Players create monster characters based on emotional wounds instead of typical archetypes, and their world-saving organization operates like a queer chosen family.[1][2] Nedjadi designed the game with emotional safety in mind, driven by the questions, “How do I build in a sense of narrative power that's not just in the GM’s hands? How do I build in this ability to communicate and collaborate?”[3] The game is for three to six players and plays like a detective game.[4]
Reception
Chase Carter for Polygon named it one of seven most anticipated new tabletop games of 2023.[5]
Publication History
Nedjadi originally self-published Apocalypse Keys in pdf form on Itch.io in August 2020.[6]Evil Hat Productions acquired publishing rights in March 2021[7] and ran a Kickstarter campaign for Apocalypse Keys in October 2023, raising $165,883 from 3,226 backers.[8]Roll20 soon released a fully online version of the game.[9] Evil Hat released the pdf version on Itch.io on April 19, 2023.[10]