As The Walking Dead continues to expand its reach on the small screen, Free League Publishing is looking to put its own spin on the iconic franchise. The Stockholm-based tabletop publisher is developing an all-new roleplaying game set in the Walking Dead universe. And the studio has also launched a Kickstarter campaign that has already made over $400,000.
The official description explains two different ways to play the game. In campaign mode, the storyline is determined by the various goals and choices that players make in their efforts to stay alive. Meanwhile, survival mode presents them with a “pre-determined and often acute problem” that involves a “dramatic and dangerous situation” that must be tackled immediately. The game notably features locations and characters from the TV show. And because it doesn’t shy away from its source material’s violent themes, it definitely isn’t for kids.
Previously, Free League developed RPGs based on Alien, Blade Runner, and Tales From the Loop. Like those games, the Walking Dead RPG uses the publisher’s Year Zero Engine. The developers made a few tweaks to make the experience feel as immersive as possible and reflect the Walking Dead universe’s constant danger. Game producer and game manager Joe LeFavi also recently explained to ComicBook.com how this sets the RPG apart from similar zombie titles.
RELATED: Fear the Walking Dead Ending With Season 8, AMC Sets New Dates For Spinoffs
“With the TWDU RPG, walkers are just one environmental threat among many, no more controllable or preventable than any other force of nature,” said LeFavi. “But if you took them out of the picture, the world itself is still a rich, compelling, and challenging sandbox worth exploring. If anything, I think TWDU shares a lot more in common with Alien or post-apocalyptic survival RPGs, where you’re dropped into a hostile, uncompromising environment and it’s not a foregone conclusion that you’ll survive.”
Free League is giving all campaign backers early access to PDF versions of the game’s Core Rulebook and Starter Set. You can make your own pledge here.
Will you be contributing to the game’s Kickstarter campaign? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: The Walking Dead: Compendium One
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program also provides a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
