Very very disappointing, especially since it was written by Steve Long, for whom I've always had great respect.

This isn't a pulp adventure - it’s a dungeon crawl with a thin 'pulp' veneer. Worse still it suffers from the cardinal sin of asking the players to make skill rolls to discover clues which are absolutely necessary for the game to continue, and it railroads the game from beginning to end - which wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn't so obvious.

The layout and production values are good, as are the maps. The Spirit of the Century stating is okay - but it doesn't feel remotely suitable for use with SotC. If I was rating it as a Dungeon Crawl if would do a lot better. If you are looking for a pulp adventure though, as opposed to a D&D adventure clothed in a pulpy setting look elsewhere.

Persephone Station

Like Osiris 7, a generic supplement with enough details to put in a setting yet enough leeway to put it in almost any setting. Unlike Osiris station, presents only one "mood," not two.

On the other hand, the name conjures a theme to play with in your interstellar campaign: Welcome to Persephone station, a once-popular space station on the frontiers of space. But like the Persephone of myth, she has lost her daughter to Hades and her sorrow creates winter... She is now nearly abandoned, waiting to awaken and Spring to begin.

Liked: Written for d20, but the game mechanics are explained well enough to adapt to your RPG of choice. Plot hooks

Dislike: Just one setting

This is a great resource for sailing ships during the age of sail. Complete with easy to follow ship combat and ship statistics.

Positives: All-round well put together, informative and useful.

Negatives: I was hoping it would have rules for creating and/or customizing your own ships.

Definitely worth the money!

Even before I first looked at Cooking with Class, I found the product to be inspirational. Mostly, this was because I was already dreaming about all the jokes I could make regarding “flavor” text, along with puns about the “crunch” and “fluff” in the book. Considering that many of these quips were found to be less than palatable among test audiences, however, I’ll strike to keep this review in good taste, sticking strictly to the meat of the book (I promise, no more from here on out).

Cooking with Class is a d20 product from Small Niche Games (though the interior of the book calls them Empty Room Studios, which is a tad confusing). The zipped file is slightly over thirteen megabytes in size, and contains two PDF files. The first file is a sampler of fantasy menus. This PDF features handout sheets of four different menus, each with a distinctive look and style, along with different cuisines to offer. Very generously, these four are then repeated in black and white for easy printing, and then in black and white a second time without the establishment titles, so you can write in new names for eateries as it suits you.

The other PDF is the Cooking with Class book itself. The book weighs in at thirty pages long, including a page for the cover, a page for the credits/table of contents, and a page for the OGL. Full bookmarks are given (for both PDFs), and the table of contents isn’t hyperlinked. The cover is done in full color, and the style of illustration sets the tone for all of the art in the book. While all of the interior artwork is black and white, the style seems reminiscent of paintings done a century or more ago, which is a testament to the talent of the artists that worked on this book.

Cooking with Class is exactly what it sounds like, a d20 book about food. Chapter One is very quick to address the most basic question that arises when you think of a d20 book regarding food: why bother? The answer, as it concisely lays out, is that describing the food of (particular regions of) your game world is one of those small but significant steps that increases verisimilitude. By paying a little attention to detail to this bit of window dressing, it can help to make your campaign world feel more alive to your players. The chapter concludes by pointing out several other sources for information on historical foods.

The second chapter covers the basics regarding different types of foods. I was surprised to find that this section was actually very interesting to read, and helped reinforce the basics regarding what kinds of foods are available, and why, in a medieval (fantasy) world. Each overarching type of food gets its own sub-section (e.g. meats, graints, alcohol, etc.) where the major kind of each type is briefly discussed. It’s worth noting that this chapter, as it goes on, branches out into more esoteric subjects like methods of cooking, poisons (with game stats here), what sort of foods you can make from various types of monsters from the SRD (black pudding, for example, makes an absolutely delicious black pudding), and ending with a discussion regarding what foods are common in what regions. The best part is how each sub-section of food lists a possible adventure hook regarding it (and wow, you wouldn’t think cheese could be something that leads you to an adventure…but it’s there).

