Rebellion/2000 AD dropped exciting news about a brand-new tabletop roleplaying adaptation of Dread set in Mega-City One called Dread: Dredd. The writer behind the award-winning original game, Epidiah Ravachol, is also heading up this special Dredd version, which was designed specifically for 2000 AD’s 45th anniversary.
Written by Ravachol and produced by Rebellion Unplugged, this tabletop role-playing game for four to six players uses tottering towers of Jenga® blocks to create an exciting dynamic as democracy activists race to reveal dark secrets about the Judges before Justice Department catches up with them.
The game’s debut took place as part of The Galaxy’s Greatest free online convention this past weekend, which celebrated 2000 AD’s more than four decades of publishing.
Gamesmaster and RPG designer Grant Howitt joined Judge Dredd and Immortal Hulk writer Al Ewing, Judge Dredd artist PJ Holden, and cartoonist, narrative designer, TTRPG maker and D20 Dames host Jen Vaughn for a first-ever playthrough.
Ravachol said:
“When I first met Dredd he was hidden on the Mature Audiences Only shelf at my local comic book store. Forbidden fruit for a young teen in the ‘80s! A Dredd setting for a Dread game has come up more times than I can count over the past couple decades. Never something official. Never something beyond a little adventure for between friends. Never something I got around to doing. And then this hit, a now or never chance to score big in Mega City – the opportunity of a lifetime!
“There are games you toil over for years, and there are games that blast their way out of your head, unwilling to wait. It’s been a few decades, but I still feel like that little perp that slipped through old Joe’s icy grip. Exhilarating.”
Duncan Molloy from Rebellion Unplugged said, “We were delighted when Epidiah said he was interested in adapting Dread for our 45th anniversary. It’s such a unique game and the way it’s been adapted to Dredd’s world is brilliant. The playthrough by Grant, Al, PJ, and Jen as part of this weekend’s online convention is hilarious and well worth checking out, if only to see how fun this game is for 2000 AD fans and newbies alike!”
Read details of the game below:
“As the iron fist of Justice Department tightens its grip on the people of Mega-City One, there stirs once again movement towards democracy. As pro-democracy agitators, now is the time to take a stand for self-governance!
Because now you have Walter, a former Justice Department droid and somewhat reluctant co-conspirator who has damaging information about the Judges. Information the public must hear. And you will deliver it to them, today, at the opening game of the first Aeroball season in decades.
All of Mega-City One will be watching. The Judges will be unable to pre-emptively shutdown the broadcast for fear of citywide riots. It is the perfect opportunity. Never has democracy stood a better chance.
One player takes on the role of the Host, tasked with representing the mayhem and magnificence of Mega-City One and its inhabitants. The other players act as characters living in the shadow of the Statue of Judgement, doing whatever it takes to thrive and survive.
Of course, surviving isn’t always so easy. When the players are faced with difficult or dangerous actions, they must pull wooden blocks from a tower to discover whether they succeed. If the tower comes crashing down, their character dies. The stakes are high when you take on the Judges but there is some hope in your new character abilities, reflecting the city’s wide range of inhabitants.”
The game launches today, Wednesday March 30, and is available for download from shop.2000AD.com. The Dread: Dredd PDF contains everything you need to run this standalone adventure, including adapted Dread rules, pre-created character sheets, the Adventure booklet, and an Encounter list for the Host to refer to throughout the game.
