The system is a simple D4 skill system, with characters defined mostly by their oath, which conveys a special perk. It reads and plays fast, focusing on combat and car duels, but character progression, which includes turf management, reputation and inter-gang politics actually reminds me a lot of Blades in the Dark. Nothing so crunchy, of course – Deathblow presents a rough sketch of a world and invites you to fill in the details; stuff like this makes you want to paint a picture, if you get me.

I love how you can take a simple concept, jack it up with some cultural touchstones and get it to the table in 20 minutes for a night of mayhem. Once the initially bloodlust subsides, I think an improvisational group could turn this into a pretty intricate ongoing campaign. I love a detailed setting, but it is cool to see a little engine designed for building a setting almost entirely on the fly.

Oh, and there is a low key, synthwave tinged soundtrack! Look up Speedway on Bandcamp to give it a listen. “Under Fire” is my fave.

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