Maze Rats as Micro-OSR
Written while listening to the Trine Soundtracks by Ari Pulkkinen and the Ori soundtracks by Gareth Coker Choosing which glistening treasures to keep and which to leave behind. Clambering up slick rocks in hopes of not plunging into freezing depths below. Outsmarting Orc tribes through means of trading and trickery. Casting mysterious spells with wondrous and unpredictable effects in the torchlight of a dark dungeon. Picking loot off of your comrade’s quickly slaughtered body. Becoming more powerful and chiseled with every encounter, enemy, and environment. Relying on your cleverly constructed plans over the fate of a die roll. These are all examples of experiences that OSR games specialize in; Resource Management, Dangerous Exploration, and Powerful abilities accompanied by the threat of death. Many systems are designed to produce these experiences, and a few of them are rules-lite and easy to print out at home. Among the smallest of these is Maze Rats, and man do I love it. In Octobe...