d6 Design is an eclectic collection of diverse games. Some you will like -- some you won't. It will be the rare soul that likes all the games, because of the variety of the lot. You should be aware of this fact when buying this product.

The U game is a broad-spectrum, cinematic-style storytelling RPG. This book is an improvement over ANSR's last effort with this product,, but it still lacks a good layout and production-grade art. HOWEVER...

A basic over-view of the game: characters are created when players write a few notes about the type of hero that is desired. After that, some "dots" (points, chances) are applied to three common traits, some talents and items are purchased with CPs, and final details are filled in. That's basically it for characters; as for combat and story-telling, U makes these concepts a breeze to understand. If you like complex strategy and minute tactics, then stick with miniatures; if you like true role-playing with a modest amount of mechanics and detail, then U is perfect for story-telling and using your imagination.

The game itelf is a winner. Character creation is simple and quick, yet deceptively detailed and fun. The game mechanics are unique, with a little nod maybe to World of Darkness or Formless. Although the Story (World) Creation rules are skeletal and vague, I think I see the direction that ANSR is taking here -- they wanted to make a system that doesn't assume anything about the people who wil be playing U. They wanted to make a game that is playable and functional, one that doesn't get in the way of player creativity, one that is accesible due to its self-imposed limitations on the ruleset and it's economic price.

In other words, U was created to be learned, modified, enhanced, enjoyed and played! (Like I've said before -- better to spend $10 on something useful than spend $5 on something worthless ...)

At a price lower than $10, this is an EXCELLENT purchase, even with lackluster graphics. If you like simple game mechanics and easy-to-play rules for creating any world you can imagine, then U is the game for "you"!

Peryton's gimmick is its Knack system, which is a good idea. The book has a decent layout; the cover is it's best art. Because it reads like ODaD, it inherits some of the problems of its "parent". There is some innovation here, but not enough to justify the cost if you already have a free copy of some other ODaD clone; save your money if this is so.

Bean's game system is almost too simple; OK for a pick-up game but may not support long term play. Book has a good, solid, easy-to-understand layout. The game is easy to learn, fun to play. Bean is worth the price as long as it stays under 3.00. Your bean count (pardon the pun) may get a little high when tossing beans for results. (Need room to toss all those beans...)

Little Fears NE is a well-written, intense treatment of the "Scared of Monsters" Genre. The rules are detailed and generous; you must study this game in order to play it. LFNE will take effort, imagination, and creativity, but it's an organized, comprehensive game that "crunchy" players will enjoy. (I think I saw my shadow wave at me ... eeek!)

I'll be honest: I didn't like this at all. It's sporadic and unorganized* , a juvenile attempt at designing a game (pardon the pun).

• When I say it's unorganized, I don't mean it has a poor layout or it's hard to understand. I mean that the information as presented is not easy for kids to understand as it stands; it seems to be more like an adult who understands rpgs will have to translate for his younger audience. (If you design a game for kids, make it easier to understand.) Sporadic means that you will use some of the information given, while you will rely on your base rpg to provide support. rpgKids sounds like it should stand on its own, when in fact, it does not.

Simply put, I could have "built one just like it in my garage" if I had been so inclined. So, why write a negative review like this? Answer: there are better ways to spend $3.

(Nothing personal, no offense meant -- it just doesn't seem like it's a product worth my money.)

Loom is a card-based, cinematic / narrative rpg. Since there are already excellent reviews of this game available, I would like to point out that customization will yield rich rewards if you put forth the effort. Also, the price to purchase this game is under $5; how can you beat that?

STRANDS OF FATE (SoF) Description -- SoF is a cinematic rule system for playing virtually any game world or genre you can imagine. I have got to say that I am thoroughly impressed with this rule book, and I look forward to playing many game sessions using these rules.

Easy Rules -- The presentation of the rules is simple yet detailed, easy yet complete. There are a lot of options presented within the 13+ chapters of information, giving you a very maliable rule set to play your games with. The author wastes no time in explaining what the game is and how to play it. The rules are based on the FATE system using FUDGE dice, but you are also given the option of rolling 2d6 of different colors, much like the GRIMM system by FFG.

• I would like to add my own thought here on how to make rolling 2d6 more like rolling four FUDGE Dice. What you do is you roll the different-colored d6s, counting any "6"s rolled as a 1. This increases the chance of rolling a 1 on either die, and makes a better bell curve for rolling a median number. Plus, it ensures that the roll total never goes beyond ±4, thereby imulating what a FUDGE roll can acheive.

Never the less, the rules as presented won't need so much tweeking, as they will facilitate modification easily.

This is a solid rule set for playing cinematic RPGs (personally, I think most RPGs are cinematic. As SoF says, it's more interesting to have something FANTASTIC happen than it is to have something REAL happen in game play.

