This is a great product for d20 modern, and is easily converted to other systems A++

This is a brutal, realistic take on a "zombie infestation" campaign. It has all the rules needed to start a campaign, and there is plenty of material to keep the campaign going. This setting is not for the squeamish or weak-of-heart, since campaigns can tend to get gory and unforgiving. Its a hell of a lot of fun, though.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Great presentation. I like the grim, realistic portrayal of the setting. Its hard to do well, and this product succeeds. I also like the fact this product is also delivered in an HTML format. Handy.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: I personally don't dislike anything about this product.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

A vary well writen sourcebook. It was a entertaining read, and provides great information for a game set in the zombie genre, highly recomminded<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: The ficional accounts through-out the book and fantastic, the writer should consider writeing more zombie storys. <br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: I liked it all<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

There are some good products on RPGNow. There atre a lot of good companies out there that do excellent work. And then, every once in a while, something utterly scale-breaking gets introduced. Year of the zombie is such a product. I don't know what I can say that won't be redundant with the huge number of other positive reviews that this has gotten, so I'm just going to leave it at this:

If you are playing or running a zombie game, a post-apocalyptic game, or something that even slightly resembles one of those, buy this. Now. The advice and rules material herein are outstanding, and I don't think I have EVER seen such nicely-implemented rules for the myraid of ways people go slightly nuts when subjected to severe psychological trauma as the ones in the back of this book. The "flavor text", often used by other products as a way of filling space, contributes much dramatic weight to the product and provides concrete examples of how various rules and ideas play out in an actual game session.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: The staggering number of extras to come with this product. The core book is in full-color, print-friendly, and HTML formats, there is a mini-adventure with grayscale and full-color maps, a collection of all the flavor text in two different versions for easier reading (and believe me, you'll want to!) and a nice little program that gives you a browser-based menu to access it all from. There is a LOT of value in here for twelve bucks.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

This one makes me want to plop zombies into a game right now. It is a well-written product that does a very good job at helping one to understand what would happen in a game should the world be overrun by zombies.

I can see it being dropped into an otherwise normal modern game. I can also see it being dropped into either a futuristic, or even a low-magic fantasy setting (or at least low on clerics to ruin the fun by turning the undead).

It is written with a fun, sadistic humor. You can't expect for characters to live forever in the setting, so this is not a setting for players that get all suicidal just because a character dies. The body count will be high in this game, and it is likely that someone's character will come back to eat their friends.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Overall layout. PDF as well as browser support. UKG has a good layout designer.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

I would like to say straight out of the gate that this has got to be one of the best ebooks i have ever purchased. That being said let me explain why. Basically the entire document from front to back is entirely meat and potatoes, ive yet to find an any of fat or fluf that was added just to fill out the book, like so many others i have bought. I had come so very close to purchasing a certian "eaten-flesh" game rulebook and had resigned myself to converting it to use with my game and the d20 system, and i just happed upon YOTZ, lucky me. Basically everything i needed is here for the takeing. The main thing that stands out to me is how well thought out the conjecture is, as the authors draw logical conclusion to the insuing panic and collapse "the Rising" would bring. The ideas given herein eearily mirror the ideas that my gaming group came to when we began our "Romero-esque" zombie campaign over a year ago, and though i was ready to let it fizzle out, this book has given me so many ideas on how to make the campaign solvent and continue strong. I enjoyed the book from the beginning to the end, and while the flavor text was thick, i dont think it distracted from the material, it actually gave the ideas presented in the material an applied example.

Daniel macaroni222@yahoo.com <br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Everything from cover to cover is usable in my campaign, the first time ive purchased an ebook this useful<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: cant really think of anything offhand. <br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

Contained in the downloadable Year of the Zombie .zip file are three versions of the 140+ page core rules (full-color, printer-friendly, and HTML), two versions of the supplementary Diaries of Becka (full-color, printer-friendly), an introductory adventure module, and two versions (color and grayscale) of the floor plans that are used to run that introductory adventure. Finally, to tie this sizeable bundle of content together, there is a self-executing program file that acts as an interactive menu, letting the reader easily browse all of their Year of the Zombie files.

To be fair, I was blown away by Year of the Zombie?s production values before I ever read it. Not only are you getting a tremendous amount of well organized content for your money at the titillating price of $12.00, but you?re getting a tremendous amount of truly useful content for that price, as well (i.e., content that serves a purpose past padding out the .zip file for appearance?s sake). There aren?t many products that can convey a sense of purpose before you read them - but Year of the Zombie does just that. And it only gets better.

First, the core rules offer a comprehensive treatment of zombie survival horror in the d20 Modern system - from a discussion about the basic types of zombie survival horror campaigns, to a crucial examination of the post-zombie apocalypse world, the Year of the Zombie core rules have you covered. So what about the mechanics? Have no fear, the UKG crew has covered all of your bases there, too - from seven different zombie templates to a modified version of the Bad Axe Games insanity rules, Year of the Zombie is packing some serious crunch.

