Are there any TTRPGs for space western campaigns?
THEME: Space Westerns, Part 2
Hello there! I have quite a few recommendations that I've mentioned in the past that I feel fit this request, so you should definitely check out the extensive bookmarks at the end of this recommendation post. Here's a few more I have yet to cover!
Ceres: The Planet that Never Sleeps, by Tidal Wave Games.
Hell of a place to be awake, too. And nowhere better to be. It's humid and sticky from the scheduled rain and it's alive in a way a lot of the system isn't. Yeah, they say all this shit about humanity's real home being Earth, but here on Ceres you can feel the future actually forming up. And it's a future not meant for you, unless you're mean and lean and ready to act without hesitation. If you don't have the cash or the connections, you better have nerves of steel and an iron will. You better be able to flow with the moment.
There's malls and concerts and shopping, and TV and convenience stores, because people live here. But what you're here for is the hustle, the catch and the chase. You're here to claw out your own piece of the future for yourself, with your own hands.
Welcome to Ceres…Try not to die.
This isn't a standalone game, but rather a supplement for See You Space Cowboy, a space western TTRPG I've mentioned in one of my previous recommendation posts. It can also be plugged into a space game of your choice, if you have a game system you're already fond of. It's got roll-tables of bounties, gear, and situations, and the game comes with a map full of vibrant locations and dangerous NPCs and factions to make the world come alive.
You can get a digital version of this supplement here.
Godslingers, by Rat Wave Game House. @ratwavekayla
Long ago the Old Gods lorded over the Fourth Galaxy, these cosmic deities held great power and made their domain amongst the stars themselves. One day they all died. Now, well over three thousand years later, on the fringes of Outward Space, desperados hold the power of the dead gods soul in revolver chambers; they are Godslingers.
Godslingers is a space fantasy western. This is a game for playing out the dangerous lives of Godslingers, cosmic cowboys wielding divine weapons whose destructive nature threatens to consume and transform them. It’s designed with multi-session play in mind but the book does suggest some modifications that could be made to suit one-shot play. The majority of players will play the titular Godslingers, while at least one other player acts as the Referee; and takes responsibility for framing scenes, playing supporting characters and making rulings and judgements.
If you want an actual cowboy in space, like Cowboy Andy in the 22nd episode of Cowboy Bebop, or perhaps a mix of fantasy, the wild west, and space, then Godslingers just might be for you. This kooky setting smashes Silver Age sci-fi comics into the weird west, with d66 roll-tables aplenty, oodles of help for GMs want to create their own adventures, and a GM-less version of the game for tables who all want to have the same kind of fun.
24XX BLUE MARS, by Kirt Dankmyer.
IN THE BLUE DESERT, FAR FROM THE DOME CITIES, COLONIAL MARSHALS KEEP THE PEACE. They're the law even now, 200 years after Mars was (barely) terraformed and Earth suddenly went dark. One year ago, Martian ruins were discovered far under the deep desert, and now you have a gold rush on your hands…
24XX games have a lot going for them: they're rules-light and easy to read, they can be picked up and played with little-to-no prep, and they're often cross-compatible with other 24XX games! The creator of Blue Mars recommends checking out 24XX-D Aftertime for inspiration and extra bits and pieces, although Aftertime uses a diceless version of the rule-set. If you like the lawlessness and violent frontier justice of the wild west, and want to transpose it onto a barren planet, you might like Blue Mars.
Interstellar Bounty Hunters, by Zadmar Games.
Several years have passed since the fall of the empire, and a newly-formed republic now attempts to restore democratic rule throughout the galaxy. But the fledgling government is still young, and remnants of the former empire continue to operate on the fringes of society, just as new criminal organizations have clawed their way up to fill the power vacuum.
These are hard and lawless times, and the bounty hunter’s guild has plenty of work available, although most of it is dangerous and unsavory. Competition for the highest-paying jobs can be fierce and bloody, however—particularly when multiple bounty hunters pursue the same target.
You are professional bounty hunters, tracking down fugitives and criminals, and bringing them back dead or alive. Most of your jobs are guild commissions, but sometimes you work directly for a client.
Interstellar Bounty Hunters is a setting add-on for Tricube Tales, the setting-neutral rpg spearheaded by Zadmar Games, great for one-shots and easy to pick up sessions. The game is small but it packs some very iconic moments from some big-name properties in its roll-tables; if you love Boba Fett, you'll probably like this game.
The Kandhara Contraband, by LunarShadow Designs.
Chasing the stars is an expensive game for an independent crew. Docking fees, fuel and repairs ensure that profits are rare. If you don't mind getting your hands dirty or are just that desperate, there are always the smuggling rings. After all, crime really does pay. Word has reached your crew about one such job - Algoth Nieminen, the head of the Jitana Syndicate, is after a ship to pick up some cargo and ship it to its final destination. It's easy money, so what's the catch?
The Kandhara Contraband is a system agnostic adventure suitable for sci-fi settings such as Firefly, Orbital Blues and Traveller. The free 'demo' files consist of the initial alpha, lacking editing or layout. The paid edition of the adventure is approximately double the size of the alpha, has been edited and includes layout.
Plenty of sci-fi games can easily slip into a space-western feel if you have the right adventure, and The Kandhara Contraband aims to be just that. It's also compatible with Orbital Blues, another Space Western game I've waxed poetic about in the past. If you like this, you might also be interested in Hopes and Dreams of the Orbital Bound, by the same creator: it's a little less action, and a little more slice-of-life.
Deep Sky Ballad, by Winged Lion Games.
Inspired by legendary settings such as Firefly, Westworld, Trigun or Cowboy Bebop, Deep Sky Ballad is a space western genre ttrpg where the characters play the members of a posse - fortune seekers more or less tightly bound to each other who share their resources and a spaceship in search of purpose or wealth. The game mechanics are based on the Blackjack System, a poker cards based system; it's the same rules system Arcana Familia ttrpg use, and give agency to the player to balance the power and accuracy of an action through what can be considered a subgame.
I love seeing game-makers incorporate blackjack and other poker mechanics into western-style games; they really pull on some of the themes of westerns and bake the vibes into the game. Deep Sky Ballad has a very specific setting written for the game, so you'll have lore, factions, organizations and NPCs to pick up and play around with, as well as an introductory adventure for GMs who like a bit of extra help getting the game started for their crew.
My Trigun Recommendation Post,
My Space Westerns Recommendation Post,
Dead Belt, by A Couple of Drakes, @drakeanddice
Scum & Villainy, by Off Guard Games,
Voidhunters, by Fox Tale Games,
See You Space Cowboy, by Tidal Wave Games
The Long Shift, by Caro Asercion.
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