Unlocking 24XX: Personal Favourites
A short-list of games/settings that I come back to again and again.
In this final post in my Unlocking 24XX series, I’m highlighting six 24XX games that have earned a permanent spot in my gaming rotation. Whether it’s their clever mechanics or evocative settings, these are the games/settings that consistently deliver on the promise of big fun and memorable sessions!
1400: Quest
I’m a sucker for the classic fantasy genre, and 1400: Quest (along with the entire lo-fi, hi-fantasy bundle) offers classic D&D-esque fun in the most streamlined way possible. This might just be a classic fantasy take on the 24XX system, but it doesn’t need to apologize for that. Sometimes, you just want something simple, familiar, and reliably satisfying.
202X: Special Ops
202X Special Ops throws players into a gripping world of covert missions and high-stakes espionage. As elite operatives, you'll face a landscape shaped by private military giants and secretive shadow governments. Drawing inspiration from the strategic action and complex narratives of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell, this game challenges players to think critically and act decisively in a web of intrigue and danger.
2400: Junior Hybrid Battle Cryptids
Cowabunga dudes! Part of the 2400 bundle, Junior Hybrid Battle Cryptids, is a radical and action-packed game where anthropomorphic animals protect the innocent, investigate mysteries, and dominate at dance-offs. Inspired by classics like TMNT, this game is perfect for introducing 24XX to kids or those with fond memories of slamming back sugared cereals on Saturday mornings or yore.
24XX: Breach
Daaaang, Breach’s pitch gets my blood pumping:
Hyperspace is a back door through Hell, and still the desperate line up for the Company jumpships. You were one of them, back before Hell spat you back out. Now when a jump goes bad, you go in. Breach the derelict, identify the incursion, eliminate the threat, and hope to hell the money’s good.
So cool.
2400: Eos
Eos offers a generic but limitless sandbox for space-based exploration and adventure. Easily adaptable to games set in popular sci-fi universes, Eos is a great starting point for offering groups a roadmap to boldly go where no one has gone before!
18XX: Outlaw
The Wild West was never simple, but in this twisted take, it’s even stranger. Law is scarce and often corrupt, the wealthy hold all the cards, and survival depends on quick wits and quicker draws. It’s a land of outlaws, bounty hunters, vigilantes, and mercenaries—each carving out their place in a heated, unpredictable, Weird West frontier. Red Dead Redemption meets Call of Cthulhu.
That’s my list! What 24XX games would you recommend, and why? There are so many good ones and so little time! Thankfully all of these are a breeze to pick up and play a solo or group session with.