Chapter Three focuses more on game mechanics. Here you’ll find new food-related feats, spells, prestige classes (I particularly liked the Adamantine Chef, which adventures to find exotic monsters, and cook them), magic items, and more. All of the work here seemed balanced, and lends itself well to a campaign that wants to have a slightly-greater focus on culinary aspects. The fourth and final chapter, likewise, gives a few sample courses of meals, and example locations where various foods can be purchased, along with stat blocks for various bakers, butchers, etc.

All in all, I came away deeply impressed with this product. The descriptive text was brief but interesting, being a brief but thorough lesson in the basics of food in a game world. The new mechanics were interesting and well-written, and made this product have some nice substance for those looking for new rules for their game. If Cooking with Class is on the menu for your next game night, you’ll find it to leave a pleasant aftertaste indeed (sorry, I couldn’t resist one more).

I'm sure I'm not alone in finding the D20 character creation process long, drawn out and tedious. Whilst it is well suited for PC's and the most important NPC's, you really need something else should you need the stat's for a minor character your players may need to deal with only once. Minions Of Mars gives the basic statistics for 22 commonly encountered character types. Each listing has stats for 2nd, 6th and 10th level. To add variety each level has three variants, one at normal ability modifier, one with all mods at +1, and one with all mods at +2. Where appropiate, the different races of Mars are represented. To round things off, there is a section detailing eight NPC's who could easily be dropped into most campaigns. These characters are interesting and well rounded. There's also a section of four new feats (some of which have featured in earlier AE releases).

Pro's: Cut's down on the GM's workload when creating minor NPC's. The detailed NPC's all have adventure potential. Con's: Page after page of stat's are visually uninspiring. A lot of the artwork is re-used from the core rulebook.

Overall: Not an essential purchase, but a useful and convenient one.

ERS Character Cards: Tavern Folk 2 is the second product in the Character Cards series of products from Small Niche Games/Empty Room Studios. Originally this series was called SNG's Character Cards, but the name has changed due to the recent merger between Small Niche Games (SNG) and Empty Room Studios (ERS). Each product in the series provides a detailed set of color character cards/portraits for use with NPCs or PCs during gaming sessions, and includes brief descriptions of the various characters for those that don't just want to use the character portraits themselves. The products in this series all form part of a larger bundle of 54 character cards, some of which are yet to be released.

This 9 page pdf product includes 16 character cards or portraits as visual aids for use in any campaign setting and, like the first product in the series, this product also features tavern folk or those people typically found in taverns. The product includes a cover showing some of the fine art of the character cards, 7 pages containing various combinations of the character cards (blank or with descriptions), and an advertisement page. The character cards are designed to fit 8 to a page, a very useful number, and are full-color images.

The character card visual aids in this product come in two forms - blank and with descriptions. The former does not include the name of the character on the front of the card beneath the image, nor does it contain a brief description of the character in question on the back of the card. Both these are left blank, allowing DMs that print them out to fill in their own details. Here it would've been useful if the pdf had been form-fillable, allowing you to type the details in rather than have to pen them down with a hasty scrawl.

The second version of the cards includes a character name on the front, and on the back a description detailing information on the NPC in the following categories: personality traits, sayings or quotes, background/description and lastly a plot hook to involve the character. I found these to be concise and useful, allowing you to have the knowledge you want at your finger tips. The details are interesting, and in some ways the characters are related, and the plot hooks should provide you with some inspiration for further adventures or side treks. While the pdf focuses on tavern folk for fantasy settings, the images themselves can probably used for a wider range of people or genres, as some of the art pictures aren't necessarily tied to tavern folk only.

The artwork used for the portraits is very good, and the personalities on the back reflect aspects of the appearance of the characters. If a particular individual in a portrait looks shifty, it's likely the character themselves are. I like the way this plays on first impressions, though it may be giving away too much to the PCs that encounter them. Overall, though, I was pleased with this product. Great art, useful descriptions, including motivations, background and personality, and utility in the product allowing you to use the portraits as blank cards as well. A good resource for those wishing to add some props or visual aids to enhance their games.

I really enjoyed this product. Unlike many alchemy collections I've seen, this one provides practical applications of alchemy. Highly useful collection of items that would be a great addition to a game.

Great Source material for use with ANY Pirate RPG. Very recommended.

