Cities Without Number vs Neon City Overdrive
Compare Cities Without Number and Neon City Overdrive side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Cities Without Number | Neon City Overdrive | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Cyberpunk | Cyberpunk |
| Play Style | Sandbox, Classless, Noir, Ascending AC | Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Fast-Paced, Low-Prep, Fiction-First, Atmospheric, Cinematic, Tag-Based |
| Core Mechanic | 2d6 + attribute mod + skill for skill checks; d20 + modifiers vs. AC for combat. Edge and chrome (cyberware) add abilities and complications. Faction turn system runs corporate, gang, and government power struggles between sessions. Tag-based city generation creates districts and neighborhoods on the fly. | Roll a pool of action dice (d6s) based on advantages, then roll danger dice for obstacles. Danger dice cancel matching action dice. Your result is the highest remaining action die. |
| Dice | 2d6 / d20 | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | Medium | Very Low |
| Accessibility | High | Medium |
| Community | Medium | Very Low |
| License | Proprietary | All Rights Reserved |
| Cost | Free / $$ | $ |
| Publisher | Sine Nomine Publishing | Peril Planet |
| Year | 2023 | 2020 |
| Best For | Cyberpunk sandbox campaigns with comprehensive GM worldbuilding tools, faction turns, and noir-tinged urban adventure — fully compatible with Stars Without Number and Worlds Without Number. | Groups who want fast, fiction-first cyberpunk action with minimal rules overhead and maximum style. |
| Highlights | Free version is very generous, comprehensive sandbox and faction tools, seamlessly compatible with SWN/WWN family, noir investigation mechanics, detailed city generation system | Simple action/danger dice mechanic, fast character creation, fiction-first tags drive everything, compact 72-page rulebook, strong cyberpunk atmosphere |
| Considerations | OSR combat can feel basic, cyberpunk genre may overlap with Shadowrun expectations, less support for narrative/story-arc campaigns | Tag-based characters can feel mechanically samey, limited advancement system, danger dice can stack to make rolls feel futile, short rulebook leaves many situations to GM judgment |