TTRPG Review: VAST GRIMM

John Baltisberger discusses Vast Grimm and why you should try out Brian Colin’s Mork Borg space hack.

“Each miserable day that passes, the universe inches closer to its inevitable demise”

Vast Grimm has been around for a minute, a space hack of Mork Borg that has gone all out and grown entirely into its own thing. Recently designer Brian Colin ran a Kickstarter for a new format and edition of the game called Escaping Stasis, which transitions from hardback books to Battle Binders and Zines. Let’s get into it!

Physical Product: 9
Now this is where the excitement really is. Brian recently created a print center in his own workshop, so these products are actually being manufactured BY the company selling it. This allows him to control shipping and production himself, but that’s secondary. As a player, what’s exciting is all of the zines and rules can be slotted into a special “battle binder,” a special padded and ringed folder illustrated by Brian himself. What makes this really exciting is it creates a perfect format for running games and carrying only what you need for each session.

Art: 8
Vast Grimm has an entirely different art style than Mork Borg but no less distinctive. Creator Brian Colin is a sculptor and an artist, so rather than emulating Johan Nohr’s work, he has put his own spin and voice to the imagery. It also helps that while Mork Borg is largely based on Scandinavian Death Metal, Vast Grimm has its feet firmly planted in Punk Rock. It’s bright, it’s chaotic, it’s loud, all in the best ways possible.

Writing/Editing: 9
Less bleak and foreboding than you’ll find in other Borg projects, Vast Grimm is a much easier book to read and comprehend, with more hand holding than you’ll find in Mork Borg’s minimalist nature. As the Escaping Stasis format is new, it’s had time to get polished and refined in numerous ways that I think show growth not only for the game but for those working on it.

World/Fiction: 9

• Design: A whole new galaxy, one where every aspect of Mork Borg was taken and transitioned into this Space-Punk opera of a dystopian future. Between the look and the thought that went into rebuilding this beast, it’s extremely impressive.
• Originality: I mentioned that every aspect of Mork Borg was taken and remade. I mean it. A new skin that is recognizable but completely new. I think it takes a certain kind of genius to take and reshape an extant book the way Colin and Brandt did—extremely impressive.
• Fleshed out: This is one departure. The setting of Vast Grimm goes into more detail than its papa Mork Borg. It shapes things more clearly while still leaving lots of room to discover, mutate, and evolve.
• Engaging: I absolutely did not want to put this book down. I want to read every page twice and discover all the nooks and crannies I’ve missed.
• Mechanics: It’s Mork Borg. That isn’t a complaint. What tweaks and rewordings are made, and especially the rules for infestation, fit the system and the setting beautifully.

Overall: 8.85

Final Thoughts: Vast Grimm is impressive in its sandbox nature. The fact that its more fleshed-out and expansive than its progenitor means it is easy to get lost in a universe of horrors. On top of all that, the third-party content for Vast Grimm is plentiful, AND if you ever run out, there’s no reason you couldn’t run Mothership/other Sci-fi modules using Vast Grimm.

 Hacking a system and making it absolutely your own is incredibly impressive when done well, and here it is done immaculately. With the new Battle Binder/Zine format, this is a fantastic time to journey out into the Grimm Expanse.

Get your own copy here! https://creaturecuration.com/vast-grimm/

John Baltisberger loves TTRPGs and Kaiju. He is an author of speculative and genre fiction that often focuses on Jewish Elements. Through his writing, he has explored themes of mysticism, faith, sin, and personal responsibility. He lives in Austin, TX with his wife and his daughter.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.