Monday Musings #121 🤬
Musings on Branded Games™️
Good Monday, Gamer!
“If a technological feat is possible, man will do it. Almost as if it’s wired into the core of our being.“ — Major Motoko Kusanagi
This week I’m thinking about branded games — the ones that carry big licenses and even bigger expectations. Ghost in the Shell and Invincible just dropped, and I’m wondering if they can break the curse of “safe” licensed RPGs. Plus: a look at our Lifted progress, recent play in Mythic Bastionland, and a wrap on the M.A.C.E. Corp arc.
Two big licensed TTRPGs are incoming: Ghost in the Shell and Invincible. Both are built on solid, existing systems—Ghost in the Shell runs on a customized Forged in the Dark engine, and Invincible uses the Mutant Year Zero framework. Solid choices. But the thing that always worries me about branded games is that they often play it too safe. I’ve seen this quite often. A publisher scores a killer license and then delivers a game that feels… sanitized. Generic. It's as if they were so worried about getting the IP wrong, or players running amok on it, that they shaved off all the interesting edges.
Meanwhile, the best in class non-branded games—Blades in the Dark, Apocalypse World, Mythic Bastionland—work because they’re not trying to please anyone but themselves. They’ve got vision. Teeth. They take big swings.
What I’m Hoping For
Ghost in the Shell has incredible potential. It’s one of cyberpunk’s crown jewels: questions about identity, consciousness, and autonomy layered over military intrigue, espionage, and existential dread. Forged in the Dark can absolutely handle the action and structure—heists, ops, investigations—but will it be allowed to dive into the deeper stuff? Will it let players become the blurred line between human and machine, or will brand protection clip those wings?
Invincible is another fascinating case. It’s a superhero story that’s not afraid to get bloody, complicated, and personal. Family, morality, betrayal—it’s messy in all the right ways. The MYZ engine (see also: Twilight 2000) thrives on character-driven drama and high-stakes consequences. But will the game let players make the hard, ugly choices that make Invincible compelling? Or will it flatten into a tabletop beat-’em-up?
The Real Game
The real test isn’t whether these games can recreate the source material. It’s whether they can empower players to tell their own stories inside those worlds. Can they capture the spirit of the original without becoming a museum exhibit of it?
I’m cautiously optimistic. Both systems are proven. Both settings have rich veins to mine. But I’ve been gassed by branded games before—projects that turned into fan-service artifacts, not living, playable worlds. Here’s hoping these two break the pattern. The hobby could use more licensed games that take risks, trust their players, and refuse to color inside the branded safe lines.
What’s your take on branded games? Have you found any that truly live up to the source material?
Elf Hunt
After two campaigns in Mythic Bastionland—a complete trilogy and an ongoing stand-alone, follow-up—I can say it’s become one of my favorite systems. It feels like the roguelike of TTRPGs: you die, you learn, you return stronger.
Our latest session centered on the Elf Hunt—tracking down the elf to uncover its purpose in these lands. It was “spilling” the blood of humans to turn the seasons. Kelwyn accepted a duel to end it. The fight ended in a draw—both mortally wounded. Their compromise: each season, a contest would be held here—Elf versus Knight. A feast the night before, a celebration after. A contest of arms for the blood to turn the seasons.
Mythic Bastionland. Incredible sessions. Get the game—or better yet, get Judd to run it for you. Full “Played It” review coming soon with campaign notes, character insights, and reflections.
MCUS M.A.C.E. Corp Wrap-Up
Speaking of Forged in the Dark… Rich Roger facilitated quite the mashup: Marvel, FitD, HARD Corps, SHIELD, oh my! We ran two of four sessions—real life stole the middle. It happens. But we got to regroup for a finale to close the loop properly. I’m grateful we got to end it right; not every series gets that chance. It’s worth it.
Lifted Update
Lifted: Indomitable remains in the layout phase, hindered by format changes, missing art, and a shifting project queue. We’re in the final 20%, that stubborn stretch where it’s less about creation and more about the slog to the finish line. It’s been a long, late road, but Lifted is transforming from a pile of markdown files into the finished book and toolkit you backed. Thank you for your patience and belief while I bring it home.
ICYMI
Indie RPG Newsletter — packed issue this week.
Sarah Doom’s Work Tools, pt 2— if you design or write, read this.
Judd’s Mythic Bastionland Resources — gold for anyone running the game.
Thanks for reading, playing, and supporting the strange stuff.