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Best Time Travel RPG Games

Time travel role-playing games are possibly the most fun ones in sci-fi genre. so, here is my top 10 time-travel rpgs..

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Time travel role-playing games can be an exciting and enjoyable experience for a variety of reasons. Such as exploring different eras, changing the past, unique storylines, and making challenging choices. That’s the reason I made this best time travel RPG games list for you guys.

Overall, time travel role-playing games can offer a fun, challenging, and engaging experience that can appeal to fans of both role-playing and science fiction genres.

For the 10 best time travel RPG games of all times, scroll your scroll your mouse wheel down!

1. The Forgotten City

the forgotten city rpg

ROMAN EMPIRE GAMES

With its immersive atmosphere, intriguing storyline, and challenging gameplay, “The Forgotten City” is a must-play for fans of adventure and puzzle games.

Of course, the best part of this game is travelling 2000 years into the past . Roman times are like non other.

2. Life is Strange

life is strange rpg

Life is Strange features a deep and emotional story that is driven by player choice. Every decision that Max makes will impact the outcome of the story, and players must navigate complex social and moral dilemmas as they attempt to uncover the truth.

With its beautifully realized world, rich character development, and thought-provoking story, “Life is Strange” is a must-play for fans of narrative-driven adventure games.

3. Chrono Trigger

chrono trigger rpg

Chrono Trigger is a classic Japanese role-playing game that was first released in 1995. In this game, you control a group of characters who travel through time to prevent a global disaster.

Along the way, they encounter a wide variety of challenges, including battles against powerful enemies, puzzle-solving, and complex moral decisions.

With its memorable characters, complex and thought-provoking story, and timeless gameplay mechanics, Chrono Trigger is considered one of the best RPGs of all time. If you’re a fan of RPGs or just looking for an unforgettable gaming experience, Chrono Trigger is a must play .

4. The Waylanders

waylanders rpg

The Waylanders is a role-playing game that takes place in a fantasy world inspired by Celtic mythology . You travel in-time to visit both Celtic and Medieval cultures.

Players control a team of characters and embark on a journey through time, facing challenges and making decisions that affect the game’s branching narrative.

The game itself features turn-based combat, skill trees, and multiple endings based on player choices . Also, you should know that the game is created by ex-Dragon Age writer. This is one of those reasons why this game is so great.

5. Isle of Eras

isle eras rpg

Isle of Eras – An Epic Cosmic Horror Adventure Created Entirely in PlayStation Dreams ! Dreams is basically a game creation system, pretty similar to the Garry’s Mod. So, in order to play Isle of Eras, you must have PlayStation with access to PlayStation Dreams.

BEST ALIEN GAMES

This epic time travel adventure, Isle of Eras is available now on Dreams. The game itself offers unique experience with two different endings. Therefore, you shouldn’t miss it if you have the console.

6. Cris Tales

cris tales rpg

This one is a role-playing game set in a fantasy world that combines elements of 2D and 3D graphics. Players control a young woman named Crisbell, who has the ability to see and manipulate the past, present, and future .

Cris Tales features turn-based combat, time-manipulation puzzles, and a branching narrative that changes based on player choices. The game’s art style draws inspiration from classic Japanese RPGs and anime.

7. Deathloop

deathloop time travel

Next game on our list is a first-person action game set on a mysterious island where time loops every day . You’ll control two characters, each with their own unique abilities, as they attempt to break the loop.

The game features fast-paced gunplay, stealth, and creative problem-solving . The story is non-linear and changes based on player choices, leading to multiple endings.

8. Dark Cloud 2

dark cloud rpg

Dark Cloud 2 is a role-playing game that was developed by Japanese company Level-5 and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2002 and is considered one of the classic games from that console . To play on PC now, it requires PCSX emulator .

BEST SCI FI RPG GAMES

n “Dark Cloud 2,” the player takes on the role of Max, a young inventor, who is joined by Monica, a mysterious girl with magical powers, as they embark on a journey to restore the world that has been destroyed by the forces of evil.

9. Shattered Hourglass

shattered hourglass rpg

Shattered Hourglass is a role-playing game set in a fantasy world filled with magic and ancient technology . Which is time travel.

You take control a group of characters who are searching for a way to save their world from a mysterious force that is shattering time itself.

The game itself features turn-based combat, a branching narrative, and puzzle-solving elements. It also has a unique visual style, inspired by classic pen-and-paper role-playing games.

10. Steins Gate

steins gate rpg

In Steins Gate, you will follow the story of a group of friends who discover the ability to send messages back in time using a modified microwave. As you experiment with time travel, you will soon realize the consequences of your actions and must navigate a complex web of cause and effect to prevent a catastrophic outcome.

The game features branching narratives and multiple endings based on your choices, as well as beautifully illustrated characters and detailed backgrounds. The story is full of twists and turns, blending science fiction and mystery with a touch of humor, and you will be taken on a thrilling journey through time.

All in all, if you’ve watched the anime Steins Gate , you should most definitely play this game.

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Multiverse and time travel RPGs

Twelve covers of tabletop roleplaying games with a multiversal or time travel theme.

Introduction

Roleplaying games that involve traveling through parallel dimensions or time are a relatively niche subgenre within the hobby. However, these themes are not obscure to the point of being unsupported – as the following list clearly attests.

While it might be the case that fiction about multiverses and fiction about time travel are two distinct subgenres, each with its own particular set of trappings and history, from the gaming perspective the two kinds of travel are functionally similar to the point that it makes sense to speak about them in tandem.

Whether you favor the terminology of alternate earths, dimensions, planes, or timelines, the overarching framework of such games remains the same: the characters routinely engage in hopping from one kind of setting to another. TV shows such as Sliders, Quantum Leap or Rick and Morty provide a template for this kind of adventures. Similar to their episodic structure, multiverse and time travel games effectively involve switching between multiple genres in the course of a single campaign.

Several games on the list present related, but slightly different scenarios, such as alien dimensions imposing themselves on Earth and transforming the familiar surroundings, or the discovery of a net of portals that allows fast travel through space.

Compiled by hand from about 116 sources. The ratings indicate popularity , not quality.

If you buy something through links on this page, I may earn an affiliate commission.

time travel role playing game

GURPS Infinite Worlds

Popularity 5

  • DriveThruRPG

time travel role playing game

GURPS Time Travel

time travel role playing game

GURPS Timeline

time travel role playing game

GURPS Banestorm

time travel role playing game

GURPS Fantasy: Portal Realms

time travel role playing game

The Strange

time travel role playing game

Torg Eternity

Popularity 4.5

time travel role playing game

Savage Rifts

time travel role playing game

Parallels (TimeWatch)

time travel role playing game

Continuum: Roleplaying in the Yet

Popularity 4

time travel role playing game

Fringeworthy

Popularity 3.5

time travel role playing game

Luther Arkwright: Roleplaying Across the Parallels

time travel role playing game

Amber Diceless Role-Playing

time travel role playing game

Manual of the Planes

time travel role playing game

Lords of Gossamer & Shadow

Popularity 3

time travel role playing game

EABA Timelords

time travel role playing game

Nexus the Infinite City

time travel role playing game

Lords of Creation

Popularity 2.5

time travel role playing game

Broken Rooms

time travel role playing game

Daytrippers

time travel role playing game

Tales From the Floating Vagabond

time travel role playing game

Threefold (Modern AGE)

time travel role playing game

Stargate SG-1

time travel role playing game

Tangents (Alternity)

time travel role playing game

World of Dungeons Turbo: Breakers

time travel role playing game

Popularity 2

time travel role playing game

H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands

time travel role playing game

Odyssey Prime

time travel role playing game

Time & Temp

time travel role playing game

Gatecrashing (Eclipse Phase)

time travel role playing game

Fate of Cthulhu

Popularity 1.5

time travel role playing game

Transdimensional Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

time travel role playing game

Chronomancer

Popularity 1

Den of Geek

25 Best RPGs Ever Made

The best RPGs ever made will leave you wishing there was a way to find the time to play them all.

