SLEW
A downloadable game
SLEW
Acid freak fantasy on a black and white frontier
SLEW is a minimal science-fantasy game set in a broken land, where players embody strange scavengers working to piece things back together. Made in collaboration with Bastl, it is a love letter to the latter's iconic semi-modular synthesiser, the Softpop and modular synthesis more generally.
Designed to accommodate groups (up to 4 + a GM) and solo players alike, SLEW is a rules-lite, one page game about discovering and embracing the unexpected. Players will discover mysterious artifacts that can be combined in unpredictable ways and go on adventures in the weird and wild setting of Outermono.
Explore, experiment and survive.
This game has so much power to it... let me just say it like this: this game, when I put it all together and understood what it was, was so bracing that I started laughing because I couldn't believe how much [Valley] was doing at the same time. – Man Alone
This first iteration of SLEW is a barebones, pay-what-you-want version including the one-page core rules, a double-sided character sheet and a single page adventure module, Slopes of Saw. All pages are designed to fit A5 paper.
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I think I'll try running this solo for now as I don't know when I'll be able to run it for my group. I don't often run games solo so it will be an adventure! I would love to see more of this game in the future. Especially more lore. The setting seems cool.
Some questions though
Are the artifacts orb shards?
For checks, is it assumed that you always succeed and the roll is for consequences? Or can you fail if you roll 0 hits?
For artifacts, do you use the words on the vco to come up with a power or are you supposed to keep it as single words and decide in the moment?
Hey! Thanks for the kind words.
Yes, the artifacts are shards of the Orb.
Yes, it is assumed you automatically succeed on checks (as long as the action seems reasonable). The dice rolls determine the extent of the consequences.
For artifacts, the idea is for you to use the VCO to come up with the power when you gain them.
I hope that helps!
This seems really interesting. Any reason why its 4+ gm? It would be cool to try this with my group, but we are 5+gm. Any advice for making that work?
It is merely a number plucked out of thin air. If you give it a go, you'll be my guinea pigs :)
This is breathtaking
Thank you so much!
I’m not very good at English, and my friends are even less so, but I wanted to play this so much that I’m now making an crooked amateur translation of the game into my language!
Oh wow, what language? I hope it's worth the effort!
An RPG based around modular synthesis? GET OUT OF MY HEAD.
NO.
This is an unbelievable creation Alfred, and I had to make a video about it. Just a quick, 15 minute video (that eventually turned into about 1h43m, you know how I roll, but my bit on Slew starts at 59:46):
PLEASE keep us posted for when the full edition is released!!!
What a fascinating video. I came for the SLEW mention and stayed for the whole thing. I'm always impressed with how considered your approach to games is.
Thank you for sharing and thank you for digging into the game. Hearing you talk about it gave me goosebumps.