Tabletop RPG Bookshelf - Mutant R.Y.M.D.

Greetings from the depths of the Tabletop Multiverse.

Having unpacked all of my old tabletop RPG books (the ones I still have left anyway) and put them on their shelves in the bookcase, I have been looking a little at a couple of them. This is probably the first time in 15-20 years that I actually sit down and take a look at them, so memories come back and there have been a few 'aha' moments reading through them as I recognise things.

One of the games I have been looking a bit at are Mutant R.Y.M.D (Mutant S.P.A.C.E.), which came out in 1992, published by Target Games. It was quickly 'replaced' by the first edition of Mutant Chronicles the following year. In a way it was a mixture of the Mutant games that had come before it - the Mutant games that recently has seen a new edition released in 'Mutant: Year Zero' from Swedish company Fria Ligan (Free League) - and Mutant Chronicles which has also recently seen a new edition released, this time by British company Modiphius Entertainment.

Mutant R.Y.M.D. has recognisable elements in it from Mutant Chronicles, which I think might be the version of the 'Mutant games' that most people are familiar with. Especially with the release of the 3rd edition by Modiphius Entertainment last year. You can find the same Megacorporations in there, even though they work slightly differently, and there is even the Dark Legion. Though it is not known here as the Dark Legion, but goes under the name "Ondskan" (the Evil) instead. Or rather the forces of "the Evil". The premise is similar though, with the forces of evil having been let loose on the solar system. The technology level in Mutant R.Y.M.D. is decidedly more advanced than in Mutant Chronicles however, with laser weapons, disruptor weapons, advanced cybernetics, spaceships, etc, being part of the arsenal and availiable to the players, as well as other technologies that weren't availiable anymore in the world of Mutant Chronicles.

The game uses a percentile system using d100. There are three "Classes" availiable - 'Normal Human', 'PSI-Mutant' & 'Mutant'. Each class has access to a number of Occupations, with Normal Human being the only one who has access to all of them. There is even the Doomtrooper occupation, again something some of you may be familiar with from Mutant Chronicles.

The game has a list of mutations you can pick, cybernetics, etc. The mutations come in two different forms: "Mental Mutations" & "Physical Mutations". There are also lists of mental and physical defects.

There was only one adventure ever created for Mutant R.Y.M.D. called "Operation Kirkwood", which came out in the same year as the main game did. It was the only module ever created for the game besides the core books which came in a box.

Having looked over it I feel like I want to try playing it again to see what it is like 'in action'. I hope I will get a chance to some day. In the meantime it will sit on its shelf in my new home and I'll take it out and look at it from time to time. :)

It would be nice if one of the Swedish gaming companies would pick up the IP and release a new version of it some day. *hint. HINT.* But honestly I'm not sure that will ever happen as the game was so quickly overshadowed by Mutant Chronicles arrival.

Anyway, that is it for this time. See you all some other time in the Tabletop Multiverse!