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Best RPGs ever

It’s almost cruel to talk about the best RPGs ever made. Not only is it the kind of topic that inspires especially heated debates, but even a shortlist of the greatest RPGs ever may leave you desperately trying to find the time to somehow play them all.

Then again, the thing that separates the best RPGs from the rest is that they never really make you feel like you’re in a rush to “beat” them or move on to the next thing. They grab you by the hand and take you on a journey defined by character building, storytelling, world design, and, most importantly, the very convincing idea that you are no longer simply yourself but rather have the chance to truly become the kind of legendary figure you used to only be able to daydream about.

Whether they’re JRPGs, CRPGs, Tactical RPGs, or ARPGs, the best RPGs ever made are united by their ability to ease the escape from your burdens, your worries, and your world by taking you on an adventure the likes of which you simply won’t find in any other game.

Disco Elysium cover PC gaming

25. Disco Elysium

It may be the newest game on this list, but in less than two years, Disco Elysium has changed the way some of the industry’s best creators approach the art of video game writing and RPG design. 

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Though it lacks a proper combat system, this hard-boiled detective adventure is never lacking in intensity. With its fascinating moral dilemmas and incredible writing, Disco Elysium raised the bar in terms of challenging us to define who we are in its intoxicating world. If that isn’t role-playing, what is?

Fire Emblem: Path or Radiance GameCube

24. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Tactical RPGs don’t always get the love some of their genre cohorts enjoy, but it’s nearly impossible to not respect everything that Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance does so well.

Fire Emblem’s “rock, paper, scissors” style combat shines brighter than ever in this 2005 GameCube classic, but it’s the way this RPG’s incredible plot highlights the thrills of Fire Emblem ’s high-risk permadeath system that puts it over the top. This is a simply brilliant blend of tactics and raw emotion that few games in this genre have come close to besting.

Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar PC

23. Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar

There’s a healthy debate to be had about the best Ultima game ever, but Ultima 4 gets the nod here by virtue of this sequel’s sheer audacity .

Free of nearly every overused role-playing trope, Ultima 4 tasks you with finding yourself in an age of enlightenment rather than battling some great evil during a dark time. Ultima 4 deserves more credit than it typically receives for its plot that focuses on internal struggles in a time of peace, but it’s this game’s Virtues system, unusual character-building mechanics, and truly open nature that make it special to this day.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines PC RPG

22. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines

Look, Vampire: The Masquerade was a tragically broken game upon its release and is only really playable today thanks to fan updates. However, so many of Masquerade ’s problems can be attributed to its incredible ambition.

Some of the best tabletop-style RPG mechanics ever perfectly complement a truly unique RPG world where vampire clans battle for control of an extensive underground society. At its best, Vampire: The Masquerade is even better than that premise makes it sound.

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Dragon Quest VIII PS2 RPG

21. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey Of The Cursed King

Ranking the Dragon Quest games is a tall enough task in and of itself, but there’s something to be said for how Dragon Quest 8 so perfectly captures most of the things that make this series great while adding a few necessary improvements.

Here’s a Dragon Quest game that offers a 100 hour+ journey packed with the incredible settings and memorable characters this series is known for that still manages to make the whole thing just accessible enough to encourage even the timid to participate in a truly epic adventure.

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic Project

20. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

What is there left to say about KOTOR ? After all, you probably know about its all-time great Star Wars story, its memorable morality system, and certainly its incredible twist.

Instead, let’s focus on how BioWare managed to break down the wall that divided PC and console RPGs by releasing one of the most well-crafted, best-written, and surprisingly deep PC-style RPGs ever exclusively for a console. It’s as if millions of gamers cried out in joy at the collective realization that it suddenly felt like anything was possible no matter what platform you owned.

Secret of Mana SNES cover art

19. Secret of Mana

It’s really a testament to the quality of the SNES’ JRPG library that Secret of Mana isn’t even the first SquareSoft RPG that people usually think of when they think of that console.

Still, Secret of Mana is something close to a video game design miracle. Few other games have come this close to packing this much depth and heart into such a substantial RPG experience that never feels like a slog and even allows you to play with a friend. This is one of the most entertaining RPGs ever made.

Earthbound SNES RPG characters

18. Earthbound

For years, Earthbound fans had to beg and plead for gamers to go out of their way to give this initially overlooked RPG the chance it deserved. I even spent quite a few years preaching that same gospel.

Now, though, many gamers know that Earthbound is one of the weirdest, most creative, and most surprisingly emotional JRPGs ever made. From its bizarre story to its soundtrack that refuses to stick to a genre for more than a song, Earthbound is a truly unique creative vision the likes of which many weren’t prepared for at that time and likely won’t see again.

Vagrant Story PS1 cutscene

17. Vagrant Story

Vagrant Story is another one of those games that were initially overlooked by many of the people who may have enjoyed it most. Even positive reviews said that Vagrant Story was too complicated , too dry, and maybe too much of an investment.

Years later, some of those criticisms remain, but they’re often quickly drowned out by praise for Vagrant Story ’s unique take on the dungeon crawler genre and the ways that it juggled a pleasantly deep combat system with a dark, subtle, and mature narrative. There’s a world in which Vagrant Story achieved Dark Souls levels of fame, but it’s still rightfully remembered as one of the best dungeon crawlers ever. 

Persona 5 hero art

16. Persona 5

There are very few misses in the Persona franchise, but Persona 5 ’s story and style arguably elevate it over the other Persona titles that could have easily appeared on this list.

Alright, if I’m being very honest, Persona 5 gets the nod here for its style alone. This title’s design team took no piece of on-screen real estate for granted and managed to turn even the most mundane piece of UI into art. The worst part about this game is spending almost 100 hours with your jaw on the floor. 

Final Fantasy 9 sword fight

15. Final Fantasy 9

You’ll soon discover that Final Fantasy 9 essentially “beat” Final Fantasy 7 for a spot on this list. They’re obviously both great games, but there are just so many little things that separate Final Fantasy 9 from the series’ revolutionary 7th (numbered) installment.

Final Fantasy 9 ’s characters, story, world, and music are simply among the best in franchise history. While it certainly doesn’t hurt that Final Fantasy 9 returned to a wonderful medieval setting, this incredible swan song for the original PlayStation ultimately gets the nod for the ways that it so perfectly utilizes and improves on so many of the things the FF franchise does so well. 

Deus Ex action gameplay RPG

14. Deus Ex

Deus Ex may owe a lot to the System Shock series , but when it comes to executing the ambitious concept of a narrative-driven first-person RPG series that emphasizes environmental storytelling and character building, the original Deus Ex arguably stands alone. 

While Deus Ex’ bionic implant system and the way it offered multiple solutions to almost every situation are just brilliant bits of roleplay excellence, the game is arguably best remembered for its conspiracy theory narrative and how it sent you across the globe in search of something close to the truth.

Suikoden 2 cover art

13. Suikoden 2

While many RPGs (including an especially famous one we’ll be talking about in a bit) are built around assembling a party, few do it better than Suikoden 2 and its cast of 108 “collectible” characters with unique personalities, abilities, and stories. 

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That large cast of character is understandably the game’s highlight feature, but what’s easy to forget about Suikoden 2 is how its incredible political storyline, castle building minigame, and surprisingly enjoyable combat system so easily ensnare you even if you aren’t especially interested in finding every available party member.

