If you were a kid in the 70s and 80s like me and most of my readership then it likely you watched the late 70s show about UFOs and Project Blue Book called "Project U.F.O.". Oddly enough a lot of people remember the show as being called "Project Blue Book" too. More Mandella effect I am thinking. I am also thinking that Josh Palmer was a huge fan of the show then.
Dark Places & Demogorgons The UFO Investigator's Handbook
This book is the latest (for now) book in the Survive This! Dark Places & Demogorgons line. A couple of things jump right out at me.
First, the cover has dropped the "Survive This!" label. It is still mentioned on the cover page, but I am thinking that the Dark Places & Demogorgons name has more visual recognition.
Second, that cover is fantastic. It's a step up from the covers of past books (which are still great, this one is just better) and it invokes EXACTLY the feelings they wanted. Is that a Whitley Strieber inspired cover? Fire in the Sky? X-Files? Yes. To all the above.
Ok, let's jump right in.
I am reviewing both the book and the PDF. These were not sent to me, I bought them on my own dime. Noticeable differences: The PDF cover is blueish on my screen (nod to Blue Book?) but the physical copy is more green (Little Green Books?) anyway. Not important...moving on.
The book is 48 pages with an interior cover page and two pages of OGL. The font is larger than say your average Swords & Wizardry book at the same digest size. Color covers, black and white interior art.
The first section covers new classes. We get a good selection of the usual suspects; UFO Investigator (a class I resemble a little too closely at that age), Conspiracy Theorist, Alien Hunter, and Alien in Disguise (for your Starman types). The UFO Investigator covers your basic Fox Mulder, Carl Kolchak, Scooby Gang, and others. The Alien in Disguise is the most detailed with various forms and powers.
Up next are a couple pages of new equipment including the UFO Investigator's kits. Some adventure hooks, UFO terms, and some misrepresented UFOs. Enough in a couple of pages to get you going really.
The really fun stuff is next Alien Encounters/Seeds. Included are the Hexpost Monster, Alien Probers (we know what these guys are all about), K.U.F.O.O. (an organization), Green Men Attack Gaslight, and the G-Men Come to Town (basically the Project Blue Book). So if the hooks couldn't get you going these will.
We end with what is one of my favorite parts of all the DP&D books, the Recommended Reading and Viewing lists. Interestingly enough "Project U.F.O." is not on this list. Ok, Josh Palmer, this needs to be added to your watch list.
The book is excellent really. Great addition to the Dark Places & Demogorgons game.
This is a great book. I used the Gas Light festival adventure seed with my group and they absolutely loved it! One of the characters even won the Conway Twitty impersonation contest.
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