Apes Victorious by Daniel Proctor and Tim Snider is a role playing game supplement published by Goblinoid Games. The supplement is based on Labyrinth Lord but is a new system and is covered by the Open Game License with some parts being considered to be Open Game Content as a result. This is an OSR-based science fiction game.
The supplement is available as a PDF from RPGNow at the regular price of $3.73, as a softcover print on demand book for $12.99, a hardcover print on demand book for $18.99, the PDF and softcover for $17.96 and PDF and hardcover for $23.96. The PDF is the version reviewed although it was purchased at the reduced price of $2.24. The supplement is also available as a printed book from sites such as Amazon.
This is a 122 page PDF with two pages being the colour front and rear covers, two pages the front matter, three pages the Table of Contents, one page is a blank character sheet, four pages are the Open Game License and one page is blank.
The Foreword explains how the game is based on the Planet of the Apes franchise, namely the original film and derivatives, not the new reboot, in particular Planet of the Apes (1968), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), the Planet of the Apes television series (1974) and the animated series Return to the Planet of the Apes (1975). It also gives some details on the author.
Section 1: Introduction gives an overview of the setting, which is descended from an apocalypse in the 1970s when most of humanity was wiped out during a third and final world war, this time nuclear, which resulted in a nuclear winter followed by a glacial age. A few survived in underground bunkers and some on the surface, both of whom diverged substantially from the original base stock. Various species of apes became intelligent in the process.
At the time of the nuclear apocalypse, technology was more advanced than it was in the real world, with expeditions being sent to other stars at near-light speed and advances in cryogenics, and some of these missions have since returned.
This section also gives some basic details on the game mechanics, which will be familiar to most who are already familiar with RPGs.
Section 2: Characters covers classes. The classes are also the races, which is typical for the original D&D games and OSR ones derived from them but will be more unusual to those only familiar with more modern games. The abilities are pretty standard and the point pools cover hit points and PSI points.
Astronauts are standard humans who are considered to have travelled through a time warp or spent a long time in cryosleep.
Bonobo Agents are the most socially skilled of the various ape races, and have some skill as spies – namely thief skills.
Chimpanzee Scholars are the most learned apes and have various fields of speciality. They can create new inventions and possibly learn how to use pre-apocalyptic items.
Gorilla Soldiers are the warrior caste. Their skills are in fighting and combat.
Humanoids are the devolved surface descendants of pre-apocalyptic humans. They are not really recommended as a character class, having quite a few disadvantages.
Orangutan Politicians are the clergy of the ape world and hold most political positions of power.
Underdwellers are the descendants of those humans who survived the apocalypse by moving underground into prepared bunkers who have since evolved and gained psionic powers.
This section ends with money and equipment. There are three classes of equipment, astronaut (pre-apocalypse), ape and underdweller.
Section 3: PSI Powers has rules on the psionic powers available in the game.
Section 4: Adventure Rules covers a variety of things, from movement to vision to mapping to combat. This includes such as save, morale and ability checks, poisons, stun and paralysis and missile ranges.
Section 5: Dangerous Evolution is the bestiary section. This is divided into two main sections. The first has standard versions of the various races and a number of mutated animals. Dangers of the Forbidden Zone has other creatures that are often associated with underdwellers, including cyborgs.
Section 6: Ape Society covers that of the apes. Their society is rather heavily dominated by religion, which puts a crimp in their scientific ability, and is also heavily prejudiced against humanoids.
Section 7: The Underdwellers is similar to the previous section, but for underdwellers. They are more scientifically advanced, and some basic details are given on their technology. The underdwellers also act to keep the apes dominated by their religion.
Section 8: The Ape Master is on running the game. There are a number of adventure themes, some notes on 70s technology, as it might have been expected to evolve in the 60s, and on adventure locations. There are also ape names and a small wilderness map.
Section 9: Escape Ape Planet is a sample adventure. Although the rest of the book is on how apes evolved on Earth after a world war, this instead has the adventure set on another planet. Which seems a little weird, as an adventure that fitted with the described setting would have been more logical.
Section 10: Conversions is the final section and provides details on converting material to and from Labyrinth Lord, Mutant Future and Starships & Spacemen 2E.
Apes Victorious in Review
The PDF is well bookmarked with the major and minor sections linked. The Table of Contents is not quite as thorough, but is hyperlinked. Navigation is above average as a result.
The text maintains a single column format and no errors were noticed. There are a number of black and white illustrations throughout, although sadly there aren’t illustrations for every monster and race. Presentation is good.
As is acknowledged in the Ape Master section, this is quite a niche game at its most basic. Having the characters be stranded astronauts in a post-apocalyptic ape-dominated world will quickly become old, which is why there are a number of adventure options. Perhaps it might better be integrated with a space-based game – which is essentially what the adventure does, even if not in the campaign setting as presented. The Forbidden Zone is not developed; it is mentioned a few times, but never as to what it actually is. Possibly a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but this is uncertain.
To a large extent, Apes Victorious does exactly what it says on the tin. It presents a setting inspired and based on the old Planet of the Apes films and series. It really doesn’t go much beyond that though, if at all. What it does do, it does well, but quite a bit of effort will need to be put in to make it more than that, or more than just a one-shot game. There isn’t the same amount of (often third party) material available, as there is for other Goblinoid Games. Material from the other related games can be adapted, and that is perhaps the best source of content. Adding Apes Victorious to a Mutant Future or Starships & Spacemen 2E campaign is probably the way to get the most use out of it.
The print on demand books are therefore a bit pricey for the probable use the game will get. The PDF is excellent value for money, even at the current full price. This system presents a post-apocalyptic ape-dominated game, as it intended, but nothing more really. Apes Victorious can be found by clicking here.
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