At first glance, the Diaries of Becka are simply a collection of one survivor?s fictional experience after the coming of the zombie apocalypse, but they are packed with potential. The ?diaries? are a brilliant idea in that I?ve never before seen game fiction presented in a format that begs to be used as a source of player handouts during actual play. I?m really itching to run a Year of the Zombie campaign in which player characters stumble across some pages from Becka?s diary as they explore the world of the living dead.

Third, the free introductory adventure, ?Gun Fight at the O.K. Diner? is a great way to spend a few hours - a few hours trapped in a small diner, surrounded by the hungry dead! The adventure takes place about 72 hours into the zombie apocalypse, involves the PCs as civilians looking for refuge, a small band of NPC soldiers fleeing a large group of flesh-eating, and that large group of flesh-eating geeks. There isn?t any real plot, but that?s okay - in high pressure situations like this, players tend to generate their own drama.

Now, having heaped on the praise, I do need to point out a few things that aren?t made immediately clear in the product?s ad copy. First, Year of the Zombie is a d20 Modern supplement and, as such, is squarely aimed at running campaigns set in modern times. Second, Year of the Zombie only deals with zombies in the vein of Romero?s undead ghouls - voodoun zombies simply don?t make an appearance therein. If you?re looking for a d20 fantasy supplement that covers zombies or a thorough examination of voodoun zombies, you won?t find either in Year of the Zombie.

Finally, my single complaint with Year of the Zombie is that it presents all of the rules for dealing with stress, horror, and other psychological consequences of zombie survival horror as options, burying them at the back of the core rules. This serves to de-emphasize the importance that such things play in the source material mimicked by Year of the Zombie, while simultaneously placing the focus on purely physical pursuits and the mechanics that support them. This is a shame, as it gives a false initial impression that Year of the Zombie is more about ?whacking zombies? than truly paying homage to the films that it does a wonderful job of mimicking.

So what?s the final verdict? For all of your non-voodoun, d20 Modern, zombie survival horror, you must own Year of the Zombie. Spread the infection - pick up your copy today!

<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: The multiple format files contained in the download. The sheer volume of content for the price. The in depth discussion of different zombie campaign types found in the core rules. The cleverly presented Diaries of Becka. <br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Seeing the rules for psychological ramifications of a zombie apocalypse in a variant rules appendix buried at the end of the core rulebook<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br><BR>[THIS REVIEW WAS EDITED]<BR>

These days, zombies are all the rage. 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, Land of the Dead, the PC Mod Grand Theft Auto: Long Night, Kenzer and Company's Final Days, and many other zombie-related products have all hit the streets in the past year. I think there's just something thrilling about standing by your best buddy, shotgun in hand, as hordes of undead swarm your tiny cabin in the woods that screams GAMERS UNITE! UKG has answered the call and published Year of the Zombie for D20 Modern. Do they live up to the standard set by the masters of the undead like Romero? Or do they fall like a hunk of dead flesh? We'll have to see. Read on, but keep an eye out for signs of The Rising.

Presentation: UKG Publishing has taken extra steps in publishing this product. Not only do they provide a fully book marked PDF version of the core rule book in full color, but they also provide a printable version as well as an HTML copy that includes a nav-bar for easy browsing. All of the content is viewed via an executable file that launches a front page displaying all of the products. Everything is laid out and easy to read, although I would have liked a readme file to explain exactly what would happen when I launched the exe file, especially since it's called "Autorun.exe".

In addition to the three versions of the Core Rule book, The Diary of Becka--an account of a person who has lived through the collapse of civilization-- is also included for extra zombie goodness. This is also provided in full color and printable versions. In addition to this a 10 page mini-adventure that includes a map that can be printed as a battle mat in color or gray scale.

If anything can be said about UKG, they really REALLY love zombies and this is reflected in the art, the fictional diary, and the content both crunchy and chewy. Be warned, however, Year of the Zombie is not for everybody. It discusses acts of gruesome violence against children, rape, consumption of human flesh, anarchy, and any other staple of the zombie genre. There is also judicious use of the f-word peppered throughout the story vignettes that header every section and contained in the Diary of Becka.

CRUNCHY: Year of the Zombie includes many new statistics, tables, as well as character classes and prestige classes to help any DM begin the invasion. Chapter 3 includes numerous zombie templates to handle almost any kind of zombie you can think of. They have included a standard template for your everyday shambler to sprinters to trained zombies, to even zombies that can remember what they did before popping over to a friend's house for a bite. The templates are all organized well and all contain an example zombie.

