City of Mist explained

Publisher:Son of Oak Game Studio, Modiphius Entertainment
Date:2017
Genre:
Designer:Amít Moshe

City of Mist is an urban fantasy neo-noir detective tabletop role-playing game (RPG) designed by Amít Moshe and published by Son of Oak Game Studio. The game is set in a modern-day metropolis where ordinary people of all walks of life become modern-day reincarnations of myths, legends, and fairy tales, gaining magical powers and abilities.[1] [2]

The game's narrative driven engine is partially based on the Powered by the Apocalypse game engine and the tag system featured in free RPG Lady Blackbird.[3] [4] The cinematic tone of the game is inspired by film noir and detective graphic novels as well as street-level detective superhero TV shows.

Publication history

Crowdfunding for the original game was launched on Kickstarter in 2016 which generated 1,762 backers, raising $104,313, or nearly $90,000 over its original $14,000 goal.[5] It was then released in 2017.[6] Amit Moshe was inspired to design City of Mist after writing a modern retelling of Cú Chulainn.[7] In 2018, the game was picked up by publishing partner Modiphius Entertainment.[8] [9]

The original release contained the rules in a single Core Book. A subsequent 2019 release reorganized the rules into two separate rulebooks, the Player's Guide and the Master of Ceremonies' Toolkit,[9] in an effort to make the game's literature less "daunting for new players" and "more accessible to everyone."[10] A second Kickstarter was also launched in 2019 for a new City of Mist Starter Box which was then released as a standalone product in November 2020.[11] In 2020, support for running the game on Roll20 was released along with an online organized play program.[12] [13]

Game system

In City of Mists character creation process, characters are described using exclusively words ("tags") – there are no stats or numerical values of any kind.[14] [15] "Player characters are people called 'Rifts,' who can draw on the powers of mythical heroes and creatures to fight enemies and solve paranormal mysteries".[16]

The action resolution system in City of Mist is a heavily modified version of the Apocalypse World game engine. Player characters utilize specific "Moves" which can be "augmented by their Themes and Tags, to try to accomplish their goals"; players roll 2d6 to resolve these "Moves".

The game uses two types of character development systems side by side. Gaining Attention points allows players to add power tags and unlock theme improvements similar to gaining experience points in other systems. The more substantial character development mechanic focuses on the pull between the mundane and the mythical.

Reception

City of Mist was praised on Geek & Sundry, saying "The mechanics are simple yet INCREDIBLY robust"[17] and the game featured in Geek & Sundry's December 2017 RPG Buyer's Guide[18] and 2018 Best Role-Playing Games.[19] Joshua Nelson, for Bleeding Cool, wrote that the game "hits me with the classic noir-mystery tropes. [...] City Of Mist is all about a world inhabited by legendary figures – think King Arthur or the biblical Job, or even Little Red Riding Hood – who have been affected by an arcane force of nature of sorts, called The Mist, that makes them live a more mundane life than this. It's rather like The Matrix's namesake meets Once Upon A Time, perhaps. Regardless of its inspiration, City Of Mist deals with a handful of these myths and legends contending with both their roles in their stories and the humdrum of everyday living. I'm game for this".[20]

Giaco Furino, for TechRaptor, highlighted that "City of Mist takes an incredible idea and gives it player agency in its setting and gameplay. I really like the way the real world and the magical world are sort of tethered to each other, and playing the game means paying attention to both. You can’t just go swinging Excalibur around all day, you’ve also got to make rent, and figure out what happened to that kidnapped kid, and call your mom for her birthday. If you like that sort of tension between the modern world and the mystical, then this game is absolutely going to hit the mark for you".[21]

Richard Jansen-Parkes, for the UK print magazine Tabletop Gaming, wrote that "style and drama ooze from every page of this beautiful book. It takes a little more effort to crack than most story-driven games, but when things click it offers something truly special." Tomás Giménez Rioja, for Tribality, highlighted that "some mechanics [...] could need some improvements but are good enough to make the game, if played correctly, a very fun game."[22]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2017ENNIE AwardsBest Free GameStarter Set[23]
2018Best Interior ArtCore Book[24] [25]
2021Best Aid/Accessory (Non-Digital)City of Mist Character Folio Pack[26] [27]
2022Best Aid/Accessory (Non-Digital)City of Mist: Crime Board Map[28]
Best CartographyCity of Mist: Crime Board Map
Best SupplementCity of Mist: Shadows & Showdowns
2024Graal d'OrJDR InternationalNA[29]
2024Grog d'OrNANA[30]

