SINCE ITS INCEPTION, the Basic Roleplaying system was viewed as an easier and more intuitive set of game mechanics than those few other roleplaying game systems existing at that time. Call of Cthulhu was one of the first horror roleplaying games, and perhaps the most popular version of Basic Roleplaying.

Basic Roleplaying was designed to be intuitive and easy to play. The system is remarkably friendly to newcomers. It is easy to describe the basics of the game system, and the percentile mechanics, to non-gamers. Most of the information players need to know is present on their character sheets. Characters tend to evolve based on practicing the skills they use the most. Combat can be very quick and deadly, and often the deciding blow in a conflict is the one to land first. Basic Roleplaying is remarkably modular: levels of complexity can be added or removed as needed.