The third season of Ludonarrative Dissidents began its crowdfunding on 4 March 2024 and closed on 7 April, having raised $11,066, or 368% of its target. That means this season will have 27 episodes, plus a year of livestream episodes, a zine and more. Huge thanks to all our backers.
Each episode of season 3 will have a full set of show notes, which means each episode now gets a page of its own. One day we will revise the entries for seasons 1 and 2 to do the same, but we’re going to have to start earning a bunch more from affiliate fees to make it worth doing. Anyway.
00
Dungeon crawl classics #86: HOLE IN THE SKY
A single-session OSR adventure by Brendan Lasalle, played by the Ludonarrative Dissidents crew and guests in the last episode of season 2. But what did we really think of it? How faithful is it to the spirit of the ‘classics’ it invokes? Is there a dungeon or, for that matter, much crawling? Only one way to find out!
Click the episode title to go to the recording and extensive show notes.
01
Heart: The city beneath
Heart: The City Beneath by Grant Howitt and Chris Taylor is a game of unconventional fantasy adventurers who are drawn to enter, explore and lose themselves in a very corporeal underworld beneath the city of Spire. They’ll face horrific foes, bizarre locations and an eldritch subway system, plus bees. It’s from the same designers and publisher as Spire, it’s an award-winning indie darling, but what will the Ludonarrative Dissidents make of it? Will they locate the life-ending revelation they seek in its fleshy realms? Will Heart find a place in their heart, or just turn them into a big ol’ train?
Click the episode title above to listen to this episode and read the show notes.
02
DELTA GREEN: CONVERGENCE
Delta Green: Convergence was the very first adventure set in the world of Delta Green, written by John Tynes and published by Pagan Publishing in 1992. The LND team are reviewing an updated but substantially similar version released by Arc Dream in 2023. How has this foundation-stone of modern Lovecraftian horror stood the test of time? Is it still the best portal for new players to enter the desperate world of Delta Green operatives? What will noted not-a-horror-gamer James make of it all? Dare you find out?
Click the episode title above to listen to this episode and read the show notes.
03
SAVAGE WORLDS ADVENTURE EDITION
Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (SWADE) is a generic rules system of cinematic action, with a historied pedigree and an amazing range of sourcebooks, but how does it fare against more rules-y games like GURPS or narrativist darlings like FATE? We take it apart to see what keeps its motor running, mechanically and stylistically, then put it back together to discuss how that affects play. Along the way Greg fails a SAN roll and is reduced to helpless laughter–but which member of the team is capable of such a thing?
Click the episode title above to listen to this episode and read the show notes.
04
NIGHT’S BLACK AGENTS: DOUBLE TAP
Night’s Black Agents: Double Tap is a ‘gear book’ from 2013, a collection of new equipment, background and game material for GM and players of Night’s Black Agents, an RPG of modern tactical espionage and vampires, written by Ken Hite and published by Pelgrane Press. It’s a really interesting book whether you play NBA or not, and we think you’ll enjoy our far-ranging discussion.
Right now this episode is only available to our Kickstarter backers. It will be available to the public in late September, so please check back then.