Term candles blew my mind when I played it (as a roleplayer with knowledge of mostly basic systems). We did played dread as an adventure game rather than horror and it was a lot of fun. Can't wait to try Bluebeard's Bride. Our group prefers Trail of Cthulhu and I prefer Cthulhu Dark's minimalistic nature to Call. Great list, thanks for sharing!
@@BlackHatMatt I did not know that. I will have to check it out. I still have the original Chill box set with, like, every supplement and adventure put out for it for years & years. Fun system.
@@AJRabies Yep! There was a 2nd edition from Mayfair Games in the 90s, and then we (Growling Door Games) got the license to publish a third edition a couple of years ago. growlingdoorgames.com/chill, if'n you want to have a look!
Yeh Dread! I love this system. I've been able to get friends into ttrpg's that have always felt it was too complicated. The only real hurdle to get started are the questionnaires. But after that, it's no math and all narrative driven. Great system. So far I've run Scifi Alien horror (basically Dead Space), Sasqautch, and murder mystery. You can play literally any story you can imagine. As the tower becomes less stable so do the characters situations. Love how the tension you want in a horror story matches the tension everyone feels on those risky block pulls.
Recall friends of mine playing the original 'Call Of Cthulhu'. Using the rules as written, their games very quickly became contests as to how many different mental problems each character could accumulate and remain more or less functional. Great times. :)
Call of Cuthulhu is incredibly good, whether it's classic or 7th edition, however my favourite horror RPG would be 1st ed Chill or the 2nd edition of that rules system called Cryptworld, simply because my RPG group house ruled the character advancement rules to make it campaign styled and we had great fun monster hunting.
please do talk about safety mechanics in another video as it is an important as well as interesting topic that cannot be talked about enough. (also your top lists and talk-ey videos are great to watch ;D)
I don't know it just seems to me that if you are going to play a game as dark & adult themed as let us say Kult you should be prepared for it to be intense. And if you find out it's too extreme for your taste just don't play it again. Just like there are some sub-genres in horror movies that you just shouldn't watch if you know they are likely to get to you. Of course I suppose there are times when someone might not know what they are in for. I remember scolding my parents for trying to watch Alien on tv without asking me first. They didn't make it past the facehugger scene.
my comment was a direct response to the video's "maybe we'll talk about safety mechanics in another video" as I think it is not only interesting but also important to explore different types of safety mechanics in games. (not only horror-themed, though of course it is more pressing in that genre than in others.) and while there is a certain responsibility that you have for yourself when you decide to play a horror-themed trpg, sometimes you just don't know how a game might affect you. especially role-play heavy games with high immersion can have very different effects than watching a film or reading a novel. I think it is much nicer to have a safety mechanic that works than to leave a player with a very bad experience, which might even put them off playing in general (and not just that one horror game).
My favourite is still CoC d100, as I'm a huge Lovecraftian horror fan, but second would be either Vampire the Masquerade (I grew up with Buffy and Master Mosquiton, shut up) or Sine Requie (really well written Italian rpg with a tarot-based system; long story short: during D-Day all the dead, be fresh or old, woke up, with different ranges of consciuosness and ferocity). I would like to try Kult, but I never had the chance.
A new tabletop roleplaying game in the horror genre is presently in the works, and will be showcased at ConBravo! 2019. Any chance you'll be in Hamilton, Ontario around the end of July to give it a try?
Kult is fantastic because it is based off of the ideas of Gnosticism, which was a branch of teaching that appeared in the first century of Christianity. It was considered heresy and violently wiped out. It’s the idea that the world is ruled by an evil God and Archons, and we’re all enslaved by them. John 10:34 of the canonical scriptures is often referenced as a potential teaching that led to the rise of Gnosticism. You could also check out Forbidden Faith by Richard Smoley, if you wanted to go really in depth. The idea of The Demiurge and his Archons is really horrific. Turning it into a horror TTRPG that pushes the boundaries of the genre was brilliant. Don’t go into the light, little soul. It’s a trick. They will snare you and throw you back into the meat grinder until every spark of your divinity has been extinguished. Happy rolling…
No mention of Vampire: the Masquerade or WoD games at all? Indeed, taking time to make a slight snark against games involving vampires too? Oh well.. Having played most of those games (I'll check out 10 Candles), I do think you tend to gush a bit without highlighting problems. For example, Dread works very well for the most part, but if a character dies early on, there is often little else for the player to do. Bluebeard is very directed in play, with a fairly strict narrative, which limits its long term return playability. Call of Cthulhu's 7E runs into some criticism for attempting to 'pulp' up player abilities, through mechanisms like Luck points or some of the Pulp Cthulhu aspects, which can compromise against some of the more deadly aspects of the original game. It's not actually that true to say that your characters are quite as vulnerable as they used to be. I do rate Kult very highly though, as a work of art, although admittedly it is never going to be for everyone. But not even mentioning Vampire: The Masquerade? Big glaring fail for me.
