Alien RPG Building Better Worlds review: "Carrying on the quiet momentum of one of the best TTRPGs out there"

GamesRadar+ VerdictBuilding Better Worlds is a stalwart addition to an already great RPG system. At its worst, it leans a little too hard on the science over the fiction, but quickly shakes off the more tedious bits to lean into developing exciting new mechanics, monsters, and missions alike.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$39.99at Amazon$45.99at AmazonPros+Artwork continues to be spellbinding+New monsters and missions demonstrate an unending well of creativity+Campaign provides a good balance of freedom over directionCons-Time spent on lore isn’t particularly exciting GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict Building Better Worlds is a stalwart addition to an already great RPG system. At its worst, it leans a little too hard on the science over the fiction, but quickly shakes off the more tedious bits to lean into developing exciting new mechanics, monsters, and missions alike.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$39.99at Amazon$45.99at Amazon Building Better Worlds is a stalwart addition to an already great RPG system. At its worst, it leans a little too hard on the science over the fiction, but quickly shakes off the more tedious bits to lean into developing exciting new mechanics, monsters, and missions alike. TODAY’S BEST DEALS$39.99at Amazon$45.99at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS$39.99at Amazon$45.99at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS$39.99at Amazon$45.99at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS $39.99at Amazon$45.99at Amazon $39.99at Amazon $39.99at Amazon $45.99at Amazon $45.99at Amazon Pros+Artwork continues to be spellbinding+New monsters and missions demonstrate an unending well of creativity+Campaign provides a good balance of freedom over direction Artwork continues to be spellbinding New monsters and missions demonstrate an unending well of creativity Campaign provides a good balance of freedom over direction Cons-Time spent on lore isn’t particularly exciting Time spent on lore isn’t particularly exciting Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Jump to:Features & designGameplayShould you buy it?How we tested Jump to:Features & designGameplayShould you buy it?How we tested The Alien: Building Better Worlds RPG expansion is aptly named - a module dedicated to the very act of worldbuilding itself. Yes, whereas the previous expansion was all about detailing what it meant to be one of those meathead Marines, here we have a module on exploring the expanding frontier of space, looking for fresh worlds to inhabit, and the challenge of terraforming new environments until they become halfway survivable. And if it turns out there’s disconcertingly Freudian monsters that take objection to our wandering around their neighbourhood… well, at least try and rearrange your spilled organs into a helpful warning for future explorers before you die, OK? Building Better Worlds features & design Swipe to scroll horizontallyPrice$44.99 / £31.99SystemYear Zero Engine / Alien the Roleplaying GameGenreHorrorComplexityModeratePlayers2 - 6Lasts3 - 4hrs per sessionPublisherFree LeaguePlay if you likeCall of Cthulhu, Ten Candles, Traveller Swipe to scroll horizontally Price$44.99 / £31.99SystemYear Zero Engine / Alien the Roleplaying GameGenreHorrorComplexityModeratePlayers2 - 6Lasts3 - 4hrs per sessionPublisherFree LeaguePlay if you likeCall of Cthulhu, Ten Candles, Traveller Building Better Worlds can roughly be split into four elements: developing the lore of the Alien canon, adding new mechanics based around terraforming and exploration, a selection of new monsters, ships and equipment, and an adventure module that makes use of the new elements introduced. Let’s get the sticky stuff out of the way first - the worldbuilding and lore as shown here is not particularly engaging. God bless developer Free League for trying their best, but Alien’s lore has never really been its appeal - hence why the more iconic Alien movies don’t even bother with it, and why fans have been pulling faces at the franchise’s attempts to fill gaps in its lore more recently. (Image credit: Joel Franey) But that obligation is harder to avoid in the context of thebest tabletop RPGs, as GMs at least do have to understand the setting they’re playing with. Consequently, the first quarter of BBW (stop laughing) is a rather dry recounting of the history of elements like Weyland-Yutani, government powers, and all the megacorp shenanigans that the films specifically didn’t bother to bring up. What, you don’t want to read about ICSC Investment Group, or the New Albion Protectorate? More worlds to explore (Image credit: Matt Thrower) One wonders why they put this much lore in this book specifically, considering that the stated goal is to have players immediately bolt to the uncharted sections of the universe and communicate with civilization through periodic picture postcards. Fortunately the lore section doesn’t overstay its welcome, and it’s not long before we’re getting far superior tidbits and mechanics to play with, all focused on being either frontier explorers - well-paid and well-respected adventurers, but who tend to die like flies - and the struggling colonists setting up settlements on the newly-discovered planets. They also tend to die like flies. I think that’s just standard