Gamma World is a post-apocalyptic science fantasy role-playing game in which player characters explore Earth centuries after the collapse of civilization, searching for artifacts from the time before "The Great Upheaval".

All editions, however, agree that the cataclysm destroyed all government and society beyond a village scale, plunging the world into a Dark Age.

The weapons unleashed during the final war were strong enough to alter coastlines, level cities, and leave large areas of land lethally radioactive.

These future weapons bathed the surviving life of Earth in unspecified forms of radiation and biochemical agents, producing widespread, permanent mutations among humans, animals, and plants.

Common adventure themes involve protecting fragile post-apocalypse societies, retrieving Ancient "artifacts" (science fiction gadgetry such as power armor, laser pistols, and anti-grav sleds), or mere survival against the multifarious dangers of the future (such as gun-toting mutant rabbits, rampaging ancient death machines, or other Gamma Worlders bent on mayhem).

All versions of Gamma World eschew a realistic portrayal of genetic mutation to one degree or another, instead giving characters fantastic abilities like psychic powers, laser beams, force fields, life draining and others.

Other mutations are extensions or extremes of naturally existing features transposed from different species, such as electrical generation, infravision, quills, extra limbs, dual brains, carapaces, gills, etc.

(The ACT concept is drawn from the Marvel Super Heroes game published by TSR shortly before development of Gamma World's third edition.)

Some 4th edition rules enhancements for the setting include new damage types such as "Radiation", Gamma World-specific skills, and increased lethality.

The original Gamma World boxed set (containing a 56-page rulebook, a map of a devastated North America, and dice) was released in 1978.

The second edition Gamma World boxed set (with rules designed by Ward, Jaquet, and David James Ritchie) was released in 1983.

[3] TSR started production on a third adventure module, which was to be assigned the identification code GW5 and had the working title Rapture of the Deep.

After 1984's Marvel Super Heroes proved the viability of the concept, TSR revised Gamma World, Star Frontiers, and Top Secret to use similar tables.)

"[4] The 4th edition of Gamma World was a 192-page softcover book, written by Bruce Nesmith and James M. Ward, published in May 1992 by TSR.

They also announced that TSR had restarted development of Metamorphosis Alpha to Omega, but that the manuscript would be completed using the Amazing Engine rules.

Tweet does not plan any expansions for the game,[5] although it received a warm reception from Gamma World fans and players new to the concept alike.

In November 2002, Sword & Sorcery Studios (SSS) announced that it had licensed the Gamma World setting from WOTC in order to produce a sixth version of the game.

In August 2005, White Wolf announced that it was reverting the rights to publish Gamma World products back to Wizards of the Coast, putting the game out of print again.

[8] At the Dungeons & Dragons Experience fan convention in early 2010, Wizards of the Coast announced a new version titled D&D Gamma World, eventually released in October of that year.

"[16] In the 1979 book The Playboy Winner's Guide to Board Games, John Jackson reviewed the first edition, and noted that "Gama World could draw on a hundred science-fiction novels for material.

It's somewhat expensive and the sudden-death power of futuristic weaponry and the lack of character 'levels' may put you off, but if the basic premise is appealing you'll probably enjoy Gamma World.

"[18] In the July 1980 issue of Fantastic Science Fiction, Greg Costikyan called the rules of the first edition "reasonably well written, if poorly organized; they are sufficient to base a campaign upon."

Brassinne concluded, "Given dice, cards, modules, pencils and time, the result will be long, exciting sleepless nights.

"[22] In the August 1984 issue of Asimov's Science Fiction, Dana Lombardy called the redesign of the 2nd edition "so extensive it should be considered a new game ... Gamma World offers one of the more bizarre and hostile environments to role-play in."

Lombardy concluded, "If you prefer more straightforward science fiction with known and approximately equal abilities and weapons, then Gamma World may not be for you.

If you like science fiction that takes some latitude with the laws of nature, you should visit Gamma World, Fourth Edition: it'll be a fun 'wahoo experience.

It has survived seven editions and three companies, but still, Gamma World remains a fun and functional game in the current RPG marketplace.

"[27] In 2011, a video game adaptation was announced at E3 called Gamma World: Alpha Mutation for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

[30] The Swedish role playing game Mutant, released in 1984 by Äventyrsspel, was first pitched to its future writer as "Gamma World, set in Sweden".