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Thrift Thopter
United States
Massachusetts
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I originally wrote the main body of this review for a geeklist earlier today, and after some debate, decided to post it here. This review assumes the reader knows nothing about Gamma World, doesn't go into much detail, and focuses on the heroes characteristics.
If you want a more detailed review, you might like GilvanBlight's review, here: http://rpggeek.com/thread/574000/dd-gamma-world-a-detailed-r...
Another review you could read is coffeeswiller's review here: http://rpggeek.com/thread/609229/fast-paced-post-apocalyptic...
It's a fun game where you take on the role of a mutant in a post-apocalyptic world.
The games mechanics do a good job of capturing the flavor of the mutant heroes in the following ways:
When you create a character, you roll to determine two mutant origins, (such as Pyrokinetic, Felinoid or Cyborg Yeti).
The heroes have special powers, called alpha mutations that change between encounters, and whenever that Hero rolls a 1. In some extreme cases, you could be engaged in combat with a giant bird 100 ft. in the air when your wings suddenly turn into tentacles and you fall into the radioactive lake beneath you, or you could be invisible, using your condition find your captured friends in an alien base, when you suddenly become visible and grow to the size of a rhinoceros.
The heroes have special weapons called Omega Tech, are extremely powerful. Some examples include laser guns, hypno rays, and miniature tanks. The only problem is the few that exist are old and each time you use them you risk using up their omega charge. Once this happens, they're useless, unless you salvage them immediately. Only some Omega Tech can be salvaged. To salvage it, the owner must attempt a salvage roll. If the roll is unsuccessful, the item is useless, but if it succeeds, you can use it as a normal version of the super weapon. (For example, a salvaged vibro-sword can be used as a normal sword.)
Additional thoughts: If you know how to play Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition, you already know the basics of playing this game. The main differences are listed above. If you're a 4th Edition Dungeon Master and the theme of this game appeals to you, I recommend you try it. Even if your players don't like the game, the monsters can be cross-compatible with 4th Edition, and you'll effectively have bought a Monster Vault full of weird monsters, rather than something you'll never use again.
Although this was in a geeklist first, this is still my first review on BoardGame/RPG/VideoGameGeek. I was a little brief this time, but will be more detailed in the future.
Thrift Thopter
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John Middleton
United States
Laramie
Wyoming
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Re: A Quick Overview of Gamma World Roleplaying Game: A D&D Roleplaying Game
Nice little review. Always good to have others reactions to a game on file here.
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Thrift Thopter
United States
Massachusetts
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Re: A Quick Overview of Gamma World Roleplaying Game: A D&D Roleplaying Game
Thanks. I'm glad others are enjoying it.
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Brian Leet
United States
Montpelier
Vermont
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Re: A Quick Overview of Gamma World Roleplaying Game: A D&D Roleplaying Game
I love seeing new contributors, and particularly getting multiple reviews of items. One thing I'm not clear on from the review is what you really think of the game. What's your big take away? Also, you mention other prior reviews. Anything in them you agree or disagree with?
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Thrift Thopter
United States
Massachusetts
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Re: A Quick Overview of Gamma World Roleplaying Game: A D&D Roleplaying Game
Sorry for the delay. I was having computer trouble for a couple of days and was unable to finish my reply until now.
PghArch wrote: I love seeing new contributors, and particularly getting multiple reviews of items. One thing I'm not clear on from the review is what you really think of the game. What's your big take away?
I see what you mean.
I like Gamma World because it's so different from other role-playing games. All the combinations of mutant origins, mutations, and (sometimes cool, sometimes ridiculous) Omega Tech make possible dozens of memorable, unique, and humorous characters and stories.
This, along with Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition and Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition are the only role-playing games I've been able to try so far. I prefer both of the aforementioned Dungeons & Dragons versions to Gamma World, but that's because of the theme of Dungeons & Dragons, as well as the fact that I usually prefer serious games to humorous games. Humor however, can be welcome at times, so I can see myself wanting to play Gamma World from time to time to take a break from more serious games.
Another thing I like about Gamma World that I didn't mention in my overview is that most of the mutations have overcharge abilities. Overcharge abilities cause players to ask themselves "Do I go on using my mutation normally, or do I overcharge it, with a 55% chance of becoming more powerful and a 45% chance of making matters worse." For example, when you overcharge your sensitive nose, if you roll 10+, you get a bonus to attack rolls and it becomes almost impossible to fail perception checks, but if you roll 9 or less, all you smell are three-month-old gym socks.
I give 3rd/3.5/Pathfinder Edition a 10, 4th Edition a 9, and also give Gamma World a 9.
PghArch wrote: Also, you mention other prior reviews. Anything in them you agree or disagree with?
Before I discuss differences in opinion between myself and the other reviewers, I first must point out that GilvanBlight wrote his review right after Gamma World was released. As someone who owns (though has not yet played) both expansions, I have some up to date comments on parts of his review (note that if you've been following these forums, you probably already know this):
1. GilvanBlight commented about how at the time, Wizards had not released a PDF copy of the character sheets. Since then, Wizards has done something better. They've created an online, interactive character sheet, on which you can use origins from any combination of expansions. The sheet can be found here: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4news/20101221 Unfortunately, there's still not much room to write what your powers do, so you might want to look into the power cards they discuss in that forum.
2. GilvanBlight refers to rules from 4th Edition that are absent from Gamma World. While they are absent, some mechanics refer to these rules. There is a thread, started by shidara about what's missing from Gamma World here: http://rpggeek.com/article/6957763#6957763 Personally, I recommend treating the 4th Edition rules referred to by Gamma World mechanics as though they were in the main rulebook, while ignoring the others. If more recent or official information is available, please correct me.
