Trials of the Apocalypse

Good mix of funny and epic story telling. The GM is a master storyteller, and the players are creative and super talented. I have seen a lot of Powered by the Apocalypse gameplay and these folks are top notch.

Trials is a delightful time every episode. With a rotating cast and a variety of PBtA games they keep the show feeling fresh week after week. Impeccable audio, great players, and an exceptional GM narrating the stories. I’m constantly somewhere between the edge of my seat and rolling on the floor.

I’m interested in the game Brindle Bay, so I downloaded those episodes to give a listen. The host covers the rules in great detail and does a great job explaining the game, which is what I’m here for, but he’s constantly interrupted by the same stupid jokes over and over. During the first 30 minutes of the show I find myself talking back to the show, saying, “move along” I get that it’s supposed to be entertaining and funny, but keep it moving until you get to the actual play, the constant interruptions to make the same stupid jokes are just frustrating.

I heard an ad for this show in the Monster of the Week podcast Monster Hour and gave their Apocalypse World game and absolutely loved it. Honestly, I skipped Undying because the Session 0 made me kind meh about it, but I went back and listened to it after listening to Ghost Lines and I'm glad I did! It was a lot of fun and all of the PCs got what they wanted from the encounter! David, the GM, is great at letting the stories flow with the players' decisions and keeping things moving and fun. The rotating casts make each game different, even aside from the different systems being used. The use of sound design is great, too, especially in Ghost Lines. Please listen to this podcast!