practice in this reality. The black, inky pages mean that the illustrations always loom out of the darkness towards you The black, inky pages mean that the illustrations always loom out of the darkness towards you On the subject of aesthetics, it practically goes without saying at this point that BBW remains as gorgeous as the books before it - the black, inky pages mean that the illustrations always loom out of the darkness towards you. In fact, the Alien RPG books are pretty enough that I’m happy having them pull double duty as (somewhat macabre) coffee table books when I’m not planning to traumatize hapless players. Building Better Worlds gameplay (Image credit: Joel Franey) Building Better Worlds comes with a scattershot of on-theme new options for players, including two new careers - the charismatic Entertainer, a broad generalization for anybody in the service industry, and the Wildcatter, a vague, flannel-wrapped aggregation of prospector, mechanic and surveyor, whose spirit animal is probably a callus. New weapons and ships get added too, most of which are less about direct warfare and more about either exploration or shifting freight - those colonists gotta get their supplies somehow, right? It’s all solid enough, bundled with some details on the standard colony tasks that players can expect to wrestle with in the downtime between facehugging fun. New horizons(Image credit: Joel Franey)If you’d like to go off the beaten track, you can actually create your own ‘better world’ via a section toward the end of the book. It features tables for generating everything from the solar system’s sun to planetary politics. New horizons (Image credit: Joel Franey)If you’d like to go off the beaten track, you can actually create your own ‘better world’ via a section toward the end of the book. It features tables for generating everything from the solar system’s sun to planetary politics. (Image credit: Joel Franey) If you’d like to go off the beaten track, you can actually create your own ‘better world’ via a section toward the end of the book. It features tables for generating everything from the solar system’s sun to planetary politics. I have to say, there’s real creativity here - for several books now it feels as though everybody’s been waiting for the moment where Free League runs out of ideas on how to adapt the rather svelte mythology of Alien, which has always been pretty streamlined when compared to other sci-fi and fantasy settings. But so far the writers don’t even show signs of slowing down - impressive considering the narrow tone and aesthetic they’re working within. (Image credit: Joel Franey) Expect at least a dozen sessions in this sandbox campaign that can be tackled in mostly any order, but with a larger peril and narrative that threads them together, as it turns out a malevolent force is curious to see who’s come to visit - and to retrace humanity’s path back to unsuspecting civilization. It’s a nice, punchy campaign with an emphasis on sandbox freedom - characters can spend as much time as the GM allows developing settlements between adventures, or leave that Minecraft malarky to NPCs if they’re so inclined and run off to antagonize all the worst hornets nests that the galaxy has to offer. Should you buy Alien RPG Building Better Worlds? (Image credit: Joel Franey) Buy it if… ✅ You want a mix of sandbox & structured horrorThe Lost Worlds campaign is an intriguing fusion of freedom and focused experiences that can be shifted around according to the GM’s whim. ✅ You want a mix of sandbox & structured horrorThe Lost Worlds campaign is an intriguing fusion of freedom and focused experiences that can be shifted around according to the GM’s whim. ✅ You want a mix of sandbox & structured horrorThe Lost Worlds campaign is an intriguing fusion of freedom and focused experiences that can be shifted around according to the GM’s whim. ✅ You want a mix of sandbox & structured horrorThe Lost Worlds campaign is an intriguing fusion of freedom and focused experiences that can be shifted around according to the GM’s whim. ✅ You want a mix of sandbox & structured horrorThe Lost Worlds campaign is an intriguing fusion of freedom and focused experiences that can be shifted around according to the GM’s whim. ✅ You want a mix of sandbox & structured horrorThe Lost Worlds campaign is an intriguing fusion of freedom and focused experiences that can be shifted around according to the GM’s whim. ✅ You want to expand the limits of what the Alien franchise can beNow firmly past the influence of the more iconic movies, Building Better Worlds is still finding new sources of inspiration while cleverly exploiting the darker corners of the franchise. ✅ You want to expand the limits of what the Alien franchise can beNow firmly past the influence of the more iconic movies, Building Better Worlds is still finding new sources of inspiration while cleverly exploiting the darker corners of the franchise. ✅ You want to expand the limits of what the Alien franchise can beNow firmly past the influence of the more iconic movies, Building Better Worlds is still finding new sources of inspiration while cleverly exploiting the darker corners of the franchise. ✅ You want to expand the limits of what the Alien franchise can beNow firmly past the influence of the more iconic movies, Building Better Worlds is still finding new sources of inspiration while cleverly exploiting the darker corners of the franchise. ✅ You want to expand the limits of what the Alien franchise can beNow firmly past the influence of the more iconic movies, Building Better Worlds is still finding new sources of inspiration while cleverly exploiting the darker corners of the franchise. ✅ You want to expand the limits of what the Alien franchise can beNow firmly past the influence of the more iconic movies, Building Better Worlds is still finding new sources of inspiration while cleverly exploiting the darker corners of the franchise. Don’t buy it if… ❌ You want a more action-orientated focusNew guns, gear and player options are about playing technicians and colonists, not those who feel comfortable with guns. ❌ You want a more action-orientated focusNew guns, gear and player options are about playing technicians and colonists, not those who feel comfortable with guns. ❌ You want a more action-orientated focusNew guns, gear and player options are about playing technicians and colonists, not those who feel comfortable with guns. ❌ You want a more action-orientated focusNew guns, gear and player options are about playing technicians and colonists, not those who feel comfortable with guns. ❌ You want a more action-orientated focusNew guns, gear and player options are about playing technicians and colonists, not those who feel comfortable with guns. ❌ You want a more action-orientated focusNew guns, gear and player options are about playing technicians and colonists, not those who feel comfortable with guns. ❌ You want a weightier campaign to playThe Lost Worlds campaign is slimmer and slighter than many might be used to, only comprising a third of the book total. ❌ You want a weightier campaign to playThe Lost Worlds campaign is slimmer and slighter than many might be used to, only comprising a third of the book total. ❌ You want a weightier campaign to playThe Lost Worlds campaign is slimmer and slighter than many might be used to, only comprising a third of the book total. ❌ You want a weightier campaign to playThe Lost Worlds campaign is slimmer and slighter than many might be used to, only comprising a third of the book total. ❌ You want a weightier campaign to playThe Lost Worlds campaign is slimmer and slighter than many might be used to, only comprising a third of the book total. ❌ You want a weightier campaign to playThe Lost Worlds campaign is slimmer and slighter than many might be used to, only comprising a third of the book total. How we tested Alien RPG Building Better Worlds Disclaimer This review is the result of weeks spent reading, preparing, and playing through sections of this book. We also delved into the wider Alien RPG library to provide a direct comparison in terms of how Building Better Worlds stacked up against its predecessors. You can discover more about our process in this guide tohow we test board games and tabletop RPGs, or the more general GamesRadar+reviews policypage. Want something else to play? Be sure to check out our roundup of thebest board games, or these must-haveboard games for adults. Free League Alien: The Roleplaying Game: Price Comparison 365 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆ 365 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆☆ $39.99View$57.99$45.99View $39.99View $39.99View $39.99View $39.99 $39.99 $57.99$45.99View $57.99$45.99View $57.99$45.99View $57.99$45.99 $45.99 We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices More info More Latest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history": Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetFlorence Pugh and Andrew Garfield say their new romantic drama changed them as actors: “I’ve never had an experience like that before"26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest► Latest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetFlorence Pugh and Andrew Garfield say their new romantic drama changed them as actors: “I’ve never had an experience like that before"26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest► Latest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetFlorence Pugh and Andrew Garfield say their new romantic drama changed them as actors: “I’ve never had an experience like that before"26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest► Latest “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetFlorence Pugh and Andrew Garfield say their new romantic drama changed them as actors: “I’ve never had an experience like that before"26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time” “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield say their new romantic drama changed them as actors: “I’ve never had an experience like that before” Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield say their new romantic drama changed them as actors: “I’ve never had an experience like that before” 26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time” 26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time” See more latest► Most PopularNemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"Anbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket”Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up"Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created”Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the flagships”Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"Bouiles Elite 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review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”