We're back again for another totally romantic Valentine's Day one-shot!

The annual tradition continues as my wife Lynn joins me for a tangentially-love-related one-shot of a TTRPG session. This year we go back to Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu to play the 2nd scenario in the Does Love Forgive? collection of 1-GM-1-Player mysteries!

One day after Chicago's St. Valentine's Day Massacre in February 1929, a simple dog retrieval turns into a long-simmering love triangle gone very, very wrong!

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest | I Know I Know You, But I Don't Know How...

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Ragtimers - Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate from Archive.org

Heavy Machine Gun F by Monument Studios

An Unbreakable Bond by Vindsvept

Survivors' Bivouac by Tabletop Audio

Interrogation Room by Tabletop Audio

As Time Passes from ZapSplat.com

Nordic Noir by Tabletop Audio

Vault of Terror by Tabletop Audio

Futile by Monument Studios

Lament of the Leaves by Vindsvept

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!

Ian and I met playing in a short TTRPG series for previous guest of the show C.R. Rowenson's LitRPG series New Eternity and knew we had to chat more from our brief interactions and roles as the tankybois of the party.

Ian is one-half of the podcast Undercommon Taste, a TTRPG Homebrew podcast, so it's perfect that he's coming on to talk about all things homebrewing! This is a big umbrella in the TTRPG space. House rules are homebrew, technically, but so are some games that hack existing systems, so when do you know it's time to make something new? How much do you need to do? What do you need to consider?

We barely scratch the surface of the topic, but there's a lot of great nuggets of wisdom in this chat!

Also, you best believe that there's a Powered by the Aporkalypse file in my Google Docs now...

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest | I Know I Know You, But I Don't Know How...

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome back for another episode of Colostle - Dungeons!

Sybil returns to the major labyrinth Castle Revolving to reach the heart of the dungeon and find what lies within. Then, a new friend leads the crew straight to the Rookling Forge.

Learn more about Colostle and the Dungeons supplement here! If you like all of the new additions and ideas constantly being added to the world of Colostle, I highly recommend checking out Nich's Patreon page!

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest | I Know I Know You, But I Don't Know How...

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Windswept Realms, Vol. I by Vindsvept

An Unbreakable Bond by Vindsvept

Gorge by Monument Studios

Legion by Monument Studios

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Helloooooo my favorite nerds.

Welcome to the first episode of my monthly design diaries series here in 2026 where I am holding myself accountable toward putting out more games.

I have already pivoted! The first episode was supposed to be about my upcoming playing card-based 2-player buddy cop TTRPG Decktectives, but the state of the modern world made me really not want to talk about any kind of law enforcement, so instead we're talking about a post-societal collapse game, which is way more fun.

I know you've heard me talk about this one before, but I can promise big things are happening and you can expect it sooner than later. In this episode I'm talking about Gardens of Rust, the post-catastrophe survival and community rebuilding game by myself and Christian from the DMs After Dark.

I'll be doing a few episodes about this one, but in this I just tell you about what the game is going to be, how it's going to feel, and give the basics of the core resolution mechanic we've designed known as the 2dDifference System.

Next month I'll make a character and do some solo actual play previewing of the game, and after that we'll dive into how the GM role will play out in Gardens of Rust, as well as ideas for the future beyond that.

Get excited, it is coming. (The game, not the collapse of society. I hope)

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest | I Know I Know You, But I Don't Know How...

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome back for another episode of Colostle - Dungeons!

After escaping the Castle Revolving major labyrinth, Sybil recovers back in Oubliette during a festival known as Stillnights.

Learn more about Colostle and the Dungeons supplement here! If you like all of the new additions and ideas constantly being added to the world of Colostle, I highly recommend checking out Nich's Patreon page!

----more----

Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Dream of Paradise by Vindsvept feat. Celestial93

Yuletide by Tabletop Audio

Hidden Valley by Tabletop Audio

Haven by Tabletop Audio

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!

We're kicking off 2026 with PJ Sack, a fellow solo podcaster and host of the excellent A Wasteland Story Fallout 2d20 solo AP as well as the incredible The Solo Roleplayers Podcast, which you will absolutely love if you're listening to me.

PJ and I sat down to talk about solo roleplaying in general and PJ's oft-repeated advice: "Get those games off your shelf." A fellow fan of variety, PJ often has 8+ stories and games going on at any time, and sometimes it's just because opening that new rulebook and getting ideas means taking 20 minutes to just give it a shot. And once that happens, you've got a story going that you can always come back to. We talk about his fantastic framing for A Wasteland Story, wanting to interview and connect with more likeminded people, and just how wonderful solo gaming can be.

