not require any of the other books (though they allow for a deeper, more immersive play experience). As mentioned above and before, there are campaigns for Shipping, Exploration, Mining, Marines, and campaigns for Colony Management or Corporate Troubleshooters (this last one might benefit from having the Zaibatsu cyberpunk rules on hand, as well). All in all, the book offers the same features as SOLO, but customized for the HOSTILE universe.
In case you haven't already noticed, these books are also a feast for the eyes. They're all full-color and packed with gorgeous art from the legendary Ian Stead and others. They can be obtained in PDF form from the DriveThru RPG site, or in print form from Lulu. The printed books are well-made and beautiful, and if you buy the hardcopies, you can email Zozer for the PDF versions at no extra cost. I have the entire Hostile line in PDF already, and I'm slowly adding print copies of some of the supplemental books to complement the core hardcopies I already own.
I've generated a crew and will be doing my own playthrough of the Shipping campaign. The first mission is already in the bag. Stay tuned for the Voyages of the Dawn Treader!
All images are Copyright of Zozer Games and are used only to illustrate the products for review purposes. No challenge is intended to the holder of these copyrights.