Fun to Play -- By implementing my own rules for solo role-playing, I was able to graft SoF into my own way of playing. This is a factor not found in many RPGs: most of them are too hard to remember all those mechanics and roll all those dice. SoF is so versatile, you can roll first and ask questions later, meaning that there is not a lot of heavy math involved in finding out what happens. Plus the addition of the Spin mechanic really makes the game shine, because this means that players will become more involved in game play as they roll -- which takes pressure off of the Host or the GM who's running the show...

Yes, Virginia -- I do believe this game will be fun to play!

Layout and Design -- Someone was paying attention and actually gave a d@#n about what they were doing when they designed this book. It is not too garish, yet it is decorated in detail. Each page has a nice border to it (or you can read the Printer Friendly version included). There is some sporadic art found here and there within the book: not too much, not too little. The font is easy to read on the computer, which means it's easy to read when printed, too. Thank you, Void Star, for being one publisher who pays attention to detail! Good layout indeed.

Worth the money -- SoF is worth every penny as a PDF. The printed / published versions seem to be fairly priced, though $45 for a hard-back book at 6x9 format seems a little steep. However, Void Star gives you a discount for getting both PDF and Hard-back, so it's not a bad deal.

This is a very good system to have in your collection, if you like cinematic story-telling games. I recommend getting the PDF at least! (I will get a soft cover later next month for myself!)

Only one thing to say here -- Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!

Talespinner is an OK game, in great need of some TLC in the layout and art department. The mechanics are simple to understand because they are not detailed at all. It is truly a story-telling game.

For the price, it would be a good bargain IF you wanted to improve the layout and design. However, I rate things on value, so my conclusion is this:

an OK, cheap game which I will never play; wasted money and wasted time.

(I wish people would invest in doing good art and layout, so that it looks like they actually give a d@#n about what it is they are doing...)

3:16 CATS is a pleasant surprise for a small, independent, British-created RPG. It is exactly what the description says it is: no more, no less. The Layout is well done: simple, to the point, interesting to read. The art could have been better, but the gritty cartoons seem to convey the correct tone of the game. The game mechanics are easy to understand with the first reading; I will be anxious to play this game soon. • 3:16 kind of brings Halo or Starship Troopers to mind when you imagine blasting big buggies in the middle of a deserted space station.

While I don't like the use of the F-word in most RPGs (I found over 4 uses in this book), never-the-less I understand what this game is supposed to be, so I am letting it slide as I rate this game what it deserves for the value paid.*

• = For 10 dollars, it's a little over-priced, but the game was a refreshing break from the normal RPG. I feel OK with the purchase.

Pick it up if you have 10 dollars to spare: if you like straight, to-the-point cinematic combat and fast dungeon crawling, all mixed up with fragging a plethora of space aliens with a blatant disregard to "sacred" life and ammunition limits (yuh, right), then this game is for you!

Supermegatopia uses anthropomorphized, super-hero animal characters in an urban setting -- that's the best thing I can say about this game. Most of the rulebook is cartoon comic pages, with some game mechanics thrown in for good measure. It says it's the HERO system, but it doesn't bear any resemblance of HERO that I can remember (you should know I haven't played HERO in about 25 years, though).

Over-priced; wasted money; never will use it.

Needs more work to be a game, not a comic book. (The Art is good for what it is; Layout is OK.)

True20 Adept's Handbook -- I really like True20: with that said, however, I am not really happy with T20AH. Although it IS a thorough examination of the arcane, the profane, and the occult, my games tend to treat magic as "mysterious" and "intriguing" -- not macabre and gothic. You will find much information pertaining to the darker side of magic: witchcraft, rituals, necromancy, sorcery, talking to the dead, etc.*

I bought it to supplement my super-hero and Star Wars (TM) games that I run with True20, but it did very little to help me with those games.

However, I rate things based on value, so I am giving it a 4 / 5 stars, the rating that it deserves for being a detailed and entertaining booklet. If you like to run authentic magical campaigns, then this book is for you -- if you want to run comic heroes, stick with True20 rules or M&M.

NE:BLO is a supplement for OGL and D20 products. It uses the concept of "micro-classes", professions and trades that your character may have been involved in before he became an adventurer.

The text is well-written, straight-forward, and simple to understand. The document doesn't waste a lot of space with fluff: it basically says, "Here's what it is and here's what it does." It is a 10-page booklet filled with basic information.

Most experienced players and people with many books on RPGs will not find much useful in this product. It is a basic rehash of concepts already outlined in other products.

The layout is simple and clean. It has one piece of art in the text -- the cover sketch. The cover shown for advertising this product is NOT included with the PDF. (I really hate that -- hey designers: INCLUDE THE D@#N COVER ALREADY.)

Is it worth the money? If you are a noobie to the RPG scene, then it's almost worth the money. Even at $2, it is a waste for an experienced player.

Spycraft 2.0 Game Screen is a 3-part barrier that you can print and assemble. It has alot of game tables that you may use often in your games, such as Combat summary and Weapons table. The price is just right / get it and assemble it!