Monkeydrome

Monkeydrome is a game strongly inspired by the Mad Max film series and which is a precursor to Swords without Master and the whole family of games based on those rules.

Monkeydrome is a fairly simple collection of rules designed to drive a freeform post-apocalypse game of violence and comedy. Like the Mad Max films it aims to alternate between comedy and B-movie action horror.

As a game in its own right it’s a bit of fun. It uses a simple dice mechanic which oscillates success and failure and the games two tones of Zany and Grim.

The result hits exactly the right stylistic notes.

However coming to the game from Swords without Master you see exactly what problems the later rules were meant to fix. With no explicit scene type between the action the GM needs to link the outrageous escalating action scenes somehow with little support from the game.

The action scenes can burst under the weight of their own ludicrousness or fizzle out as the players get more inspired but the initial challenge has clearly been overcome.

If the intricate rules and scene economy of Swords without Master has put you off in the past then Monkeydrome might be the perfect place to give the system another go.

For one-shots with people who are uncomfortable or inexperienced with freeform gaming I think Monkeydrome is a good introductory choice. The high-concept is simple and ultimately you are always going to the dice to help you inform your narration. The tones are clear and easy to comprehend (as long as you’ve seen one of the Mad Max films). The dice mechanic empowers players to be as bold as they are comfortable with.

Ultimately though this game requires a GM who doesn’t just play a role in the game but one who can bring a story together and can tie together the story beats together by judicious framing and ordering of the scenes.