Publisher: Mythic Gazetteer
Authors: Eric Brunsell and Michael Elliot
Artist: Julianne Griepp
Year: 2021
Genre: Fast playing paranormal tabletop roleplaying game
Pages: 53 pages
MSRP: $20 PDF at DriveThruRPG
In ECB, players take on the role of agents of the titular External Containment Bureau, an organization dedicated to the identification, confinement, and obfuscation of supernatural objects, persons, and events. At character creation, players select from one of six departments – each with their own special ability — and from one of six backgrounds. The game offers tremendous flexibility in both character background and equipment and does an admirable job in trying to include often-overlooked archetypes. Want to play a supernatural crime scene cleaner? ECB is all for it.
External Containment Bureau is all about speed. While GMs must provide clues, they do not need to have fully-fleshed out just what is happening. From character creation to final debrief, the experience is designed to take between two and four hours, making it a viable alternative to a board game. This allows ECB to serve as a palate cleanser for established groups between campaigns and as a viable introduction to the concept of a roleplaying game for the uninitiated.
External Containment Bureau will inevitably draw comparisons to both Delta Green and SCP. All three games read similar thematic territory and it’s easy to see how an adventure in one could be ported into either of the other two systems. ECB, however, is a lighter game in terms of both mechanics and, often, content. Sanity isn’t a 
That’s not to say ECB’s agents are in the clear, however. Death remains a present danger and exposure to the supernatural isn’t without its side effects. As agents gain paranormal abilities, they slowly lose touch with their humanity; at four powers, they are removed from field duty — if not from reality entirely. The game offers a nice selection of abilities, each with the potential to offer serious aid in investigating, combatting, and containing anomalous objects and events. It’s a fun bit of gameplay that manages to model the temptation that power brings.
The flexibility of story and setting supports a variety of game flavors. Lean into bureaucracy and procedure to bring back memories of The X-Files or up the danger for a more action-oriented feel. If you’ve ever wanted to play a scientist investigating the strange or an archivist at the Magnus Institute, ECB’s primed for those kinds of tales as well. Much of the game is what players and the GM make of it, which does require engagement from all parties to truly run well. While some rules do need clarification, the Mythic Gazetteer team has been responsive in the comments section on their Itch.io page.
External Containment Bureau offers players and GMs a quick launchpad into a breakneck investigation. With broad storytelling support and a high degree of customization, the game is the perfection addition for fans of the strange and unusual. While those who prefer a more fleshed-out world or a greater emphasis on the psychological consequences of gazing into the abyss may not appreciate the lighter touch, others will appreciate the speed with which an operation can be dreamed up, carried out, and concluded.
