Dreams and Machines: Player's Guide TTRPG Review

[A review PDF was provided to NRM Books by Modiphius for review purposes.]

Genre: post-apocalyptic, machine uprising, sci-fi

Comparisons: Horizon Zero Dawn, Tales from the Loop, Fallout

System: 2d20 (roll under target number to achieve a number of successes)

With any new intellectual property aiming to debut, it can see a few hiccups in the publishing process. With Dreams and Machines: Player’s Guide what immediately stuck out to me was several writing and editing issues. However, as a game designer myself who struggles with a low budget and skeleton crew to piece the whole game together, no matter how many times one edits a manuscript there are always going to be some stragglers. The introduction seems to have more than its fair share, but once I moved further into the book they became less obvious and by no means took away from my enjoyment. There are a lot of great ideas, mechanics, and settings for it all to be derailed by initial errors.

Dreams and Machines is a nod to the post-apocalyptic machine uprising genre shared by Horizon Zero Dawn where humanity had reached a pinnacle of technology before losing most of their knowledge after the machines rebelled. Humanity is in the process of rebuilding its civilization, after having splintered into several different groups, all aiming to survive. The book provides a long history of the setting, taking on a serious note while emphasizing techno jargon which only becomes better defined the further one reads into the book. However, we (as the readers) are given a reprieve from the sobering reality of the world by the lightheartedness of Kari who has taped flowers to the inside pages, written funny commentary on the sidelines, and offers the occasional picture or two. I feel that many game designers focus too much on the hardships of the setting but pay very little attention to the elements that make life living. Kari helps to ground the reader which is refreshing to see.

The game focuses on playing cooperatively by including mechanics such as Momentum. This allows successes beyond the target number to be pooled and later used by the party to accomplish astonishing feats such as adjusting their surroundings by altering facts of the game (otherwise known as Truths), providing a second wind, improving damage, and more. One use of Momentum is asking the GM a question which is an alternative to other tabletop game’s observation or perception rolls. Considering that there is no perception skill available, it encourages the characters to make a difficult decision of whether to save their Momentum for life-threatening situations or to learn more about the current scene.

Truths can also be created by Momentum which are descriptions or facts of a person, place, or thing. A vehicle that has four wheels; having four wheels is a Truth. A hologram shows a scientist speaking in a foreign language; hologram, scientist, and foreign language are also all Truths. While a character wanting to change out a broken tire (Truth), could use momentum to repair the tire so long as it is relevant to a die roll and something the character can influence.

There is Spirit which can be spent to gain additional d20s on rolls to improve the chances of successes, but doing so comes at the cost of risking being exhausted if you use too much. Having the opportunity to boost a roll or have greater success at a physical cost is a wonderful idea especially where it places players so they think strategically about where they want to use their Spirit so they have it when they need it. There have been several instances in other games where I had wished I had the means to increase the likelihood of success even if that meant hindering myself later on. 

There is also Threat that can be generated by environmental situations or if NPCs have unspent Momentum. Threat gives the GM a pool of resources to make already bad situations even worse. It allows NPCs a pool similar to that of the player characters, allowing them to do similar actions that players would be able to do with their Momentum. Further, it allows the GM to buy off complications, create a negative truth, add reinforcements, or trigger problems with the scene or environment to make players’ lives awful. The trade-off, however, is additional growth for the player characters (or experience). The higher the threat, the better the chances of gaining improvement, so long as the players think they can handle whatever the GM has in store. Knowing my playing habits, I’d find ways as a player to generate Threat consistently just to make things interesting while also aiming to build momentum for my team.

There are five different origins and six different archetypes, which provides 30 combinations for players to choose from while designing their character. Origins account for the various tribes that exist in the world, while archetypes focus on the differing roles that exist within those tribes. This allows players to feel confident that their character is going to be different enough that it sets them apart from the rest of the player characters. And with the option of advanced archetypes upon retiring a character, it expands those opportunities even further.

One of the rules that excited me was when a character retires, it wasn’t simply game over for that character. They could offer current characters a place to stay, news, parting gifts, and a special bond called “departed bond” that helps with Spirit Recovery. Or, in the case of dead characters, a bond can offer to provide a bonus to one’s spirit. Further, dead characters offer their growth (or experience points) to any new character created so that they do not go to waste.

The setting has much to offer, from deserted cities to irradiated war zones, to thriving new settlements, or mysterious laboratories. There is so much to explore and ventures are just around the bend. With so many opportunities available, the types of adventures the characters can set off on are endless. Additionally, there is a wide array of technology that the players can come across as either a boon, obstacle, or threat. Even the equipment lists offer varying technologies that require a level of familiarity with them to get them to work.

Above all, Dreams and Machines is a well-thought-out tabletop role-playing game that has something for everyone. If you are into post-apocalyptic sci-fi where machines are hostile and the technology of the past continues to haunt those in the present, then this might be the next game for your upcoming session.

Dreams and Machines: Player’s Guide can be located here:

Modiphius' website Dreams And Machines: Player's Guide

DriveThruRPG at Dreams And Machines: Player's Guide (PDF) - Modiphius | Dreams and Machines | DriveThruRPG

More about the author: The Author – NRM Books