TRUE20 EXPERT'S HANDBOOK

DESCRIPTION: True20 Expert's Handbook is a supplement of the TRUE20 game system, expanding the available functions of playing the Expert class. (True20 Revised core book is needed to use this book.)

EASY TO UNDERSTAND: True20 books are very simple and straight-forward. If you can understand D20 rules, then True20 will come as almost second nature; the rules are based on the system used for Mutants and Masterminds.

FUN TO PLAY: This is a detailed game supplement for a detailed game system; if you like to play detailed rules for your RPGs, then this would be a good system and supplement to have -- it's definately simpler, and more fun, than D20.

LAYOUT / DESIGN: Black and white art and type. All major subjects are easy to find; the book is easy to peruse.

WORTH THE MONEY?: It's a little over-priced, but it is worth the money if you really like True20. True20 Expert's is jam-packed with information, and the description listed in rpgnow is accurate and fair.

Description -- BBS is a compliment to any D20 game ruleset, where you can experience a BIZARRE world based loosely on the Victorian era Steampunk Genre.

Easy Rules -- it's an average book; not many pages, but a lot of writing to read through, in order to understand the concept.

Fun to Play -- see the layout description below.

Layout / Design -- the cover artwork is the best piece of art in the whole book. It looks like the design was done as an after-though. There are naked female chests in this book, but not in any seductive way (it's a detraction and a negative to the book's credit, yet know that I personally see little need for porn in game books anyway). The layout of the book is OK and functional, but nothing really grabs your attention.

Like I said before, I'll say it again -- layout matters. Spend the extra money for a professional to do it ...

Worth the money -- Not really, even at 2.50 dollars. (The cover art is superb: correct color scheme, artistic style, really draws you in -- but the inside art let's you down big-time.)

Conclusion -- there are probably better products out there that will enhance your games with Victorian flair.

Description: WRM is an ultra-simple D&D "knock-off" rule book.

Easy Rules? : Yes -- it's written for practically anyone who can grunt English into coherent symbology.

Fun to Play : Sort of -- it uses a "all characters have facets of each other" method, where you pick a level of ability in each class for your character. To me, this defeats the group mentality; why adventure with anyone else if you can "do it all"?

Layout and Design: It's a good design, neat and appropriate to the subject.

Worth the money: at 0 dollars, how could it not be? The question here should be "is it worth the time to consider?" -- well, I have to say to the average gamer, probably not. (But, if you're really bored, it's a free game!)

Conclusion: An overly-easy game with a few kinks, but it's free, so get it when you get time ...

Description -- ICONS is a super-hero, typical role-playing game, based loosely on the FATE rule system (with a little nod to FASERIP descriptions)

Easy Rules -- The rules are well-written and easy to learn.

Fun to Play -- ICONS is fun to play but will lose its luster quickly (it's a one-trick pony; it doesn't handle NPCs very well when it comes to equality with heroes or villains. This is good for a super-hero game, but can get boring if you want something more later.)

Layout and Design -- Full-color, simple cartoon illustration and layout throughout the book. Color image bleeds to the edge on every page with simple gradient graphic colors.

Worth the money -- the PDF is worth the money (sort of / Like all PDFs, it's still hard to read and grasp from a computer screen). If you print a color version of your booklet, then you might as well shoot for getting a print copy of the game. That's where your wallet will vomit money ... this game is expensive to own in the real world.

Conclusion -- a decent game for a short time, but it can be boring in the long haul. Graphics are top-notch, but printing price is too high a cost.

Grimm is a fantasy-type setting for a world of imagination that resembles the classic fairy-tales of old. You play the part of a kid caught in this world, trying to make your way home, completing adventures and quests along the way.

It's a fascinating book, with a unique game-play system and a rich world to explore. The rating would have been 5 star, except for the price; either buy the PDF or the book, but not both: I suggest that you buy the book, unless you really like to read things from the computer screen.

All in all, a great purchase and a great game -- seasoned game players will find it interesting, beginners will find it informative. Grimm is a must-have for your collection.

True20 is Green Ronin's answer to the D20 game system, using the M&M model of mechanics resolution. (Huh?) In other words, it is a simple and fun game to play any genre you like, from fantasy to space opera, using a modified D20 rule-set.

I like this game; I didn't think I would, but I really do. Normally, I don't rate things based on passion - I rate based on value vs. cost. However, I think it is important to state that I REALLY HATE D20, but! I really LIKE this game book and it's system.

