Substratum Protocol, a survival mystery TTRPG from Pandion Games, officially launched on BackerKit today and is already fully funded. The game features both a guided and solo mode, dice and card draw mechanics, and 10 “sectors” to explore.
In Substratum Protocol, scientists descend to a devastating portal at the center of the Earth to avoid an apocalypse. Players must overcome unique challenges and dangerous creatures, power their Exosuit, and find clues to develop an Earth-saving hypothesis.
On the BackerKit campaign page, Pandion Games says that “the game is 90% complete already”. The project’s “Begin Fulfillment” milestone is currently estimated for June 17th.
Pandion Games also released a free preview PDF, featuring the first 38 pages of the book. Early on, it mentions that some of Substratum Protocol’s influences include Subnautica and Deep Impact. That’s promising to hear, though I was surprised The Core didn’t come up.
The story combines both sci-fi and cosmic horror, and even glimpses from the preview look very compelling. It’s clear the writing is thoughtful, boiling over with worldbuilding and creative, thorough explanations.
The scientific approach lives up to the illustrations, which are weathered and harken back to a very specific age of sci-fi storytelling. I also appreciate the blend of grounded perspectives and the fantastic.
There’s even a little humor, here and there. The Exosuit’s acronym resembles the word “desperate”, and the BeepBoBop recon drone looks adorable.
This TTRPG looks pretty friendly. It features a solo mode, and apparently integrates ordinary playing cards. The character creation looks speedy, and Pandion Games says Substratum is ideal for “impromptu sessions [and] short campaigns”.
That’s always helpful, though the complexity in the preview still looks like it could overwhelm TTRPG newcomers.
Overall, I am definitely curious about this one. Pandion Games previously worked on a lot of solo-enabled and horror RPGs, like Whispers in the Walls.
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