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Summerland Revised and Expanded Edition
Publisher: Fire Ruby Designs
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 08/16/2012 01:06:23

WHAT WORKS: Great premise. The idea that nature has just risen up to wreck humanity is intriguing. The art in the book is primarily photographs, making for a very evocative feel to the book. I always appreciate good random roll charts.

WHAT DOESN’T WORK: The writing at times seems to beat around the bush, especially for such a simple system. I do like a little more crunch in my games.

CONCLUSION: Fantastic premise, but one I doubt I would ever use with the system as written. It’s not that the system is inherently BAD…I just prefer a little more meat on my games. The idea that it’s an RPG with a defined endgame is also pretty interesting, as most are open ended to a fault. I’d say it’s well worth reading, even if it’s not my cup of tea for gameplay, especially if you want PostApoc without bombs and mutants.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/08/tommys-take-on-summerland-revised-and.html



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Summerland Revised and Expanded Edition
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The Mutant Epoch
Publisher: Outland Arts
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 08/12/2012 18:56:50

WHAT WORKS: Random tables for EVERYTHING just shy of an adventure generator (which seems like an odd oversight, given the amount of random rolling). Mutations for all the monsters, flexibility in the setting, tons of support.

WHAT DOESN’T WORK: If you hate random rolls and feel like you need a lot of game balance, I’m not sure this game is for you. The setting, as presented in the Hub rules, is nothing you haven’t seen before.

CONCLUSION: My advice? Roll up a bunch of characters and have fun. Don’t worry about game balance, don’t worry about stuff making sense…for pure gonzo PostApoc fun, Mutant Epoch is one of the better options I’ve read. It doesn’t have the heavy metaplot/back story of Reclamation or Hell on Earth, but it has a lot of cool, old school stylings without being tied to a D&D base. If you know what you wanna do with a PostApoc game, but not HOW you want to do it, get this and go nuts.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/08/tommys-take-on-mutant-epoch.html



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
The Mutant Epoch
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Mutant Future: Revised Edition
Publisher: Goblinoid Games
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 08/08/2012 01:12:50

WHAT WORKS: Well, there’s a no-art free version. That’s kind of a big deal, and it has bit of support, due in part to the OGL. The monster section has some really cool and unique options, and its compatibility with Labyrinth Lord can allow for some interesting scenarios if you and your players aren’t fantasy (or PostApoc) purists.

WHAT DOESN’T WORK: If you don’t like D&D as a base, this probably isn’t going to be your thing. If you want a developed setting, rather than an excuse for hex crawls or dungeon crawls with ray guns and mutant powers, this probably isn’t your thing.

CONCLUSION: If you’re into PostApoc games, you should at least download the free, no-art version. No reason not to. It’s worth it for swiping from the bestiary, in my opinion. Similarly, if you’re into old school D&D, there’s probably at least an odd monster or two that’s worth messing with. For my part, I had a blast with modifying one of my AD&D 2e characters (a bastard sword swinging elven fighter) into a Gamma World character once, transplanting him (complete with bastard sword) onto a PostApoc Earth where he traded horses for motorcycles and chain mail for trench coats. Mutant Future isn’t likely to ever make the rotation at my table, because I don’t really do the D&D base system thing anymore, and there’s other PostApoc games I’m dying to run, but it’s still a very good product that should scratch the PostApoc itch for older school gamers.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/08/tommys-take-on-mutant-future.html



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Mutant Future: Revised Edition
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Kaiser's Gate
Publisher: Battlefield Press
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 08/05/2012 22:42:46

WHAT WORKS: I don't really like Power Points, so an alternate magic system is always welcome. I like the wide range of material covered in the timeline, from the beginning of magical crime through the end of World War I. The new Edges (mostly aimed at dogfighting) feel particularly appropriate, given the setting.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: Setting-wise, it feels almost like TOO much has been crammed into one book...but I could also see how one could prefer that to a more limited book. Enterprising GMs can certainly expand from the material given, and if demand is there, Battlefield Press can always expand the setting with supplements. Minor quibble: A lot of earlier Savage Settings had the problem of multiple shared elements, namely zombies and Atlantis, so linking the events of Kaiser's Gate to the Tunguska event immediately took me back to Necessary Evil, which does the same (albeit with a completely different result).

