Fantasy Grounds
Ok so, right up front, I'll clarify: this isn't a game on its own. It's a platform for facilitating tabletop RPG games, so you'll need players, someone comfortable with being the GM, and at least the physical books for whatever you're playing. Where it really shines, though, is when you get the DLC modules for whatever you're planning to play (there's also a generic system in place that you can use for RPGs that don't have official modules, but I haven't done that, and won't be speaking to it in this review).
For things like D&D, Pathfinder/Starfinder, Savage Worlds/Deadlands, Call of Cthulhu, and even some smaller systems like the new Fallout RPG, you can buy the digital versions of the books, which then automatically imports things like the rules, stats, character/NPC options, items, etc. You can then use this application to completely virtually build and run your RPG sessions online, including importing battlemaps and virtual tabletop tokens for setting the scene.
Is it cheap? No, you're basically paying the same price for the virtual versions of the content as you are for the physical books. If you have the books, local players, and no real desire for using tech to supplement your roleplaying nights, you can skip this. If *any* of those criteria don't apply to you, though, it's worth taking a look!
There are also 3 tiers of the program. Ultimate, Standard, and Demo.
The demo version is (as one would guess) free. The only catch is, you can only play in games, not run them, and only in games run by an Ultimate license holder. This is good if you're a perpetual player/never GM, are wanting to just try out the program *or* just don't care about any additional flashy options.
Standard license ($40 I believe) holders have full access to everything in the program, the only limit is you can only run games for Standard or Ultimate license holders. This would be good for someone who plays and/or GMs games, and all the other people they play with own some kind of paid license for it.
Ultimate license (around $140 I believe) holders have no restrictions on who they can play/GM with. This would be perfect for the perma-gamemaster in your life, as it gives them that flexibility to run games for demo players, a no cost way to suck new players into the world of tabletop RPGs.
One more quick note, I don't know if the classic edition is still available for purchase, but Fantasy Grounds *Unity* is the new version with better interfaces and the ability to run online games with a server lobby instead of having to do port forwarding. If the store gives you an option, always go Unity.
Highly, HIGHLY recommended!
