“Fighting for freedom, wherever there’s trouble, GI Jos is there!” For many kids who grew up in the 80s, this is a line from a theme song that’s been seared into their brains. I spent a lot of time and money as a kid taking up arms up against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world.
Hasbro has teamed up with Renegade Game Studios to bring some of its most beloved properties to the tabletop. They recently released Power Rangers Role Playing Game and have now put out their second game using the same system. Renegade Game Studios sent me a copy of GI Joe Role Playing Game and I’m here to report back what I found.
The Essence20 System
This series of games uses the Essence20 system which has a lot of elements that fans of Dungeons & Dragons will find familiar. The central mechanic features a d20 against a target number. Characters have class based abilities and level up through their adventures going from fresh faced recruits to grizzled veterans saving the world on a daily basis.
The differences make the system stand out. Instead of static bonuses, skills are represented by die types which get bigger as chracters get better. Players get access to Story Points which allow rerolls, better defenses and can even change the narrative a little. Rather than tracking experience points, the game recommends levelling up after the end of every mission, which they assume is every two or three sessions.
We Want You As A New Recruit
Characters are built by choosing an Origin, Influence and Role. In this game, Origin reflects the character’s branch of service or civilian career before being recruited by GI Joe. Influence reflects what the character was or is outside of their time saving the world as a GI Joe. Role reflects how they serve and what tricks and tactics they bring to the battlefield.
Each Role offers specialities that kick in at 3rd level allowing, for example, a Commando who is a master infiltrator and one who is a deadly sniper exist within the same group. Influences provide a dash of personality, such as being a Joe who came up as a raw Greenshirt recruit that did something to make it to the main team. Origins are broad military categories that might ruffle the feather of real military folks who might be upset that a Marine has to technically take a Navy origin, but these stories were never about military realism in the first place.
Realism is one of the discussions the book recommends having with the table at the start of a campaign. GI Joe spans animated shows, comic books and live action movies with each one being a little different about things like death and violence. I’ll probably aim for the tone of the original cartoon which has episodes that aren’t that far off from a D&D module. Hasbro’s YouTube channel has several episodes available to watch for free for inspiration.
Building New Toys And Old Characters
The book opens up with a roll call of dozens of Joes, though it leaves out some of the more famous ones based on real people. The book features write ups of various Cobra personalities as enemies, leaving character sheets for Duke, Scarlett and more as bonus content for the website.
One of the most exciting elements to the rules are the options to build gadgets and vehicles. GI Joe always had a slight sci-fi edge to it and there are extensive options to make players have unique weapons and vehicles. These also extend to characters who have companions as part of their Role, such as the Ranger Beastmaster or the Technician with a drone specialization.
The Adventure Continues
Renegade Game Studios has a lot of different GI Joe games on offer including a deck builder and a minis board game currently on Kickstarter. For long time fans of the franchise, it’s a great time to fight along some old favorites or create new heroes that they’ve been dreaming about for decades. GI Joe Roleplaying Game is available directly from Renegade Game Studios or at Friendly Local Gaming Stores everywhere.