CONCLUSION: First off, it's nice to see something focused on World War I instead of World War II. Second of all, they showed a lot of restraint with the new material added, especially Edges, focusing on expanding aerial dogfighting. The races are included with a caveat of "Humans are the default, the rest must be approved by the GM", and I vastly prefer options to turn on and off over omission in just about every case. There are some d20isms still present, including the racial selection, some of the new spells and the magic item selection. I always like a good bestiary, but a lot of what you need for this is already going to be in Savage Worlds. Lastly, in an odd note, it refers you to the Explorer's Edition over the Deluxe Edition. Very good work here and a great time to jump on, with the Kickstarter still in effect, because of all the bonus material that has already been unlocked.

For my full review, please visit: http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/04/tommys-take-on-kaisers-gate.html



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Kaiser's Gate
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Creator Reply:
The reference to the Explorer's Edition over the Deluxe Edition is and editing error that we missed, thank you for pointing it out. We will get that fixed as quickly as we can, and should be fixed before we release the print version of the game.
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Darwin's World Savage Worlds: Campaign Guide
Publisher: RPG Objects
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 07/28/2012 18:08:44

WHAT WORKS: Despite being the Darwin's World Campaign Guide, much of this book can serve any needs you may have for a Post-Apocalyptic Savage Worlds game. The art is very well-placed and well-targeted, providing examples of the various monsters and factions without overwhelming the book.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: The setting still doesn't really "pop" compared to other PostApoc settings, and the Terminal Abortions may be a bridge too far for some folks.

CONCLUSION: Darwin's World seems like it can handle the basic assumptions of most Post Apocalyptic games for Savage Worlds, and this book only has one chapter that seems geared specifically for Twisted Earth (even then, you can still reskin the stat blocks easily enough). I have no idea if there are any more Darwin's World releases planned for Savage Worlds, but the two books released do a great job of serving as a Post Apocalyptic toolkit.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/07/tommys-take-on-darwins-world-campaign.html



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Darwin's World Savage Worlds: Campaign Guide
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Darwin's World Savage Worlds: Survivor's Handbook
Publisher: RPG Objects
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 07/21/2012 04:20:28

WHAT WORKS: It's a very well done Savage Worlds presentation, especially with the combination of re-skinned powers combined with the selection of new Powers. The Mutations and Defects are very cool and well done without adding a ton of extra crunch to the rules. Many of the new Edges are similarly impressive.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: The Mutants don't seem to be particularly balanced. That is, from a game balance perspective I'm not sure why anyone would pick a Gen 1 over a Gen 2 or a Gen 2 over a Gen 3. The setting isn't anything that just pops out in comparison to other post apocalyptic settings. Very minor complaint, but two of the Edges do require access to the Campaign Guide in order to use (the Artifact Cache Edges).

CONCLUSION: The setting feels fairly standard for the genre, but that could have a lot to do with this just being the Player's book. My tune may completely change with the GM's book. That said, most of the material here seems incredibly easy to strip for any post-apocalyptic Savage Worlds game with sci-fi elements, and the setting does also seem to lack a metaplot which can be a very good thing in many eyes (including my own). Recommended for Savages to at least strip mine the rules material even if they don't want to play around in the Twisted Earth.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/07/tommys-take-on-darwins-world-survivors.html



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Darwin's World Savage Worlds: Survivor's Handbook
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Irradiated Freaks
Publisher: Gallant Knight Games
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 07/20/2012 01:49:39

WHAT WORKS: Well, it's all completely optional, but this and the main book gives you almost a complete replacement for the After the Bomb RPG with better rules for $5. The mutations are divided between "sensible" and "completely crazy", depending on your tastes...and humanoid plants are included. And charts. Random charts.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: If you didn't care for Atomic Highway, this isn't going to be much use to you.

