Tales from the Loop RPG Review: Nostalgia, Mystery, and Kids on Bikes with Robots

Tales from the Loop RPG Review: Nostalgia, Mystery, and Kids on Bikes with Robots

January 20, 2026

Some tabletop RPGs hook you with crunchy mechanics or sprawling lore.
Tales from the Loop hooks you with a feeling.

It’s the feeling of riding your bike at dusk. Of knowing something strange is happening just beyond the treeline. Of adults being present—but completely missing the point.

Tales from the Loop, published by Free League and inspired by the haunting art of Simon Stålenhag, is a tabletop roleplaying game about kids solving mysteries in an alternate 1980s where towering robots roam the countryside and impossible science has quietly broken reality.

It’s a game I’ve wanted to play for a long time—and this year, I’m determined to finally visit the Loop.

What Is Tales from the Loop?

Tales from the Loop is a kids-on-bikes RPG set in an alternate-history version of:

Sweden, or
The American Midwest

In both settings, a massive particle accelerator known only as the Loop has reshaped the world. Gravity glitches. Machines behave oddly. Things that absolutely shouldn’t exist… do.

The twist?
You don’t play soldiers, scientists, or action heroes.

You play kids.

You still go to school. You argue with your parents. You deal with bullies. And you still have to be home before dinner—even if there’s a rogue robot sinking into the lake behind the old power station.

The adults are around, but they’re distracted, dismissive, or simply unable to see what’s really going on. Whatever mysteries haunt this world, it’s up to the kids to uncover them.

And one rule defines everything the game is about:

Kids can’t die.

That single design choice perfectly captures the tone—dangerous, emotional, and mysterious, but never nihilistic.

A Look at the Rules: The Year Zero Engine, Reimagined

Tales from the Loop uses a modified version of the Year Zero Engine (also seen in Mutant: Year Zero), but here it’s stripped down and refocused for investigation, relationships, and emotional storytelling rather than survival horror.

Key Mechanics at a Glance

Simple Dice Pools
Roll a pool of six-sided dice based on attributes and skills. One success is usually enough, keeping play fast and intuitive.

Conditions Instead of Hit Points
Kids don’t take damage in the traditional RPG sense. Instead, they gain conditions like Upset, Scared, or Exhausted—which shape how they behave and roleplay.

Trouble & Pride
Each character has:

A Trouble that complicates their life and drives drama.
A Pride that defines who they are and gives them strength.

These mechanics gently push roleplay without forcing it.

Relationships Matter
Your relationships with other kids, NPCs, and even adults have mechanical weight, reinforcing the emotional heart of the game.

Mystery-First Design
Sessions are built around mysteries, not combat encounters. Curiosity, teamwork, and investigation take center stage.

The rules stay intentionally light, leaving plenty of room for atmosphere, character moments, and slow-burn revelations.

Why Tales from the Loop Stands Out

What draws me to Tales from the Loop is how confident it is in its tone.

It’s:

Nostalgic without being shallow
Mysterious without being grim
Emotional without being melodramatic

It captures that specific feeling of childhood—when the world felt enormous, adults felt distant, and every strange noise or flickering light felt like the beginning of an adventure.

It’s also ideal for short campaigns or focused story arcs. You can tell a complete, meaningful story without committing to a multi-year epic, which makes it incredibly appealing for modern gaming groups.