For the value, it is a good deal at 10.00. It is sad that it seems that Green Ronin has (maybe) abandoned True20; I only recently discovered it (2010). If I had known that this was out there, I would have played it and recommended it more.

• Note: while the layout of the book is OK, you should know that the artwork inside is only Black and White. I think this is why it has fizzled: people compared the Layout to D20 modern and thought "True20 looks like D20 on the cover, but there's no color on the inside." I don't think True20 got a good chance because of this one design flaw. I would like to see True 20 with a similar cover and some color art on the inside -- even if they had to cut the number of pages with color printing in half!

I like the Three Class system, the simplified lists, and the modified D20 resolution mechanics. I like the fact that the attributes are modifier only; I like the freedom True20 gives concerning gaining levels, purchasing equipment, and creating characters. I don't have lawyers and doctors for my players; I only have people who like to play games. Who do you want to find to play your games: rocket scientists or fun, simple people?

Less is more in just about everything; True20 is no exception.

An excellent system that was never given a chance; a grande substitute for any D20 product.

• Green Ronin, read the above and learn from your past; bring this product back, better than ever, and I know I will buy my copy once I see it online or in the store.

BESM is a good system for playing any genre. You can't go wrong with either 2nd or 3rd edition. It is heavily-adorned with anime flair; the characters are mostly better-than-average humans. If you want to play gritty humanoids with many quirks and faults, then BESM is not that type of game. So, for 8 dollars, if you bought BESM rules, then this supplement is OK to purchase. While it gives you some interesting ideas for dungeon-crawling anime action, most of the book is tied into the story-line of Lysandra and the sample dungeon.

If you decide to get this game, make a decision on paper or PDF first, and be happy with the one copy you have.

Buffy TVS RPG is exactly what it says it is in the description above.

Now, since I rate things based on money vs. value, I would like to say that this book is a must-have IF you are really into playing characters for the Buffyverse. The layout of the book is superb: it goes beyond the limit of what is expected in a game book. The material, however, is where this book falls short. For 20 dollars, you get exactly what you pay for, and no more. If you don't like Buffy TVS and you want to get this game to see what the Uni-system is all about, then it's an OK purchase.

The Uni-system would be good to play any game genre with, but this book only covers material for BTVS. This is a weakness. It is not a good thing for this book. Buy this book for Buffy, not for a generic system to play. At 20 dollars, it is too expensive to also spend hours tweaking it for your own personal use with other genres.

Cortex is a generic, one-stop rule system for playing any genre you like. It is very similar to another "dice type for attributes" game system, and when you want to create fantastic and savage worlds, this game is simpler to use and, for me, better to play. (You should know that I like the other game as well, but time and money being limited nowadays, simpler is better.)

After buying the PDF, I bought the printed book. This is an excellent buy, and I use it as one of my core systems. The only cavet I have with it is that the variety of ability is not broad when it comes to the common attributes -- however, this is a small thing (it only means that you should play regular humanoids, monsters, or androids vs. using it for a super-hero campaign. Cortex does give you a decent system for creating a super-hero, but it is geared more towards fantasy / pulp / modern / space opera action.)

For a 10 dollar PDF, it is an excellent buy in all respects - hats off to MWP.

Anyone who reads most of my reviews knows that I don't mince words and I like "easy-to-grasp reading" of game rules. (I don't mind reading long-headed books if I am reading about things like politics, philosophy, religion, or if I am reading a classic novel or Shakespeare. However, if I am reading a rule-set for a game, I don't want to be bogged down with the details ... money is too scarce, life is too short).

Unfortunately, I don't really understand what Codex is, even after purchasing it and reading the first 5-7 pages. Frankly, I don't think it knows what it is, either, judging by what I read in the text. (I am not trying to be harsh nor ambiguous, I am trying to be truthful. 8 bucks is a lot to spend on something you don't like, don't read, and will never use. I write reviews based on MONEY, not on PASSION.)

To all the game designers out there: LAYOUT is IMPORTANT. I am a graphic designer by trade - I know of what I speak.

Codex lives up to its name, unfortunately: it is a poorly-designed collection of ideas that is arcane and hard to comprehend with light reading. Save your 8 dollars, until the revision comes out, and Codex has been rewritten and redesigned.

Jaws of the Six Serpents is a Medieval-type fantasy genre world for the free PDQ game system. The PDF / book has a very nicely-done layout and wonderful artwork to accent the information.