CONCLUSION: Was Atomic Highway too "safe" for you? This will completely blow it up. It's completely optional, in no way invalidates anything in the assumed Atomic Highway setting and can even take a lot of the guesswork out of it for you with the random roll charts. Do you need it? No...but it sure does up the zany fun factor playing a mutant humanoid Venus Flytrap Bounty Hunter that can burn things with his mind.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/07/tommys-take-on-irradiated-freaks.html



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Irradiated Freaks
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Atomic Highway - Post Apocalyptic Roleplaying
Publisher: Gallant Knight Games
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 07/19/2012 01:01:42

WHAT WORKS: It's free and well-written. What more do you want? For a change of pace, it's lower powered and less "out there" than most post apocalyptic settings, though there is a supplement that can help you change that if you like. The vehicle emphasis makes for a nice change of pace as opposed to other post-apocalyptic RPGs. Oh...and random tables. I love random tables.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: Again, it's free and well-written. What more do you want? I'm really not a fan of the Health system, personally, and some folks disliked the lack of gonzo, though that's what Irradiated Freaks is for. All those random tables and no adventure generator?

CONCLUSION: It's free and well-written. What more do you want? For a more "grounded" post-apocalypse setting, this gets you there without having to any dialing down of elements, as that's the default. There's one supplement out, and another still supposed to on the way, adding in zombie apocalypses, alien apocalypses and machine apocalypses. It's worth at least the download, though, because it's free.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/07/tommys-take-on-atomic-highway.html



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Atomic Highway - Post Apocalyptic Roleplaying
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Hell on Earth Reloaded
Publisher: Pinnacle Entertainment
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 07/18/2012 00:11:23

WHAT WORKS: A good, one book overview of the setting, covering all of the major bits of the Hell on Earth. A lot of the camp has been toned down, focusing on the world being a harsh and deadly place, and that's included here because I see so many people saying that can't take the Deadlands games seriously because of the "camp" (which I've never understood, but there you go). Even if you never use the setting (or use it straight), there's a good chunk of material to mine, from Edges to Powers to Monsters.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: Hell on Earth no longer uses Fate Chips, which makes me sad as I have always associated "chips" with "Deadlands". It also makes the Fate Eater's name a little less "on the nose". Given the sheer amount of Hell on Earth material out there, and the treatment of the Deadlands Reloaded line, you can't help but feel like you should hold off diving in and playing before the rest of the (unannounced, as far as I know) books come out. The implication that The Reckoners are just in hiding takes some punch away from the Classic adventure in which your PC group can hunt them down and kill them on Banshee, though this is also mitigated somewhat by the realization that there might not have been a ton of folks that even read that, much less played it.

CONCLUSION: I love Deadlands, but I've always held the Weird West above the Wasted West (and Noir interests me more than Post-Apocalypse), but I've sure always heard good stuff from people who have PLAYED and not just READ Hell on Earth. If this is a standalone product, and I doubt it is, it's a "really good" product. If it's the first of a new line (like I figure it is), then it's a great starting point. For my money, it's really hard to go wrong with Savage Worlds...or Deadlands. I'd sure like to play a Law Dog...or a Templar...someday.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Hell on Earth Reloaded
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Reclamation
Publisher: Architect Games
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 07/12/2012 01:11:01

WHAT WORKS: Reclamation. Seriously...I LIKE that there's this growing viral movement of "let's take back this world." That is reason #1 why I would pick this over other post apocalypse games. Reason #2 is the kewl powerz. (Seriously, there's some great options for Magi, Host and Pariahs, and the Survivors and Paragons have their own cool tricks, if not as flashy). Tons of examples, both short and in-depth. The flavor fiction is generally well done and kept short and to the point.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: At times it seems like it might get over complicated, but nothing that a few cheat sheets can't handle. Some of the art sticks out like a sore thumb against the rest of the pieces. Needs more random tables.

