In these pages I will give you a review of this RPGs I have played. The intent of these pages is not representative for the rest of the world, just my private meanings that I like to share with the rest of the world.
I have some campaigns going on with my players. If you want to read about them, take a look at this.
Vampire: the Masquerade
White Wolf
This is a great game if you like goth and political intrigues. Here you play vampires
that go sucking in the dark. You will be one of the makers and shakers of this planet,
and you will have a lot of bickering with other Kindred (vampires). The game does not have
to be about politics, but this is generally what it will turn into after a while. A good
GM will try to have the Drama of being a vampire into the game, but will often be
forgotten.
This is a nice campaign game and a game for single play sessions. Often though
you like to work out your characters behaviour along as you play, but it may
take some time.
Complex Rules: **
Campaign World: ***
Mage: the Ascension
White Wolf
This is a game which is compatible with Vampire and Werewolf. Here you get to play
a Mage that is out to control reality, and is currently at war with the evil
technocrats who wants a static reality. You have unlimited possibilities in this game
as you meddle with reality.
Comlex Rules: **
Campaign World: ***
Werewolf: the Apocalypse
White Wolf
Very nice idea, playing werewolves, but it has got a weak point. You just keep
fighting to protect nature. This tend to make your person team up with violent
Greenpeacers and such. My GM took this "protect nature" stuff and put it a place
where the light doesn't shine. The game got a lot more exciting.
Complex Rules: **
Campaign World: **
Ars Magica 3rd ed.
Atlas Games
This is probably the best RPG that I have ever played. Here you get to play different
personalities in a Mythic Europe. Involves knights, dragons, wizards etc. But still
the developers of this campaign has managed to make it it's own game, so that it does
not become a classical Adventure game. Often you will play a wizard that belongs to
a secret organisation called the Order of Hermes.
The system is pretty complex, but covers most of the situations a person can get in
considering the era. The magic system is constructed so that you can cast normal
spells, but may also improvise magic. We played a campaign that lasted a whole year,
and our persons turned into mighty old wizards. We had to retire all our characters
because they could solve nearly all problems with magic.
Complex Rules: ****
Campaign World: ******
Call of Cthulhu
Chaosium
This is a basic horror game based on the stories by H.P.Lovecraft and some other
horror authors. This game will involve a lot of Greek, Egyptian and own constructed gods.
The shame with this game is that your character tends to die or go insane.
Complex Rules: **
Campaign World: **
Street Fighter
White Wolf
This is probably the coolest White Wolf game you ever will encounter. This is based,
as you probably expected, on the computer game. Here you get to develop an own fighter
and kick the asses of the badguys. Your fighter will develop into a better fighter
as he kicks more ass, and in the end will be invincible (nearly). This invincible stuff
takes long time so take it easy. If you are into martial arts or Hong Kong movies you
will probably like this game. Death is an optional rule!
Complex Rules: **
Campaign World: ****
Middle Earth Role Playing (MERP)
ICE
This game is based on the classic "Lord of the Rings" by John Ronald Reul Tolkien. The
Grand Master of Fantasy literature. Here you get to play an adventurer in his world.
The system is a simplified version of the Rolemaster system. Here you will find out
more information on the parts of the world and the cultures that exist. Kinda nice
game if you are one of the guys that dig classic stuff.
Complex Rules: ***
Campaign World: *****
King Arthur Pendragon
Chaosium
This is a game of classic proportions. You get to play a knight in the era of King
Arthur Pendragon (yup, that's the guy from the legend). It's a nice system that looks
a bit like the Call of Cthulhu system. It's a heroic game and you should expect that
playing a bad guy is not an option. I enjoy the game and currently have an ongoing campaign.
The best supplement to this game is the Boy King Campaign, which spans over the years
before, under and after King Arthur. Here is a campaign and loads of background material
for the game. It's a must.
Complex Rules: **
Campaign World: ****
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
TSR
This is perhaps the most classic fantasy game that ever came out. Currently it is the
most played in the world and TSR (the editor) is the largest RPG company ever.
Here you get a basic set of rules, but you may buy a boxed set with a campaign in.
Here are some campaigns: Forgotten Realms (the most classic one), Dragonlance,
Plane Scape (I do not recommend this one), Birthright (nice campaign with a new
touch), Karameikos (imported from the old Mystara D&D campaign), Ravenloft (this is
the best fantasy/horror you will ever get. I love the system). There are more, but
none that I have played and should talk about.
Complex Rules: **
Campaign World: N/A
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Hogshead, or Games Workshop
This is an English product that is quite good. It is a Dark Fantasy game, where things
are looking pretty bad, but not hopeless. It has a very good campaignworld based on the
Renaissance Europe with a lot of corruption added.
Complex Rules: ***
Campaign World: *****
Star Wars
West End Games
This is the RPG based on the movies. Here you get to play a spaceopera hero in our
beloved Empire, where you walk around and kick some stormtrooper butt for the Light
Side of the Force. The badguys are real badguys, and the scoundrels are real scoundrels.
You'll probably be playing a pilot like the rest. It's cliché, but heck, it's cool.
Complex Rules: **
Campaign World: ******
Twilight 2000 2.2
Gamers Design Workshop
This is a game of nuclear holocaust. Well almost. You're playing a veteran from WW3 that
is trying to survive in Poland and the areas around there. The world is savage and
you'll probably die of radiation before you're 35. The system is very realistic, so that
if you get shot, you will probably die (hint: shoot first). It's a very good game, and
it is also one of the classic games.
Comples Rules: *****
Campaign World: *****
Paranoia 2nd ed.
West End Games
This is a great game of a Dark and Humorous Future where the Computer is your Friend.
In this game you play a clone that live in the Alpha Complex.
THIS INFORMATION IS ONLY FOR CLONES WITH UV SECURITY CLEARANCE!
Really the Alpha Complex is underground. It's huge bombshelter from the Pre-Ooops time.
Before the Ooops, they lived in a modern society like you and me, but then WW3 started,
and the earth was hit by a large meteor at the same time. The Computer is your friend
and you must almost obey the computer and not join a Secret Society, because they do
not exist. And that is an order. If you object to any of these things you will
report to a Termination Booth emidiattly. Thank you for your co-operation citizen.
Complex Rules: *
Campaign World: ******
Feng Shui
Daedelus
Feng Shui is a new game that probably you won't have heard about. It's based on the
Shadowfist cardgame. Here they try to simulate Hong Kong actionmovies in the scenarios.
This means that you probably will get to shoot a lot of badguys, and have a real
supernatural combat with the main badguy (they tend to be tougher). In this game
you will have to drop realism (example: A man shoots at you with a machine-gun. You
decide that you need to get to him, so you start running along the bullets.
You run on the bullets to get to the guy that shoots at you).
This game can very quickly be the game of your life, but you will get tired of it after
some time. But after a little break from playing it you will probably want to play the
mean main man again.
Complex Rules: **
Campaign World: *****
Hong Kong Action Theatre!
Not sure of editor
This is even more based on Hong Kong actionmovies than the game above. Here you play
a prototype of character that is in a lot of movies. You play the actor, but you are
in the film-world. Here you have special abilities as Bad Dubbing etc. If you die in a
movie (or adventure i you like) then it does not matter, because you are still able to
play in the next movie (if Bruce Willis dies in a film (12 Monkeys) then that does not
mean that he can't play in a film any more).
For good prototypes here you will find Chow Yun-Fat as a good type
of character to play.
Complex Rules: ***
Campaign World: ******