I ran two kids who are lukewarm on RPGS in Cyclops Cave and they loved it. It is such a nice system and we had a lot of fun creating our own late 1990’s syndicated fantasy show. I ran it as a straight adventure game and comedy just organically arises through the Cinematic Powers and Quips. I highly recommend it.

My default game for playing classic fantasy. The puppet archetype is a particular high point.

If you like Campy Fantasy movies, I highly recommend this game.

What a fascinating book, it really encapsulates down what's Onyx Path Publishing is best at I like that the book is humorous but without being so humourous it can't be taken seriously It strikes a perfect balance

I bought this on a lark, as something as a fan of several of the films that inspired this game, and it was worth every penny! I already had some familiarity with the Storypath System thanks to Scion 2nd Edition, but TCFtCC! uses inspiration from Storypath Ultra and greatly benefits from the streamlining it provides. If you're a fan of any kitschy fantasy film or series from the 1950s to the 1990s, you'll almost certainly love this game and find at least one homage or reference to your favorite somewhere in here.

Tongue planted firmly in cheek, this game embraces the kitsch and camp of its inspirational material rather than fight against it, yet at the same time offers a wide range of tonal options from outright comedy to edgelord territory.

Rather than try and go for in-world categories such as warrior and mage fin a class or classlike system, TCFtCC! opts for narrative Archetypes as major determinants for character specifications. The six Archetypes in the book are Champion (think of a knight in shining armor in a medieval-ish setting, or a demigod-hero in sword-and-sandal), Dreamer (A quick-witted and/or charismatic inspirer), Inhuman (the token human-sized or larger nonhuman with special abilities; although human, Andre the Giant’s Fezzik from The Princess Bride is a good example), the Puppet (named as such because this usually diminutive nonhuman is often played by a puppet onscreen; think Bubo the mechanical owl from the 1981 Clash of the Titans), the Sage (the wise mentor or wizardly type, à la Gandalf), and the roguish Scoundrel (although from a nominally science fiction franchise, Han Solo from the original Star Wars trilogy is a good wit in temperament and personality).

Each Archetype has its own list of potential Connections. Trademarks, Quips, and Tropes, though for the last group of abilities allows for some cross-archetype versatility.

The game also offers much by way of customization and advice for the players and the Director (TCF!’s term for Gamemaster) in the form of Cinematic Powers to influence the narrative and acknowledge the meta nature of playing such fantasy in the 21st century. Fiends most Foul (i.e. monsters for the most part) offers a broad selection of foes for various camp/kitsch fantasy sub-genres, whether sword-and-sandal, sword-and-sorcery, pseudo-medieval, or quasi-Arabian Nights. There is also a whole chapter dedicated to running the game for the Director, both offering set decoration options and addressing story structure and sensitivity concerns in homaging works from the latter half of the 21st century in 2024.

If you have a guilty (or especially not-so-guilty) pleasure from the inspirational films and shows that inspire this game, from 1975’s Monty Python and the Holy Grail to 1982’s Conan the Barbarian to 1995-2001’s Xena: Warrior Princess, there’s something in They Came From the Cyclops’s cave for you!

Whether you're an oldster like myself who grew up on classic stop motion fantasy epics and swords & sandals fare, a fan of the more recent Xena and Hercules shows, or a lover of 80s-90s action fantasy like Sword and the Sorcerer, Conan, and Willow, I think you'll enjoy what Cyclop's Cave is offering. Whether played straight or with an MST3K appreciation for the B qualities of these shows and movies, the book is full of goodness, including a simple, clever way of managing magic through the extant Cinematic system.

My players and I are big fans of this series of games, and I expect at least one or two of them to be well worth your time. They're especially great for short adventures to toss in when your schedule allows or between stories in your longer-running games. Lots of good times with "They Came from...!"

They Came From... has always been a fun series, but with Cyclops's Cave and [CLASSIFIED], i feel the writers really hit their stride with both the tone, and the content they were aiming at. As a lifelong fan of fantasy movies, and an early devotee of Harryhausen, this book is the game i didn't know i needed in my life, and it really nails the feeling, tone, power, and reach these movies have. The most impressive thing the writers did was cover so many varied elements of the genre, covering everything from swords and sandles, epics of the gods, Jim Henson-esque tales of wonder, knights in shining armour, Shakespearean fantasy, as well as the orc (or Orx here) and goblins that we often associate with certain brands of fantasy!

Highly recomended!