I've been looking forward to this game for a while now. The design team managed to surpass all of my expectations.
I really can't recommend Blue Rose highly enough for anyone who is looking for a game that is fast, flexible and fun or someone who wants a setting that is more inclusive and friendly for gamers who don't happen to fit the traditional mold.
After a few readings, I am anxious to run this game and enthused about seeing more content for it.
<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Absolutely beautiful in terms of layout, design and style. The scan is crystal clear and lets the black and white interior artwork shine. (And shine it does, with most pieces being better than average for a game.)
Also, unlike many pdfs that were taken from print layouts of dead-tree versions of books, Blue Rose contains hyperlinks to the chapters and pages listed in table of contents. This is very handy for finding things quickly and is something I wish more companies would do regularly.
The True20 system rocks. Fast, simple, elegant and flexible, it is (in my opinion) the height of what d20 can become.
The Arcana system is wonderful and does a great job of retaining the 'flavor' of the works that inspired Blue Rose.
The setting surprised me by being darker and more conflict-rich than I was expecting. While the game has a definite slant towards what I consider civilized and mature values, the PCs are going to have to work their butts off to keep those values from being overrun by evil and ignorance.
<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: As with many RPGs, the authors began using setting specific terms (racial names, bits of Arcanum lore, etc.) before those terms were defined for the reader. Minor, but always annoying.
Being 'Noble' in Aldea is a job, rather than a station to which one is born. It takes them a while to explain that in the text, leading to a few confusing moments early on while reading the game.
I am ambivalent about the inclusion of a few 'D&Dish' races. Especially the Vata'Sha, who are essentially Drow.
These are all very minor quibbles with what I consider to be the best pdf I've ever invested in, though.
<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>
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