Planescape Torment PC RPG

12. Planescape: Torment

For years, I’ve heard Planescape Torment fans argue that it features the best story in RPG history. Well, you know what? They…might actually be right.

Planescape: Torment ’s story of the “Nameless One” quickly evolved into a philosophical meditation on the nature of existence that never feels as pretentious as that description may make it sound. This masterpiece expertly forces you to confront the implications and impact of every decision you make in a way that feels pleasantly organic. This is a nearly unrivaled example of choice-driven storytelling.

Baldur's Gate 2 RPG

11. Baldur’s Gate 2

There’s a strong case to be made that Baldur’s Gate 2 is the best “pure” D&D style RPG ever , but what’s really so impressive about this title is how it translated D&D’s most complicated concepts to a digital medium so easily that you’ll likely find yourself wondering why other games haven’t been able to pull that feat off with such apparent ease.

Of course, there’s nothing easy about Baldur’s Gate 2 ‘s design. Its choice and consequence-based storytelling and stunningly deep character-building systems have often been replicated, but it’s hard to top one of the best RPG developers ever working at the top of their game.

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Dark souls bosses ranked.

Dark Souls multiplayer battle

10. Dark Souls

It’s always a little controversial to label Dark Souls as an RPG, but the two things that this game does better than most in terms of classic RPG genre conventions are class distinction and character building. 

To survive in the world of Dark Souls , you have to understand your character and your own abilities in a way that goes beyond knowing which button to hit. The bond you form with your character by the time that you finish Dark Souls is something that the best RPGs strive for but rarely achieve. You truly feel like you have become your in-game persona and belong in this game’s wonderful yet horrifying world.

Pokemon red and blue

9. Pokémon Red and Blue

In case you’re wondering, this spot nearly went to Pokémon Gold and Silver based on quality alone. Ultimately, though, the cultural impact of Red and Blue was too great to ignore.

There’s a very good chance Pokémon was the first RPG that many people lost themselves in, which is all the more impressive when you consider that it’s a shockingly deep RPG in its own right rather than a simple “introduction” to the genre. Adventures are supposed to feel magical rather than cumbersome, and few RPG adventures are as consistently magical as this one. 

Elder Scrolls Morrowind PC rpg

8. The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind

Look, I know Skyrim is the blockbuster best-seller, and I’ve even argued that Oblivion is the best Elder Scrolls game ever , but much like Pokemon Red and Blue , it’s hard to argue against the impact of Morrowind and how it forever changed our expectations for the scope of an RPG. 

Morrowind ‘s status as one of the first modern open-world RPGs (at least based on how we use usually that term today) is impressive enough, but what’s so shocking about this game is that few RPGs that followed in its footsteps have come close to topping Morrowind ‘s visual creativity and lore. It’s so easy to forgive so many of the ways that Morrowind hasn’t aged especially well once you’ve fallen down the shockingly deep rabbit hole of its character-building possibilities and world-building.

Fallout New Vegas Obsidian

7. Fallout: New Vegas

The debate over the best Fallout game will go on, but for the moment, let’s put down our swords and talk about all of the things that make Fallout: New Vegas so unbelievably brilliant.

Rarely have we ever seen an “open-world” RPG that puts this much attention into its side quests, out-of-the-way locales, and minor characters. Most open-world games try to sell you on the idea that you can go anywhere and do anything, but Fallout: New Vegas is one of the few that will encourage even the most focused gamers to see it all. More importantly, it manages to offer a variety of potential paths forward that only reveal themselves based on how you navigate its complex web of choices. It’s the kind of game that makes you want to stand up and take a bow.

Mass Effect 2 cover art

6. Mass Effect 2

There are some who will say that Mass Effect ’s core promise of a galaxy that’s fate will be impacted by most of your choices was always too ambitious . There are others who will argue, “It wasn’t. Just look at Mass Effect 2 .”

Mass Effect 2 is arguably the closest BioWare came to realizing their most ambitious design ideas. Despite working with (often against) a scope that would make most studios weep in the corner, BioWare packed this sequel with a legion of memorable characters with their own complicated arcs that slowly reveal themselves as you brazenly explore a galaxy that feels ready to open up or crumble at your feet at any time. Mass Effect 2 does all of that and still manages to be a blast to play throughout.

The Witcher 3 combat

5. The Witcher 3

The first two Witcher games are incredible, but if you find that most people don’t seem to be able to put The Witcher 3 ’s impact into words, that’s probably because even the first two games couldn’t quite prepare them for this masterpiece.

The Witcher 3 has side stories that would be worthy of campaigns in lesser games. I honestly still can’t quite explain how this game remains so fresh and exciting even after dozens of hours of play. Many of us grew up dreaming of being thrown in an elaborate medieval fantasy world where we truly felt like the hero that could shape the fortunes of all, and The Witcher 3 might just be the ultimate piece of sword and sorcery fantasy wish fulfillment.

Final Fantasy 6 opera scene

4. Final Fantasy 6

Look, I could sit here all day and talk about the virtues of Final Fantasy 6 or even how its best moments are still capable of reducing gamers to tears. I could tell you about the heroes, the villains, the plot beats, and all the other things that make this game the classic that few will debate that it is.

Instead, I want to talk about how Final Fantasy 6 changed how so many of us look at gaming. This title’s prestigious nature was so prominent that it almost feels like developer Squaresoft traveled into the future and brought something back with them. This was the kind of game you begged people to play and it was the kind of game that made you pledge your allegiance to the very concept of gaming. 

Diablo 2 cover art PC RPG

3. Diablo 2

In an earlier article, I talked about how Diablo turned RPGs into an addiction . Somehow, that brilliant game managed to retain all the deep qualities of the greatest D&D adventures and wrap them around a simplified combat system that had many of us playing until the wee hours of the morning completely unaware of what was happening in our own world.

Well, Diablo 2 did all of that and made the whole thing so much better that you rarely even hear people talk about the original Diablo anymore. If the highlight of an RPG is that moment when you so completely lose yourself in its world that the troubles of your own existence leave your mind, Diablo 2 arguably reaches that point faster than almost any other RPG ever made.

World of Warcraft Classic Ragnaros

2. World of Warcraft

I often wonder how I would explain to a child of the ‘80s or early ‘90s that a game like WoW exists. I suppose I’d just say “See, there’s this persistent world filled with wonders that you and your friends can spend thousands of hours exploring as you work together to defeat overwhelming threats and write your own adventures.” They’d probably understand the appeal of that idea but may not be able to comprehend how such a thing could be possible.

WoW may require one hell of a commitment to get the most out of it, and the game has had some ups and downs over the years, but the fact of the matter is that there is really no other RPG that can offer what the best moments in WoW history have to offer. It’s a truly magical experience that you’ll willingly sacrifice your free time to for the simple fact that it offers experiences you could only previously dream of. 

Chrono Trigger ship scene

1. Chrono Trigger

Maybe this is an oddly appropriate statement for a game about time travel, but I’m fairly certain that Chrono Trigger will forever remain a timeless masterpiece. 

Chrono Trigger is an almost flawless game that not only combines so many of the things that we love about RPGs but arguably perfects them. Assembled by a dream team of some of the best JRPG creators ever, Chrono Trigger makes even the most seemingly mundane elements of its adventure feel absolutely joyful. When this game wants to go big, though, it does it in a way that few other games could ever dream of topping. Here’s a game with over 10 endings and a multi-layered time travel plot that moves with the effortless pace of a game of Tetris . 

Chrono Trigger is simply one of the best examples of curated RPG design that has ever or will ever be crafted. 

