Redbox Hack was inspired by the retro-clone movement, and started as an attempt to strip out the author's favorite elements of the (red box) edition of Dungeons & Dragons until only the heart remains. By the second playtest edition the ruleset had morphed into an entirely new game that is almost entirely mechanically dervived from the narrative games of the indie movement. The basic premise and implied setting share thematic elements with D&D, with the PCs wandering across unknown lands, seeking treasure and encountering dangerous monsters, fantastic places, and intriguing characters; heavily infused with Asian elements and other inspirations like Heavy Metal.