Velvet Glove by Sarah Doom is an RPG that throws you headfirst into the rough-and-tumble world of an all-girl gang in the 1970s. This game, Powered by the Apocalypse, ain't about slaying dragons or saving the galaxy. Nope, it's about survival, loyalty, and kicking ass on the mean streets where respect is everything, ya dig? Think movies like Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill! or The Outsiders—but with girl gangs!
You play as badass girl gang members trying to carve out a piece of the city for yourselves. Expect knife fights, shady deals, and more attitude than a punk rock concert. You're dealing with rival gangs, crooked cops, and all the drama that comes with being tough-as-nails chicks in a man's world circa 1970s.
Sarah Doom, the gang leader behind Velvet Glove, ran a 4-session series for Witney, Jeremiah, and myself. We even had a session zero where Toby the Hellion, Evie the Newbie, and January the Radical were born. We're the Deer Women, and just like that, January finds herself in a bathroom knife fight with the Jackals, picking up right where my last Velvet Glove game some years back left off —stay out those bathrooms, kids! We went from school drama to our gang’s spot in an abandoned lifeguard tower on the beach, dancing to Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” on 8-track. We ended the series with the cops busting up a rave—70s style. Why the short details? Well, this played out like an R-rated movie (Sex, drugs, violence…), and that sometimes happens at high-trust tables with safety tools. I love games that let you set that dial and play deep.
What do you do?
Yes, you play women. Girls in a girl gang. Yes, there's a stat called 'Pussy'. There are adult themes. Its premise is 70s Girl Gang, built on the solid mechanics and moves of Powered by the Apocalypse games. Get the Lowdown, Wreck Shit, Keep on Truckin’—classic PBTA moves with a twist. Then there are moves like Go It Alone, which gives you a -1 for going lone wolf or Tell a Man to Cool It. These say something about the game's premise. Plus, that 2d6 + stat is just tough to beat.
So there's genre, and then there’s genre emulation games. Every now and then, a game grabs a genre by the throat, knees it in the balls, and busts a bottle over its head. In the PBTA space, Apocalypse World kicked that door in, Cartel and Nahual rocked that party, and Velvet Glove burns the house down. These aren't just vibes and feels games. You could play it that way at open tables and con venues, but at home with your friends, at a trusted table? These games are incredible experiences. I only had great experiences with these games.
I'd play this game every time it's on offer, for sure. Velvet Glove is raw, it’s gritty, and it’s gonna make you feel every punch, shank, every heartbreak and kiss. It’s all about those personal relationships, the street-level conflicts, and proving you’re not to be messed with. So, if you’re looking for a game that’s got bite and ain't afraid to get its hands dirty, Velvet Glove is where it’s at.
Go catch up with Sarah Doom. You can see the basic moves and character sheets of Velvet Glove, her work on Bluebeard's Bride, and more!
You can also catch us nerding out on some early Diceology episodes! See how that’s aged!!
Excellent review 👏👏👏I can’t wait to pick up this groovy game so i can sock it to the man, dig!