Matthew Byrd

Matthew Byrd | @SilverTuna014

Matthew Byrd is Games Editor at Den of Geek and an entertainment enthusiast living in Brooklyn. When he's not exploring the culture of video games, he's…

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The 10 best time travel games that’ll twist your mind

The 10 best time travel games that’ll twist your mind

Fiddle with timelines by jumping backward and forward in these titles.

If you’ve ever sat down for a short gaming session, only to check your watch and discover 7 hours have passed, you’ll understand what time travel in gaming feels like. Either that or you’ve been through an alien abduction. Playing with the concept of time has been a favorite of sci-fi writers in all forms for as long as anyone can remember. It taps into something that makes us human and presents us with questions that we struggle to find answers to.

Is it possible to see into the future? Is deja vu a form of time travel? Can we travel faster than light? Is time malleable? Can days be repeated? What if you could rewind time? These are some of the concepts that the best time travel games place before us to explore and contemplate. Sometimes we get lost in the spaces they create, time becoming irrelevant as it passes around us. And that’s what this article is about: shining a spotlight on the most enjoyable time travels gamers can experience. So let’s dive in — there’s no time to waste!

What are the best games featuring time travel?

Our list of the best time travel games features titles that bring their own unique twists to timeless ideas, consequences and conundrums. Whether you're into solving mind-bending puzzles, changing the course of history, or just experiencing wild twists, these games have something to offer. If you’ve even the slightest interest in sci-fi games, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by checking out the games highlighted here.

Back to the Future: The Game

time travel role playing game

It'd be a crime against time travel games if we didn't kick off with  Back to the Future: The Game . Set after the events of the iconic film trilogy, this episodic adventure takes fans deep down nostalgia lane.

Playing as Marty McFly, you’ll team up with Doc Brown once more to fix rips in the space-time continuum. But this game is way more than simple fan service, with new twists on the franchise written by the films’ co-creator Bob Gale. You’ll be jumping between different eras of Hill Valley throughout, solving puzzles and interacting with familiar characters from fresh perspectives.

And, as is core to  Telltale Games , you’ll get to make big decisions on the way that’ll shape the story.

Back to the Future: The Game PC

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The Messenger

time travel role playing game

The Messenger proves that looks can be deceiving, starting out as what appears to be a pretty straightforward ninja-based retro action platformer . But this game has a smart twist up its sleeve, resulting in one of the coolest time loops in games you can experience.

Initially, you’ll journey through a gorgeous yet dangerous world in an 8-bit aesthetic. However, as you improve and gain new skills, the game transforms into a 16-bit future, taking you back through environments transformed by ruin, setting up the second half of your adventure and presenting even greater challenges. If you’re a fan of classic platformers and have an itch to play one with a unique gameplay mechanic, this is the title for you.

The Messenger PC

  • 3,643 3,643
  • 12,881 12,881

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With a title like Deathloop , you know you’re in for quite an experience. You’ll play as Colt, an assassin trapped in a bizarre time loop on the luxurious island of Blackreef. Every day resets at midnight, forcing you to relive the same events over and over, unless you can break the cycle trapping you there. In order to escape the island, you’ll need to locate and eliminate eight targets — known as the ‘Visionaries’ — before the day is up.

And as if that wasn’t challenging enough, your targets know you’re coming for them and just happen to be heavily guarded. Experiment with different approaches, learn enemy patterns across loops, and strategically manipulate the environment to take down your targets. Each new day offers an opportunity to gather intel, acquire powerful weapons and abilities, and inch closer to unraveling the mysteries behind the loop and Colt's predicament.

Deathloop presents one of the most engaging time loops in games, and it’s also one of the  best FPS titles available to play as part of your Game Pass subscription.

DEATHLOOP PC

  • 6,846 6,846
  • 20,146 20,146

Outer Wilds

time travel role playing game

Outer Wilds is consistently held up as one of the most intriguing space exploration games ever made, and is among the best time travel games around too. Playing as an astronaut, part of your role in the space program is to explore a miniature solar system containing big secrets. And there's a catch: the entire system is trapped in a 22-minute time loop that always ends with the sun going supernova.

Zipping around in your rickety spaceship, piecing together clues left by a vanished alien race, you might stumble upon a hidden ruin, strange writings, or eerie shifts on a sand-engulfed planet. And remember to pay attention, as each loop adds another piece to the puzzle you’re trying to solve: the source of this time loop — and potentially, how to end it.

Outer Wilds PC

  • 16,352 16,352
  • 1,772 1,772
  • 14,419 14,419

Steins;Gate

time travel role playing game

Steins;Gate is a legendary visual novel game , regarded as delivering perhaps the greatest time travel story of the genre. Stepping into the lab coat of Okabe Rintaro, an eccentric self-proclaimed mad scientist, you stumble upon a way to send messages into the past. And as you might expect, experimenting with this method triggers a series of unforeseen consequences.

Seemingly innocuous alterations to the past result in shockingly unpredictable changes to the present. And as the narrative slowly unravels, you’ll be caught up in a web of conspiracy, paranoia, and the heart-wrenching ethical dilemmas of manipulating time.

There are multiple endings to discover, all based on your own choices, and a cast of relatable characters to meet on your numerous journeys through this absorbing sci-fi story.

STEINS;GATE PC

  • 5,051 5,051
  • 3,750 3,750

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

time travel role playing game

In this classic Prince of Persia tale, you’ll take the role of the titular character who finds themselves hunted by the Dahaka, the embodiment of fate. Traveling to the Island of Time, you’ll need to find a way to escape your seemingly inevitable demise.

Your journey will take you to the decaying ruins of a once-glorious empire. By manipulating time, you’ll move between a pristine past and this decaying present, solve time-shifting puzzles, engage in brutal combat and discover what price there is to pay for cheating death.

One of the darker installments to the  Prince of Persia franchise , Warrior Within is a challenging, time-bending platformer that holds up to this day.

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within PC

  • 1,706 1,706
  • 8,640 8,640

Difmark

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

time travel role playing game

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a bit of a hidden gem, but one you should definitely search out. You play as Sissel, a ghost who's lost his memories following their death. There are just hours until sunrise, which will see your soul pass over to the other side. So, with time running out, you’ll need to discover who Sissel was and solve the mystery surrounding their murder.

The game’s plot is engaging enough, but it’s in the core gameplay mechanic where Phantom Detective really shines. You see, Sissel can't directly impact the world of the living. Instead, he possesses and manipulates everyday objects, performing quirky ‘Ghost Tricks’ to influence people's actions. And there’s an ingenious component of time travel woven in too, as you can jump back four minutes before a person's death, using your ghostly powers to alter events.

Each scenario becomes an intricate puzzle, where you set up a chain of events in the present, rewinding time to execute your plans. The characters are quirky and memorable, and the story is surprisingly poignant. Ghost Trick is an absolute must-play for fans of creative  detective games with challenging puzzle elements.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective PC

  • 5,549 5,549
  • 2,632 2,632

Quantum Break

time travel role playing game

Remedy Entertainment loves to experiment with narrative and gameplay, with Quantum Break being one of their most ambitious projects — and arguably their most underrated release. You play as Jack Joyce, an agent who gains time manipulation powers after a science experiment gone awry. Featuring tight third-person combat, you’ll get to unleash your new-found abilities to freeze enemies, dodge attacks by rewinding time, and create devastating blasts to finish off attackers.

Quantum Break also includes interesting ‘junction’ points, where the game pauses for a live-action episode, which dynamically change based on your in-game decisions. This part of the game proved to be divisive. Fans loved the uniqueness, while detractors focused on the fact that this element seemed more like a TV show than game.

