Explored: A Haunting Whispers-Heavy TTRPG Experience Inspired by The Last of Us
The Real Horror of a Zombie Apocalypse: It’s Not the Zombies, It’s Us
The Human Cost of Survival
When it comes to surviving a zombie apocalypse, we often focus on the zombies themselves. But what about the people around us? Games like The Last Of Us, The Walking Dead, and Navaar Jackson’s tabletop role-playing game The Corrupted show us that it’s actually the humans who can be the most terrifying.
The Intimate Horror of Small Group Survival
While there are many games that tackle the zombie trope, The Corrupted stands out for its focus on a small group of survivors. Using a familiar d20 system, the game adds mechanics that highlight the difficulties of adjusting to a post-apocalyptic world with people you don’t know. Combat mechanics are present, but the main thrust of the game is the emotional toll the apocalypse takes on this small group.
Resource Management and the Struggle for Survival
Resource management is a key aspect of The Corrupted, as players must track food, water, and other essential tools over time. This adds a layer of realism to the game, making survival feel more precarious and uncertain.
The Human Condition in a Post-Apocalyptic World
The game’s base abilities include Empathy, Intellect, Judgement, Brawn, Agility, and Vitality, which are all crucial during out-of-combat play. Failed rolls don’t just prevent players from achieving their goals – they also cause Stress and a unique “compromised” condition that elevates the stakes of any conflict. Unresolved Stress then compiles into conflicts, mechanically representing the tensions that arise from the literal stress and trauma of survival.
A Slice-of-Life Zombie Apocalypse Actual Play
For a glimpse into the emotional devastation of The Corrupted, check out Ties That Bind, a stunningly edited audio actual play featuring Navaar Jackson, Hamnah Shahid, and Josephine Kim. This slice-of-life zombie apocalypse actual play follows three survivors as they navigate the interpersonal and ethical complications of figuring out what comes after the apocalypse, with the lives they led before the pathogen tore through the United States.
• Base abilities: Empathy, Intellect, Judgement, Brawn, Agility, and Vitality
• Resource management: tracking food, water, and other essential tools over time
• Conflict system: mechanically represents tensions that arise from stress and trauma
• Actual play: Ties That Bind features Navaar Jackson, Hamnah Shahid, and Josephine Kim