Realms of Legacy

I've now played several sessions of Realms of Legacy at various power levels and have made three different characters. Every adventure has been an absolute blast. Here's why: 

• The core resolution mechanic—a staggered dice pool of d6s and d8s—takes five minutes to learn and is extremely effective at creating that addictive sense of tension->release that underpins the best games (and gambling too, I suppose).
• The setting is wondrous and wonderfully charming. It nails a heroic, swashbuckling tone that's inviting and a little goofy—octopus people! goth-magic!—but also has depth and creativity. It's not just a facsimile of D&D or Spelljammer or a winking parody of some popular media/genre. It's a totally original world that invites exploration. 
• The character creation mini-game is mechanically fun and integrates thoughtfully within this setting. It strikes the right balance between freedom and guidance. It has all the right bits I needed to construct some of my favorite character concepts while also inspiring me to dive into the lore and come up with new stuff. 

There's more, of course—an elegant armor system, an interesting "push" mechanic that gives players a lot of flexibility, some very fun magic ideas, and some very cool mechanics for magical airships. Every aspect of the game shines with passion and creativity.