Paul Bellow Paul Bellow

Paul Bellow is a LitRPG author, gamer, RPG game developer, and publisher of several online communities. In other words, an old school webmaster. He also developed and runs LitRPG Adventures, a set of advanced RPG generators powered by GPT-3 AI. Here at LitRPG Reads, he publishes articles about LitRPG books, tabletop RPG books, and all sorts of DND content that's free to use in your personal tabletop campaign - i.e. non-commercial use. Enjoy your stay and reach out on Twitter or Discord if you want to make contact.

Why Jumanji is LitRPG

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Is the new Jumanji movie LitRPG? Let’s take a look…

One of the most consistent debates (and in some cases, outright arguments) in the LitRPG community concerns exactly what constitutes a part of the genre. Since there’s not even a mutually agreed upon definition for LitRPG, this means that anything that isn’t explicitly labeled as such tends to be taken on a case by case basis.

While most of the works that are argued about tend to be literary in nature, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other works in other mediums that can qualify. As an example, there’s a very strong argument to be made that Jumanji – both the original film and the upcoming sequel – is a work that falls under the LitRPG banner.

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High Fantasy: The Wheel of Time

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The world of fantasy can easily be divided into high and low. Low fantasy has often been the stuff of popular entertainment – swords and sorcery, realistic worlds and problems therein. High fantasy, though, has always been something special. High fantasy is something higher, something a bit nobler in form.

While the stakes aren’t always higher than those in low fantasy, they are often much grander. There aren’t many books that really give readers the sense of scope that this subgenre calls for, but the few that do really stand out.

While the classic series of high fantasy will always be The Lord of the Rings, there’s one other series that has come close to capturing the same scope and depth as those books. Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series is perhaps the best-known work of modern high fantasy, one that has sadly lived on past the life of its author.

The Wheel of Time incorporates much of what one would expect from a high fantasy experience, but does so in a manner that creates a world that seems quite familiar at the same time. From the books to their various adaptations, the world that has been created is one that has amassed a legion of fans.

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Four Hot RPG Games Coming in 2017-2018

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E3 – the Electronic Entertainment Expo – is over, but we’re still digesting all the news about great new games coming to market. If you didn’t know, E3 is the annual video game conference and show at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This year it was an even bigger event with many game companies showing off their latest offerings. We’re going to have more roundups over the summer about great games coming, but we’re starting with a look at four super-hot RPG titles coming in this year and next. Both 2017 and 2018 are shaping up to be years RPG gamers will love. 

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From Total Annihilation to Spring RTS

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The RTS genre of games isn’t quite dead, but at times it seems like it might be.

Sure, you still have games out there like StarCraft 2 that have a thriving competitive scene, but those games are few and far between.

The audience for RTS games has been cannibalized by Grand Strategy and MOBA games, and it can often feel like it’s never going to come back.

Fortunately, all the games that players used to love haven’t gone anywhere.

Total Annihilation was a huge hit when it released and it has a thriving community even today. Sure, it’s not getting airplay on major networks, but people still love it. Figuring out why people still love this aging game might be the key to bringing back the real time strategy as a genre.

So, what made TA so great? It’s one of those rare games that was greater than the sum of its parts. Those parts were, of course, amazing in their own right as well.

It’s also interesting to watch the progress of Total Annihilation and its eventual evolution. The Spring RTS engine is another one of those key elements that might go a long way towards reviving a once-proud genre.

What’s certain, though, is that Total Annihilation had a huge impact on the gaming world. It’s time that it gets the respect that it deserves.

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History of City Building Games

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Have you ever wanted to be in charge of your own city? If you’ve ever been stuck in traffic on a long commute, the thought has probably passed through your mind.

While getting to the point at which you can actually make plans for a large city takes decades of work, you can do all the fun stuff with the right software. City life simulators are a well-regarded part of the PC gaming landscape, and thus continue to release through this day.

While probably not the most popular genre, city simulators are common enough that there’s some real divisions in the fandom. Some players prefer games that prioritize building and management, while others look for design and aesthetics. There’s a huge divide between those who want more realistic sims and those that just want something that’s fun to play. No matter where you stand, though, there’s probably a great simulator out there for you.

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More on Pathfinder RPG in 2017

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We’ve already done one post on Pathfinder RPG recently, but we left out some information about where this game system is headed in the future.

With that in mind, we’ve put together another blog about Pathfinder Online and Pathfinder: Kingmaker CRPG. We think you’re going to be as excited as we are about this news.

Be sure to read our post on the History of Pathfinder RPG to learn more if you’re new to this classic gaming system that’s been around a while now.

Even if you’ve never played Pathfinder RPG before, we think you’re going to enjoy the new information on Pathfinder Online and Pathfinder: Kingmaker CRPG

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Wargaming for Wargamers

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Would you like to play a game? The original War Games movie was scary (yet great), but this article is about the history of wargaming throughout the years. We go all the way back to 1911. Shall we begin?

War can be a fascinating topic. When you step away from the gore and the tremendous loss of life, you get a fairly clear picture of two sides working at odds with one another. Armchair generals the world over can grasp the concepts involved even if they’ve never set foot on a battlefield.

It’s no wonder, then, that wars have become a major part of gaming. Wargaming is one of the most perennially active fields in the gaming world, with games ranging from the simple to the fiendishly complex. These games test the intellect and cunning of anyone who sits down to play.

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Epic RPG Zombie Survival Games

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Zombies have been very much en vogue since the late 2000s. There’s something about the threat of an undead apocalypse that just grabs the imagination. It’s not just the hordes that interest people, but the act of survival. If the zombies came, people simple want to know if they would be able to survive.

