Paranoia (role-playing game)
Paranoia is a humorous role playing game set in a dystopian future. The tone of the game is light and tongue-in-cheek rather than dark and heavy. The game is set in Alpha Complex, a futuristic underground city controlled by The Computer, which employs teams of secret agents called "Troubleshooters" to root out traitors. Traitorous activities includes Communism, being a mutant, and being a member of a secret society. The players commonly portray Troubleshooters, but later game supplements offered other roles for player characters.
Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.
In fact, all members of Alpha Complex's society are mutants who belong to secret societies. Therefore, Troubleshooter missions invariably turn into a constant comedy of errors as everyone on the team seeks to double-cross the others while keeping their own secrets. Furthermore, everyone is part of a family of clones, allowing Troubleshooters to be routinely killed (either deliberately or accidentally); instead of leaving the game, the player simply portrays the next member of the clone family, who is assigned to continue the mission.
Four editions of Paranoia exist:
