End Game is one of those Saturday afternoon HBO movies that would come on and you ended up watching it and getting the ninety eight minutes run time sucked from your life never knowing quite why.
The Italians were pumping out a ton of these post apocalyptic films back in 1983 and this one made the rounds back in the 1990's when I worked in Boston in a video store. Believe it or not this film has a plot that makes a great old school post apocalyptic campaign.
Understand that this a grind house Italian post apocalyptic movie and its terrible as well as awful. There for awesome in its own way.
Heck even the director used a pseudonym. According to wiki :
Endgame (Bronx lotta finale) is a 1983 Italian post-apocalyptic film starring Al Cliver, Laura Gemser and George Eastman. It was directed, co-written and produced by Joe D'Amato, under the pseudonym "Steven Benson".
That being said the plot is like something right out of Thundarr The Barbarian:
In the year 2025, a nuclear holocaust has left New York City an irradiated, but not abandoned, wasteland. The ruined city is inhabited now by scavenger packs and telepathic mutants, who are persecuted by the elite survivors. Keeping the people pacified is the reality television program Endgame, where hunters and gladiators fight to the death.
Endgame veteran Ron Shannon (Cliver) assembles a team to take a group of mutants across the desert to safety. They need to avoid such dangers as blind fighting monks, nomadic predators, government agents, and Shannon's friend, now turned nemesis, Karnak (George Eastman).
The one percent rule over the mutants and hunters as scavengers pore through the rules of the ancients. Because this is an Italian production there's lots of echos of ancient Rome throughout these films.
The only thing missing in End Game is a wizard at whose bidding the humans are dying and fighting to make a complete mini campaign. Gladiator combat in the wasteland allows the DM to do completely gonzo cross overs with a straight face and have your players coming back to the table.
If you need or want to cross over your Labyrinth Lord/Mutant Future style fantasy and science fantasy campaigns this is a way to do it with little to no fuss at all.
The one percent rule over the mutants and hunters as scavengers pore through the rules of the ancients. Because this is an Italian production there's lots of echos of ancient Rome throughout these films.
The only thing missing in End Game is a wizard at whose bidding the humans are dying and fighting to make a complete mini campaign. Gladiator combat in the wasteland allows the DM to do completely gonzo cross overs with a straight face and have your players coming back to the table.
If you need or want to cross over your Labyrinth Lord/Mutant Future style fantasy and science fantasy campaigns this is a way to do it with little to no fuss at all.
Take three Italian post apocalyptic movies mix in your Mutant Epoch game rule book and your ready to go.
Using End Game As Fodder For Your Old School
Post Apocalyptic Campaigns
End game was one of my go to films to set just about anything into the wastelands. This film is a good example of the spaghetti setting. Hang anything within it and it will work.
This film is a good example of PA hex crawling at it's best. What's around the next corner? Ruins with a chain saw wielding clown? Why is it there? Because its a part of 'The End Game' broadcasts to the masses.
Because of the films pseudo Roman style excuse, the elders could and would pore a variety of the weird, traumatic and dangerous for pure entertainment.
Add in your favorite mutant monsters per encounter and go from there.
End Game isn't even good but it provides a great frame work to add in your favorite elements into a quick mini campaign for a Mutant Epoch or A Mutant Future game.
The formula of the film makes a great way to introduce both your fantasy and science fantasy campaigns together.
Add in a few leather clad 80's barbarian warriors and your ready to go.
The film is readily available on Youtube and a few other outlets. I've still got my VHS copy and popped it in for this afternoon's game.
The only thing missing from this sort of a game is a tribe of mutant ape warriors. Fortunately Bill over at Green Skeleton Gaming guild hooked me.
Right HERE Thanks pal.
End game was one of my go to films to set just about anything into the wastelands. This film is a good example of the spaghetti setting. Hang anything within it and it will work.
This film is a good example of PA hex crawling at it's best. What's around the next corner? Ruins with a chain saw wielding clown? Why is it there? Because its a part of 'The End Game' broadcasts to the masses.
Because of the films pseudo Roman style excuse, the elders could and would pore a variety of the weird, traumatic and dangerous for pure entertainment.
Add in your favorite mutant monsters per encounter and go from there.
| A few NPC adventurers in search of employment |
The formula of the film makes a great way to introduce both your fantasy and science fantasy campaigns together.
Add in a few leather clad 80's barbarian warriors and your ready to go.
The film is readily available on Youtube and a few other outlets. I've still got my VHS copy and popped it in for this afternoon's game.
The only thing missing from this sort of a game is a tribe of mutant ape warriors. Fortunately Bill over at Green Skeleton Gaming guild hooked me.
Right HERE Thanks pal.
Thanks for the shout out! I've never seen Endgame, may have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteYour welcome Bill! Glad to have the apes for my games!
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind the god awful post apocalyptic Italian production films then this one might be up your alley. Thanks for the comment my friend. More weirdness as well coming up!