In a recent post, we explored three ways you can build a noir atmosphere around your bad guys, the NPCs in the world, or the players themselves. This time, we’re shifting gears to focus on something a little grittier—the hard-boiled tone. While noir is all about moral ambiguity and the search for a glimpse of light in the darkness, hard-boiled adds a layer of toughness and cynicism. It’s about protagonists who’ve seen it all, bruised but unbroken, navigating a world that plays dirty.
What is Hard-Boiled fiction?
The term “hard-boiled” originally referred to “hard-boiled eggs” in recipes from the 1730s. By 1886, Mark Twain used it to describe rigid grammar rules. In the early 20th century, it was applied to stiff clothing and hats, and by the end of World War I, it described people who were morally inflexible. Soon after, the term evolved to describe cynical individuals who rarely showed emotion and lived by their own personal code of honor, regardless of societal expectations.
Hard-boiled fiction is a style of American crime writing that emerged in the 1920s, adding a raw, gritty realism to conventional crime stories. This genre broke away from the polished, almost romanticized tone of detective fiction, replacing it with something tougher and more visceral. Characterized by unsentimental narratives, vivid urban backdrops, and fast-paced, slangy dialogue, hard-boiled fiction brought readers into the darker, more brutal side of life. These stories often feature cynical, world-weary protagonists—detectives, private eyes, or antiheroes—navigating corrupt cities where the lines between right and wrong blur to the point of vanishing.
In a hard-boiled TTRPG, you’ll want to capture that same rough edge. It’s not just about throwing in some street slang or describing dark alleys; it’s about the atmosphere, the tone, and the hard truths that your characters will face. They aren’t there to save the day—they’re just trying to survive in a world that’s out to get them.
Yes, you can do Hard-Boiled Arthurian or Tolkien-style fantasy too.
While the hard-boiled genre feels right at home in settings ranging from the gritty 1920s through the neon-lit streets of a futuristic dystopia, there’s no reason it can’t apply to an Arthurian or Tolkien-style fantasy world. The core of hard-boiled storytelling lies in its tough, unsentimental tone and morally complex characters—traits that can exist in any era or realm. Knights in tarnished armor, cynical mages, and rogues in crumbling kingdoms can all embody the hard-boiled spirit.
By using the following tips, you can bring a hard-boiled edge to any setting, whether your heroes are fighting dragons or dodging bullets in a rain-soaked alley.
1. Focus on the cynical
A hard-boiled world is one that doesn’t care about the characters or their ideals. It’s cynical, gritty, and unforgiving. The city doesn’t change for anyone—its corruption runs too deep, and the people are too hardened by survival. As a GM, your job is to make the world feel alive but indifferent to the characters’ struggles. Whether they’re up against a sprawling crime syndicate, crooked politicians, or supernatural horrors, emphasize that this world isn’t waiting to be saved. The players are outnumbered, and while they might win battles, the war for the soul of the city is far from over.
2. Dehumanize where you can
In a hard-boiled setting, NPCs aren’t heroic figures—they’re worn down by life and often numb to the chaos around them. They don’t have grand dreams or personal quests. Instead, they’ve accepted that survival is all they can hope for. Find ways to show this by making the citizens indifferent or emotionally detached from the events unfolding around them. A bartender barely looks up when a fight breaks out. The detective’s informant is too busy looking for their next meal to care about anything else. People on the street shuffle along, eyes downcast, reacting more to the weather than to violence or corruption happening nearby.
This doesn’t mean NPCs should be one-dimensional, but rather, their spirit has been chipped away. They’re passive, almost like background noise in their own world. They’re not waiting for a hero, because they don’t believe heroes exist. By doing this, you reinforce the idea that the world is too big and cruel for most people to even try changing it—they’re just going through the motions, surviving.
3. Let the players put things right by way of fist, gun, or mind.
In a hard-boiled world, violence is often the most straightforward solution, and your players should feel like using their fists or guns is just as valid a way to solve problems as outwitting someone. However, don’t reward them with glory or status for doing so. Sure, taking out the local crime boss or beating information out of a corrupt informant may get them the answers they need, but it won’t earn them respect. People expect violence—it’s part of the world’s fabric. The streetwise bartender shrugs at the blood on the floor because “someone else would’ve put that guy down eventually.”
The victory should feel hollow, with a sense that while they’ve solved a problem, the bigger issues still loom large. Their violent solutions work, but they don’t fix the world. Encourage your players to think on their feet and use whatever tools they have—be it wit, weaponry, or a well-timed punch—but let them feel the weight of a world where no one is impressed by a little bloodshed. It’s just another day in a hard-boiled city.
4. Hard Boiled isn’t just a Whodunit
In a hard-boiled setting, the story isn’t always about who committed the crime—it’s about how to bring them down. Sure, a mystery might begin with a classic whodunit setup, but in this world, the culprit is often known from the start. The real challenge is figuring out how to take down someone who’s too powerful, too well-connected, or too entrenched in the system to be touched easily. It’s about unraveling their web of influence, finding their weaknesses, and working around the legal or moral gray areas that prevent justice from being served.
Focus on obstacles like corrupt officials, bribes, or fear that keep people silent. The players may know who the guilty party is early on, but they’ll need to dig deeper to discover how to topple them, expose their operation, or undermine their authority. In a hard-boiled game, the investigation is less about uncovering the truth and more about navigating the brutal system to make sure the guilty pay—by whatever means necessary.
5. No redemption for the wicked
In a hard-boiled game, the bad guys are beyond saving. They’ve crossed so many lines that there’s no path back, and they’re too consumed by whatever darkness led them there in the first place. Whether they justify their actions or believe they’re in the right, it doesn’t matter—they’re too far gone. These villains are unapologetically corrupt, twisted, and lost. There’s no last-minute change of heart, no redemption arc, and no pleading for mercy. They’ve chosen their path, and they’ll walk it to the bitter end. This holds true for every antagonist in the game, reinforcing the hard-boiled tone where evil is absolute, and some people are just too far gone to save.
6. Embrace the pulp roots
Hard-boiled fiction emerged from the pages of pulp magazines, and you should lean into that legacy. Deliver fast-paced, plot-driven storytelling that keeps the action moving and the stakes high. Focus on linear narratives that feature larger-than-life protagonists and antagonists—characters who embody the gritty spirit of the genre.
Use creative descriptions and clever turns of phrase to bring the world to life, making the setting feel as vivid and dangerous as the characters inhabiting it. Let your players immerse themselves in the relentless pace, where every moment matters and every choice has consequences. By embracing the pulp roots, you’ll create a thrilling experience that captures the essence of hard-boiled storytelling, engaging players with a world that feels both immediate and alive.
7. Dive into Dark Noir
While these tips can enhance any game, you’ll get even more from them in a setting like Dark Noir, designed specifically with hard-boiled noir elements woven into its core. Experience a world that fully embraces the gritty, cynical tone, where every decision matters, and redemption is hard to come by. Ready to dive into the darkness? Download the free quick start rules and follow us on BackerKit for more information by clicking the link below!
