I’d like to start this review by thanking the author, Giovanni Nava, for providing us with a digital copy of Goblinesque. This is a decidedly irreverent and offbeat OSR adventure, where you don’t play as valiant heroes, but as a band of goblins: small, mischievous, and ready to cause absolute chaos. It can be adapted to any old school ruleset, making it perfect for both a one-shot session or a lighthearted break in a more serious campaign.
The adventure is available on DriveThruRPG for $9.99 (about €8.54).
If you enjoy game sessions full of laughter, improvisation, and memorable disasters, Goblinesque might just become your new favorite table diversion.
Review of Goblinesque Mechanics: 100% Goblin Freedom
One of Goblinesque strongest points is that it doesn’t force you to learn new rules or lock you into a specific system. It’s designed to be mechanically neutral, so you can drop it seamlessly into your favorite OSR ruleset.
Many elements — spells included — are intentionally left vague or presented as prompts, allowing each group to shape the adventure to their own playstyle. In practice: take the framework, plug in your preferred rules, and let the goblins do the rest.
Laughter, Schemes, and a Looming Deadline
Goblinesque is not your typical fantasy adventure where the heroes save the world. Here, you’re a goblin — sly, chaotic, and not particularly fond of rules — roaming through a manor packed with traps, bizarre creatures, and absurd situations.
Humor is always present, but it doesn’t overshadow the tension: there’s a looming “deadline” pushing players to move quickly and make reckless decisions. The beauty of it? The urgency becomes a game within the game, striking a perfect balance between comedy and challenge.
You’re Playing a Goblin, Not a Hero
In Goblinesque, goblins aren’t the low-level NPCs destined to be easy targets. Here, they’re the stars of the show: lazy, unruly, greedy, malicious… Basically humans, but without the pretense of being better. They don’t hide their flaws behind heroic legends — they flaunt them with pride while stealing, fleeing, and causing trouble.
Tiny, selfish, cowardly, used to the darkness of tunnels and allergic to sunlight, they live in tribes and worship underground cults. They’re not great scholars, but some have learned to speak — and even to read — the common tongue, which is practically a status symbol among them.
And then there are the goblin “Classes”, each one more “unique” than the last:
- Head-Splitter Goblin: “I’ve set my head straight. It’s with the others.”
- Sneaky Goblin: “You have to take things lightly. Especially other people’s things.”
- Shaman Goblin: “True beauty comes from within. That’s why I have to open you up.”
- Wolf-Rider Goblin: “If it’s acting like that, it’s just hungry.”
- Scroll-Keeper Goblin: “It was like this when I got here!”
- Alchemist Goblin: “They say mixing is dangerous, so I made sure to mix well!”
- Next-Door Goblin: “Mh?” (perfect for those who want to play without a Class)
A cast of chaotic protagonists ready to prove that yes — disaster can be an art form.
A Chaotic Adventure… with a (Sort of) Plan
Goblinesque is built to be a playground packed with traps, encounters, and absurd situations — but behind the chaos lies a clear logic: to make players feel constantly in danger… and forced to improvise.
The manor where the action unfolds is a living labyrinth: winding corridors, rooms full of surprises, puzzles, hungry creatures, and a constant sense of urgency. It’s not designed to be “cleared” in a single session. The “curse” (a big thanks to the mysterious P’tahr!) is there to set the pace, pushing goblins to move and decide quickly.
The structure is modular: the narrator can speed things up or slow them down, turning the experience into a frantic race against time or a slow descent into green-tinted madness. And while the tone is comedic, a happy ending must be earned — every wrong choice can turn a prank into an epic disaster.
Goblinesque Graphic Review: a Green Pixel Adventure
Visually, Goblinesque is an irresistible mix of old-school charm and video game nostalgia. The real gem? A pixel art style that feels ripped straight out of a side-scrolling platformer from the ’80s (okay, maybe a bit more than 8-bit… let’s say “54-bit,” like in your memories), complete with maps and — get this — nine full pages of minis to print, cut, and fold before playing.
This contrast works beautifully: the “pixelated” and straightforward graphics make it instantly clear that this isn’t a polished, pristine adventure, but something meant to be played, worn out, and, why not, doodled on. It’s a style perfectly in tune with the tone of the adventure: lighthearted, irreverent, yet with enough personality to stand out from the pile of “serious” fantasy modules on the market.
Goblinesque Review Conclusions
Goblinesque is an OSR adventure that knows exactly what it wants to be: quick to prep, easy to adapt, and able to cause more than a few laughs — even if your goblins meet a messy end (and they will, trust me).
This isn’t a module for those seeking epic grandeur, intricate intrigue, or existential drama. This is for rolling dice, taking ridiculous risks, and living the short, chaotic life of a goblin who probably won’t make it to the credits… but will go out in style.
Whether you use it as a one-shot between more serious campaigns, as a comedic interlude, or as the foundation for a whole series of “green” misadventures, Goblinesque is a small gem of clever, self-aware design.
And in a landscape where everything claims to be more simplified and free, Goblinesque actually delivers on that promise — plus, it’s a great reminder that sometimes it’s fun to play dirty, cunning, and with a wicked grin on your face.
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