Fat Goo Review, with special guest Cthulhu

“From even the greatest of horrors, irony is seldom absent.”

― H.P. Lovecraft

I have ties with the Lovecraft mythos. I read his tales on and off for many years and I even had a 10-year challenge meme where I put up a picture of me and Lovecraft (shown on the left) which lead to a job at the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society (if you have not heard their old-style radio dramas they are amazing, I recommend Dagon: War of worlds). That being said I dislike most of the games out there because to me they just seem to paste on the theme of Lovecraft's creations without giving me the actual feel of any of the stories or they try to do way to much. But just like a true investigator, I press on.

From the publisher

Based on the Four against Darkness system, this pen-and-paper game pits the player(s) against classic Lovecraftian horror. The game can be played solo, coop, or RPG-lite.

Four Investigators and a party of Helpers will travel 1930s America looking for three Clues to uncover the location of an upcoming great ritual. They only have 40 days to find and stop the ritual, before the world comes to an untimely end!

The core of the game revolves around a system of encounter tables that will generate terrifying events and will provide the players with clues, arcane items, and more terrifying events! Combat is dice-based and highly tactical, due to the many options the players have in their attack and defense phases.

Relevant features include:

• 8 new classes of main Investigators, plus MANY types of Helpers for nuanced customization...

• ... but the players shouldn't get too attached to any character in particular. High lethality.

• insanity, curses & incorporeal enemies to make the challenge even harder

• many spells, arcane items, weapons (did someone say flamethrower???)

• 6 possible epic final encounters, each a complete mini-game

• clue system that actually gives the players information as they investigate, allowing them to gradually narrow down the possible location of the ritual

• race against the clock: limited time to complete the adventure

• side quests to exotic locations and... other planets?

• enter the Dreamlands at your own risk!

• many secrets are hidden in the game to increase replay value. A trivial event experienced in one game may take on completely different connotations in the next.

• based on extensive knowledge of Lovecraft, and strictly on Lovecraft (so the Elder Sign looks right, you meet Ghatanothoa, but sorry no Hastur)

• professors and graduate students are bad@$$&$, just like in Lovecraft and in real life.

How to play

This is a pen and paper RPG in which you will have 40 days (think of it as 40 actions) to finish the game. Days are lost from travel and investigating. You will pick a team of four out of eight possible characters to travel and investigate various areas eventually gaining enough clues (you gain clues by discarding arcane items) to have a final encounter with one of the great old ones (seriously, pray that it's not Cthulhu). In true RPG fashion, you will have numerous encounters (one of six possible at each location) in which you will have to overcome the supernatural and the surreal. Your sanity and strength will be tested at every corner.

Boom goes the dice-omite

Does this game sound difficult? Well, that's because it is. But there is some good news. If you roll a six while performing an action (attacking, defending or, taking a test) it "explodes". This means that you immediately roll another die and add that new result to the total. What if you roll another six? grab another one. If it happens again? grab another D6. Did I roll 3 sixes in a row once? Yes. Was it awesome? Yes, yes it is.

The takeaway

I have not beaten this game, nor have I felt like I was close to beating it. What I did have when I played it is an experience with a story that unfolded in front of me. If you are not a big Lovecraft fan you can still enjoy the supernatural elements of the game, however, if you are a big fan there are a bunch of subtle nods to several stories which you will enjoy when you discover them. When I play I always name the characters something different and that adds a little something to it. I sometimes even reference someone if they went mad as if it were an old legend or folklore. If you are someone that is not a fan of manual character tracking and upkeep then this game is probably not for you. But if you are looking for an immersive solo RPG experience then go ahead and grab Madam Zanzibar (scratch that, she's dead) four investigators and have at it.