Whatever your view Quantum Break is a bold, experimental take on interactive storytelling, and its seamless integration of time travel mechanics into both gameplay and narrative is undeniable.

Quantum Break PC

  • 5,514 5,514
  • 23,479 23,479

CDKeys.com

Life Is Strange

time travel role playing game

Life is Strange captured the hearts of many with its emotionally impactful story and captivating rewind mechanic. You take on the role of Max Caulfield, a photography student who discovers they can rewind time at will. This power becomes her tool to navigate the complexities of teenage life, from social drama to a looming supernatural threat. Now if that doesn’t scream best time travel in games, we don’t know what does.

While Life is Strange doesn't lean into complicated time travel theories, it effectively uses the concept to explore the themes of choice and consequence. Max can rewind short durations of time, trying different approaches in conversations, and experimenting to solve puzzles. The game reminds the player that even small changes can lead to significant ramifications, both good and bad, wrapped up in a story that beautifully captures the bittersweet tinge of nostalgia.

Life is Strange Remastered Collection PC

Chrono Trigger

time travel role playing game

It wouldn't be a proper time travel list without Chrono Trigger , the legendary JRPG that arguably perfected the concept in gaming. If you’re the type of person who enjoys playing games that have gone down in the history of the medium, this is one title you absolutely must dive into.

The game tells the tale of a chance encounter that throws a cast of lovable characters from various eras into an epic adventure to save the world across time itself. From prehistoric caves to a post-apocalyptic future, players journey through time, uncovering secrets and facing off against legendary villains. The title’s combat system isn't just satisfying, it arguably introduced the concept of time loops in games too.

Chrono Trigger boasts multiple endings, encouraging repeated playthroughs, and its tight gameplay, charming characters, and phenomenal soundtrack will keep you coming back for me. Not just one of the greatest  JRPG titles of all time, it’s undoubtedly one of the best games full stop.

CHRONO TRIGGER PC

  • 6,954 6,954
  • 8,342 8,342

Keycense

It might not feel like it’s taken long to get through our list of the best time travel games, but you’ve actually been on this page for 5 hours! Of course you haven’t, that’d be ridiculous. But no matter how many titles we included, you probably think there’s one left out that should’ve made the cut. If that’s the case, let everyone know in the comments below.

About Author

John Ford

John’s favorite games tend to be indies, with a preference for slow-paced cozy titles, city builders and sims. He loves seeing small dev teams get recognition for passion projects. He hates toxic fandom.

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  • Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game Second Edition Core Rulebook Review

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I have received review copies in the past from Modiphius for other 2d20 products, but I have not received any review material for the Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game Second Edition Core Rulebook, and I purchased this for review on my own. I have not had an opportunity to play through or run the material in this book, but I have run the first edition of the game for multiple campaigns, as well as other 2d20 RPGs.

  Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game Second Edition Core Rulebook 2d20 System Designer Nathan Dowdell Project Manager Jim Johnson Writers Mike “O’dah ziibing” Ashkewe, Tilly Bridges & Susan Bridges, Rachael Cruz, Alison Cybe, Michael Dismuke, Nathan Dowdell, Keith Garrett, Patrick Goodman, Jim Johnson, Fred Love, Erin Macdonald, PhD, Aaron M Pollyea, J.D. Kennedy, Chris McCarver, Troy Mepyans, Al Spader Editors Jim Johnson, Marieke Cross, Scott Pearson Proofreaders Jim Johnson, Marieke Cross Art Director Ariel Orea Graphic Designers Michal E. Cross, Mark Whittington, Stephanie Toro Cover Artist Paolo Puggioni Interior Artwork Artists Eren Arik, Cristi Balenescu, Marc Bell, Carlos Cabrera, Joshua Calloway, Alexey Chernik, Aurea Freniere, Michele Frigo, Chaim Garcia, Nick Greenwood, Aaron Harvey, Eva Lara, Jens Lindfors, Toma Feizo Gas, Matheus Graef, Vincent Laik, Thomas Marrone, Wayne Miller, Ariel Orea, Dat Phan, Paolo Puggioni, Tobias Richter, Vadim Sadovski, Martin Sobr, Steve Stark, Vitali Timkin, Rodrigo Gonzalez Toledo, Salvador Trakal, Justin Usher, Rhys Yorke, Eaglemoss Ltd., CBS Studios, Inc. For Paramount Global Marian Cordry, Stephen Zelin, Brian Bromberg, Aaron Hubberman, Brian Lady, Danwei Lando, James Salerno, Russell Spina With Thanks To Gene Roddenberry, Marian Cordry, BC Holmes, and the many fans who support this game

Computer, Display Schematics

For this review, I have had the opportunity to look at both the PDF and the hardcover version of the game. The hardcover is a solid chunk of a book that is very similar to both the original Star Trek Adventures book and the Klingon variation of the core rules. It uses similar font, but the colors deviate from the darker colors of the spines for the original books. The original version of the game had pages that emulated the L-CARS appearance of Next Generation consoles, including the black background for the pages. The second edition ditches those black backgrounds for a white one, which I can understand. It’s always a little disheartening when you end up with a permanent fingerprint on your solid black pages.

The official page count of the book is 384 pages, and includes the following:

  • Front Endpapers with a map of the Alpha and Beta Quadrant (2 pages, PDF, endpapers in hardcover)
  • Back Endpapers with a timeline of Star Trek properties, the Prime Timeline, and the
  • Terran Universe Timeline (2 pages, PDF, endpapers in hardcover)
  • Credits Page (1 page)
  • Table of Contents (1 page)
  • Character Sheet (2 pages, front and back)
  • Personal Log (1 page)
  • Index and Acknowledgements (4 pages)
  • Front and Back Cover (2 pages, PDF, front and back cover, hardcover)

Most of the book is in a two-column layout. Some pages have a smaller column with sidebar commentary, as well as offset text boxes exploring topics brought up on the page. There are full color pieces of art introducing each chapter, and there are many half page pieces of art portraying various scenes that would be common for a Star Trek narrative, which includes staring at majestic ships in drydock, Starfleet medical personnel treating inhabitants of a planet, enjoying a meal in the lounge, and the more action oriented combat scenes. There are images from across the timelines detailed, and most are in the same style, except for a few “ Lower Decks ” styled images inserted in various locations.

While there are images from across the timelines, the book also uses a set of iconic characters, first introduced in the quick start. These characters are all from the Strange New Worlds era of Star Trek , with the same uniform and gear from that show. This includes a Betazoid security officer, a human science officer, a Vulcan chief medical officer, a Tellarite chief engineer, an Andorian first officer, and a Trill captain. These are the characters that make some opening comments about the topics introduced in the various chapters.

In addition to those iconic characters and their chapter introductions, there are quotes from a wide range of characters. Some of the characters that contribute quotes or commentary include Picard, Archer, Worf, Tendi, Boimler, Pike, Janeway, Gwyndala, Zero, McCoy, Booker, Data, Georgiou, Kirk, Mariner, Nog, Decker, Sisko, Freeman, Kira, Quark, Ransom, La Forge, and M’Benga.

The book itself is broken up into the following sections:

  • A Star Trek Primer
  • The Final Frontier
  • Reporting for Duty
  • Your Home Among the Stars
  • Technology and Weapons
  • Gamemastering
  • Introductory Adventure
  • Allies and Adversaries

The new format makes one nice improvement. There aren’t the random strings of numbers on various pages that were meant to represent cluttered data on a viewscreen. I often run the PDF text to speech function while reading, and it could get very tedious when those numbers were read as text instead of a background image.

