Flashback

FLASHBACK is a game about identity and the power of choice. The Players assume the roles of characters (PCs) that awaken in a strange place, with no memory of their former lives. As the game progresses, Players receive Flashbacks which represent the slow trickle of memory returning to the character. Although the cards indicate the content of the memories, it’s up to the individual Player to decide its specifics. Does the memory of committing a crime make one a criminal or is it the choices made from here that matter most? The game is designed to function as a one-shot RPG, however, there is no reason the game could not be continued to extend the story of any characters created during the session. You could even use this game as the prequel of another RPG altogether! Though the game could be played with two people, it really shines with a GM (guiding action, mediating conflicts, and controlling pace through Triggers) and four or more players. If you really want to play with only two people, both should be Players and simply share GM duties between them.

The game is heavily inspired by the film Unknown which utilizes all of the desired themes perfectly and will be used as the Example Game, but there is no reason why the game can’t be played in an alternate setting or using entirely new Triggers or Flashbacks.

Your head pounds as your senses grudgingly float back from the depths of unconsciousness. A shrill noise pierces the silence. Your heavy lids lift to reveal strange and unfamiliar surroundings, hard walls of thick concrete, tiny windows barred with heavy iron, and one ominous steel door, with no handle. The noise assaults your eardrums again, resonating painfully inside your aching head. Around you lay the motionless bodies of unfamiliar foes… or are they friends? You can’t remember anything, how you got here, where ‘here’ even is, the identities of those around you, or even your own name! The high pitch ring echoes once more and you realize a phone is somewhere nearby. Maybe you should answer it. Maybe you should find out what the hell is going on, before someone else does…

Download

• Flashback.pdf

Tags: Jarvis Mishler

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 1st, 2007 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Free RPGs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.