Hey everyone, Slick Dungeon, here and I wanted to talk about the top 5 roleplaying games I think you should play this year. Just a note, this list is designed for people who have some experience with role playing games so if you are a new player or game master there’s a chance these games may not be for you. For those players I recommend checking out my post from last year linked here. But you never know, maybe you’ll find something here you want to try!

(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)

Without any further ado let’s get on with the list!

5. Cyberpunk Red

The video game Cyberpunk 2077 had an absolute disaster of a launch, although I hear it’s overall playable now. Cyberpunk Red, however, had no such trouble and delivers an excellent immersive experience if you want to get your hands dirty in a world where huge megacorporations have been shattered and everyone is scrambling to live their lives, make a living, seize opportunities, or plot some revenge. It’s a fun and fast paced game and if you like movies like Blade Runner or The Matrix series this one should be right up your neon lit alley.

With this one I recommend starting with the Cyberpunk Red Jumpstart Kit. This comes with a book of lore and adventures that take place in the setting and a book of rules to use for gameplay. You also get six pregenerated characters making getting started much faster. There are also some maps and standees here to use. Fair warning you may need to read the rules a couple of times to get the full feel for it as not everything is 100% clear on the first read.

The Jumpstart Kit retails for $29.99 on drivethrurpg but right at this moment you can get it for $4.99 which is a steal. To get the Jumpstart Kit click here or on the image above.

If you’re convinced and want to just go all in on Cyberpunk Red you can get the core book for $30.00 but it is on sale for $22.50 right now. Not quite as good of a deal as the Jumpsart Kit but it’s a savings and this will have the full rules, a lot more lore, and ten unique Roles for you to play. To get the core book just click here.

4. Kids on Brooms

I’ve talked before about Kids on Bikes which is an extremely fun role playing game. It lets you take on the kinds of stories you think of when you think about all the stories about kids who ride bikes in movies and TV shows. Think E.T. and Stranger Things. There will be a second edition of this game coming out in 2023 but we don’t have it yet. While we are waiting, did you know there is a magical school version of this game called Kids on Brooms that uses the same rule system?

This is rules light and narrative focused so you are not bogged down by tons of math and figuring out stat blocks and stuff like that. If you ever wanted to play in a Harry Potter style setting but not be restrained by what is actually in that setting, this one is absolutely perfect for you. And the way dice rolls can explode into bigger and bigger results is really fun here.

Kids on Brooms sells for $12.99 on drithrurpg normally but is on sale for $9.74 right now. To get it, click on the image above or click here.

If you’re interested in less magic but still want a fun game with the same set of rules, you can’t go wrong with the original Kids on Bikes. You can get this one for $9.99 on drivethrurpg normally but it is on sale right now for $7.49. To get it, just click here.

Either game is a great deal for hours of narrative storytelling fun.

3. ThirstY Sword Lesbians

If you’re looking for an RPG that acknowledges and celebrates the existence of queer people and you like playing in games where a deadly duel can suddenly result in passionate love, this is the game for you. It may not be a perfect game but there are simply not enough TTRPG’s that have queer folks as a central focus and most of those tend not to acknowledge queer relationships outside of a quick mention of a partner. This game flips that over and makes the dueling and the romance the central point. And, it’s fun to play!

There’s lots of advice here on running a safe game for everyone at the table and respecting everyone’s boundaries. It’s a great romp of a swashbuckler and as a CIS, hetero male, let me just reassure everyone reading here that, no, you do not have to be a lesbian, or even queer to enjoy this game. It’s not for everyone and if you are looking to just bash monsters and not have any romance or passion in your game, maybe don’t buy this one. But, this is a really refreshing change from a lot of TTRPG’s out there and it was developed by a diverse group of people with a variety of identities and they ended up with a pretty fun game. If you like shows like The L Word or Our Flag Means Death, you’ll have a good time with this one.

Thirsty Sword Lesbians sells for $15.00 on drivethrurpg but right now you can get it for $11.25. To get it, click the image above or click here.

2. Mutants & Masterminds

While I love fantasy role playing games, there’s just something super fun about playing in a superhero universe. Later this year Marvel will be coming out with its own version of a TTRPG, the first they have done in a while. But in order for that game to do well, it is going to have to be better than Mutants & Masterminds and that is no small feat. I will say the character creation can take a bit of time here but the rules allow you to be just about any superhero you’ve heard of and to invent ones you’ve never heard of but always wanted to see. Characters don’t tend to end up dead quite as easily as in some other TTRPG’s because, like in the comics, heroes are meant to endure. You pretty much just need a D20 and the core rulebook to get started on this one.

If you love Marvel, Image, DC, Valiant or basically any superhero comics and want to play in a world like those, this is the game for you. It’s tons of fun and full of action. It’s narrative heavy but it does take some work in the character development phase. After all, you want a good origin story if you’re a hero don’t you?

You can get the core rulebook known as The Mutants & Masterminds Deluxe Hero’s Handbook PDF for $20.00 on drivethrurpg. Unfortunately, unlike most of the titles on this list, this one is not on sale right now. And while there is a Mutants & Masterminds Basic Hero’s Handbook for a little cheaper at $16.95 normally but on sale for $12.71 right now, I really don’t recommend it. For this one, the Deluxe book really is the way to go as it gives you everything you need, including a quickstart character generator and two premade adventures. To get the core rulebook click the image above or click here.

1. Zweihander Fantasy Horror RPG

I love fantasy, I love horror, I love TTRPG’s so I can’t go wrong with the Zweihander Fantasy Horror RPG Starter Kit. This kit gives a great intro into Zweihander and their Grim & Perilous games. It’s kind of like Dungeons & Dragons but it leans toward more horror and a lot more death. It’s sort of like Call of Cthulhu rules meeting up with the D&D setting but there’s enough here to make it completely original. It has a grim and gritty feel to it where actions have consequences and there is danger lurking around every corner.

For this one I highly recommend using the Starter Kit. You can get it on drivethrurpg as a PDF for $6.66 normally but it’s on sale for $5.00 right now. I will warn you that on driethrurpg it is only the PDF so you don’t get the cool box but you do get a rule book for making characters, a rulebook for running the game, and printable versions of stuff like the GM screen, the maps and the cards. If you’re okay with printing this stuff drivethrurpg is a good deal and you can get it by clicking the image above or by clicking here.

If you just gotta have that cool box and the stuff already printed (and I can’t blame you if you do!) then you’ll want to either visit your local friendly gaming store, or buy through Amazon. On Amazon it’s going to cost you $29.99 plus shipping and all that good stuff. If you want to buy that version, just click here.

In Conclusion

Well, that’s the list. What games are you looking forward to playing in the coming year? If you have any good recommendations drop them in the comments below!

I think you’ll have fun playing any of these games but that’s just my opinion and games certainly up to people’s tastes and preferences. I hope you got some good recommendations here but either way make 2023 a year for gaming!

Thanks for reading!

Adventuringly yours,

Slick Dungeon