For The Seasoned Officers

Before I dive into the details of the book, I wanted to hit a quick summary of the differences between the 1e and 2e edition of Star Trek Adventures . This is just a fast rundown, so feel free to check out the details further in the review.

  • Say goodbye to the challenge dice–damage and progress are tracked without them now
  • Stress is now determined only with your Fitness attribute, unless you have a trait that uses a different attribute
  • Some challenges may use stress as one of the consequences of accomplishing goals
  • In combat, you take an injury unless you spend stress equal to the weapons rating to resist the injury
  • You can recover different amounts of stress by taking a breather (10 minutes or so), taking a break (a half hour to a couple of hours), or sleeping (several hours)
  • NPCs don’t have a stress track, but Notable and Major NPCs can spend threat to resist injury
  • In ship combat, shields work more like a progress track you are working to complete, rather than the stress for the ship
  • There are guidelines for when to use a challenge versus when to use an extended task
  • Your progress on extended tasks is based on your rating in a relevant department, rather than the results of the challenge dice
  • Many species talents of been rewritten
  • You get an additional focus at the end of character creation to reflect a personal interest (for example, Riker might use this extra focus for Jazz)
  • There are more guidelines to what species traits are meant to summarize
  • Character progression now defaults to the “personal log” method first introduced in the Klingon core rulebook
  • Much like in certain political discussions of climate change, the scientific method has been abandoned
  • The book is a “greatest hits” of some of the previous releases, incorporating some player character rules for species, traits, technobabble, reprimand and acclaim, and commendations, to name a few

Life in the Federation

I wanted to talk about the Star Trek primer section of the book first, because I think the summary of how the Federation operates may be one of the most concise and inclusive attempts that I’ve seen in any Star Trek product. The primary purpose of this section is to set the tone for what a Star Trek Adventures campaign should look and feel like, but it does more than that. The baseline assumption is that Star Trek Adventures is meant to portray a hopeful future, where humanity can live up to it’s potential, and learn and grow by interacting with other advanced species, while also pointing out where conflict happens.

There is a section that touches on the major cultures of the setting, including:

  • The Klingon Empire
  • The Romulan Empire
  • The Cardassian Union
  • The Ferengi Alliance
  • The Orion Syndicate
  • The Borg Collective
  • The Dominion

These aren’t exhaustive treatments, but they often touch on those societies in multiple eras. The Klingons and Romulans both get multiple pages, the Cardassians and the Dominion both get a page, and the others each have a half-page of information. The information is current up through the third season of Picard , but that also means we get some season four information from Discovery .

There is a page on “other civilizations,” which includes a few paragraphs on the Tholian Assembly, the Q Continuum, and the Pakleds (including Lower Decks updates), as well as a paragraph that talks about Delta Quadrant societies like the Hirogen, Kazon, Vidians, and Talaxians. A notable omission is the Gorn Hegemony, which I imagine may have been avoided since Strange New Worlds is still in the midst of an ongoing narrative with that culture.

The information about life in the Federation is where this section shines. Have you ever wondered exactly what Star Trek means when various characters say they don’t have money in the Federation, especially in light of situations where Federation members seem to be working for profit or trading with cultures that definitely do still use money? What about human religion in the Federation? Have you ever wondered why sometimes something from the holodeck can leave the holodeck? Why can’t you use cargo transporters to transport large numbers of people from one place to another? These all receive answers that should make you feel better equipped to answer those questions when they come up.

Life in an Alternate Federation?

The previous version of Star Trek Adventures included a section on planet classification, space-phenomenon, and the basics of warp travel and subspace. This time around, there are a few more sections that touch on additional topics like alternate universes and time travel.

There is a brief section on the Terran Universe (or the Mirror Universe), and Quantum Multiverses (lots of different realities where things may be changed in smaller, significant ways). This also touches on time travel, and the different ways it can be accomplished in Star Trek (there are at least five different ways that this can happen outlined in the book).

Life in Starfleet

While this iteration of Star Trek Adventures isn’t quite as tied to portraying only Starfleet Personnel, it is still considered the default mode of playing the game. As such, we get a section on how Starfleet works, and how it has changed over the eras.

There are some sidebars on organizations adjacent to Starfleet, like Division 14, the section of Starfleet introduced in Lower Decks , which deals with Starfleet personnel that have been affected by strange phenomena. There is also a sidebar with a few paragraphs on Section 31, which frames the organization the way I prefer it to exist, as an organization that isn’t known outside of a few members of Starfleet that are allied with it, which does not have any official standing with the Federation or Starfleet.

The book touches on the Temporal Prime Directive and assumptions about what Starfleet personnel should do in a time travel situation. The original Prime Directive is also addressed. I enjoy that the examples they give make the Prime Directive feel more like something you can discuss and use in game, rather than an absolute hammer to drop on players that make the wrong decision. True to many of the episodes, you may need to justify your interpretation, but unless you completely throw it out the window, it should provide you with more roleplaying opportunities rather than an excuse to punish players for making hard decisions.

The section on Starfleet then discusses Starfleet Academy, duty assignments, and mission types. I appreciate that among the mission types, we get Second Contact missions integrated into standard Starfleet procedures, giving us a solid tie into the contribution made by Lower Decks.

There is a half-page dedicated to Non-Starfleet campaigns, which are better supported than in the original Star Trek Adventures book, but not as supported as, for example, in the Klingon core rulebook, which make sense. The biggest support from this section would be Federation civilians working in concert with Starfleet personnel, representing characters like ambassadors and civilian academics working with Starfleet science personnel.

(Quantum) Game Mechanics

The heart of the 2d20 system is pretty simple. Whenever you make a check, you roll two twenty-sided dice. You compare this to a number derived from an attribute and a department (in the case of Star Trek Adventures ). Your attribute will top out at 12, and your department will top out at 5. If you roll under those two numbers added together, you get a success. If you have a Focus that applies to the task you are attempting (like Martial Arts if you are making a hand-to-hand combat attack), you gain an additional success if you roll below your Department score. That means if you have a focus that is relevant, on 2d20, you could get from 0 to 4 successes.

You can spend some game currencies to buy extra dice, and some talents may add an additional die. You can never roll more than five on a check., meaning you would max out, in a spectacular series of rolls, at 10 successes. In some situations, someone else can aid you, but they will only be rolling 1d20, and you can only add their successes to your own if you have at least one success. That means, if you are facing a Difficulty 3 check to calm down an enraged government official, and someone is aiding you, and they roll two successes on their attempt to help you, if you roll 0 successes, it doesn’t help you at all. But if you roll one success, you can add their successes to your own and meet the Difficulty of three.

There are several currencies in the game. Momentum tops out at six. If you get more successes than you need on a check, you can generate momentum to add to your pool. You can use Momentum for several things, like buying extra dice, asking additional questions, or adding damage to a weapon’s rating. Threat is a similar currency that the GM can use. Whenever a PC rolls a complication (usually a 20), the GM can create a trait in the scene or add two additional Threat to their pool. Among other things, the GM can use this to create scene traits, or to modify NPC rolls in a manner similar to what PCs can use Momentum for. Players can choose to add threat whenever they don’t have Momentum to spend.

The final currency is Determination. You can only have three Determination at any one time. You can only spend Determination if you have a Value relevant to the task you are attempting, or if your task is related to the mission directives you have been given. Determination buys you an extra die, but the die is considered to have rolled a 1. That die does count against your five dice maximum. Your Values determine what your character believes, and if you challenge one of your values, you can add a Determination, cross it out, and rewrite it after the mission is over.

Talents work the way you may expect, being much like feats, talents, perks, or other game rules across RPGs. They are exceptions to how the regular rules work, granting you things like rerolling dice under certain circumstances. There are talents that add additional species abilities, general abilities, or abilities related to what career path you are on.