Chapter Four contains information on various basic and advanced classes that represent those still surviving the zombie menace. Herein are classes such as Feral Children, who have basically gone Lord of the Flies on the world and spend their time hunting people and zombies for food. Two others, a Den Mother advanced class who leads the feral children and Lawman PrC which is more like a vigilante protector than a civil servant.

Chapter Five dwells on the other powers that be that may get involved when the dead rise. Agents of other governments, rogue militants, and even the police are included here. Full stats are provided as well as a discussion of tactics and weaponry for each unit that could enter the fray with--or more likely against--the players. This chapter also contains a discussion of other hazards that can plague the players such as chemical contamination and nuclear radiation. Stats and charts detail the effects of both.

Chapter Seven covers all kinds of weapons and equipment characters will need to survive. Guns, radios, vehicles are all discussed here from handguns to machine guns to tanks to helicopters you name it. If it's made for killin' it's here.

Chapter Eight covers variant rules for character creation and gameplay. Some of the more interesting variants deal with insanity and horror for those who want a more gritty setting. Various disorders and phobias are discussed that can add an air of the common man facing unbeatable odds to the game. There are also variant rules for hit locations for those who just love the limb-lopping side of zombie combat.

CHEWY: The mechanics are sound and of very high quality, but setting is where Year of the Zombie really excels. The text just oozes flavor and atmosphere. Much like the World of Darkness rulebooks, each section is headed off by a small vignette of fiction to add a little feeling to the reading. The story pieces are very well written, but I would prefer if they had cut down a little on the usage. It got a little distracting when every subsection of every chapter received a helping of flavor text.

Nevertheless, UKG has done very well in providing ample information to create a campaign. They first discuss what kind of a campaign is best offering four different types and listing the pros and cons of each. They then discuss alternate rules systems that may add a better feel to aspects of a zombie campaign. After that, they discuss how to start a campaign fresh or add the zombie aspect to an existing setting. In this section they discuss how society can collapse which in turn makes the GM's job a whole lot easier in structuring adventures.

Later on in the book they offer information on various sites that may be important to the party.

Use in Campaign: Templates, classes, weapons, fully fleshed NPC types, alternate rules, fun story elements and atmosphere all make for a long-lasting addition to anyone's RPG library.

Conclusion: If you like zombies, even just a little, BUY THIS NOW. Just keep a 12 guage and a box of shells handy.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Very well presented. Various viewing options. TONS of atmosphere. Well written and researched. Great addition to any d20 modern campaign or as a stand-alone product.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: The story vignettes, though entertaining, became distracting while reading the rules.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

What is it: Year of the Zombie is a roleplaying book with everything you will need to recreate your favorite zombie flick. This is a very adult book.

System: The book uses the OGL (Open Gaming License) and is based on d20 Modern. I am happy they did not lump in all the basic rules; making characters, combat and so forth, but it means you will need a copy of d20 Modern to play.

Combat: The all important headshot is represented by two sets of rules. First, you can aim at a body location with a called shot that has a penalty. Second, a natural 20, is an ?accidental head strike?. Zombies are hard to kill. They have immunities and damage reduction but a headshot gets past all that and they fall down.

The Story: Throughout the book is a continuous story, told in pieces by the narrator. She begins in a bunker, safe but locked up, and then moves out to explore the world and becomes a survivor doing and surviving horrible events. Some of her friends die along the way, but they are careful and some you expect to die, survive. This is a little more satisfying than the typical ?everyone dies? scenario.

Horror: The horror check is included in this book from other works. Normally players are not afraid unless they want to be or unless they fail a saving throw against a supernatural effect. The horror rules give the game a realistic touch, forcing players to make a check when they encounter horrible circumstances. Players can end up simply frightened or become driven all the way to insanity. There is a whole list to choose from.

Gear: There is a good selection of new guns and equipment that will help you survive or at least take a lot of ?risers? with you before you go. Traditional financial systems are gone but have been replaced with barter. The wealth system is still used when dealing with people and surviving settlements but values have changed. Outside of the few settlements that exist in a world without banks or working ATM?s, you take or salvage what you can find. Your odds of actually getting your hands on a tank is considerably higher than in a traditional game. The trick is getting fuel and parts.

Format: This book is laid out as a notebook that the narrator has written in. The flavor text uses a handwriting font which is easy to read for script. The important game terms are in a standard font. Some of the art is doodles. Other art is ?taped-in? photographs and there is a brilliant 2 page painting. The format reinforces the feeling of hopelessness that is so important for a zombie game. The narrator was not able to store the information on a computer or having it professionally published ? she wrote it in a notebook. The blood splatters speak volumes. I would like to see this book printed out in an actual spiral binding.