While the setting is very detailed, it tends toward a darker vision of magic, so if you are looking for a fantasy game world that is a little more "light hearted" then JOSS is not for you. Save your 10 dollars.

If you don't mind that aspect of the book, then JOSS is a decent choice for the PDQ system, even at around 10 dollars (dark fantasy is just not my thing).

Dice and Dramatics is an excellent, one-stops source for doing exactly what it says it will do in the description. I tend to write reviews that will help you decide whether it is worth the money or not -- that's what I think the review system in RPG NOW is for.

Therefore, for 7.00 dollars, this is a good product if you are fairly new to the RPG game world and you want to really get into the meat of acting out your adventures at the game table. Otherwise, it is merely an OK product for play, but it does have a nice layout and graphic design.

Epics is a cinema-style game, with some pretty extensive, yet basic rules to follow. The PDF / book does not have an easy-to-understand layout, which hurts it greatly, but for 5.00 dollars, it is not a bad deal.

BESM is a generic-mechanics game based on the Tri-stat system, for use with any genre that you want to play in. The term “Big Eyes, Small Mouth” refers to the premise that the game is based on common Anime tropes and story settings. You can create any type of game you like, from swash-buckling fantasy to inter-galactic space opera, all seasoned with a Japanese animation flair. If you see it on TV “Anime-style”, then you can play it at home “table-top style” with BESM.

This is the second edition of the rules; I do not currently have the third edition yet. Actually, I think that this is an advantage for the following reasons: (1) this PDF is a solid, economical purchase when compared to pricing of the third edition PDF (2) it follows the Tri-Stat System more closely than does the third edition (from what I have read about it) (3) most of the supplements seem to be native for the second edition rules here - not for the third edition

In a nutshell, the TS(d6) system is very simple to learn: you have three primary attributes, a few derived scores using simple formulas, some background information creation requirements, and two lists - one for skills and traits, the other for defects and hindrances. (I like simplicity in games, because most of my players are not lawyers, doctors, bank managers, or accountants -- they are actually people who have time to play games. A simple concept like this could revolutionize the industry; less is truly more.)

• I suggest that you buy this game BEFORE you get the free copy of the Tri-Stat rules. BESM explains the TS(d6) system core mechanics better than does the free PDF, in my opinion. Plus, you get a nifty game universe to play in. (I got the free PDF and did not like it; I got BESM later, and now, I like the Tri-Stat system. Graphic art and layout really does matter when it comes to entertainment and communication of a complex idea …)

BESM 2nd revised delivers a solid, yet simple game system to create your own fantasy / fictional world. This is book is not short on information, flavor, or creativity. If you are looking for an easy-to-learn-and-use system, that has many supplements to support it, BESM 2 will be a good game system for your group.

Villains and Vigilantes is a (somewhat) dated, and yet relatively strong game system for playing super-heroic characters like you would find in an American comic book. It’s one of the premiere role-playing games of the 1980s -- no question about it, meaning that nostalgia and fondness for similarity could be the primary driving forces to its current success. If you are looking for the latest and greatest innovation in role-playing, then Villains and Vigilantes will not surprise you (though it does hold it’s own for innovation in it’s own right -- the game is still unique, even with its d20 influence imbedded in the rules).

If you are looking for a fantastic super-hero game to play, then V&V is a swell game indeed!

Characters are created using your own identity and specialized formulas, and the game is played with various random tables and rules for mundane items and traits. All in all, it’s a creative mixture of information that you can use to create your own random game world.

(Personally, I like the random factor over other point-based systems, because it’s much easier to choose one or two things, and then, add randomness for flavor later -- rather than pulling a concept from thin air. The one thing that some game designers seem to miss is this: most people are not creative -- but almost everyone likes to play a game. Randomness is the key to getting others to try new things, and V&V fills that niche rather nicely.)

Does all this mean that Villains and Vigilantes is for the silly, veteran game player -- not hardly! It only means that Villains and Vigilantes is a unique game with some interesting traits that will appeal to the number cruncher and the die-hard comic book fan.

I am rating it a 3 / 5, because honestly, it is not an entirely simple game to play (there will be a lot of tedious number-crunching and variable dice rolling involved), but it is a FUN game to play -- and that’s the primary purpose for playing any game. I don’t like to rate things a 3, because I think it is a cop-out normally, but it is a fair rating in this instance for all the factors involved.

Overall, you will not be disappointed to play Villains and Vigilantes, and the price is just right. (I would love to have a hard copy of this game -- maybe one is in the works?)