Character advancement is tracked by filling out character logs. The log doesn’t need to be a deep explanation of what happened in a game session. Instead, it’s a quick note about “X happened, this relates to my Value of Y.” After a number of log entries, a character gains an advancement, and characters can “spend” those log entries to remember a relevant situation to generate Determination in a current mission.

A good portion of play deals with traits. A scene trait may narratively deny a course of action or may make something more difficult to accomplish. Traits can have higher magnitudes, so you can have Ion Storm (3), which would make the difficulty of checks to transport through the storm, or send communications through the storm, increase by three. Traits are more open-ended, where the GM and the players can discuss what those traits mean and when they apply.

Character Creation

Character creation can be done in one of two ways. The first is a Lifepath system, where you walk through your character’s life up to the current day, adding attributes, department ratings, talents, and values at various steps of the process. The lifepath follows the following steps:

  • Environment (where you were raised)
  • Upbringing (how you were raised)
  • Career Path (what you learned)
  • Experience (how long have you been doing this)
  • Career Events (significant events)
  • Finishing Touches

If you don’t want to go through this process, there is the Creation in Play method. In this case, the character has a number of values, focuses, and unassigned division ratings. When your character attempts to do something, they can decide they want to assign points to one of their departments, and maybe a focus, to help with the roll. Once this happens, those elements are locked in, and the character has one less of each of those to assign.

There is much more direction about what a character’s species trait means. For example, they give examples that something that requires raw strength may be slightly less difficult for Klingons or Vulcans, because they have above average strength for humanoids their size. The species abilities have been reworked, and I like the directions many of them have moved. For example, Vulcans can spend stress to avoid gaining a trait associated with an emotional state, but if they are Fatigued, any emotional state trait they have is increased in potency by 1, to represent that Vulcans aren’t emotionless, they are just tightly in control of their strong emotions.

There are additional career paths that are civilian based, instead of the standard Starfleet career paths, including Diplomatic Corps, Civilian (Physician), Civilian (Scientist), Civilian (Official), and Civilian (Trader). Service roles integrate some of the slightly different roles that appear in the Star Trek Adventure’s Player’s Guide, including civilian postings like Bodyguard, Expert, Merchant, or Political Liaison. You can also choose to have a character that has cybernetic components or that has been genetically modified.

Starship combat is a little different from the first edition of Star Trek Adventures , but not dramatically. One of the big differences is that it has been framed to look a lot more like personal combat, but with a few more formal procedures that take place with each action. I don’t mind some extra procedure in rules like these, mainly because starship combat in Star Trek is more deliberate and tactical when it occurs. But that added procedure still needs to be approachable.

Like ground combat, movement is defined by zones. Unlike 1e edition, the similarity in combat rules means that you can fly your ship behind cover if cover exists in the zone, making you harder to hit. If your helm operator takes the Evasive Action option on their turn, the difficulty of hitting your ship changes from a static number to an opposed test. Damage takes down your shields, but you may also be reducing incoming damage as well based on your size and hull. If you can’t mitigate oncoming damage, you suffer a breach. When a system is breached, you need to make temporary repairs to get it back online, but if it takes a number of breaches equal to your ship’s scale, that system has been effectively destroyed.

Certain options are available to characters in different positions on the ship. For example, the Operations console allows you to reroute power to regenerate your shields.

Should I drop supporting characters here? Your number of supporting characters is tied to the scale of your ship, so why not?

Just like in STA 1e, you can bring supporting characters into scenes. This can be done when a player’s role on the ship doesn’t make sense for the away team, for example. You can create a number of supporting characters up to your Crew Compliment, and these characters belong to the ship, not any particular player. Supporting characters have a slightly lower standard array of Attributes, a range of Department ratings, and three foci.

Lower Decks has inspired a new twist on this, which is a Supervisory character, a senior character not played by one of the players that can be adopted by players when they need an officer to help direct them. They get a slightly higher array for their attributes and departments, and an additional focus. They also start with a value and stress track. Since I had a crew of players where no one wanted to play the captain, this would have been a nice rule to have available for that campaign.

While you can still contribute your own advances to supporting characters, reintroducing a supporting character now triggers an advancement once per adventure. These include gaining a Value and a stress track, increasing Attributes or Departments, adding a focus, or adding a talent to the character. A character that has gone through all of these improvements can’t be further improved unless a player adopts them as their new player character.

Mission Status

In addition to the rules, character creation, NPC stat blocks, and ships, the core rulebook also contains a starting adventure. If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you know I’m a fan of including adventures. Even if you aren’t going to use them, they help you to see how the designers intend the rules to be used for game sessions.

The adventure included in this book is based in the Strange New Worlds /just pre-The Original Series era. I like the structure of this adventure, because it presents a Prime Directive quandary, and enough wiggle room to argue for limited intervention, in addition to the science/medical emergency that is the primary conflict of the adventure.

The adventure includes a synopsis, a section on Spotlight Roles (the crew positions that will be doing the heavy lifting in the adventure), and the mission directives. The action is divided into three acts. The adventure has one encounter that might turn into combat, but most of the conflict comes from the moral quandaries and the science that needs to be done.

Glory to Your House  The broader options for non-Starfleet characters open up some character types that we’ve seen in multiple series. 

The way much of this book has been put together really does simplify the processes in the game. Combat makes more sense. Stress is more versatile. The species abilities are more nuanced and work together well with some of the new talents. The broader options for non-Starfleet characters open up some character types that we’ve seen in multiple series. There are better examples for when to utilize challenges and when to use extended tasks, and extended tasks are a little easier to follow. While the challenge dice were never a major impediment to me, I have to admit that when I’ve played 2d20 games that don’t utilize them, everything feels like its rolling along just a little bit smoother.

I Protest, I Am Not a Merry Man

The discussion of species traits did a wonderful job of explaining how those traits can be used in a contextual manner to cover a wide range of abilities native to the species. I wish they had extended that logic to Attribute bonuses, which are still tied to species. The organization of the book is much better than 1e edition, but I still feel like I need to hunt a bit to pull together all of the Starship rules. Some of the game rules are great and make sense for Star Trek, like the character log advancement, but may seem a little intimidating to a player that has first encounters it.

Recommended–If the product fits in your broad area of gaming interests, you are likely to be happy with this purchase.

When the original Star Trek Adventures rulebook came out, I thought it was one of the best examples of an RPG based on a property that understands its topic and is designed to support the emblematic narratives native to it. This version is no exception, doing what a solid new edition does–keeping a lot of the familiar structure that works, and streamlining the elements that weren’t as flexible or as intuitive in long-term play.

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About The Author

Jared Rascher

Jared Rascher has been gaming since 1985, when he stole his sister’s D&D Basic Set to rescue it from disuse. In the past, he has written several articles for the Forgotten Realms fan site Candlekeep, was present for ground zero as a GM for Pathfinder Society Season Zero at Gen Con 2008, and helped provide feedback on the original documents for that organized play program. He has been a moderator for several online gaming communities, and these days, he likes to write RPG reviews to justify all of those games he can’t keep himself from buying.

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COMMENTS

  1. Top Role Playing games tagged Time Travel

    All Walls Must Fall. A Tech-Noir Tactics game set in Berlin 2089, where the Cold War never ended. inbetweengames. Role Playing. Kaiju Big Battel: Fighto Fantasy. $9.99. Travel through time with punchy monsters in a 16-bit style RPG! Super Walrus Games. Role Playing.