Books and supplements

Core Books

Supplements

Accessories

Out of print

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2018-01-24. Solve The Mysteries of Gods and Legends in the ‘City of Mist’ RPG. 2019-06-25. Nerdist. en.
  2. Web site: November 26, 2019. Dig a Fantasy Grave and Open Schrödinger's Box in the Latest Tabletop Gaming News. 2019-12-08. Gizmodo. en-us.
  3. Web site: City of Mist: Quick Start Rules - Son of Oak Game Studio. 2021-10-14. DriveThruRPG. en. Product page.
  4. Web site: 2016-10-23. City of Mist RPG: An Interview with Amit Moshe. 2021-10-14. obskures.de. de-DE.
  5. Web site: Walbrühl. Dirk. 2018-02-07. Ersteindruck: City of Mists (powered by the Apocalypse) – Die Stadt der Legenden. 2021-10-14. Teilzeithelden. de-DE.
  6. Web site: 2021-08-31. Grab RPG City of Mist cheap with latest Bundle of Holding. 2021-12-30. Dicebreaker. en.
  7. Web site: 2016-11-02. City of Mist - New RPG. 2021-10-14. SFF Planet. en-US.
  8. Web site: October 5, 2018. Ordinary People, Legendary Powers as City of Mist debuts!. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20211026171555/https://www.modiphius.com/modiphius-press-releases/ordinary-people-legendary-powers-as-city-of-mist-debuts. October 26, 2021. 2021-10-14. Modiphius Entertainment. en. Press release.
  9. Web site: February 25, 2019. Enter the veil with City of Mist, a legendary noir RPG by Son of Oak Game Studio now co-published with Modiphius Entertainment. 2021-12-30. Modiphius Entertainment. en. Press release.
  10. Web site: City of Mist: Player's Guide - Son of Oak Game Studio. 2021-10-14. DriveThruRPG. en. Product page.
  11. Web site: 2020-11-02. City of Mist, the gorgeous tabletop RPG about modern-day myths, has a new starter set. 2021-12-30. Dicebreaker. en.
  12. Web site: Play City of Mist Online on Roll20. 2021-12-30. City of Mist. en. Product page.
  13. Web site: Moshe. Amit. April 13, 2020. City of Mist Roll20 Organized Play. 2021-12-30. City of Mist. en. Press release.
  14. Jansen-Parkes. Richard. July 2019. City of Mist, Legends and lies in the big City. Tabletop Gaming Magazine.
  15. Book: City of Mist Player's Guide. Son of Oak Game Studio. 2018. 978-965-92587-4-1. 55. Words Over Numbers.
  16. Web site: 2021-07-07. Tabletop RPGs Fans Of Shin Megami Tensei & Persona Will Love. 2021-12-30. ScreenRant. en-US.
  17. Web site: City of Mist: The Superhero Noir RPG You NEED in Your Collection.. 2016-12-14. Nerdist. en. 2019-06-17.
  18. Web site: RPG Buyer’s Guide: Fantastic Roleplaying Games They’ll Love. 2017-11-22. Nerdist. en. 2019-06-17.
  19. Web site: The Best Of 2018’s Tabletop Roleplaying Games, Part Two: Indie RPGs. https://web.archive.org/web/20190516082004/https://geekandsundry.com/the-best-of-2018s-tabletop-roleplaying-games-part-two-indie-rpgs/. dead. May 16, 2019. 2018-12-26. Geek and Sundry. en. 2019-06-17.
  20. Web site: Nelson. Joshua. 2021-04-08. OPINION: City of Mist: We See Through The Mist, And It's Great!. 2021-12-30. Bleeding Cool News And Rumors. en.
  21. Web site: Furino. Giaco. March 17, 2020. City of Mist RPG Review. 2021-12-30. TechRaptor. en.
  22. Web site: Giménez Rioja. Tomás. June 25, 2019. City of Mist: Review. November 30, 2021. Tribality.
  23. Web site: 2017 Noms and Winners. 2017-08-19. ENnie Awards. en-US. 2019-06-17. 2020-01-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20200120200949/http://www.ennie-awards.com/blog/about-us/2017-noms-and-winners. dead.
  24. Web site: 2018 ENnie Winners!. 2018-08-04. ENnie Awards. en-US. 2019-06-17.
  25. Web site: 2018-08-04. Discover the winners of the ENnies 2018 RPG Awards. 2021-12-30. Geek Native. en-GB.
  26. Web site: 2021 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards. 2021-12-30. en-US.
  27. Web site: Valle. Marco. September 18, 2021. The ENNIE Awards 2021: gli Italiani fanno il pieno di premi. 2021-12-30. Tom's Hardware. it-IT.
  28. Web site: 2022 Nominations – ENNIE Awards . 2022-07-08 . en-US.
  29. Web site: Cérémonie des Graal d'Or 2024, 6ème édition - Replay HD !. Youtube. fr. 2024-05-18.
  30. Web site: Grog d'Or 2024. Grog. fr. 2024-05-18.
  31. Web site: The Player's Guide City of Mist Tabletop RPG (TTRPG). 2021-12-30. City of Mist. en. Product page.
  32. Web site: The MC Toolkit City of Mist Tabletop RPG (TTRPG). 2021-12-30. City of Mist. en. Product page.
  33. Web site: Shadows & Showdowns. 2021-12-30. City of Mist. en. Product page.
  34. Web site: Nights of Payne Town City of Mist Tabletop RPG (TTRPG). 2021-12-30. City of Mist. en. Product page.
  35. Web site: Character Folio Pack City of Mist Tabletop RPG (TTRPG). 2021-12-30. City of Mist. en. Product page.
  36. Web site: City of Mist Starter Set Rulesbook. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20161030162732/https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/191450/City-of-Mist-Starter-Set-Rulesbook. October 30, 2016. 2021-12-30. DriveThruRPG. en. Product page.
  37. Web site: City of Mist Core Book. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20171103153341/https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/225177/City-of-Mist-Core-Book. November 3, 2017. 2021-12-30. DriveThruRPG. en. Product page.

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