Before launching into this Wormin review, I want to thank Sayonara Buttercat for sending us a physical copy of the manual along with several nice gifts, namely a pin and a postcard featuring lots of yellow kittens. The package containing the manual arrived in excellent condition and was meticulously packaged. In this game, you play as survivors in a post-apocalyptic world, battling various dangers.

If after reading this review you are interested in purchasing the manual, you can find it on the Sayonara Buttercat store for the price of 24.90 euros.

Wormin Aesthetics Review

As with all my reviews, I like to start with the manual’s aesthetic and illustrations. The entire graphic design of this volume is truly well-crafted, full of illustrations appropriate for the post-apocalyptic setting it proposes. Both the internal illustrations and the cover are by Priscilla Mancino, incorporating the use of AI. Despite the debates over whether or not the latter is appropriate, in this context I recognize its correct and appropriate use.

The cover is very evocative, colorful, and allows the title to stand out and capture attention at first glance.

The layout, again by Priscilla Mancino, is truly well thought out. It features alternating two columns, a full column, tables, and text sections adapted to the internal illustrations. The font chosen has a suitable style and size, making the volume easily readable. The A5 format also makes the manual manageable and easy to consult.

Wormin Game World Review

To fully understand the world of Wormin, on pages 13 and 14 the manual provides a clear timeline from 2023 to 2033 that explains how our world has evolved. This section is easily accessible to both the players (who will have the role of Survivors) and the Game Master (GM). I’d like to point out that the manual contains a more extensive section for the storyteller, with numerous tips on how to guide the story and handle various situations, even unpleasant ones.

On the previous page, Wormin‘s story is told in full. Between the years 2028 and 2029, a grave misjudgment led to the collapse of modern society, sucked into what humanity called salvation.

Years later, however, they discovered a new cure, which involved ingesting a small parasite found in the permafrost called W-IN, capable of rapidly feeding on tumor cells. Many survived thanks to this miracle cure, but soon afterward they began to show signs of sociopathy and instability, as well as severe chronic fatigue. The entire population was affected by this fate, and the infested multiplied exponentially.

Healthy humanity is now divided into social groups of varying sizes, barricaded in fortified settlements. Characters must explore the land, searching for basic necessities, materials, and other survivors in danger. They must fear not only the infested, but also marauders, cannibals, and scammers. Keeping one’s life alive is the first and foremost necessity.

The Game System

Character skills are divided into Physical, Mental and Social, Survival, Combat, and Manual. Each skill is represented by a rank that expresses a character’s proficiency in that type of action and has a maximum value of 5. Each rank corresponds to a specific die to roll and subtract from the d20.

The game is based on the roll under system, so the lower the result, the better the test. Depending on the result of the subtraction, a different outcome is obtained. The worst (20) is a disaster, from 19 to 11 the test is a failure, from 10 to 6 it is a difficult success, from 5 to 2 it is a success and with a 1 it is perfect. When you fail the test, you can try again (at the GM’s discretion) by increasing the difficulty level. You can also help a companion, giving the person performing the action an additional degree in the skill.

The character progression system is based on successful skill checks. Each skill has five spheres associated with it, each representing the 10 experience points (XP) needed to advance in rank.

Personally, I find this game system easy and intuitive, even for novice players, without too many elaborate calculations. Furthermore, the manual provides several tables to consult for any questions regarding the game system and the required rolls.

Characters, Equipment and Combat

To create your character, simply follow the manual to the letter. First, define your traits: lucky trait, negative trait, and age. To do this, simply roll 1d6, 1d10, and 1d4 and compare the results with the appropriate table. Next, either rolling 1d10 and checking a list or by inventing one, determine your background. For example, you might be a traitor, a military deserter, or a smuggler. Next, roll 1d20 to determine a memento, an object that connects the character to their life before everything fell apart. Then, make rolls to determine the physical appearance. Finally, distribute 24+1d6 skill ranks and establish your starting items (chosen from several tables).

The section of the manual dealing with equipment is very long and detailed, full of tables of all kinds. In addition to supplies and common items, you can also find various weapons, such as explosives, melee weapons, and firearms.

Finally, we have the section of the manual that deals with combat. Each round, the character can perform two actions of their choice: move, attack, interact with the environment, and use objects. To attack an enemy, you must make a check, the relevant skill of which depends on the type of weapon you are wielding. If the check is successful, you inflict the weapon’s damage plus the relevant skill rating as a bonus, subtracting the character’s armor value. For every 4 Hit Points lost in a single accident or attack, the target suffers the Bruised status effect and one Trauma, determined by rolling a 1d6. There are 8 statuses, 5 of which affect the abilities of a specific macro-group and have up to three possible levels of severity.

The Infested and the Inhabitants

The Infested are horrible monsters to face, and there are four common types: the Rabid, the Crawling, the Rotted, and the Golem. Each has only two abilities: Body and Senses. Body is used for melee attacks and any physical actions, while Senses is used for ranged attacks and opposing actions.

HP and DR indicate the Infested’s Hit Points and Damage Reduction, respectively. Loot represents a random number of items the Infested possesses.

In the city, it’s not uncommon to find people who, just like you, have escaped the horror and now wander around with various purposes. There’s even a specific section in the manual with tables for creating NPCs.

Wormin Review Conclusions

Wormin is a complete game, rich in elements and with a good game system. There are countless adventures and campaigns you can create, and the extensive use of tables allows you to quickly generate any type of NPC or useful item.

Since it’s set in the real world, it’s very easy to become immersed in the narrative. For this reason, it’s important to ensure the experience doesn’t upset any players.

I recommend this tabletop RPG to both new players and veterans, especially post-apocalyptic fans who are curious to try something new. Overall, I can say that Wormin is an excellent game worth getting “infected” with.

If you enjoyed this Wormin review, stay tuned for other original tabletop RPGs!