3. GilvanBlight points out there are no feats in the $40 base set, but if you're willing to pay an additional $30 for Legion of Gold, you'll have access to vocations. While origins are like a Gamma World character's race(s), vocations are like their class. Vocations don't provide benefits themselves and can more accurately be described as feat families, and you gain feats once per level, each three levels, starting at 4th level. This means nothing but theme is stopping you from being all fourteen "classes" at once. Thematically, the best way to handle it is to not be a vocation you don't have a feat for. Thus, upon reaching 4th level, you choose a vocation, such as "Beast Rider" and gains its grade 1 feat (in this case "Beast Rider" (the only feat with the same name as its vocation)). Upon reaching 7th level, the Beast Rider would have to choose between taking the grade 2 Beast Rider feat, "Trampe," and taking the first feat of any other vocation, thus gaining that vocation. Let's say he chose to become a "Bounty Hunter" by taking its grade 1 "Show 'Em Who's Boss" feat. Upon reaching 10th level (the final level in Gamma World), the Beast Rider, Bounty Hunter would now choose his final feat of the game. Had he chosen the grade 2 "Trample" Beast Rider feat, he could now take the grade 3 "Mounted Devastation" Beast Master feat, but he didn't, and "Trample" looks no more appealing than before. Because he has the grade one Bounty Hunter feat, he could take the grade 2 Bounty Hunter feat, "Wanted Dead or Alive." Unlike in 4th Edition however, your not restricted to two "classes" when "multi-classing." If he wants this hero can gain one more vocation, like "Mad Scientist" by taking its grade one feat (in this case, "It's Technical"). But our hero isn't merely a beast-riding, mad scientist, bounty hunter. This is Gamma World. He is of course a Radioactive, Cockroach, beast-riding, mad scientist, bounty hunter, whose three mutations allotted by his level are currently redundant organs, liquid bones, and huge arms.
4. Anyways, on to other comments. GilvanBlight talks about guns needing ammunition after he talks about all weapons in general. I just wanted to specify that there are non-gun ranged weapons you can fire at your enemies with impunity. So if you like shooting at your enemies from the sidelines, you don't have to always be hoping the Game Master gives you ammo.
5. GilvanBlight complains about the quantity of monsters and traps per level in the core game. Here is the quantity of monsters per level of the core game and expansions, followed by the quantity of traps per level of the core game and expansions. ML=Monster Level, CG= Core Game, FF= Famine in Fargo, LG=Legion of Gold, TH=Trap/Hazard Level. (I'll update this post later to include the adventures; Trouble in Freesboro, Quest of the One-Armed Robot, and the Factory of Misfit Omega Tech.)
ML:   .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..........
CG: ................ ........
FF: ..........................
LG: ..........................
TH: ..........................
CG: ..........................
(Also, is there a simpler way to insert tables? I suppose you could use a snipping tool to take a picture of a table in a document, then upload it, but I didn't know if that would cause this reply to go up a day later, as the image-in-post is approved. I wanted to get this reply out of the way before getting back to reading the BoardGame/RPG/Video Game Geek user guides and related information.)
6. GilvanBlight comments on the lack of skill challenges in Gamma World. As with feats, skill challenges are "introduced" in another $30 expansion. Famine in Fargo discusses the details of skill challenges on pages 105-106 of its rulebook. Edit: I was alerted by DegenerateElite (in shidara's thread I mentioned above) to the fact that on pages 93-97 of the Legion of Gold rulebook, not only is there all the information from Famine in Fargo rulebook, but there's also information on skill challenges for replacing breather tanks on moon suits, extricating moon vehicles from dust traps, erecting temporary airtight habitats, navigating the moon's surface to reach a destination, and sneaking into fortified moon bases. I missed this before because it was in the chapter "Moon Zone 9," which didn't seem relevant to this post, when I first wrote it.
As for what I think of some of some other issues the other reviewers brought up:
1. I'm glad each side of the Gamma World maps has two half-sized maps, rather than one full sized maps, as it gives us more variety. Gamma World doesn't get as much support as Dungeons & Dragons so the more maps the better, regardless of the size.
2. I like the fact that additional Alpha Mutation and Omega Tech cards are available in booster packs, allowing players to customize their mutants. However, I do agree with the others that $4, seems a little much for eight artless cards, when wizards sells Magic: the Gathering in packs of fifteen illustrated game cards with a bonus tip/token card.
3. GilvanBlight mentions he was disappointed with the packaging of the Gamma World core game. There is a lot of filler cardboard in these products, but wasted potential is a minor issue, and the components fit snugly in their boxes.
I hope this helps to answer your questions PghArch, as well as other questions readers might have.
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Maurice Tousignant
Canada
Windsor
Ontario
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Thrift Thopter wrote:
Thanks for the link!
Nice quick review. Sums up the game well.
I also have both expansions now and should probably write up reviews of those, though you've pretty much covered much of what has changed due to them.
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Thrift Thopter
United States
Massachusetts
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GilvanBlight wrote: Thrift Thopter wrote: Thanks for the link! Nice quick review. Sums up the game well. I also have both expansions now and should probably write up reviews of those, though you've pretty much covered much of what has changed due to them.
Your welcome. I enjoyed your review as well.
My overview didn't go into much detail, and I thought anyone who read my overview might enjoy your and coffeewiller's reviews. Then, when PghArch asked me if I disagreed with those reviews at all, I realized that, as your review had been written before the expansions came out, those I direct to your review wouldn't be getting entirely up-to-date information, so I discussed the changes in my third post. This also gave me a chance to show the table of monsters, which might also help someone thinking about my suggestion of using Gamma World as a monster vault.
Also, I didn't read your review until after I posted the original overview in the geeklist, and found it interesting that we both chose "android yeti" as one of our two example mutant origin combinations.
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Posted Wed Jun 15, 2011 4:44 am
