Urban Litrpg

You might think a month away from fighting sentient cubical supplies in a threatening alt-reality office would mean a break for James Lyle. But . . . you'd be wrong. Even though James has taken a beat from adventuring into the dungeon hidden within the stairwell of his workplace, he's been dealing with plenty of stress-inducing issues, from raising a recently corporeal infomorph to navigating his newly minted relationship with his best friends, fighting his own depression, and wrestling with the moral implications of his burgeoning powers.

The Age of Rifts began thirteen years ago when the first black sphere appeared on Earth, teleporting everyone within its radius to an alien realm where they fell prey to otherworldly creatures. Those who survived and returned home found white crystal shards grafted onto their chests. Imbued with energy, these Riftshards grant people supernatural abilities. Known as Rifters, they have become Earth's first line of defense against this unpredictable invasion, able to enter the spheres and fight the monsters and evolving with greater powers after every battle.

The Dread Pirate Corazon and whale tour business partner Urtan sail into an infection that affects not just wildlife, but the very world of Valka itself. With no other recourse, an S.O.S. is sent to the only people who can help. Join Illume, Nari, and Ingrid as they return to the realm they thought they had left behind for good. While easing back into the world, the team discovers an infectious new threat attempting to spread across the server. Tracking the virus across the sea, Illume ventures to the land of Beta Testing to investigate further.

Shari is a med student, months away from being a doctor. Mace is a coder on his first day of an exciting new job. When the world comes to a sudden and horrifying end, none would have expected them to be among the few survivors. Hyper-aggressive undead zombie creatures hunt anything living on the surface, where even the grass and trees can kill you. Hiding underground is safe, but not much of a life. Their only escape is a virtual world of magic and monsters where Shari can use her healing skills, and Mace can focus on something other than his fears.

Clive Logan is a serial killer; or, to be more accurate, Clive Logan was a serial killer. Caught after a record-breaking streak of murders, he was executed by lethal injection by the state, while thousands of his victims' grieving family members watched. That should’ve been the end of his emotionless and unfeeling existence - but it wasn’t.

The Omen's first foray into Centerpoint Dungeon has failed, but Lucas knows that won't be the end of it. He has to prepare himself for the storm that's brewing—all while continuing to manage his dungeon, doing everything from running his tours to committing large-scale counterfeiting to holding a singing competition. There are enemies on all sides. The dungeon lies within an oppressive kingdom that refuses to acknowledge any of its countless wars. To the south lies the Omen of death, eager to consume it all. Still unknown threats verge towards Centerpoint.

After crushing the Forest Tower and moving into a home big enough for my four companions and I, a period of relaxation feels much deserved. Fate has other plans for us, though. When troubling news arrives from the South, we pack up our things and ride for adventure once again. Minh, Astra, Siobhan, and Brea ride beside me as we head deep into the riverlands of Souther Acalia. At the end of every coursing river, the Lake Tower waits, tall and imposing.

James Lyle, Anesh Patel, and Alanna Byrne have spent much of the past year exploring a secret realm in which the phrase "cubicle hell" isn't just a metaphor. Stalked like prey by sentient staplers and hostile computer hardware, the trio has managed to amass a collection of magical abilities that are rapidly adding up to something more significant. But they aren't content to just sit back and take it easy; rather, they hope to harness their newfound power to benefit humanity.

Waking up in a theme-park world run amok was a bit rough. But leveling up to be an epic hero, seizing a mountain of treasure, and romancing a bevy of beauties isn't too bad. My name is Danny Abbott. I went to bed thinking I had just another day at the office waiting for me. Instead, I find myself in Dungeon World, a planet-wide RPG-themed amusement park. The monsters are real, the perils are deadly, and the people in charge are long since gone.

Lukas Aguilar does not believe in gods. Despite—or perhaps because of—his deep knowledge of mythology and lore, Lukas has always valued what is practical, factual, and verifiable, eschewing faith for what he can see right in front of him. That is, until an earthquake destroys his home, and he wakes up in a dark cavern infested with bloodthirsty and unearthly creatures, wielding strange powers and hearing an even stranger voice in his head claiming to be a goddess.