CONCLUSION: The biggest thing that sells me on the book is the whole Reclamation thing, followed by the coolness of the Marks. I like the card deck game system, but some of the book keeping seems like it could get excessive at times. Way more plusses than minus, and probably the post-apocalyptic setting that has interested me the most in a vary long time. It does need more random tables, though. You have a big, crazy, kitchen sink setting with fantasy, sci-fi and horror elements...you need random tables that you can draw cards against. That said, I always love a setting where the odds are stacked up against the PCs, and then they are expected to go save the world anyway. Big thumbs up.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/07/tommys-take-on-reclamation.html



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Reclamation
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Marvel Heroic Roleplaying: Civil War Event Book (Essentials Edition)
Publisher: Margaret Weis Productions
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 07/01/2012 22:46:58

WHAT WORKS: Well...there's a crap ton of new datafiles, including Dr. Doom (held up alongside Magneto as an inexcusable omission from the rulebook). There's a LOT of leeway and options given for playing out Civil War with your own twists. New optional rules like Troupe Play and handling multiple support characters is great. Oh, there's a table of contents, an index, bookmarks and EVERYTHING IS CLICKABLE. Except links to the Operations Manual, but I would bet those are included in the Premium Version.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: No Baron Zemo. No Winter Soldier. What? I can't complain about MY favorites not being included? The art is really pixelated a lot of the time, but I am assuming that's a digital only artifact and hopefully they'll fix that for the print versions. If you absolutely hated Civil War, I don't think this is going to convince you otherwise. For a pre-written adventure (essentially), it'll get steadily harder to run straight out of the book as the twists and turns mount (though that certainly has it's own pluses, as it's not really a railroad at all).

CONCLUSION: An incredibly promising start to the Event Book formula, as there's a huge amount of options included to customize it yourself. The pixelated art doesn't bother me in the digital book, but I would be annoyed to have it present in a print book. Just a huge amount of information, including new datafiles, and while having many of them mixed around the book could annoy some, if you're working from the PDF this thing is so user friendly to navigate that it's not a big deal. Heck, maybe someone wants to play one of the characters not included as a full datafile (with Milestones) here (like Ant Man or Patriot)...just slap on a pair of Civil War milestones that make sense and run with it. If you didn't care for Marvel Heroic, I don't think this is going to sway you...but if you're a fan of it, there's a lot to like from this product.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/07/tommys-take-on-civil-war-event-book.html



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Marvel Heroic Roleplaying: Civil War Event Book (Essentials Edition)
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The Dark Woods
Publisher: Game Arts Guild
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 06/25/2012 00:05:31

WHAT WORKS: A nice mix of stock fantasy elements combined with some new and/or relatively rare fantasy components. Simple system with easy enough character generation, good for a pick-up game. A ton of art for a tiny book, it never gets in the way and especially does a nice job of depicting the more uncommon elements.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: Honestly, the book feels like it was almost laid out backwards. I'm used to flavor fiction at the beginning of the book and not the end, and I almost always prefer character generation before rules.

CONCLUSION: I'm not sure I'd call it an RPG aside from the character generation, and I'd be hard pressed to call it a story game. It's really almost a board game in a book, but given how easy the map is to print, and the low price point, I don't think that's a bad thing. If the physical book is laid out the same as the PDF is, I'd recommend getting the PDF over the book and just printing out the map, since the map is almost smack in the middle, then using some kind of tokens or figures to track movement around it. Definitely has the potential for a fun beer and pretzels type game.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/06/tommys-take-on-dark-woods.html



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
The Dark Woods
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Dark Harvest: Resistance
Publisher: Iain Lowson
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 06/23/2012 00:01:53

WHAT WORKS: Again, another book just jam packed full of material. It does a great job of showing the dark side of the Resistance and the noble intentions of Frankenstein and his military, establishing the shades of grey world. More augmentations are always nice, and I again love how the present the NPC stat blocks. The hunters in the introductory adventure are absolutely terrifying, in a great way. The fiction again does a nice job of bringing you into the world of Promethea.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: I could never use the introductory adventure as a campaign launcher, because of the incredibly specific start (the PCs are circus performers) and it would be difficult to replace the pregens with home made characters. That said, I think it would, in fact, make a fantastic convention scenario. The comic short at the beginning didn't really feel like it added anything to the book (though it was hardly a huge strike against it, either).