Some interesting games in that list...some I know, some I need to get to know. If I were going to add some of my favorites to the list not already mentioned in this list or in the comments, not in any particular order... De Profundis Beyond the Supernatural Never Going Home Leagues of Gothic Horror/Leagues of Cthulhu Regime Diabolique I see in the comments that someone asked about Vampire and other World of Darkness games, but as odd as it sounds, I see those more as "supernatural superheroes" as opposed to horror. After all, the players are usually playing the monsters with special abilities and not the mortals or other characters likely to be terrorized. With one exception...I'd still very much consider Wraith a horror game, even for the player characters, considering the utterly alien and terrifying environment that they find themselves. So WoD Wraith would definitely go on my list of great horror games.
Has ANYONE besides me and 3 whole people played Inferno? A tabletop game that's actually set in Hell. It was made in the 90s by a company called Death's Edge, now known as Spartacus publishing. Anyone?
5. Ten Candles.
4. Cult: Divinity Lost.
3. Bluebeards Bride.
2. Dread.
1. Call of Cthulhu.
Thanks for the kind mention of Ten Candles!
Thanks for the great game, Stephen!
Term candles blew my mind when I played it (as a roleplayer with knowledge of mostly basic systems). We did played dread as an adventure game rather than horror and it was a lot of fun. Can't wait to try Bluebeard's Bride. Our group prefers Trail of Cthulhu and I prefer Cthulhu Dark's minimalistic nature to Call.
Great list, thanks for sharing!
Kult is awesome. Call of Cthulhu is a classic, but imho is surpassed by Delta Green.
Chill was a cool horror rpg back in the 80's. Used fear as a main stat instead of sanity. It was a fun game.
I'm gonna check that out now, thanks AJ!
There's a new edition out, in fact!
@@BlackHatMatt I did not know that. I will have to check it out. I still have the original Chill box set with, like, every supplement and adventure put out for it for years & years. Fun system.
@@AJRabies Yep! There was a 2nd edition from Mayfair Games in the 90s, and then we (Growling Door Games) got the license to publish a third edition a couple of years ago. growlingdoorgames.com/chill, if'n you want to have a look!
As long as we are Talking about oldies but goodies how about Bureau 13: Stalking The Night Fantastic?
Yeh Dread! I love this system. I've been able to get friends into ttrpg's that have always felt it was too complicated. The only real hurdle to get started are the questionnaires. But after that, it's no math and all narrative driven. Great system. So far I've run Scifi Alien horror (basically Dead Space), Sasqautch, and murder mystery. You can play literally any story you can imagine. As the tower becomes less stable so do the characters situations. Love how the tension you want in a horror story matches the tension everyone feels on those risky block pulls.
Recall friends of mine playing the original 'Call Of Cthulhu'. Using the rules as written, their games very quickly became contests as to how many different mental problems each character could accumulate and remain more or less functional. Great times. :)
Delta Green seems really fun too
Call of Cuthulhu is incredibly good, whether it's classic or 7th edition, however my favourite horror RPG would be 1st ed Chill or the 2nd edition of that rules system called Cryptworld, simply because my RPG group house ruled the character advancement rules to make it campaign styled and we had great fun monster hunting.
Are you guys likely to do A Kult: Divinity Lost game? Would love to see your take on it.
please do talk about safety mechanics in another video as it is an important as well as interesting topic that cannot be talked about enough. (also your top lists and talk-ey videos are great to watch ;D)
Absolutely I will! Thanks Machina :D
I don't know it just seems to me that if you are going to play a game as dark & adult themed as let us say Kult you should be prepared for it to be intense. And if you find out it's too extreme for your taste just don't play it again. Just like there are some sub-genres in horror movies that you just shouldn't watch if you know they are likely to get to you. Of course I suppose there are times when someone might not know what they are in for. I remember scolding my parents for trying to watch Alien on tv without asking me first. They didn't make it past the facehugger scene.
my comment was a direct response to the video's "maybe we'll talk about safety mechanics in another video" as I think it is not only interesting but also important to explore different types of safety mechanics in games. (not only horror-themed, though of course it is more pressing in that genre than in others.)
and while there is a certain responsibility that you have for yourself when you decide to play a horror-themed trpg, sometimes you just don't know how a game might affect you. especially role-play heavy games with high immersion can have very different effects than watching a film or reading a novel.
I think it is much nicer to have a safety mechanic that works than to leave a player with a very bad experience, which might even put them off playing in general (and not just that one horror game).
