Brave New Missions – Something Satiric This Way Comes is a modular mission collection for the Paranoia “All New Shiny” edition by Mongoose Publishing. The book offers five ready-to-run missions designed to challenge and confound Troubleshooters in the dysfunctional dystopia of Alpha Complex. Its blunt tagline—“Five missions. One book. And more catch-22s than you can shake a depleted laser pistol at.” — captures the game’s signature tone.
⚙️ Contents & Structure
The mission book is structured around five distinct scenarios, each with its own flavor and subversion of the Paranoia tropes. A quick breakdown of the adventures:
- Certifiable – A Troubleshooter certification exam turns into an existential trap. A classic institutional-mishap scenario.
- In the Clouds – Virtual Troubleshooters on a digital mission with real body-count consequences. Think Tron meets Alpha Complex’s bureaucracy.
- Meet ’n’ Greet – A public relations mission where Troubleshooters must force the public to love them—or else. The absurdity is dialed up.
- Stealth Train Redux – A reboot of a beloved mission: “How can you protect a train that does not exist? Or maybe it does?” Intentionally surreal.
- Viva VEG Sector – A corporate casino mission (Free Enterprise opens for business!) complete with an albino tiger and high comedic stakes.
Each scenario is accompanied by GM notes, NPC dossiers, unique complications, trap tables, and suggested mission hooks that integrate smoothly into ongoing campaigns. From previews, the book also includes a handful of random tables for “Catch-22 complications,” cloning failure rates, and clearance-level changes.
🕴️ Tone & Table Experience
If you enjoy Paranoia’s signature blend of satirical science-fiction, high betrayal, and escalating institutional idiocy, this book delivers. The tone is unapologetically absurd, targeting the tropes of bureaucratic dystopia, corporate simulation, and game mechanics as narrative chaos.
Strengths in play:
- The missions are plug-and-play: a GM can introduce a mission with minimal prep, thanks to the clear structure, mission hooks, and NPC lists.
- They are scripted for chaos: Rather than hero-style success, the expectation is that things go wrong—clones die, clearance plunges, betrayal happens. A polished GM can maintain pace and deliver laughs or shocks.
- Each mission has distinct flavor: from virtual worlds to corporate casinos, the variety keeps a campaign from feeling stale.
- Good value for mission content: five full missions in a single volume allow for multiple sessions or short arcs without needing to customize heavily.
For veteran Troubleshooter tables, the book offers fresh fodder. For new groups, it provides a clear structure and tone sample—though newcomers still need to be oriented to the Paranoia setting’s peculiarities (clone pools, clearance mechanics, etc.).
✨ What Works Well
- Variety and pacing: The five missions span broad thematic ground, enabling a GM to vary mission style session-to-session.
- Seamless integration: Because the book sticks closely to the core edition’s mechanics and format, it can slot easily into ongoing campaigns without mechanical friction.
- Creative scenario design: Missions such as Meet ’n’ Greet or Viva VEG Sector demonstrate strong comedic and situational design—they aren’t just “shoot bad guys” but explore PR, virtual worlds, corporate absurdities.
- Value for money: For the price, five missions is a strong offering—especially for GMs who regularly run Paranoia sessions.
⚠ What to Keep in Mind
- Tone fit is critical: If your group isn’t comfortable with betrayal, high PC mortality, or dark satire, the Paranoia style may feel punishing or frustrating. This mission book leans into those mechanics—so ensure your group is aligned.
- Mechanics assumed: The book presumes familiarity with the Paranoia core rulebook (clearances, clone mechanics, Secrets & subversion). If you’re new to the system, you’ll still need the core book and a little time to absorb mechanics.
- Mission length and arc: Though the book presents five missions, they may require multiple sessions each depending on your table’s style; they are not always “one-shot” length—some are more like short arcs. GMs should review the mission length and adjust session planning accordingly.
- Less setting expansion: If you’re seeking major setting lore, world-building, or new rules systems, this book is more focused on missions than on deep world-building. It enhances play content rather than dramatically expanding the universe.
🗡 Final Verdict
Paranoia: Brave New Missions – Something Satiric This Way Comes is a smart pick for GMs who already enjoy or intend to play Paranoia and just need fresh missions that deliver absurdity, betrayal, and bureaucratic chaos. The five mission framework, comedic tone, and clear integration make it well-suited to drop into a underway campaign or serve as the backbone of a short arc.
For GMs new to Paranoia, this could still work—but you’ll want the Core Book in hand and a session zero to align player expectations. If your group thrives on satirical SF, secrets, chaos, and high stakes (often very mortal), this volume is a worthwhile addition.
In sum: for the right table—one that embraces the weird, wacky, cynically comedic world of Alpha Complex—this mission book offers strong value and creative fuel. For tables less comfortable with betrayal, absurd tone, and rapid character turnover, it’s a valuable tool, but one to use with caution.