Tabletop RPG · since 2019 · #44 most discussed

Alien RPG

Play crew members in a tense science-fiction horror setting where fear, stress, and an unstoppable threat close in.

Year Zero EngineSci fi horrordice poolstress or sanitypush your luckhigh lethalitytheater of the mindclasslessOne-shotsNeeds a GM

6.8

Geek rating

From 33 firsthand play reports in 5 r/rpg threads. The threads alone average 7.4.

Player rating— / 10

No visitor ratings yet.

Discussion6.4 / 10

144 r/rpg posts named it, October 2023 to October 2026.

Rules weight

Light. Hype 5.2 for its age.

Have you played it?

Rate Alien RPG from 1 to 10. One rating per browser and device; you can change it any time.

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What players say

At the table

Players report that Alien RPG is at its best in cinematic scenarios and short runs of two to three sessions. Those tables describe tense, memorable play that echoes the films. Reports on long campaigns are fewer and more mixed.

What works

Boxed and starter-set scenarios such as Chariot of the Gods are easy to start and run, and they capture the film tone. (thread)
Premade characters with their own agendas and conflicts give a tense, semi-cooperative, movie-like feel. (thread)
The stress and panic system creates tension, with more chances for both success and catastrophic failure. (thread)
Short campaigns of about ten sessions, split into seasons, kept players invested. (thread)
One table moved an Expanse game onto the system and said it worked. (thread)

What tables struggle with

Chariot of the Gods does not fit one evening. Tables report two to three sessions even with cuts, and Hope's Last Day is the usual one-shot suggestion. (thread)
Hope's Last Day itself divides tables. One group called it a letdown next to Chariot of the Gods, while another had fun with it. (thread)
In long campaigns, accumulated stress frustrated some players and the format felt repetitive. (thread)
Some GMs ran panic rolls wrongly at first, so characters panicked too often. The Expanse table eased stress and panic rolls off. (thread)
Hidden agendas split tables. One group came to find them anti-co-op, while another ran without them and said that worked. (thread)
Combat is dangerous and fairly crunchy, ship rules are weak, and many items have little information, which slows sessions. (thread)

Who it suits

Groups who want a one-shot or a two-to-three-session horror run with premade characters.
Tables that enjoy player secrets and some in-group conflict.
Less clearly suited to open-ended campaigns, going by the reports here.

In players' words

"It's easy to run and plays smoothly." (thread)
"I probably wouldn't recommend either of them for a full campaign. They are great for a 2-3 session IRL game." (thread)
"I played without agendas just fine." (thread)

The threads behind it

Each thread is rated for the play it describes, from the firsthand reports in it. Load one here or read it on Reddit.

7.5

Anyone here played the Alien RPG by free leauge?

People who ran Alien RPG mostly enjoyed it. Cinematic one-shots and short scenario-based campaigns got the best reports, with tense, memorable sessions and easy GMing. Longer campaigns drew more complaints about repetition and the stress mechanic, and one player who tried it bounced off the Year Zero engine. 19 firsthand · 94 comments

Open on Reddit

7.6

alien rpg or bladerunner rpg?

The thread mostly compares Alien RPG with Blade Runner. The few people who ran or played Alien call it fun and say it works well, but one says it fits short games better than a full campaign. 5 firsthand · 46 comments

Open on Reddit

7.2

Alien RPG Second Edition Announced

The few people who actually ran Alien RPG say it works very well in cinematic one-shots and boxed-set scenarios, where it captures the tension of the films. Complaints from play are about crunchy, deadly combat, weak ship rules, thin item information that slows sessions, and one weaker scenario. Most of the thread is about the second edition announcement, edition churn and publisher support, which is not play experience. 4 firsthand · 182 comments

Open on Reddit

7.0

Vaesen (dance of dreams) or Alien RPG (chariot of the gods) for a one shot?

The thread is mostly a Vaesen vs Alien RPG one-shot decision, and the firsthand Alien RPG input is thin. Those who played say Chariot of the Gods is good but too long for one evening, taking about two to three sessions, and that Hope's Last Day suits a one-shot better. 3 firsthand · 14 comments

Open on Reddit

6.5

Hidden agenda's in Alien RPG translate into Mothership RPG?

The OP's group played three Alien RPG cinematic scenarios and had fun, and the GM especially enjoyed the hidden agendas. The players now find the agenda system too anti-co-op and want to stop, and the rest of the thread is mostly about Mothership, which doesn't count here. 2 firsthand · 10 comments

Open on Reddit