Shoot, Loot and Survive in Mythworks' Zombie-Focused "Breathless: Nightmare Edition"

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This week, we’re taking a look at Breathless: Frightmare Edition. Originally a two-page indie action survival TTRPG written by Rene-Pier Deshaies in 2022, BREATHLESS gained immediate notoriety within the space for how it used dice mechanics to establish tension and scarcity in a zombie-infested world. Now the game is getting a major update and several new scenarios and an elaborate new design that’s been published by Mythworks (Wildsea, Slugblaster, etc)

We got to speak with Mythworks co-founder Ray Chou about the project, what this updated version entails, and why it might be a good tool for convincing others to try TTRPGs.

Breathless was originally released in 2022 by Rene-Pier Deshaies as a simple zombie-focused TTRPG, where players are survivors living inside of a Walking Dead-style world filled to the brim with undead monsters and creatures. It was a simple game, but gained a lot of momentum and interest within the space. Its mechanics (which used diminishing dice as a way to reflect the stress that items might go through) caught a lot of people’s attention. 350+ games or hacks used Breathless’ mechanics for their own, according to Deshaie.

Deshaies and Mythworks had a history prior to the games’ release, Mythworks co-founder Ray Chou told TTRPG Insider. The two had collaborated to distribute Deshaies and co-designer Galen Pejeau’s game Stoneburners through Mythworks’ online store. The two eventually discussed updating Breathless and expanding it well beyond the original vision.

Those discussions occurred around the same time Chou was imagining a new series of games published in partnership with CBR-PNK’s Emanoel Melo called STORYPAK.

“STORYPAK is our way of making RPGs as easy to play as possible,” Chou said in a press release. “By creating games that are simple, lightweight, and beautiful, we’re hoping to lower the barrier to entry and expand the possibilities of the medium.” In Breathless’ case, this means that Mythworks, Deshaies, DNGN CLUB designer Jack Panic, and Melo were collaborating to expand the zombie survival game well beyond its original plan.

STORYPAK’s simplistic design was originally established through CBR-PNK, a small, pamphlet-sized TTRPG that presents its rules and cyberpunk-inspired setting through a distinct publishing model that reflects the futuristic setting. The new version of Breathless can be run as one-shots or as a longer 6-12-session campaign if the table wishes.

Frightmare Edition, in contrast, presents itself with a 90s slasher-horror/VHS-inspired aesthetic. The cassette container holds 12 pamphlets, including updated rules, tools for generating your own zombie dangers, four adventures, and much more.

Mythworks hopes to publish several more STORYPAK games in the future, starting with Melo’s upcoming Onigami, a TTRPG about samurai and ninjas who have made pacts with onis in the 16th century.

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The Manageability of Small Games

Breathless, like a lot of TTRPGs, will be released in a market where they have to compete with established games like Dungeons and Dragons, Call of Cthulhu and other well-established rulesets. Plenty of DMs and TTRPG fans lament the difficulty of trying to convince friends and companions to try a new game. Chou thinks that the STORYPAK approach to making a TTRPG helps jump that barrier and maybe introduce people to their new favorite game.

“I think the form factor [of STORYPAK] is absolutely one of the things that lowers the barrier to entry,” Chou argues. “When I think about picking up an RPG and playing an RPG with friends, I’ve found that most people stick to one game, and they stick to one game because it's what they know. They don't want to learn a whole bunch of rules. "What we've seen with CBR-PNK is that people who would not otherwise give other role-playing games a chance, or are not attracted to role-playing games, are willing to give it a chance because it seems manageable.” Making character creation and rule mastery easier makes it a lot easier for players to pick up a game and start playing. It makes it a perfect game to pick up and play at conventions, breweries, or even a night where half your TTRPG table has to call off.

Chou’s thoughts do appear to match some popular trends. Honey Heist, a simple 1-page TTRPG about bears stealing honey for themselves, saw massive pickup after Critical Role played it in a one-shot years ago. I also know several DMs who have used one-page TTRPGs to get their D&D-only tables to try non-d20 systems for themselves.

Having a game well-grounded in a popular genre also goes a long way. The zombie apocalypse is a genre that has been explored extensively in modern media (Night of the Living Dead, Left 4 Dead, The Walking Dead, etc.). “Everybody knows what the fiction looks like. So it’s easy to come up with a character who fits the setting,” Chou argued.

Players who are curious about Breathless can get the original version for free on Itch.io right now.

The Kickstarter launches on April 7.

What are your thoughts? Send any scoops, tips or press releases to [email protected].