The Tower of Isaiah spires toward the heavens above, coming closer and closer by the day. The gargantuan construct that towers over the world pierces the clouds like a threatening spear, held aloft to any higher powers above who might be watching this new era of turmoil. However, the precariousness of the situation is more than apparent as human society finds itself pushed to the brink because of the tower and what it represents. The Grand Crusade marches toward Isaiah's holy lands as the foul Witch Perchta and her strange associates conspire in secret to cause the fall of the paradise.

The Treasures of Alexander are mythic-grade artifacts. They are the greatest weapons of humankind against the demon threat looming over them. The Dukes and Duchesses of the Netherworld won't remain idle. They will do whatever it takes to upheave the Conference of Alyras and steal the Treasures of Alexander. While this is happening, Salvos will have to come to grips with taking care of the newborn Wyverns...

Getting strong enough to survive was only the start. What was once horrific is now becoming an addiction. When an elder cultivator powerful enough to destroy Lars with a gesture spirits him away to the Sect of the Spring Rain, he ends up as the subject of a twisted plot to uncover and exploit his secret cultivation technique. Can he navigate the treacherous power struggles of the sect within, or will he be killed off by the factions vying for power? What happens if his grisly methods are exposed?

The threat of dark gods has passed. The forest is safe. The deadlands have stopped expanding. Now, all Tess really wants is a vacation. Unfortunately for her, fate has other plans. Quickly discovering that she's in far more danger than she ever knew, Tess will have to train, level up, and protect herself at all costs. So when an unexpected benefactor shows up with an unlikely solution to her problems, how can she refuse? Follow Tess as she battles monsters, explores new cities, delves into dungeons, and builds up her settlement, all while meeting a strange new cast of characters along the way.

Sam hates his office job, but at least every night he can delve into Alterwhere and forget about stupid teamwork for a while. The world’s hottest new cerebral reality game is a fully immersive mash-up of the retro fantasy RPGs he used to play on his dad’s steam account back in the early 2030s—the kind where you can eat a bowl of stew in the middle of a battle, fire crossbows underwater, and steal all the plates from an NPC’s kitchen as long as they’re looking away at the time.

Seventeen-year-old Truth Medici scavenges for scraps to eat; weathers his parents' abuse; and battles derelicts, killer pimps, and demons in the soul-crushing stretch of desperation he calls home. Even the cops steer clear of the toxic Harban slums. But just across the canal live the magical elite, with their wealth, flying carpets, gorgeous mages, and custom spell beasts, all thanks to the patronage of the almighty Starbrite Corporation. Getting there, and taking his three vulnerable siblings with him, is Truth's only dream.

I need my manor, I need my family ring, I need my Family, and I need your motorbike . . . My body grows stronger, my spirit levels up, and my old skills haven't gone anywhere. Finally, people I can trust are gathering around me. Mighty enemies? Sure, they exist too. But not for much longer.

So you want a brilliant cut for your rough diamond? In that case, you should get on with the cutting! That’s how I found myself looking for a suitable lapidarist. Since I was anything but your run-of-the-mill little rock, the master crafter also had to be special. The one fitting the bill happened to be truly excellent, but, alas, he did have his quirks, too. A recluse living on top of a tall, barren mountain, he did not take kindly to most uninvited intruders, sending them back rolling down the hill in the most unceremonious of manners. And he had plenty of secrets, too.

Lukas Aguilar used to think he knew everything. Mainly because he believed only what he could prove for himself. No gods, fate, or any such nonsense for him. But that seems like a lifetime ago. Because when an earthquake destroyed his earthly home, he suddenly found himself in a dark dungeon world where gods and monsters are all too real—and supreme goddess Inanna had taken up residence in his mind. Upon learning the rules of his new existence—levels, skills, abilities—Lukas fought his way from victory to victory. That is, until he came up against an anomaly that got him killed.

Rumor has it that this year's leaders will receive an unusual reward from the Emperor himself. The exact nature of that reward is a mystery to everyone. What is absolutely clear, though, is that the number of prizes is limited, and just about everyone wants them. So let the battle begin—in the hearts and minds, within the school walls, on training grounds, and even in the streets of the capital city. This will be the ultimate test of one's strength and cunning. It will be fair, and not. It will be bloodless and the stuff of one's worst gory nightmares. And the winner will take all.