Elisabetta Golzio
Let us start by thanking Chaosium inc. for providing us with Alone Against the Static in digital version and thus allowing us to write this review of this adventure for the roleplaying game Call of Cthulhu.
You will find it on sale here in English only at a price of $29.99. With the purchase of the physical manual, you will receive the digital version by e-mail free of charge.
In the 97 pages of this manual we will tackle a solo adventure related to the world of the Great Old Ones of Cthulhu. The creator of this story, B.W. Holland, is a great fan of 90s horror films and in particular of the Blair Witch Project. Hence the idea of setting this story in a cottage in the middle of nowhere, right in those years. A very different era, therefore, to the one in which we are used to dealing with the horrors of H.P. Lovecraft. But if you think this dilutes the horror tones of the myths, you are sadly mistaken.
A Romantic Weekend of Fear
What could be better than a trip together with your partner in the middle of nowhere to try to overcome a period of great crisis? Judging by the outcome of this manual, probably anything. But our Alex and Charlie couldn’t have known that and so they decide to spend a few days in peace, away from stress in South Dakota.
We will thus have two protagonists with two separate character sheets. Here we will have to make our first decision: who to play. Clearly both have their pros and cons, but I would like to emphasise that the choice of one or the other does not affect the story. In fact, playing the role of the nurse Alex or Charlie, his girlfriend and shop assistant, will not give us any alternatives regarding the plot. Clearly, the former’s skills in first aid will be better in a pinch, but should we choose to use Charlie, as a saleswoman she will have higher persuasion values.
In case you were wondering, no, there is no one of the two with whom it is easier not to meet certain death. We are still in the realm of Cthulhu!
How to Prepare to Play
Let’s start with the premises: in order to play Alone Against the Static properly, it is highly recommended to have the Keeper Rolebook or the Call of Cthulhu Starter Set at hand . The mechanics for passing the tests that will be proposed to us are described in the two manuals just mentioned and there will be no narrator to accompany us on this journey. Only if you are a veteran player of this role-playing game will you be able to do without one.
In addition, you will need to have a pencil, a sheet of paper and a dice (or a programme that can take its place) at hand.
At the back of the book you will find a Log Sheet that will serve to keep track of all the choices you make. This will be very useful in case you decide, after meeting a horrible death, to change your fate by choosing something different. You will in fact have a list with titles relating to the possibilities you will have: tick the one you have considered and eventually delete them in case you want to restart the story using a different character or want to make different decisions.
Let the Adventure Begin
At this point all you have to do is start reading Alone Against the Static. The volume itself will be our Keeper, the master of this world.
Dynamics are similar to those of a gamebook. We will be presented with various opportunities and it will be up to us to decide which ones to take. This will make us navigate through numbered paragraphs that will gradually form our story.
The big difference that characterises it as a solo role-playing game, however, are the dice rolls. We will encounter various difficulties and will be required to pass a test in order to continue our journey.
In my experience, you are half as likely to face death (or go insane). It is not only when our health and sanity reach zero that our adventure will end, but there are many other variables. For example, if we lose a fifth of our sanity in the same day, it will be too hard for us to face reality and we will still become insane.
I think, however, that anyone accustomed to this setting can well understand that this level of difficulty is quite normal.
Plot Review of Alone Against the Static
Without making any spoilers, I can say that the setting is not at all affected by being uprooted from its natural habitat (the 1920s) and being catapulted into an era much closer to us. The horror of being confronted with something unknown and dangerous but being surrounded by nothing brings out all the tensions of a relationship that seemed to be on the wane. The characters are very well characterised, although a great effort is made to make the descriptions neutral, not knowing which of the two protagonists one will choose.
First few pages of the story will seem a rather banal glimpse into the lives of the two boys. But don’t let your guard down: the tension will be a crescendo, with small events that will begin to shatter their serenity little by little.
Finally, a new entity created especially for this story will make its entrance into the Cthulhu Mythos and promises great things for future manuals as well.
I got the best ending after about a couple of hours of reading and passing tests. But I will not lie to you: many times I had to change the decision I had already made in order to achieve it. Trials are not always easy to pass, not least because there are no critical successes that could improve our performance. Whether I did a little more than required or the maximum does not change anything for the purposes of the plot.
But above all, believe me: even if it sounds like the sound of the wind, it never is.
Conclusions of the Alone Against the Static Review
Alone Against the Static is certainly a story that will appeal to lovers of H.P. Lovecraft’s classic tales. It was nominated for the 2024 Ennie Awards in the Best Writing and Best Adventure sections and is indeed a well-researched and well-written product.
Images that alternate with the text are of two types: traditional and digital illustrations. The former, curated by Nicholas Grey (who also did the cover), are of excellent workmanship and are very reminiscent of those in the main Call of Chtulhu manuals. The latter, in my opinion, clash a little as they seek a realism that clashes with the more retro tone of the rest of the graphics.
Font and layout are very simple and clear, allowing the player to search at a glance for the chapter to which the previous choice has led him.
All in all, it is a different experience and particularly recommended for those who want to try to face their fears alone.