Some Games Mentioned In The Episode:

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome back for another episode of Colostle - Dungeons!

Pressing on and into the major labyrinth Castle Revolving, Sybil and the rooklings (and Zorn) quickly realize this is not like the rest of the Dungeons. This labyrinth is hostile and brutally punishing on top of being a confusing maze to navigate.

Sybil begins to figure out the way through, but the elemental attrition and Bastion defenders of the labyrinth force her to make an early exit back to Oubliette... 

Learn more about Colostle and the Dungeons supplement here! If you like all of the new additions and ideas constantly being added to the world of Colostle, I highly recommend checking out Nich's Patreon page!

----more----

Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

Rene's Games:

MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Windsong Cavern by Vindsvept

Icy Dystopian Atmos by Monument Studios

Cinematic Atmos 1 Hour Mix by Monument Studios

Orcish Encampment B by Monument Studios

Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Another year of the podcast is in the books! In this short episode I mostly just want to thank everyone for listening and share some insights from the year.

Some big ones were:

And for 2026, I have small plans to slightly adjust the regularly scheduled offerings from the last 2 years by making 4th week releases strictly design diaries, but specific to near completion/release games to hold myself more accountable, as well as a monthly Twitch stream where I just hang out with folks who want to come chat about games and what goes on behind the screen.

I hope your personal 2025 wasn't on par with the dumpster fire that was this year, and I hope your 2026 is going to be incredible with many many many many great games :) <3

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

MECH | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Afternoon Nap from Uppbeat

Happy Holidays!

DO YOU HAVE THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IN YOU?

Welcome back to another DMs After Dark holiday one-shot! This year we decided to do a sequel to a previous holiday special - the Thursday time loop cheesy holiday movie set in a strange little bean tree town that we have appropriately named Beantree! This year, a group is traveling to avoid holiday get-togethers in a one-shot of Grant Howitt's Christmas Is Coming, a folk horror RPG, which, honestly tracks for how our holiday one-shots tend to go...

In all seriousness, though, we at the DMs After Dark/Rene Plays Games family of nerds sincerely wish all of you a safe, happy holiday season and the best 2026 full of peace, prosperity, and most of all... games. 

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Join the DMs After Dark Discord!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

MECH | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Auld Lang Syne Rock (Royalty Free Music)

Sleigh Bells Sound Effect by GowlerMusic -- https://freesound.org/s/265458/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Rot by Monument Studios

Chase by Monument Studios

Metallic and Ceramic Tones by Monument Studios

Anxious Atmos by Monument Studios

Music by Juan Carlos from Pixabay

Downlifter B by Monument Studios

Laugh Textured by Monument Studios

Time for another Tabletop Tutorial, the series where I play two player TTRPGs with friends and we learn them together.

BIG OL' CONTENT WARNINGS FOR THIS EPISODE: Death, Alcoholism, Inappropriate Crude Body Humor, Body Horror, and probably a whole lot more, be careful with this one, please. It's heavy.

I'm once again joined by Troy from the DMs After Dark to play the heartbreaking two player TTRPG The Time We Have by Elliot Davis, a.k.a. moreblueberries, an excellent game designer as well as tabletop roleplaying mind from podcasts such as Talk of the Table and My First Dungeon, both regular staples in my podcast audio diet.

The Time We Have is a game about brothers in the post-apocalypse. There are a lot of potential settings provided with the game that cover more genres than near-future Earth, but the truth of the game is that one of you has been infected and only has 6 days to live. The two brothers sit on other side of a closed door and have conversations until the end or a hard decision must be made. 

No spoilers for our episode, but safe to say Troy and I were both very moved by the session. The game has a rule that at the end of the game, you open the door and hug the other player, and for a game that gets this heavy, it's a very nice touch. Go get The Time We Have.

----more----

Join the DMs After Dark Discord!

I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)

Where to Follow Rene Plays Games:

LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark

MECH | One Last Quest

email: [email protected]

Music in the Episode (in order of appearance):

Radio Sound FX from https://www.zapsplat.com

Body Fall Glass B & Glass Crunching Steps by Monument Studios

Lifeless Eyes Watching by Vindsvept

Theme Song written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands