Like shipwrecks on the ocean floor, abandoned spacecraft adrift in the void have long activated the imaginations of both artists and audiences. Sci-fi video games such as Dead Space, Star Wars: Republic Commando, and Alien: Isolation have all employed “ghost ship” settings to oppressively eerie effect , but the thrill of exploring a dodgy vessel light-years away from the nearest reinforcements has not been widely adapted for the board game space. Until now!
With Derelict, I set out to draw on the cosmic creepiness of Dead Space while also emphasizing the collaboration of Republic Commando — and injecting some space western humor in the vein of The Outer Worlds, a beloved recent franchise of mine, to lighten the mood around the table somewhat and make the game inviting to fans of social satire and wordplay as well as those of “In space, no one can hear you scream”-style horror.
It was this blend of priorities that led me to the game’s central premise: A tight-knit crew forced to undertake a dangerous mission by an uncaring corporation, working together to overcome whatever may await them on the puzzle box of a derelict spaceship whose nature changes with every playthrough. My hope is that the scariness of the dangers presented will be offset by both the humor laced through the game and the satisfaction of harmonious teamwork with friends.
– RPS