ALIEN RPG vs Scum and Villainy
Compare ALIEN RPG and Scum and Villainy side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| ALIEN RPG | Scum and Villainy | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi, Horror | Scifi |
| Play Style | Horror, Survival, Deadly, Atmospheric, One-Shot Friendly, Gritty, Licensed IP | Narrative, Heist, Faction Play, Low-Prep, Roleplay-Heavy, Exploration, Atmospheric |
| Core Mechanic | Roll a d6 dice pool (attribute + skill). Each 6 is a success. Stress adds extra dice — better odds, but stress dice that roll 1 trigger panic. Push rolls to reroll failures but gain stress. Cinematic mode for one-shots, Campaign mode for long-form play. | Forged in the Dark. Roll d6 dice pool, read highest: 6 = full success, 4–5 = partial success, 1–3 = bad outcome. Position (controlled/risky/desperate) sets stakes. Flashbacks replace planning. Progress clocks track complex obstacles. |
| Dice | d6 dice pool | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | Medium | Medium |
| Accessibility | High | Medium |
| Community | Medium | Medium |
| License | All Rights Reserved (20th Century Studios license) | Forged in the Dark |
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
| Publisher | Free League Publishing | Evil Hat Productions / Off Guard Games |
| Year | 2025 | 2018 |
| Best For | Sci-fi horror campaigns and one-shots in the Alien universe, with a stress/panic system that mechanically drives tension. Supports both deadly cinematic one-shots and long-form campaign play. | Groups who want Firefly/Star Wars-style spaceship crew adventures with Blades in the Dark's fiction-first mechanics. |
| Highlights | Stress and panic system mechanically reinforces horror tension, two distinct play modes (Cinematic and Campaign), Evolved Edition streamlines rules and improves layout, well-supported licensed setting | Flashbacks eliminate tedious planning, ship playbooks level up alongside characters, detailed faction system, low GM prep |
| Considerations | Tightly bound to the Alien IP with limited genre flexibility, stress mechanics can feel punishing at high levels, Evolved Edition changes are modest over 1st edition | Tightly tied to its specific setting, ship playbook progression can overshadow individual characters, faction system requires significant GM prep between sessions |