The OSR, which stands for “Old-School Renaissance” or “Old-School Revival” is a movement in the tabletop roleplaying game scene that seeks to recreate a playstyle derived from the rulebooks of classic RPGs. Beginning in the early 2000s, and inspired by early editions of games like Dungeons & Dragons and Traveller, the OSR was and remains a loose-knit community of players, game masters, and publishers. While there is much disagreement and debate among this group about the exact meaning of the OSR, generally there are a few hallmarks that distinguish what makes an “OSR game”.

It all began with Vincent and Meguey Baker’s Apocalypse World, a roleplaying game set in a Mad Max-style apocalyptic wasteland that casts players as survivors trying to build a life amidst scarcity, external and internal threats, and a mysterious force known as the world’s psychic maelstrom. Released in 2010, it received critical and popular acclaim, numerous awards, and was hailed as an innovative leap forward for independent roleplaying game design. But Apocalypse World’s legacy lies in its open invitation to other designers to publish games inspired by it.

If you’re interested in seeing what the buzz is all about and trying an OSR game for yourself, these are the best places to start; rules-light, stylish, unbeatably quick to get to the table, and in some cases, very familiar.

If you want to start playing tabletop roleplaying games, but don’t have anyone to play with, have no fear! It’s easier than you think to get your friends together for an unforgettable adventure. Here are six tips for putting together your first gaming group.

If you’re looking to play Blades in the Dark online, the first thing you’ll need to decide is which virtual tabletop, or VTT, to use. Fortunately, you have a number of options to help you immerse your players in the haunted city of Doskvol and bedevil their scoundrels with all manner of ghosts, demons, horrors from beyond the veil, and of course, those meddling bluecoats.

This guide will take you step-by-step through the process, and by the end, you’ll have a solid grasp on an up-and-coming criminal who will no doubt become Doskvol’s most wanted.

Everyone’s heard horror stories of players writing 20-page backstories for an RPG campaign, only to have none of it ever come up in play! While excitement and enthusiasm for your character is awesome for you and your game table, nobody wants that much effort to just go to waste. Here’s what your backstory actually needs to be easy to write, useful for your Game Master, and leave room for your character to grow in play.