Welcome to Shadows Over Sol, a science fiction horror role-playing game where you and your team venture into the hungry void of outer space. You’ll explore derelict spaceships, make deals with shady corporations and confront bioengineered monstrosities encroaching on your every move. If you’re lucky, you might even survive.
Shadows Over Sol, Introduction, p. 4
The Shadows Over Sol Quickstart Guide (2nd Edition) is a rather comprehensive 74-page product. The Quickstart is divided into roughly four sections:
- Front matter and setting (~13 pages)
- Saga Machine game engine (~25 pages)
- Starter adventure (~20 pages)
- Quickstart handouts and characters (~16 pages)
Simspace versus meatspace
The setting of Shadows Over Sol seemingly takes the movie ALIEN (mostly) and The Matrix (some) and mixes them together. While that is admittedly an interesting combination (and not that far from the popular and recognized ALIEN plus Blade Runner mix) it does not come off feeling like anything unique to me. I already have the very good Year Zero Engine (YZE) driven ALIEN and Blade Runner roleplaying games (RPGs) from Free League Publishing. If you do not want already own or want to spend the money to buy a YZE title there is always the Cepheus Engine-driven HOSTILE rules and setting from Zozer Games which is a homage to ALIEN, Blade Runner, and cyberpunk in general.
Bottom Line: The setting in Shadows Over Sol feels highly derivative of existing popular—and well tread—roleplaying games. The difference—if any—is in the game engine.
Uncreative Saga
The Saga Machine game engine used in Shadows Over Sol is released under the Open RPG Creative (ORC) license (though mentioned in the text, nowhere else on the Quickstart is a any sort of copyright or license noted). To the best of my knowledge, Shadows Over Sol is both the first Saga Machine and ORC licensed RPG I have encountered.
Characters in Shadows Over Sol are described using eight stats—innate capabilities rated 1-10—as well as Skills (some with Specializations) in five ranks.
The core game mechanism in Saga Machine uses a d10. A Test is simplified down to:
Characteristic + Skill + d10 ≥ Target Number
…where the Target Number (TN) ranges from Trivial (TN6) to Impossible (TN20). There is an entire system for Boons (roll multiple d10) and Banes (take lowest die rolls). Combat is “theater of the mind” and does not use a scaled map. Players not only risk suffering Wounds but Stress and Panic; there are Consequences for many Actions. “Edges” are used in a form of game meta-currency to influence outcomes of Tests.
Bottom Line: The Saga Machine does offer anything truly unique in terms of game mechanisms that provide a different, exciting take on the horror sci-fi theme.
Deva vu Memories
“Memories” is the self-contained adventure for this Shadows Over Sol Quickstart. While the narrative claims the scenario, “departs from the typical adventure format” by having players wake from stasis with memory loss, it later admits, “this is a classic horror scenario” (p. 38). I will admit the scenario design does have a nice twist when it comes to character motives, but even so it is not enough, in my opinion, to make “Memories” memorable in any serious manner.
Bottom Line: I am not confident that this adventure, run using the Saga Machine game engine, generates an impactful narrative developed through play.
A Saga of few Shadows
As I write this post, Tab Creations is approaching fulfillment of a Kickstarter campaign for the second edition of Shadows Over Sol. With over 600 supporters pledging $54,295 on a $10,000 goal certainly indicates that some find the game interesting.
Regardless of the Kickstarter support, I wonder if there is any way that I can seriously recommend Shadows Over Sol:
- I guess that if your gaming group loves a sci-fi horror setting like ALIEN and wants to collect rules then Shadows Over Sol likely will find its way into your collection.
- If you are a fan of horror sci-fi but do not want to invest in the ALIEN Starter Set from Free League Publishing that usually retails at $19.99 for a digital version then Shadows Over Sol—for free—is a very affordable alternative.
- Introduction to HOSTILE: A Quick Guide for the HOSTILE Setting from Zozer Games (Pay What You Want ranging from a recommended $0 to $2) is not a full-up quickstarter but, given the many other free products from Zozer supporting HOSTILE, it may be a gateway to greater adventure using the Cepheus Engine game system.
- Cepheus Engine is supported by 1,036 items—with about 50 items for HOSTILE alone—cataloged at DriveThruRPG.
- Shadows Over Sol is a true and complete quickstart but it does require learning the relatively unique (though not complex) Saga Machine game engine that has less product support (only 54 items on DriveThruRPG for all of Shadows Over Sol).
Given the Kickstarter for Shadows Over Sol offers a pledge level for $25 that delivers the digital version making an investment beyond the free Quickstart may be a palatable option. My personal view, however, is that—based on the Quickstart sampler—the dish delivered is rather bland…
Feature image courtesy Tab Creations
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Rocky Mountain Navy Gamer 
I think SOS was the first to do gritty space horror, but sadly that doesn’t guarantee it did it best.
Anzon