|
Modern Games
|
|
|
Crime Fighter
Design : Aaron Allston
Editions : 1988, TaskForce Games
Presentation : Boxed set with 2 rulebooks, 2 ready-to-run «
episodes », 104 playing pieces, 12 geomorphic map board and
player reference cards.
Comment : « The Bad Guy play for Keeps... but You Wear the
Badge ». All you need to direct adventures of TV cop shows
: real-world polices procedures, call-codes, career for you characters.
|
 |
|
Daredevils
See
the publicity !
Design : Paul Charette and Paul Hume
Editions : 1982, FGU
Presentation : Boxed set with rulebook, GM screen, character sheets
and Daredevil Adventures vol. 1, No. 1
Comment : "Play the role of an action-adventure hero. Smash
spies, fight crime, defeat criminal masterminds and more. Enter
the world of hard-boiled detectives, cloaked vigilantes and globe-spanning
adventure. Become a daredevil.". This game gives GM skill-based
system rule to design a Pulp campaign in the 30': car-chase, gun-fighting,
even gadgets design and super-powers. The combat system is quite
complex (FGU style). The Adventures booklet provides GM with 4 typical
scenarios (from Crime Fighting style to Pulp) and sample PCs. All
of them are good enough to start a campaign with colourful vilains.
Only 4 other scenarios boolklet were printed: "Deadly Coins",
"Menace Beneath the Sea" (with sequel to "Deadly
Coins"), "Supernatural Thrillers Issue" and "Lost
World Tales" (3 linked scnearios). One of my favorite Games
!
Links : A guide to Pulp & RPGs at http://www.cc.columbia.edu/~mfs10/pulp_RPG.html
|
 |
|
Espionage!
Design : George MacDonald and Steve Peterson
Editions : 1983, HeroGames
Presentation : Boxed set of a rulebook, scenario and dice.
Comment : Secret agent campaign using the Champions game system,
the rules describe a large array of skills and tons of weapons and
gadgets. With a minimalist presentation, you can find along the
pages a brief on the organisation of the CIA. This system was later
updated to Danger International RPG.
|
 |
|
Gangster!
See
the publicity !
Design : Nick Mirinacci and Pete Metrone
Editions : 1979, FGU
Presentation : Boxed set of 2 books
Comment : Book 1 gives simple rules for playing Police (State,
Feds...) or Ganster (Organized or Syndicated crime) characters but
stays on very technical level of play: equipments chart from 1900
to 1970, experience points PC advancement... Onthe other hand, Book
2 "Patrol Guide and Laws of the Land" is especially interesting
for GM looking for procedures used by police departments (road blocks,
arrest procedure, forensic sciences etc.) and outlines the basic
laws dealing with crime (legal terms, usual penalties...). A former
NY police officer codesigned the rules.
|
|
|
|
Justice Inc.
Design : Aaron Allson, Steve Peterson and Michael Stackpole
Editions : 1984, Hero Games
Presentation : Boxed set of 2 books (rulebook and campaign book
+ dice)
Comment : Pulp-hero game using the Hero System (skill based). The
Spider, Doc Savage and The Avenger are at ease with great rules,
including super-natural powers and "weirds talents", adapted
to run a fast-paced campaign (airplane combat...). The campaign
book is well writtent and full of advice concerning the Pulp era
and the ways to run different sytles of campaign. Scenarios are
provided, even with a typical "base of operation".
You can find a couple of supplements ranging from very good to excellent
: "Lands of Mystery" and "Trai of the Golden Spike"
Links : A guide to Pulp & RPGs at http://www.cc.columbia.edu/~mfs10/pulp_RPG.html
|
|
|
|
Mercenaries, Spies & Private Eyes
Design : Michael A.Stackpole
Editions : 2 editions - 1st : 1983, Flying Buffalo (then Chris Harvey
for the UK); 2nd : 1986, Sleuth Publication, Ltd
Presentation : Boxed set with rulebook, solitaire adventure "The
Jade Jaguar", character folders (PC sheets)
Comment : A well written game to play mystery stories,
whatever the historical area you choose (pulp, modern or near-future).
An extensive scenario design section can be found with great advice
for creating different game setting (mercenary, spy, law enforcement
agencies, sci-fi and lost world...) as well as using live clues
during your game. Liz Danforth illustrates the whole book and gives
his rendering of celebrities like Holmes, Moriarty or Marlowe. Small
character portaits by the same artist are given for your character
folders. The game system is quite similar to Tunnels & Trolls :
3D6 attributes, level for skills that you can buy, adventure points.
Apart from this set, some supplements (like Fingerprint kit) and
scenarii ("Raid on Rajallapor" and "Stormhaven") can be found at
the Flying Buffalo web site.
Links : Official Flying Buffalo MSPE page at
http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/mercen.htm
|
|
|
|
Price of Freedom
Design : Greg Costikyan
Editions : 1986, West End Games
Presentation : Boxed set with 2 rulebooks, 2 map/boards, 100 die-cut
counters, two full colour game boards/maps, one loose booklet of
character dossiers, charts & tables, one plastic counter tray
with lid, and one 20-sided die.
Comment : The game caused a bit of a stir when it came out, for
all the wrong reasons. The theme of the game was gung-ho commie
bashing of the highest order. The Soviet forces dare to invade the
USA and you, as the player characters, fight a guerilla war against
them. The question was 'Tasteless and jingoistic rubbish or harmless
tongue in cheek fantasy? The game itself was well presented, well
laid out and had a quality fel about it. Character generation was
neat and the mechanics straighforward using a d20 for all rolls.
A simple forerunner of the d20 system, in fact...
Reviewed by Simon
Washbourne (see :
http://www.geocities.com/simonwashbourne/Beyond_Belief.html)
|
|
|
|
The adventure of Indiana Jones
Design : David Cook
Editions : 1984, TSR
Presentation : Boxed set loaded with a rulebook, a nice GM screen,
2 sheets of cardstock "3D-figures/walls/vehicules", a 2-sided map
(the world of the 30' and a floorplan suitable for 25mm figures)
and "Evidence files" (dossiers for PCs and props like telegram)
Comment : Game system is reminescent of TSR's "Marvel Super-Heroes
Adventures" RPG with its colorful Check Results table (in order
to know the level of success). Everything is done to simplify the
rules and to let fun-and-fast actions flow during your session.
The introductory scenario (by John Byrne, comic creator) found in
the rulebook gives a good idea of what kind of game you can expect
with those rules. The creation of characters is very thin and you
are encouraged to play the main characters of the movies (Indiana,
Marion Ravenwood...), for whom stats are given. 10 years later,
West End Games took advantage of the license within its "Master
Book System" line of products.
Links : Raiders.net at
http://www.theraider.net/information/books/roleplaying_index.php
|
|
