The Swedish Publisher Riotminds recently introduced a new Role-Playing game. Wicked Dew is a horror game set in Victorian England.
Wicked Dew is a twisted Victorian horror role-playing game, strange, unsettling, and unlike anything Riotminds has released before. Wicked Dew is not for everyone, as they say in their press release. It’s weird. It’s dark. And it’s not for the soft-hearted!
Riotminds has already published the system as an online tool, which is still in beta testing and available here.
A Mature Horror Game
Riotminds, which has published games like Trudvang Chronicles, Lexoccultum, and World of Kensei, aims for a more mature game with Wicked Dew. The setting is Victorian England, albeit a more Gothic and terrible version.
According to the publisher’s Facebook page, this is a game they have been working on for more than a year. They also have plans on releasing a board-game using the same setting, and are working with ex-CMON veterans developing it.
The Player Characters’ Role
According to Riotminds, players take on the roles of investigators, with their actions carrying real weight and consequences. Every decision you make can lead to unforeseen outcomes, driving the narrative down unexpected paths. You might explore the haunted streets of London, where abandoned mansions, cryptic catacombs, and hidden cellars hold secrets waiting to be discovered. Uncover the truth behind the abandoned orphanage turned nightmare, where the cries of tormented souls echo through the halls.
The Game System
You can try creating a character using the online tool, but just a reminder, the tool and the game are still in beta. Browsing, it is obvious that the game uses a D20 and a roll-under mechanic, similar to BRP and Trudvang Chronicles.
You choose an archetype and skills, in which you gain advantage (same mechanics as in D&D). However, in skills you are not proficient in, you have a disadvantage. You have both physical and mental wounds, again similar to Trudvang Chronicles, but you can also gain Corruption points and Character Flaws, which look interesting. Finally, your character has an Edge, a simple feature that you can use under certain conditions within the narrative. Every creature has three attributes and two actions per round.
Although the game is still in beta, it looks rather fleshed out. It will be interesting to see what the final version will be like.
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