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Substratum Protocol
88 pages
Published January 1, 2024
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 3, 2025
Okay. So. I filled an entire journal playing Substratum Protocol. I’m talking four pages left and I was actively trying to tone it down near the end. That’s how immersive and chaotic this game is. It thrives in ambiguity and cosmic horror, and if you’re a fan of Night Vale-style weirdness, memory loops, or ominous smells that try to give you someone else’s memories, buckle in.
This feels like a game built more for team play, and solo play definitely reads like a late-stage patch—but I still had a blast. I used ChatGPT as my weird omniscient GM whenever the random tables didn’t quite cut it, and honestly? It worked. The dice rolls vs. deck draw mechanic made for some absolutely unhinged outcomes. One second I’m doing something routine like “open a door,” and the next I’m dealing with accidental psychic bleed from a memory that isn’t mine. Peak horror. Loved it.
The prompts are so open-ended—it’s like they whisper story fragments into your ear and leave you to untangle the rest. I got real attached to my characters (RIP Emaul and Mateo you will be missed 😭), and the story just kind of took over from there. That said, I didn’t even touch all the mechanics—barely scratched the EXO suit abilities—so there’s definitely more to explore in a round two.
If you like atmospheric games that spiral into existential dread with very little warning, and you’re okay with writing more than you roll, this one’s for you.
This feels like a game built more for team play, and solo play definitely reads like a late-stage patch—but I still had a blast. I used ChatGPT as my weird omniscient GM whenever the random tables didn’t quite cut it, and honestly? It worked. The dice rolls vs. deck draw mechanic made for some absolutely unhinged outcomes. One second I’m doing something routine like “open a door,” and the next I’m dealing with accidental psychic bleed from a memory that isn’t mine. Peak horror. Loved it.
The prompts are so open-ended—it’s like they whisper story fragments into your ear and leave you to untangle the rest. I got real attached to my characters (RIP Emaul and Mateo you will be missed 😭), and the story just kind of took over from there. That said, I didn’t even touch all the mechanics—barely scratched the EXO suit abilities—so there’s definitely more to explore in a round two.
If you like atmospheric games that spiral into existential dread with very little warning, and you’re okay with writing more than you roll, this one’s for you.
Displaying 1 of 1 review