The Resident Evil 2 remake has really put me in a horror mood as of late.
Is it a RPG? No.
jeez, the only one i didn't already know about was bluebeard's bride, and the only one i haven't played is dread...
Kult looks really neat. Thanks for the advice.
Oh yeah but what about
Ouija board? Has alot of spooky roleplay.
True true. We played Ouija board and my best friend was possessed by a demon. He rampaged the town and killed many, it was a hoot let me tell yuh!
No Delta Green?
Isn't that call of cthulhu?
@@geumlazar5101 It uses the CoC rules, but it's way WAY more nihilistic.
My favourite is still CoC d100, as I'm a huge Lovecraftian horror fan, but second would be either Vampire the Masquerade (I grew up with Buffy and Master Mosquiton, shut up) or Sine Requie (really well written Italian rpg with a tarot-based system; long story short: during D-Day all the dead, be fresh or old, woke up, with different ranges of consciuosness and ferocity).
I would like to try Kult, but I never had the chance.
I am really enjoying these top tabletop games. Will this be a series?
Thanks Dave! Definitely, I've got several more videos lined up :)
@@WeavetheTale awesome can't wait!
Does anyone know the background music playing? It sounds so atmospheric
Darude Sandstorm
Call of Cthulhu. Every time. 7th edition is the best yet.
Some that should be included: Chill 3rd. edition, Cryptworld, All Flesh Must Be Eaten, Vaesen, Vampire the Masquerade 5th. edition.
A new tabletop roleplaying game in the horror genre is presently in the works, and will be showcased at ConBravo! 2019.
Any chance you'll be in Hamilton, Ontario around the end of July to give it a try?
Hey Kristin, sounds great! I live in Ontario at the moment so that's very likely. Shoot me an email at: contact@encounterroleplay.com
Kult is fantastic because it is based off of the ideas of Gnosticism, which was a branch of teaching that appeared in the first century of Christianity. It was considered heresy and violently wiped out. It’s the idea that the world is ruled by an evil God and Archons, and we’re all enslaved by them. John 10:34 of the canonical scriptures is often referenced as a potential teaching that led to the rise of Gnosticism. You could also check out Forbidden Faith by Richard Smoley, if you wanted to go really in depth. The idea of The Demiurge and his Archons is really horrific. Turning it into a horror TTRPG that pushes the boundaries of the genre was brilliant.
Don’t go into the light, little soul. It’s a trick. They will snare you and throw you back into the meat grinder until every spark of your divinity has been extinguished. Happy rolling…
I'd like to throw in slasher flick and quietus
No mention of Vampire: the Masquerade or WoD games at all? Indeed, taking time to make a slight snark against games involving vampires too? Oh well..
Having played most of those games (I'll check out 10 Candles), I do think you tend to gush a bit without highlighting problems. For example, Dread works very well for the most part, but if a character dies early on, there is often little else for the player to do. Bluebeard is very directed in play, with a fairly strict narrative, which limits its long term return playability. Call of Cthulhu's 7E runs into some criticism for attempting to 'pulp' up player abilities, through mechanisms like Luck points or some of the Pulp Cthulhu aspects, which can compromise against some of the more deadly aspects of the original game. It's not actually that true to say that your characters are quite as vulnerable as they used to be.
I do rate Kult very highly though, as a work of art, although admittedly it is never going to be for everyone.
But not even mentioning Vampire: The Masquerade? Big glaring fail for me.
@@martingarreis Or just stick with an older edition. Or use Delta Green possibly.
You missed Xas Irkalla the best horror game I’ve ever played. Better than any of these 5 systems.
Some interesting games in that list...some I know, some I need to get to know.
If I were going to add some of my favorites to the list not already mentioned in this list or in the comments, not in any particular order...
De Profundis
Beyond the Supernatural
Never Going Home
Leagues of Gothic Horror/Leagues of Cthulhu
Regime Diabolique
I see in the comments that someone asked about Vampire and other World of Darkness games, but as odd as it sounds, I see those more as "supernatural superheroes" as opposed to horror. After all, the players are usually playing the monsters with special abilities and not the mortals or other characters likely to be terrorized. With one exception...I'd still very much consider Wraith a horror game, even for the player characters, considering the utterly alien and terrifying environment that they find themselves. So WoD Wraith would definitely go on my list of great horror games.
Has ANYONE besides me and 3 whole people played Inferno? A tabletop game that's actually set in Hell. It was made in the 90s by a company called Death's Edge, now known as Spartacus publishing. Anyone?
I saw it when it 1st came out. But didn't get around to buying it. It looked interesting.
Strain is a great one.
What you think of Elvira Mistress of darkness?
Tremulus. Great game. Take a look.
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Little Fears