The Old Ways Podcast

The best doing it today. Endless episodes. Incredible work ethic. Controlled chaos at its finest.

Sleet's review: The Old Ways podcast is a fantastic RPG online (normally @table) group using Call of Cthulhu 7e rules. The Keeper Michael and team of investigators immerse the listener in a bygone time of the 1920s. One of my favourite scenarios - Masks of Nyarlathotep and now Horror on the Orient Express (and additional one shots). The perfect amount of horror, player roleplay as well as insightful wit is included to push the listener to the edges of sanity. Right where one wants to be for CoC. Superb.

I’m afraid I have to rewrite my review after listening to multiple episodes, specifically of the Masks run. While the Keeper is very descriptive and teases at creating a truly horror-tinged investigative RP experience, this series has officially jumped the shark. The Maeve O’Shae character feels like they’re playing 5th edition D&D when everyone else is playing Call of Cthulhu. Throwing out spells like they were candy with very little in the way of consequences (there’s some colour commentary, but that’s it). It takes the danger and immersion out of the story and into a crunchy discussion about how much damage they can do to an opponent. It’s a shame because some of the other players are clearly trying to play a different flavour of game and for the most part they’re entertaining. Sure this campaign can be pulpy no matter how you play it, but running around casting Shrivelling like it was Magic Missile is groan-inducing