When the people at Exalted Funeral first proposed to me Eem Land – the role-playing game equivalent of how the Muppets might play Dungeons & Dragons – I was sold immediately. To my pleasant surprise, the review copy lived up to its lofty, if capricious, promise. Eem Land It's great in the same way that the best cartoons are: wrapping serious themes in a ridiculous bow that rewards curiosity and social connections. With a big push for TTRPG clubs in schools and libraries, Eem Land It's a great game to bring to a table of players of any age.
Based on the middle grade graphic novel series, Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo by emem Writers Ben Costa and James Parks, the setting and mechanics of Eem Land They are aimed at players who prefer story to combat, as well as younger audiences. The basic rules will be familiar to anyone who has played D&D. There are basic attributes (Vim, Vigor, Knack, and Knowhow) that influence skills and modify skill checks. However, instead of rolling a d20, the game uses the far superior (at least in this journalist's humble opinion) d12.
The process of creating characters and groups, along with Eem LandThe system for players to level up is where the game really differentiates itself from its inspiration, D&D. This game is explicit about prioritizing and rewarding creativity, curiosity, and exploration, while ensuring that adventurers treat everything they encounter as a person with thoughts and feelings, even if they end up having to fight them.
Eem Land has six classes to suit different play styles, including the classic Bard and Knight Errant, the Dungeoneer explorer, the supportive Loyal Chum, the magical Gnome, and (my personal favorite) the scoundrel Rascal. He also has 16 unique Folk (their term for species) that run the gamut of whimsical little ones. And yes, most importantly, you can play a frog person or even a Muppet-like humanoid.
Character creation emphasizes that developing a complete character with ideals, flaws, personal goals, and relationships with all other party members will not only improve the game, but will also help your character level up. Following the tradition of story games, experience points are not earned by killing monsters, but by acting on your character traits, developing relationships, meeting new NPCs, and exploring new parts of the world.
Eem Land is now available on Exalted Funeral. The game was previewed using a retail product provided by Exalted Funeral. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, although Vox Media may earn commissions on products purchased through affiliate links. you can find Additional information about Polygon's ethics policy here.