Soul Muppet Publishing

Orbital Blues - A Space Western RPG

At a Glance

Small Group (3-5)Long (2-4 hours) and Campaign (Multiple sessions)Ages 18+ (Mature/Adult)Mechanics (System): Six-sided dice (Custom)Genres: Sci-Fi, Western, and DramaComplexity: Beginner

The Rock and Roll Future of Yesteryear

This is the rock and roll future of yesteryear that never was — and nobody wanted. It is an intergalactic age of cowboys, outlaws and bandits playing on an interstellar stage. It is a time of hyper-capitalism and a cut-throat gig economy. 

Unreliable trash-heaps carry scrappy underdogs to their next gig, and corporation freighters lumber across the horizon laden with an empire’s bounty. These are the music-fueled, moon-age daydreams of a rebel space age. These are your Orbital Blues

A roleplaying love-letter to off-beat sci-fi, vintage music, and cooperative old-school styled roleplay, Orbital Blues allows you to play out rules-light tabletop adventures in the style of your favorite space westerns. Stepping into the shoes of Interstellar Outlaws, players band together to form Crews, and navigate a hard-going, gig-economy living on the fringes of a space-faring society.

Developed on the critically acclaimed rules-lite system of Best Left Buried, Orbital Blues uses a simple D6 based system with 3 basic stats - MUSCLE, GRIT, and SAVVY - to handle rolls and uncertainty - putting the narrative and relationships of the player characters at the heart of play without the baggage of hefty mechanics, classes or roles.

Orbital Blues is a lo-fi space western roleplaying game from SoulMuppet Publishing, written by Sam Sleney & Zachary Cox and illustrated by Josh Clark. Art by Joshua Clark. Layout and Cartography by Lone Archivist.

Saddle up, Spacefolk! Get the complete Orbital Blues lo-fi space western experience! Purchase the core rulebook, expansion Afterburn, and solo play supplement The Wanderer together in our exclusive Orbital Blues Bundle for a special price and free shipping!

208 page, 6 x 9 inch, full color, hardcover book w/ 2 bookmark ribbons

Includes access to digital version

Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
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S
Space Cowboy Drew
Happy with the Blues

Orbital Blues is a game that wears its theme proudly and delivers on it beautifully. From the moment you open the book, you’re struck by how the art perfectly captures the “sad cowboys in space” aesthetic—lonely drifters, smoky starports, and the melancholy beauty of the frontier between the stars. The visual design isn’t just window dressing; it pulls you into the mood before you’ve even rolled a die. The layout supports that aesthetic as well, balancing evocative illustrations with clean presentation so that every page feels atmospheric yet still approachable for reference at the table.

Mechanically, Orbital Blues strikes a sweet spot between simplicity and depth. The rules are streamlined, intuitive, and easy to learn, but they also give players plenty of freedom to lean into character-driven storytelling. The system supports both the thrill of daring heists and the quieter, more introspective moments of life aboard a beat-up starship. Nothing feels overcomplicated or bogged down—everything from character creation to conflict resolution flows smoothly, letting the narrative and the theme remain front and center. For a game so steeped in mood and tone, having mechanics that never distract from the experience is a huge strength.

Finally, the book itself is a pleasure to use. The organization is thoughtful, with rules and guidance laid out in a way that’s both logical and easy to reference during play. The marriage of text and illustration feels deliberate, guiding the reader’s eye without ever overwhelming the information. It’s clear that care went into making sure this wasn’t just a rulebook, but an artifact that reinforces the world it’s inviting you into. As a whole, Orbital Blues is one of those rare RPGs where the mechanics, art, and theme are in complete harmony. It’s not just a game—it’s an experience.

M
Marx

Interesting idea but its patchwork “rules”—lots of D100 tables of names. Very unfinished.

B
Benjamin

Love the art and lay out. Looking forward to a game

J
James

Order was well packaged and delivered in a timely manner.

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