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Ran this for my usual group tonight. Here are some notes I have on it:
We used the first character generation method (aka point buy). From the get go, players realized what their dump stats were: chuck, and for some, clutch. Humans only have one HP per area, and if they get hit in the head or chest, they're done. So it's easier to beat them up with Flail, and then bite them later.
Some of the particulars of the system are vague. For example, there's no rules on initiative. When combat happens, what order does it happen in? Also, there are six hit locations, but nothing that says where someone is hit when you hit them. Is it random? Does the attacker choose? If the attacker chooses, why doesn't everyone aim for the head?
There's no way to just talk to stuff -- as in, there's no roll for persuading someone. I sometimes had them roll sense (with is really intelligence/perception, not persuasion), and sometimes just worked it out through role play, but my players tend to try to talk to stuff before hitting it.
Some of the rules are also disjointed. Humans, like I said, have 1 point in each area, 6 total. When you bite someone after clutching them, it deals two damage. It also says that if I deal 6 damage to the head by biting, I've eaten their brain. Does that mean in one bite I've killed them, and then I spend 2 more rounds gnawing through their skull? It seems almost that the bite/braining rules (which are given early on in the book) weren't written taking the human rules into account.
There's no good way to have a fight against a strong human. One hit to the wrong location, and the human is dead. Even the "tough bouncer" presented in the packaged scenario falls like a sack of potatoes against a zombie. I tried offsetting this with the optional brawn rolls to soak damage, but that just lead to stalemates as neither side took damage.
However, even with these issues, the game was still quite enjoyable. We used the packaged scenario, which led to some good terrible fun. We eventually got into the right mood, which included 10 minutes of "Country fried soup" jokes when they made it to Danny's chain bar, and a chain of brainless bodies across the state. Only downside of the scenario is that some of the premises (ie rail roading) require an extraordinary amount of hand waving to be plausible.
Overall it was fun, but the system leaves a bit to be desired. The system's sort of a simplified version of New Shadowrun / Old WoD, but it loses some important details in that simplification. I might try the setting with a different system at some point. It's a good value, and will certainly make for a fun one shot, but I don't see myself running this again for the same group.
Quote from a player: "best comedy game I've ever played. Maybe I just like zombies, who knows?"
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