The Third Annual Mad Jay Picks🏆
The Best of the Best Gaming of 2023
2023 had many solid games for me, with a couple of failed starters; that happens. I have played all the games in the 2023 Mad Jay Picks more than once in 2023. There are no theories here, baby; all raw experience from the table (or VTT).
Twilight: 2000: We played the tracks off this game! 50+ Saturday morning sessions. It’s our B-side game this year, IRL reasons. I am running it for a local game day event with the Ammo Box edition for the first time this weekend, it’ll likely be a on my short list of con games on offer. I will miss Phil the spook, and The World’s Most Interesting Uncle, Barne’s America. Whatever happened to those commandos? What’s in the briefcase? And, of course…Thomas Moore…the spy that got away with our people! Twilight: 2000 is what we came to the hobby for. Free League put their collective foot in this mix! Big thanks to my players for this incredible experience.
Champions Now — This is a game that keeps on delivering different experiences every time I run it. Capitol Cryptids; Think Hellboy + Supers. This game went 6–7 sessions. Of course, Jolt! About a former cola spokesperson, now aging out of work speedster. A 2-shot Star Wars game, testing out a thought. BUT then there was The Disciples of Hierophony, and I don’t even know where to start with this one. I think I need all the previous runs of Champions Now games to get to this game. Think of Superman but as a bioengineered alien construct recently freed from some nefarious UAP lab. Batman is a brain-washed rogue vigilante, a rogue pawn of an AI. He’s trying to find something real in his AI-manufactured memories. And Wonder Woman as a UAP hunter discovering she’s more than just human. This series was their origin story. Four tight, dark, strong sessions, with three folks who had a tight idea about what they wanted from this series of sessions…I need more of this kind of play.
SURPRISED!
CY_BORG This was me humoring my kid; he went wild over the physical copy of CY_BORG. So we paused our Tenra Bansho Zero game to play this. This game has some very solid mechanics that are easily hackable in that OSR way. I abandoned the default setting sort of, we played in Old Vegas after the AI wars, exploring the ancient and abandoned internet now called the Black Web. My son was all in on the aesthetics of the book. I like the FKR sensibilities and the excellent mapbook supplement!
That Nostalgia Hit
Rolemaster The Orcale at Scalu. I wanted to know, was Rolemaster, in my youth, fun? Or am I suffering from nostalgia? I and four friends, solid gamers, played 4–5 sessions to find out. Rolemaster can be a great experience, provided all hands are on deck for bookkeeping. I would play this again. I’ll look back on this series with nostalgia AND knowing we played it.
The Workhorse
ATMA. It was a fluke of choice; I needed something that could fit in a two-hour slot but also expanded to three hours. Everybody likes anime, and PBTA is easy to teach!! This can be a light and feels game, or you can play for keeps with it, drive it like it’s stolen. The world is fantastic, the mechanics solid. Perfect setup for a One-shot Con table. Light the fuse, drop it hot, walk away.
And One for Fun!
Miseries & Misfortunes. I love this game. It might overthrow Burning Wheel. Think of the Three Musketeers with Occult Stuff. That’s how I run it! There is SOO much material and love put into this game by the BWHQ folks. I played Miseries and Misfortunes in 3 out of 5 sessions of Burning Wheel Con last year! I was interested in how the game plays on the table, ask questions and interact with other players new to this game. I look forward to running it in 2024 with ALL THE BLACK MAGICKS TO 11!
2024 Predictions
My T2K crew has lost a player, and for IRL reasons, we’ve changed our main game to Edge of the Empire. We’re three(or four) games in, and it feels good. I think we’ll hit 12 sessions easily.
Household RPG has my attention; it lives rent-free all up in my head.
I have high hopes for the new Coriolis RPG and Moria!
Originally published at https://playfearless.substack.com.
