Andy Lingua
We thank Games Omnivorous for sending us a review copy of Mouth Brood, a horror sci-fi and investigative adventure. The author Amanda Lee Franck has perfectly followed the guidelines of this series of manuals called Manifestus Omnivorous (of which we have already talked about other products such as The Feast on Titanhead and Bring Me Her Bones); adventures without a reference game system, minimal, twisted, merciless and full of style.
This manual in particular can be purchased in physical copy on the official store at a price of 15 euros; the digital version is included in the purchase, but cannot be selected separately.
Let’s not delay any longer, let’s take our backpack and get ready to explore this weird place lost in the ice!
The Context of Narration
We are on Earth. A huge Biosphere, a bizarre structure made of a glass-like material has been found in the Canadian mountains, specifically at the Kaskawulsh glacier. Through its hexagonal surface you can only see algae, condensation and, at night, small flashes.
The characters are explorers who have come to this place to explore it. They have a contract and, to carry it out, they must study the flora and fauna contained in this structure. Their research has minimal required results, but each bonus species will bring them extra income. As long as they can get home.
Although I have no intention of including spoilers in this review, I can tell you that there will be many surprises in the Biosphere “protagonist” of Mouth Brood. This gigantic terrarium contains many forms of life, even dating back to the Paleozoic era. And in all these millennia they somehow had to learn to survive…
Mouth Brood Mechanics Review
As mentioned at the beginning of this review, Mouth Brood is not based on any game system. Instead, it presents generic rules for exploration, which aim to maximize the sense of tension and discovery of the unknown.
First of all, the explorers belong to one of the four archetypes presented and this guarantees them specific exploratory advantages. A simple and effective way to ensure contextualized characterization.
The characters enter the Biosphere and the adventure begins. The interior is a jungle of twisted vegetation that makes it almost impossible to walk and see normally; here the atmosphere is humid and much warmer than the outside. The structure is set on three floors, each 9 meters (30 feet) high: Undergrowth, Canopy and Emergent. Each of these layers is divided into seven hexagonal areas, each of which has its own evocative description. I really appreciated the style and originality of these areas; certainly, a lot of descriptive freedom is left to the narrator, but the guidelines are very solid. The only downside is that these areas aren’t randomly generated; this certainly makes them more specific, but at the same time decreases the replayability of the product.
Each area then presents the possible encounters, happening according to its content or the method of exploration adopted by the characters. The creatures are really beautiful and perfectly embody the science fiction genre of the work. They are summarized in a page with the main characteristics: appearance, behavior, reactions in case it is disturbed and other details. I love their alien, monstrous and crazy nature. I liked the sketchy statistics less; I understand the intent to give ideas to the narrator, but in my opinion they are incomprehensible for a novice and useless for those who have already chosen a game system to use.
The Glacial Aesthetics of the Manual
Most of the 35 pages of this manual are dedicated to the Bestiary. The remaining 10 contain the presentation of the game environment, the mechanics, the tables to record and classify the species encountered and advice on how to manage the manual at the table. In fact, it can be separated into two parts and the cover becomes the game map. This idea, inherited from other products of the Manifestus Omnivorous, is elegant and functional.
A part from this aspect, this manual has a very classic layout, on a single column, and uses an equally classic and well-readable font.
The illustrations, as you can see from the images included in this review, are an added value of Mouth Brood. This is also because the author herself took care of it, giving shape to the horrors described in the text. The main subjects are the bizarre creatures, but there are also the distressing places where the adventure takes place. The style is simple but extremely effective; I really appreciated the consistency and style, which make the manual even more captivating. The main colors are white and teal, with the addition of black for details and outlines; another very apt choice and suitable for recreating sci-fi atmospheres.
Conclusions of the Mouth Brood Review
An intriguing idea, a simple and clear realization, an impactful aesthetic. Mouth Brood does it simple, but does it very well!
I find that the adventure is easily adaptable to any game system and, if you prefer, to other settings as well. It takes very little to go from the modern era to something more futuristic or even medieval. Also for this reason, if the proposed topics have caught your attention, I recommend this manual!
