Tokyo:Otherscape Playtest
The Tokyo:Otherscape Kickstarter campaign is close to the finish line, with only a few days more to go! And thanks to all of our backers, we’ve made over six times our original funding goal, unlocking new adversaries, custom dice, and more jobs for your crew to run.
But the Kickstarter isn’t over and we’re not done releasing incredible previews for this project. You might have watched how the game plays out in our recent Tokyo:Otherscape In Action video. But now, you can try the game out for yourself with the Tokyo:Otherscape playtest.
This playtest document features the current basic rules for the game, with the Player Moves and MC Moves neatly laid out. We’ve talked at length about these rules before in our Dev Diaries and other videos. But even if your friend group doesn’t “do their homework”, the system itself makes it easy to grab a group and get going!
The most exciting part of the playtest, of course, is the demo scenario! The Son of Oak crew has been hard at work crafting a case that drops you right into the world of Tokyo:Otherscape. The cyberpunk megacity is full of threats and criminal elements, just waiting to stab you for some quick credits. But this adventure doesn’t take place on the mean streets. Instead, we’re going deeper…into cyberspace.
Somewhere in the vast sea that is the internet, a strange server has been identified. This anomaly – codenamed BNZ4I-10 – displays cutting edge capacities that surpass anything the megacity has seen before. Whoever controls this server has the ability to manipulate the flow of data throughout the net. Among other things, they are able to redirect data packets, even those sent from secure locations, and transmit highly sensitive information into this mysterious server. Who created it and whether its abilities are from superior technology or some kind of magic is currently unknown.
What is known is that the server has recently been taken over. A terrorist organization known only as the Returned Sōma Clan have identified and taken control of the server for their own nefarious purposes. In the past, this group has orchestrated attacks on government buildings, train stations, and sports stadiums. If they gain control over all the data in the megacity, who knows what new chaos they could bring down?
And that, of course, is where you come in.
Your crew has been hired to infiltrate and take over the server, along with clearing out all Returned Sōma Clan presence and code. The specifics of how your crew gets hired and even what group they’re working for is up to the Master of Ceremonies. Whatever the case, what you need to do is clear; get in and clean house.
But this isn’t a job that can be solved by a single person at a computer. Through a technique called harnessing, your crew will have their brains jacked into the web Matrix-style, where they’ll face challenges in a VR environment. We’ve talked about this process before in our Lore Drop video, where your crew’s collective computational power will be used to take over the server.
Once they’re harnessed, the crew will appear as virtual versions of themselves inside the BNZ4I-10 Cybershrine. They’ll see literal streams of data flow past pagodas and shrines that make up the server’s processes. It’s an idyllic scene for such a powerful construct. But don’t let the cyber-serenity fool you. The crew will not only have to deal with the Returned Sōma Clan, but also the firewalls and other defenses of the server itself.
Thankfully, your crew is equipped to take on any challenge. The three mercenaries available in this playtest follow the standard trio of RPG classes. Our “rogue” is Unagi, the slippery urban scavenger whose sheet you may have seen in our Character Sheet Preview. She’s joined by our “fighter” and oni mercenary Wilson and our “mage” and supernatural detective Genji.
With their broad range of abilities, your crew will have the freedom to hack into the server in their own way. Will they sneak through its defenses? Will they go in guns-a-blazing? Or will they find a stranger way through by interfering with the very forces that keep the Cybershrine together?
Honestly, we’re really excited to find out! Be sure to download the playtest through the link below and let us know how your group takes over the BNZ4I-10 Cybershrine. Tokyo:Otherscape is still in development, so we welcome any and all feedback that will help us create the best mythic cyberpunk RPG.
And if you haven’t yet, check out the Tokyo:Otherscape Kickstarter and become a backer today! Support an indie gaming company, get an incredible TTRPG, and help us unlock new stretch goals, all with a single pledge.
And of course, let us know what you think of the game in the comments, on social media, or on the City of Mist Discord. Until then, have fun!