Great for random encounters too! If you want it to be more then just "you see a guy watching from the alley, he seems to be hiding a weapon" with this and a few quick die roles you have a reason for him to be there and why he might attack the party.

Very well thought out product, and another one of those things that you don't realize you need for your game until you see it. Well organized. Nice layout. High quality. I'm very pleased with this purchase.

I concur with the previous reviewers points, except I'm not so much wed on the insistence on a Kipling reference. The man was after all, a bloody racist, or should I say "Imperialist." I have rated this pdf with four stars because it's the best attempt at reflecting India in an RPG setting I've encountered, but I Adamant has not delved deep enough into the nuances of Sanatana Dharma and the larger culture surrounding it.

The Character Cards are Great! Great Idea, & Great art!

The art and borders on this set are great, also, the format (8 cards to a page) is the perfect size.

One critique/complaint on the cards though: The Logo on each card (upper right corner) ---- the logo is WAY too distracting and really takes away from the art of the card! The company Logo is already on the front page of the PDF document, it really does not need to be on every single card - it almost ruins the cards for me.

I would have given a 5-star rating if the Logo on the front of the cards was not so distracting.

All in all, I'd definitely recommend the character cards! (and any future sets they come out with).

The Character Cards are Great! Great Idea, & Great art!

This set (Tavern Folk: Set One) is pretty good - the 2nd set they have put out (Tavern Folk: Set Two) is even better.

I think the art and especially the borders on the second set are the best. Also, the format (8 cards to a page) on the second set is the perfect size.

Two critiques/complaints on this set (Tavern Folk: Set One) though:

The company Logo is already on the front page of the PDF document, it really does not need to be on every single card - it almost ruins the card for me.

I would have given a 5-star rating if the Logo on the front of the cards was not so distracting.

All in all, I'd definitely recommend both sets of character cards! (and any future sets they come out with).

This product offers different ways to use magic in a Victorian setting: a quick and easy system that allows traditional (albeit limited) spell casting by non-arcane or divine characters, and a more robust skill-based system. The latter is enhanced by applying the laws of magic to get bonuses the success rolls. Also included are mechanics for drain as well as rules that gain the benefit of natural manna and ley lines. Each subsystem is modular, allowing for a great deal of customization. Several feats tailored to the rules are included, as well as a class designed to use their more innovative features. Finally, some skills with applications for magic (notably Concentration and Spellcraft) are examined in greater detail, as are tarot cards.

A nice touch are the charts that refer to historical magicians and deities to provide some flavor to the spell list. They are supplemented by real-world organizations that would make good additions to a magical themed campaign. Three such campaign models are also presented.

I would have liked to see a bit more flesh on using the Laws of Magic. For example, several other game systems have lists of natural items that have occult significance when used for magic. Something like that, providing bonuses to the skill rolls, would fit perfectly with the rest of the material, as would rules based on zodiacal correspondences. Regardless, this is a product with good ideas for giving a campaign a dash of magical verisimilitude.

This is the first setting book for the Imperial Age line, and a good choice. Its importance to the world of the setting and the literature that makes it endure cannot be overstated. Succinct yet useful sections on history, society and geography come first, along with a timeline and glossary for reference. These are followed by story and campaign ideas. There are some sample characters (all using regular d20 Modern classes with some suggestions for other products by Adamant) as well as Indian monsters and stats for a few English firearms and native melee weapons and a handful of feats. The best thing about this book is the author's care in allowing room for both realistic and fantasy-themed campaigns - for example, a snake charmer in a world with FX has a few levels of Wildlord. The same goes for story hooks and campaign styles, which range from completely mundane to full fantasy.

It is written primarily from the point of view of English characters, so players looking to make native characters won't find as much to use. Also, a good deal of the material is factual without much thought to practical gaming application. With the book priced as high as it is, containing so much material accessible for free (including 15 pages of maps from an old atlas which is now in the public domain) is a negative in my eyes. Oddly missing from the bibliography is any reference to Kipling, especially since Nemo himself appears in the book. There is certainly room for others alongside him: Kimball O'Hara, for instance, Peachy Carnahan or Ashton Pelham-Martyn from Kaye's The Far Pavilions - a smashing PC if there ever was one.