Summary: This is a great book. It introduces uncomfortable topics that lend to the horror. It makes zombies tough and dangerous. It takes a hard look at desperate people and what they do. I don?t know if I would want to be a player in this setting but I sure would like to DM it. I?m preparing my annual Halloween game and it was good to get my hands on this material. <br><br><b>LIKED</b>: This book takes the gloves off. It takes some of the darkest elements of a zombie game and explores them; savage barbaric children who are almost as bad as the zombies themselves, cannibalism, mutilation, slavery, crudely cybernetic zombies, sex and so forth. The profanity and horror peppers the book in a way that is not overwhelming but just adds the right feel to the book ? things are bad. <br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: There are grammatical errors scattered through the document. Most of them are simple omissions of a single word and are so easily overlooked. It is clear what is meant. I would have liked better art but that can be a hard, and expensive, thing to come by.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

Huge amount of material with high production values. Fantastic value.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Amount of material and quality<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: A bit too many psychosis<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

This game is a very dark and gritty take on the end of the world, and the good news is, there are zombies running around.

A very fast-paced game that will keep players working to find the next safe place to sleep. Treasure is ammunition, and magic items are toliet paper.

I described it to my regular group as a Twilight 2000 meets Dawn of the Dead, and they were in.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: The sheer scale of desperation. Players will be working for every scrap of success they can find. Well, presented with the narrative diary providing a great insight into the feeling and tone of the game. Product is very well supported.

No magic, just characters fighting for survival, trying to hang onto their humanity. <br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: The very dark setting could end up in a repeative nature of play, but there are multitudes of ideas and support in the product for a campaign with some effort. <br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

Excellent book, well written from the rules information to the in character vignettes. Highly recommended<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

A well detailed system for running a long term flesh eating zombie campaign, in whatever vein you prefer. Has a sort of Twilight 2000 feel to it, as it brings in a lot of military vehicles and organizations as well as their gear and the sense that the campaign should be kept "on the go", rather than operating out of a base and bunkering down like many zombie holocaust film/scenarios tend to. Has pretty much everything you need as far as zombies and such.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: The multiple options for campaigns, as well as touching on so many different variants of zombies (some straight out of the newest films such as the Dawn of the Dead re-make, and Land Of The Dead) to keep things interesting. <br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: And therein lies the problem. With basically only one sort of zombie to deal with on a constant basis, things could stagnate. I advise someone thinking of long term running this product to add in some variant zombiefied critters (ala Resident Evil Outbreak File #2), as well as a few chemical critters from D20 modern to help break up things every once in a while. It's a real shame that Wizards decided to publish D20 Apocalypse, with the "Viral Death Spawn" template. I fear most people will overlook this product in favor of the mainstream. <br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>

Over a year ago I expressed an interest to my group about running a Zombie massacre campaign but they would have to wait because I was missing something. At the time I did not know what it was. I am not ashamed to say that Year of the Zombie was it.

I discovered the setting by buying Independence Day Massacre (another product I highly recommend). I was intrigued by the Zombie stats so I bought the sourcebook. I was hooked from the first page.

The source material is very well thought out. It takes the reader through the various stages of a Zombie outbreak from beginning to end with references to many Zombie films early and modern (Romero would be proud.) The material can be used by itself (the Year of the Zombie) or elements can be inserted into other campaigns. A warning to GM's though - introducing Year of the Zombie to your game could change it dramatically.

The flavour text adds greatly to the product. It is rare to find a product that does this as well as this one does. As a bonus the text is printed separately to allow you to read it as its own product (something you will do - trust me).

The rule book itself is provided in three different formats (two pdfs, one for the screen and one for printing, and a html version for easy access). All three are designed very well.

In addition the designers have provided a battlemap and adventure. The map is of a diner and parking lot for use during the massacre. This diner can be purchased as a separate product as a non-zombie version. The adventure is intended to be used with the map.

The designers of the product should be commended for a very well thought out product. It is my opinion that this is the best online roleplaying product I have bought. If you can only by one item this year buy this. If you can buy two, buy this and Independence Day Massacre (It is a very good companion).<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: The ability to use this product as a whole or insert parts into a campaign. The additional material provided (map and adventure) are an added bonus. In fact I liked everything.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Nothing. This is a great product.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>

There is a definite zombie interested following out there, this product is a solid entry into the field of zombie survival horror that will be sure to please. This supplement is written from the point of view of a survivalist who is makes meaningful entries in her diary about the changed world around her. The fiction is excellent and will keep you reading the supplement without feeling like you are reading a rule book. Their are various zombie creatures represented as well as some surprising new enemies. Of particular interest are all the helpful pointers about how to start and finish a zombie campaign. Various locations are described and how they might hold up under a zombified assault. The sheer thought given to this supplement is staggering and if you are interested in a zombie survival horror campaign you will not be disappointed.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: well thought out, numerous ideas to get your campaign running.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: nothing-except maybe to have seen this book done even bigger with more weapons and vehicles described, but as is it is worth every penny.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>