  2. 10 Best Time Travel RPG Games

    This epic time travel adventure, Isle of Eras is available now on Dreams. The game itself offers unique experience with two different endings. Therefore, you shouldn't miss it if you have the console. 6. Cris Tales. This one is a role-playing game set in a fantasy world that combines elements of 2D and 3D graphics.

  3. Time Travel RPG : r/rpg

    It's an RPG where you're a regular person who goes to a theme park where you make a character from any time, and adventure together with other park goers. You can have a cave man traveling with a laser Ranger from the 24th and 1/2 century, a pirate, and a cowboy. Skin the 'theme park' bit out and enjoy.

  4. AYON: Split In Time on Steam

    AYON: Split in Time is an Action Adventure RPG game where players use ancient artifacts to time-travel, solve puzzles, and battle enemies across diverse eras to reunite with their brother. ... Join Dahx on his quest to reunite with Aidan, uncover time travel's secrets, and save their world from impending doom. AYON: Split in Time offers a ...

  5. Continuum (role-playing game)

    Continuum: Roleplaying in the Yet (stylized as C°ntinuum: roleplaying in The Yet) is a science fiction role-playing game about time travel created by Chris Adams, Dave Fooden and Barbara Manui and published by Aetherco/Dreamcatcher.The Continuum also refers to a collective group of time travelers as a whole and the society they inhabit in the game.

  6. Top free Role Playing games tagged Time Travel

    Find Role Playing games tagged Time Travel like All Walls Must Fall, Forever Home, Ambassadors Of The Future, No Time (Early Tech Demo), TimeDicks: The One Page TTRPG System on itch.io, the indie game hosting marketplace ... Role-playing games let you assume the role of a protagonist, customizing their abilities, equipment, and appearances ...

  7. Continuum

    gamemaster supplement. SPANBOOK. time travel diary software. CºNTINUUM: Roleplaying in The Yet ™ was released to critical and fan acclaim as a benchmark in time travel roleplaying. Players take on the roles of common folk throughout history who have been invited to become another order of being- people who can travel time at will.

  8. Top selling Role Playing physical games tagged Time Travel

    Steal a time travel machine - with the help of your future selves. roll / flip / draw. A Stitch in Time. $3. A Game of Timelines and Chronocrimes. UFO Press. The View at the End of Time. $3. A Time Traveling Mission for the Mothership RPG.

  9. Multiverse and time travel RPGs · FigCat

    TV shows such as Sliders, Quantum Leap or Rick and Morty provide a template for this kind of adventures. Similar to their episodic structure, multiverse and time travel games effectively involve switching between multiple genres in the course of a single campaign. Several games on the list present related, but slightly different scenarios, such ...

  10. TTRPGs about time travel? : r/rpg

    Fate of Cthulhu contains mechanics dealing with ripple effects through the timeline, as time-travelling is an essential part of its adventures. If you can read Spanish, Time Liner offers a morning-cartoon approach and characters with time-altering abilities jumping around History, it's quite fun and apt for kids. 4. Award.

  11. Time Travel

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  12. Timelords (role-playing game)

    Genres. time travel, science fiction. Systems. Custom d20 (1st-2nd edition) CORPS. EABA. TimeLords is a set of time travel role-playing games by Greg Porter and published by Blacksburg Tactical Research Center (BTRC). The first two editions used a custom d20-based game system; the most recent edition uses the EABA system from BTRC.

  13. Time Travel RPG's

    Edited Feb 12, 2010. Time Travel RPG's. Please add any RPG's, series, source books, adventures etc to do with time travel. If adding items please add at the highest appropriate level RPG > Series > RPGitem because if there is a whole pile of items published for one RPG I don't want the list clogged up with a large number of items, but please do ...

  14. 25 Best RPGs Ever Made

    8. The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind. Look, I know Skyrim is the blockbuster best-seller, and I've even argued that Oblivion is the best Elder Scrolls game ever, but much like Pokemon Red and Blue ...

  15. Top games tagged Time Travel

    A short hand-painted retro adventure about crashing a party to save the world. Honza Vávra. Adventure. Chronology: Time Changes Everything. $4.99. A platform-adventure game about time travelling, puzzle solving and a friendship between an Old Inventor and a Snail. Bedtime Digital Games. Puzzle. Induction.

  16. Timeship (role-playing game)

    Timeship is a time-travel role-playing system with very general rules. [1] Unlike other roleplaying games where the players create fictional characters, in Timeship, players role-play themselves as they are teleported by a powerful ritual in an ancient scroll into the past or the future. [2] At a time when role-playing game systems were becoming increasingly complex, Timeship was an attempt to ...

  17. Time Travel in a Role-Playing Game

    Time Travel in a Role-Playing Game February 16, 2008 trask 0 View Time Travel. Over at the Chatty DM they have a fascinating post on time-travel. I have an interest, since it is a component in my most recent module I wrote for the "Living Arcanis" campaign.

  18. Top RPGs of All Time

    Role-playing games have a long and fascinating history. ... And its brilliant introduction of time travel as both a storytelling vessel and gameplay mechanic is proof that story and gameplay don ...

  19. Top Role Playing physical games tagged Time Travel

    Role-playing games let you assume the role of a protagonist, customizing their abilities, equipment, and appearances. Through exploration, dialogue, and strategic combat, players navigate worlds, uncover lore, complete missions, and level up their characters.

  20. Mythic Merchants on Steam

    Craft magical gear in a bustling workshop! Upgrade your tools, automate processes, and hire goblin interns as you travel through time. Meet quirky heroes like Tony the chronomancer, Mino the strong minotaur, Rana the alchemist frog, and Vulf the tech-savvy wolf. Will you become a Mythic Merchant?

  21. Timemaster

    Timemaster is a role-playing game (RPG) featuring a time-travel system in which the player characters are agents of the Time Corps, an agency based in the year 7192 that is dedicated to preventing enemies from changing history. [2]The characters are agents who have been rescued from the past and recruited into the Corps ranks, although they are forbidden from returning to any time that ...

  22. The 10 best time travel games that'll twist your mind

    Back to the Future: The Game. It'd be a crime against time travel games if we didn't kick off with Back to the Future: The Game. Set after the events of the iconic film trilogy, this episodic adventure takes fans deep down nostalgia lane. Playing as Marty McFly, you'll team up with Doc Brown once more to fix rips in the space-time continuum.

  23. The Expanse Roleplaying Game: Transport Union Edition

    The Expanse Roleplaying Game brought the thrilling universe of James S.A. Corey's award-winning science fiction novels to the tabletop in 2019. The Transport Union Edition is the game's new, updated core rulebook, your launch point to adventures among the stars. In addition to the game itself, this crowdfunder also offers three new supplements, dice, and for the first time ever, Expanse ...

  24. Top rated Role Playing physical games tagged Time Travel

    Find Role Playing physical games tagged Time Travel like Unmoored, What Artistry This Wilderness, Unstuck in Time, PARADOX PERFECT 1.1 Edition, Time Heist on itch.io, the indie game hosting marketplace

  25. Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game Second Edition Core Rulebook

    Jared Rascher. Jared Rascher has been gaming since 1985, when he stole his sister’s D&D Basic Set to rescue it from disuse. In the past, he has written several articles for the Forgotten Realms fan site Candlekeep, was present for ground zero as a GM for Pathfinder Society Season Zero at Gen Con 2008, and helped provide feedback on the original documents for that organized play program.

  26. Top physical games tagged Time Travel and Tabletop role-playing game

    Explore physical games tagged Time Travel and Tabletop role-playing game on itch.io · Upload your physical games to itch.io to have them show up here. New itch.io is now on YouTube! Subscribe for game recommendations, clips, and more. View Channel. Thursday. $10.