SHIVER RPG Core Rulebook

Product Information

Fight your way through ghoul infested abandoned buildings, sleuth out a murder mystery, pull off a grand heist and fight werewolves, vampires, and monsters galore in this most Gothic of setting and story. Shiver doesn’t have a real setting so it is extremely malleable and can adapt to any weird and mysterious storyline you want to build.

When the good people at Parable Games sent me the SHIVER Core Rule Book& set of Shiver Dice (yes, thats a thing) I wasn’t prepared for what joy was in store for this here TTRPG obsessive. Oh boy, let me tell you about SHIVER TTRPG, the game that’s guaranteed to give you chills and thrills, and not just because bloody weather here in Scotland is still freezing! The eye-catching graphics and use of symbols make the character sheet particularly intuitive. Its filling follows a series of guided steps that take just a few minutes. March marks their 3rd month of Patreon releases and with it they delighted to bring some SHIVER content from a much loved theme… ALIENS! Each archetype, with the exception of the Survivor, has a preponderant linked Skill where you can assign the highest value, which is 5.A collection of terrifying tales for the award winning SHIVER RPG that really show the games ability to portray any setting and sub-genre you love. From Weird Wild West, to Arctic Special Ops Teams, to outer-space explorers, as long as something strange is going on SHIVER has you covered. One thing that I learnt through this project is that the definition of Horror is extremely broad. Jaws, Jurassic Park, Scooby Doo, all these titles fit within the Horror genre just not in the gorey axe wielding murderer way that maybe you see picturing a ‘traditional’ horror film or tv show in your head. The Spooky Supporter Tier brings a story of extra terrestrial terror in troubled Redwood Rise. Disappearances in the town are making everyone suspicious and choosing who to trust may be the difference between life and death.

The layout of the manual is simple and easy-to-follow. The artwork reminds me of the Mike Mignola Hellboy comic book covers, and it is pretty consistent throughout the rulebook. John Carpenter is one of the big influences on Charlie’s writing, you can definitely see this in The Lost Ship, a snowy arctic tale which pays homage to a certain famous one of his films.” Menzies does clarify though. “Our influences don’t just stem from film however, as you can likely tell from SHIVER’s artwork we’re also big comic fans. The works of creators like Mike Mignola and Alan Moore have also inspired us. We have hidden so many little references to things we love across the books and hope players have fun hunting for them.”To complete the form correctly, just add the equipment, the description of the chosen Abilities, and the character’s Flaws. Indeed, instead of following the typical victim based format, you could always add in the amusing option Menzies himself took in one of his favourite moments during a playtest session. Early access to Art Process time-lapses and behind the scene glimpses at the illustration in its early stages. Of course, half the fun of such adventures is making almost exactly the same decisions as those on screen –yes, I will go alone, no, there’s plenty of battery left in my torch, that noise absolutely was nothing – a good chunk of giddy excitement comes from knowingly making horror film decisions, as opposed to a viewer hidden behind the sofa.

Players take on the roles of archetypal characters found in stories across time and attempt to survive whatever strange and horrific things they may encounter.” Menzies explains. “Want to play your favourite horror movie and try to make better decisions than those on the screen? SHIVER lets you do that and then some, with space to make your own sequels and explore your favourite spooky and strange franchises.” Seek the truth as a card carrying member of C.R.E.E.P.S. ( The Cryptid Research and Esoteric Experiment Paranormal Society)

Publisher

SHIVER is setting neutral allowing you to play any story, anytime, and as anyone. Want to play a game of teens in survival mode against a zombie horde? Kids on Bikes who dread exploring a haunted house on Halloween night? Or perhaps a medieval monster hunter looking for a werewolf, vampire or mage? SHIVER can deliver stories and characters for anything from cult pulp classic to Cthulhu fuelled eldritch mystery. Now, when push comes to shove, and I’m attempting to do it in this review, I don’t think I can do it any better. The story of Spireholm is a massive multi-chapter story for the SHIVER RPG exploring the city and doing battle with evil within its walls. As we have already seen in this review, Shiver offers the opportunity to play in any setting or historical period, without limitations of any kind. With this nearly limitless number of possible game worlds, the Director has an unlimited arsenal of possible equipment to assign to characters. Everything you need to create memorable stories in your favourite worlds! - Winner of BEST RPG at UK Games Expo 2022.