Those Dark Places Playtest

This game has been designed with the science fiction horror genre in mind, films such as Alien, Aliens and Event Horizon, even films with the atmosphere of Blade Runner or Outland. It is also influenced by survival horror games like Dead Space.

The science fiction horror genre doesn’t have a huge catalogue of titles but they all have something in common – claustraphobia and the idea that there is no escape from the situation the antagionists find themselves in. The best stories take place far from Earth on space stations or starships or lost colonies in the far corners of the galaxy, far from anyone, far from aid, and they revolve around being cut off in an alien environment, surrounded by things beyond comprehension.

You only have to watch the movie Alien to understand my meaning – a small crew of seven (about the size of a gaming group!) on a starship almost a year’s travel from Earth. An alien organism that is totally incomprehensible to them, the lifecycle of which is first experienced through invasion and violence, a creature that kills indiscriminately. Add to this the fact that those in charge may have actually known of its existence… that’s some pretty powerful gaming material right there. The roleplaying and adventure opportunities abound. Skulking the ship trying to find the creature, fighting it off as best you can, running for your life… this setup and others like it just scream (excuse the pun) for a roleplaying game.

The title THOSE DARK PLACES perfectly describes what this game is about. The shadowy corners of space that no one has ever explored – what is there? Is it intelligent? Is it a monster? The deep space stations and outposts that nobody visits – what would happen to a small crew stuck in the back of beyond where even light does not reach? What would that do to your mind? Your sanity?

You can transplant any horror scenario and place it in the science fiction genre. Psychotic murderer in a high school? How about a psychotic murderer on a space station? It’s very easy to do. Ridley Scott himself said that one his influences of the feel and atmosphere of Alien was from Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which is about as a far removed from science fiction as you can get. If you take the elements of a good fright movie or story and transpose it in to a claustrophobic, dark and gritty science fiction setting then you have your game.

I’ve also included rules for a more adventure-orientated game if that’s your wish, such as starship and vehicle combat. You don’t see much of that in sci-fi horror but its there if you want to use it.

This document is simply a playtest version and so is incomplete. Please feel free to send comments and constructive criticism to me via the contact form on the ABOUT US page, with the subject header ‘THOSE DARK PLACES’. The rules will need refining and editing, that much is for sure, and any help or ideas are appreciated.