CONCLUSION: You certainly don't NEED this book to run Dark Harvest, but it does alleviate some things that were missing from the first book (like a character creation example)...but if you LIKE Dark Harvest, there's a lot to like in this book, from a setting standpoint (the fiction, the essays on the Resistance and the Military) and from a game standpoint (the extra augmentations and NPCs, especially). I am very much intrigued to see what is coming in Fires of Promethea now.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/05/tommys-take-on-dark-harvest-resistance.html



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Dark Harvest: Resistance
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Streets of Bedlam: A Savage World of Crime + Corruption
Publisher: FunSizedGames
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 06/14/2012 02:10:12

WHAT WORKS: The writing is very crisp without getting at all cute. Nothing is hard to read here. The art sets the scene incredibly well. I love the Archetypes set-up for character creation, especially since there's still so much room for flexibility, and the Plot Point Campaign structure is a welcome change of pace. The city is a wonderful mish-mash of Neo-Noir tropes, giving you everything you need to play around, providing landmarks without roadmaps so everything is where you need it to be.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: Heart on Your Sleeve is either the worst Edge ever, or a misplaced Hindrance. Entourage and Protected could also use mechanical support. Bookmarks in a PDF are always great, and they don't exist here. I'm one of the few Kickstarter members who isn't a character in the city, because I'm not a fan of "vanity rewards". It takes me out of the setting seeing Shane Hensley or Gareth-Michael Skarka as NPCs in the setting, though I understand why vanity awards are present in KIckstarters.

CONCLUSION: I think Jason L. Blair has done a fantastic job of crafting a unique Savage Worlds experience while retaining the Fast, Furious, Fun feel the game exudes. Great new additions to the rules, a big sandbox to play around in and promises of more to come. Streets of Bedlam is the "over the top" cousin to Wellstone City, serving a similar niche in an ultraviolent and extreme manner. My biggest disappointment is that I didn't have the extra at the time to kick in for the print copy. Recommended if you love Sin City or crazy Mel Gibson revenge movies, and I love both.

For my full review, please visit http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/06/tommys-take-on-streets-of-bedlam.html



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Streets of Bedlam: A Savage World of Crime + Corruption
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Dark Harvest: Legacy of Frankenstein
Publisher: Iain Lowson
by Thomas B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 05/21/2012 01:30:00

WHAT WORKS: The presentation is fantastic. There's a lot of information in here, but it never feels overbearing. The art is well-done and well-placed, never dominating the book but adding appropriate flavor. The setting is quite disturbing, with the wealthy preying off of the poor in a most unique manner, and the horrors of Frankenstein's machinations revealed in excruciating detail. The sealed off nature of Promethea also allows for extra intensity in setting that might not be there in a more "open" environment.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: The health system seems unnecessarily complicated. I probably would have liked more Talents, but with Augmentations, Assets, Privileges and Contacts, there are more options there than it appears on the surface. Perhaps my biggest gripe with the setting is that, as cool as it is, it seems to be building to a Frankenstein vs Creature encounter (okay, it says so a few times), and that seems like it would exclude the PCs from playing the major role in the future of Promethea.

CONCLUSION: A top-notch product with an inventive spin on alternate history and the Frankenstein mythos. Certainly not the first product I've seen to place the Creature in the role of the hero and Frankenstein in the role of megalomaniacal madman (Dean Koontz' series did it as well), but it still has its own spin on it that feels quite cool in its own right. Not sure I'm 100% sold on the system, as it has a few parts that feel unnecessarily complicated (like Health dice), but that may just be unfamiliarity with the system shining through. The setting alone places it on the higher end of alternate history games I've read.

For my full review, please visit: http://mostunreadblogever.blogspot.com/2012/05/tommys-take-on-dark-harvest-legacy-of.html



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Dark Harvest: Legacy of Frankenstein
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