Originally published at: http://statelyplay.com/2017/01/19/sci-fi-tropes-up-for-grabs-in-upcoming-galaxy-of-pen-paper/
One of the things they don’t tell you before becoming a parent is that your kids will test the limits of your sanity. I’m not talking the sleepless nights, or worrying about them when they’re sick. I’m talking about the phase they all seem to enter around 3-4 years old called the Knock-Knock Joke Phase. “Prepare thyself for constant hilary, ma & pa!” is something that you’ll never, ever hear. In fact, I did some research and discovered that the words “knock knock” actually come from Latin and refer to a rather unfortunate form of ritual suicide. Your dinner table will be beset with knock knock jokes that, worst of all, don’t even make sense. Not one usable pun will be uttered from the back seat of your minivan following the words “who’s there?” With my youngest, I spent an entire year asking “Who’s there?” only to be answered with “baby butt”, which isn’t as funny as a 3 year-old thinks it is. Well, it’s kind of funny, but not the 4,378th time you’ve heard it.
What does all this have to do with games? Well, the folks behind Knights of Pen & Paper are back at it with a sci-fi sequel and, for some reason, it made me think of getting deluged with the same knock-knock jokes over and over again. Weird.
The sequel is titled Galaxy of Pen and Paper and appears to be the same schtick with different wallpaper. You’ll control the GM of a role-playing game, running players through quests and what-not while they level up and allow you to throw bigger and badder things at them. Oh, and it’s going to attempt to be funny.
I might be a little over-the-top with my distaste for the humor, but it definitely ran its course quickly in the latest, Knights of Pen & Paper 2. It’s kind of like a Munchkin game that never ends, which is pretty much every game of Munchkin ever. I don’t play Munchkin.
That said, the previous titles were fine, if a little grind-y. From my recollection, the first title was better than the second and the developers behind the first title, Behold Studios are back for Galaxy of P&P, so there’s hope.
Galaxy of Pen and Paper is coming out this year for PC/Mac. No word on a mobile version, but both previous Pen & Paper titles made their way to our touchscreens, so I’m guessing this one will get there at some point as well.