AKRATIC WIZARDRY: A blog wherein I scribble about role-playing games (Mythras, Against the Darkmaster, Dungeons & Dragons [esp. old school], Swords & Wizardry, Into the Unknown, Middle-earth Role-playing, Lord of the Rings Role-playing, Adventures in Middle-Earth, Crypts & Things, Call of Cthulhu, etc.) and RPG settings (Middle-earth, Cthulhu Mythos, Greyhawk, Lyonesse, Ukrasia, etc.). I also write about fantasy and science-fiction films, novels, art, TV shows, and the like.
Yesterday I mentioned that the Design Mechanism’s Mythic Babylon was the 20th best-selling "other fantasy" RPG product at DriveThruRPG for 2021. I noted that this was especially impressive given that it is something of a “niche” product.
Well today
I learned that within this niche—that of “historical” RPG products—it was the second
best-selling RPG product of 2021 at DriveThruRPG.
I have no doubt that within the “hyper-niche” of Mesopotamia-based RPGs, it ranks number one!
I have to ask, what took the number one spot?
ReplyDeleteYep, my question too.
ReplyDelete#1 was something called "BLASTER vol.3" -- which looks like a wargame not a RPG, and not a historical one at that (based on my quick look at the DTRPG page).
ReplyDeleteOdd. Blaster is a periodical collective effort by several fairly well-known miniatures games designers, including the guys who did Relicblade, Gaslands, and Frostgrave. I haven't seen #3 but earlier issues had a mix of expansion stuff for their existing games or new, short-form minis rules - all scifi, horror, or fantasy IIRC - all in a grab bag "large magazine" format. None of them are RPGs in any real sense of the term.
DeleteSo I guess we can give Mythic Babylon the #1 slot then. Blaster's disqualified from the category.
Ona related note, have you seen/tried Jackals from Osprey? It's an RPG set in a mythological Bronze Age. Not historical as such but it catches the period feel pretty well. Worth a look for fans of the "hyper-niche" Mythic Babylon fits into. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried "Jackals" myself but some other members of our group tried it a couple of times when we couldn't all meet for Babylon.
DeleteWhat did they think?
DeleteI think they liked it (especially the character background elements) but found the combat system lacking (esp. compared to Mythras).
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