Considering that an outbreak of undeath isn’t likely to happen, the next best way to test one’s skill is with games. There have been several games dedicated to zombies, from the realistic simulators to the utterly fantastical. Zombies have become a vital part of the gaming world.

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Who is Doctor Who?

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Doctor Who is one of the longest-lasting science fiction shows in history. Despite a lengthy hiatus, it has managed to engage viewers across the decades. It has a relatively simple concept, yet has accredited a huge universe around what had originally been an educational show for children that wasn’t meant to last more than a few seasons.

Doctor Who has a massive following in both its native Britain and around the world, with dedicated Whovians spreading their love of the show even when it has been off the air. Currently well past its 50th anniversary, Doctor Who is preparing to transition to a fourteenth official doctor. Much of what made the show so impressive, though, surrounded the first eleven doctors.

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RPG Legends: Dragonlance

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Memorable Dragonlance Characters

The early era of Dungeons and Dragons didn’t quite have the unified backstory of today’s games. While the mechanics were all in place, there wasn’t a true world in which … Read more

Overview of the Civilization Game Series

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Civilization is one of the fundamental games of the PC gaming experience. It’s a game that most players are familiar with, even if they’ve never really sat down to play a game. It’s the game that seems to have seeped into the consciousness of gamers of all stripes. You’d be hard pressed to find even a hardcore FPS fan who hasn’t at least seen a game of Civ in passing.

Civ is the formative game when it comes to the 4X genre and the turn-based strategy genre on the PC. While there have been many games that have sought to copy the formula, none have ever been quite as successful as Civ. Whether players were looking for history, strategy, or just the chance to play a game for years at a time, this series delivered. Seeing where it came from makes it easier to appreciate where Civ is going today.

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The Bard’s Tale Universe (1985+)

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Bard's Tale Video Game

There are certain games that helped to define how computer games would be perceived for decades to come. Some of these games are still in the spotlight, lauded on best-of lists and the subjects of remakes and documentaries.

Other games, however, don’t get quite the same amount of love. One game series that really did revolutionize video games is The Bard’s Tale, an early RPG series. While it shared space with games like Wizardry and Ultima, it never seems to be mentioned in the same breath.

The universe of the game is fantastically constructed, though, extending past video games and into the realm of novels. Let’s dig in, shall we?

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Free Sci-Fi MMORPG Games 2017

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Massively Multiplayer RPGs may have started with fantasy settings, but the concept has always belonged to science fiction. After all, there are plenty of stories that essentially revolve around sci-fi MMOs, and it’s only natural that gamers would want to participate in those realities. These are the games that the genre was meant for, for better or for worse.

It’s strange, then, that so many of these games game and went quickly. Gamers just weren’t interested in paying for their sci-fi fix every month. Fortunately, going free to play helped save the genre. Below are some of the best free sci-fi MMOs of 2017. We also have yet another mention of our new LitRPG Forum, a retro place for all things geek and gaming.

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What About RPG Racing Games?

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Interstate 76 Racing Game Racing games and RPGs don’t always seem like they go together. They should, though.

Think about what you have to do to improve racing skills. You have to buy upgrades. You have to learn new skills. You have to master a very specific set of actions in order to move on. It’s all the same stuff you’d have to do in an RPG.

It’s no wonder, then, that there’s always been a thriving subset of racing games that embrace RPG elements. They might not be the games you played in the arcade as a kid, but you can find them on store shelves around the world.

These games played an important role in pushing forward the RPG genre. Players who have enjoyed these games have experienced not only an amazing past, but have a bright future ahead of them.

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Free Fantasy MMORPG Games 2017

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One of the major things that has stopped past players from embracing MMOs has been monthly fees. There’s something that just feels wrong about paying sixty dollars for a game and then having to pay a fee every month to keep playing. Fortunately, that model isn’t all that common in the MMO space any longer.

Today, subscriptions have largely been done away with in favor of microtransactions. Some of the best fantasy MMOs of 2017 no longer require a player to pay every month. Some of these games are totally free to play, while others require an initial purpose. No matter the case, though, players never have to pay a dime once they’ve installed the game.

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Ready Player One Summary

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ready player one movie

ready player one movie Read our quick Ready Player One Synopsis

There’s a certain intersection between video games and nostalgia. Many popular games build on the past to work towards a future – maybe not one that’s brighter, but possibly one that’s better. No novel has ever captured that intersection as well as Ernest Cline’s 2011 novel READY PLAYER ONE.

From the blurb:

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he’s jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS.

Wade’s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world’s digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator’s obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.

But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade’s going to survive, he’ll have to win—and confront the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.

You can probably tell already why this novel was such a hit with geeks, especially those of a certain age. Let’s dig a little deeper into the Ready Player One phenomena.

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What is a light novel? Some examples

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light novel bookstore
light novel bookstore
By Jacklamf1d14

Every country comes up with its own unique spin on literature. Some of these forms seem to be purely artistic, mostly appreciated by academics. Others, though, are far more commercial.

One such art form is the light novel, which is incredibly popular in Japan and is gaining in popularity across the rest of the world. While not necessarily high literature, they are eagerly consumed by young readers.

Understanding the appeal of light novels requires understanding not just what these novels are, but taking a look at some of the most popular light novels and light novel adaptations.

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Respect for Sword Art Online

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sao-video-game

There are certain bits of media that transcend their origins. Some just speak to people, becoming more than popular – they become phenomena. Sword Art Online is one such property.

Sure, there are plenty of light novels out there that are similar. There might even be shows that have done the plot first. None, however, do it with the sense of style as SAO. None quite match the quality.

One thing that this property doesn’t get enough of, though, is respect. It takes something special for a property to span so many different formats. It takes something special for a property to capture so many imaginations.

SAO deserves more respect, so we’ve put together this massive post with everything you want to know about the legendary series…and more! 

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